Review: Stay - The Mean Solar Times

Stay are a psych band from Barcelona who have a nice line in sixties tinged psychedelia with a west coast vibe. They have appeared on the Fruits De Mer label (which should be testament enough) as well as releasing 4 LPs in their native Spain. On this outing they have drafted in Andy Bell (Ride and O***s) to add guitar to 3 tracks. They have produced an album that cannot help but lift the spirits.

The album opens with possibly my favourite track, 'Pinkman', with it's droney, bass heavy intro before launching into some nice neo-psych. There is plenty of sitar and organ which gives it an authentic sixties feel. There are overtones of the Madchester scene which adds some extra grooviness to proceedings. 'Always Here' sounds even more in debt to British sixties psych with some more organ on the intro and a simple but effective melody and structure. On 'Last Time' the band really get their groove on, a funky rhythm with some lovely neo-psych guitar. 'Smiling Faces' takes us back to the Paisley Underground scene of the eighties; a surging track with some flashes of psych over some rock solid drums. 'You Know It's Right' is a really nice slice of pop-psych, reminiscent of The Byrds in their prime - it has the same americana hues and the now familiar organ adds the sixties touch. 'Mind Blowing' opens with some fantastic sitar and evolves into a really solid neo-psych number, it reminded me of The Telephones single 'Hummingbyrd' (which made this blog's top ten singles way back in 2014). The tail end of the track has some fantastic wah-wah as well! 'Dirty And Alone' is another driving track that could easily fit into the 'Sons Of Nuggets' box-set and has a great breakdown in the middle with sitar and buzzing guitar. It leads nicely into 'I'm Away' with some more groove-laden guitar and flashes of sitar and is another belter. 'Shake The Sun' throws some Teenage Fanclub into the mix, which is always a good thing. Jangly guitars, catchy as hell and still more organ and wah-wah, my only complaint would be that it is danger of crossing into O***s territory, but in manages to stay the right side! 'Hide Away' is a more gentle number with some lovely vocal harmonies and acoustic guitar and leads us into 'All In Your Eyes'...possibly the most out-and-out psychedelic number on the album, as well as the longest. Some spacey effects frame some Procul Harem organ and a song structure that is redolent of The Beatles at their most inventive. The middle section gets heavier; the drums are pounded and the guitar becomes deep and rumbling before breaking out into a nice psych solo. A truly great number and a fitting way in which to close the album.

While 'The Mean Solar Times' may not be breaking any new ground, but what it does it does well. It takes the best bits from the neo/pop psych scene and has but them together to produce an album of spirit and verve that, as I mentioned earlier, cannot help but to lift the spirits. It has a real 'feel good' factor and is nostalgic whilst remaining current. A very fine album. The vinyl/download is available from Picture In My Ear via their Bandcamp page, and the CD/download from Rock Indiana.