The Lazy Eyes - Song Book Review
Australia produces yet another psychedelic sensation.
For die-hard fans of The Lazy Eyes, many of the songs on Song Book will be familiar, but to newcomers, this album is sure to be a sweet surprise for anyone who stumbles onto it. The Lazy Eyes produce their tracks at their own studio, and each one is custom-tuned to fit their unique style of supersonic expression. Each member is technically gifted, and throughout this album, they all get a chance to bring forth their skills to the world.
The Lazy Eyes are comprised of a quartet of talented musicians. Harvey Geraghty and Itay Shachar take the lead in songwriting and production, and they each play the guitar. Geraghty also takes up keyboard/piano for certain songs as well. Noah Martin sets the pace, leading drums for the band, while Leon Karagic commands the bass.
While this group is only a few years out from jamming together in High School, that isn’t a chance to write them off. Their time studying music has formed a cohesive group that has solidified their sound in their first full-length album. This feels like a coming-of-age album – One that will be looked back on by fans as the place where it all started. After one listen, you will understand all the hype the streets of Sydney have for these guys.
Song Book starts with an intro track that highlights many of the band’s major musical themes. Most of those being blasting drums, wailing guitars, and deep and hearty bass. While ‘Intro’ showcases the heights the band can reach, the real show starts with ‘The Seaside,’ a bubbly, groovy, psychedelic jam that teeters on the edge of a powerful ballad. A true homage to early sixties sounds, this song pairs innocently sweet vocals with ambitious and roaring guitar solos throughout – A signature feel to Song Book.
‘The Island’ and ‘Tangerine’ both feature explosive and vintage guitar solos that feel like they’ve been ripped from the origins of psychedelic rock. The Lazy Eyes take inspiration from artists like The Beatles and Deep Purple and show signs of their more modern influences, walking a similar path to other Australian psych artists like Tame Impala and King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard.
Song Book features three instrumental tracks, the second being ‘Hippo,’ released as a single in 2021. ‘Hippo’ slows things down and lets Martin and Karagic shine in the song’s first half. More wailing solos come behind them and roar off into space, begging to be placed next to Pink Floyd with its echoing majesty. ‘Starting Over’ exists in a space of innocence and nostalgia. It picks up and puts down the idea of a certain love, ushering us into a different side of the album.
Song Book exists within its own dimension. There are several ambient layers throughout the album that bring a feeling of isolation, whether through the chirps of birds in a serene forest, the static of a radio, or altered guitar slams that create the sense of a possible implosion. It is almost as if the music is there, whether the outside world is paying attention to it or not, but with this album, that sound breaks through and demands to be heard.
The groove continues with, ‘Fuzz Jam,’ The Lazy Eyes’ most popular single. This song provides one of the grooviest basslines you could ask for. This track combines dreamy, echoing lyrics with perfectly imperfect fuzzed-over guitar riffs. At times it feels like you’re being processed through a synthesizer. The final breakdown and change of tempo are incredibly satisfying in every single listen.
‘Nobody Taught Me’ continues the trend of Beatles-like pop tunes and solidifies the notion that this album is meant for those who have loved and lost. Geraghtey switches from synthesized keys to a more somber piano and lulls us towards the albums final instrumental track, ‘Trance.’ Here, we get another fuzzed-out series of wailing solos and thumping basslines that pick the energy back up from the previous song.
If you only listen to one song off this album, make sure it is ‘Where Is My Brain.’ The Lazy Eyes go all out on this track, leading off solos and grooving through basslines with electric composition. The production on this song is top-tier and fully embodies what a Psychedelic song should sound like. Catch this song on every Psychedelic playlist from here unto infinity.
The album fades in energy one last time with another Beatles-like pop ballad, ‘Imaginary Girl,’ with somber lyrics that match the piano perfectly. Song Book ends with the first song The Lazy Eyes ever released, ‘Cheesy Love Song.’ This track is the most ballad-like of any on the album and closes with a glorious finale. It is a true crescendo of the band’s accomplishments, the end to their first major LP, and a farewell to the motifs that have launched them onto the scene.
Innocence lost and album over, The Lazy Eyes look to the future. Song Book is their entrance and a damn good one at that.