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Shadow Show question reality on psychedelic 7-inch ‘What Again Is Real’

Photos by Julia Khoroshilov. Find more of her work here.


As the end of 2020 rapidly approaches it’s easy to reflect on this atypical year with a general mood of bewildered resignation. So much has been out of anyone’s control, and yet there has been unprecedented opportunity for individuals to contribute colossal changes to the very structure of society. Stress levels are high, healthy outlets are few and far between, and scrolling through the news has even the sanest asking themselves “what again is real…?” Masters of resto-mod psychedelia Shadow Show confront the daily march of frighteningly too-real absurdity by diving into a sherbet colored daydream on their latest 7-inch that pairs a period-correct original track with a strikingly re-imagined deep cut from the dustbin of indie rock history.

“What Again Is Real?” builds upon traditional psych rock concepts by framing a narrative around a carefree psychedelic pixie for the mod-squad set, irresistibly magnetic as she glides by sporting go-go boots and capturing the imaginations of everyone she passes. Worldly cares fall all around her like rain, deflected before the drops can saturate her mood by a karmic umbrella of good vibes and radiant positivity. Like a paisley Pied Piper she beckons the overstimulated masses to shed their soggy vestments and follow her down a dayglo rabbit hole to a sunny mental state uncluttered by worry. Oscillating guitar riffs meander between harmonized vocals that eschew the harder, threatening tendencies of American West Coast acid psych in favor of the lighter, whimsical stylings of the genre’s British variant to great effect.

Los Angeles based filmmaker Mat Dunlap captures the analog aesthetic of “What Again Is Real?” in a resplendently lo-fi 8mm video awash in the cinematic wonder of LA’s iconic golden hour. The footage is interspersed with organic animations by Dawn Aquarius that echo the billowy spectacle of George Dunning’s iconic work on Yellow Submarine for maximum psychedelic impact. The dedication to a highly specific visual language recalls that of one of Shadow Show’s most successful hometown forebearers, and as The White Stripes leveraged candy stripes as a visual manifesto Shadow Show’s full bore adoption of 1960s style from Laugh-In to A Clockwork Orange is a primer on the band’s inspirational heritage.

 

If there were ever any doubts about the sincerity of Shadow Show’s commitment to sonic authenticity let them be dispelled with the incredible cover occupying the b-side. Originally recorded by Nashville band The Feminine Complex, “Is This A Dream?” is an extra-deep cut from a truly obscure garage psych group that has only surfaced on more recent reissues of their singular 1969 album. Where the original is a sparse organ ballad that fully embraces the foreboding ambiance of comedown era psych rock, Shadow Show flesh out the lovelorn lyrics with lush atmosphere and a hard edged guitar riff bore directly from the band’s gritty Detroit roots. The skill in which Shadow Show dismantles and rebuilds the original track in their own image is a testament to the trio’s skill and reveals the impressive depths their well of influence reaches.

If today’s news cycle is getting you down Shadow Show’s escapist psychedelia is just the remedy to, at least temporarily, lighten the load. “What Again Is Real?” is available digitally and on 7-inch vinyl from Shadow Show’s Bandcamp. Stream the tunes on Spotify and follow the band on Instagram.



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