The Wytches are not to be confused with the Witches, the Detroit band led by Troy Gregory with a similar name, sound, and outlook who cut their first album 15 years before the U.K. Wytches were formed. Given the Detroit band's limited profile, it's hardly likely the Brighton-based outfit lifted anything on purpose, but their spooky drift through '60s-influenced pop and rock sounds does make for an eye-opening coincidence. Judging from their debut album, 2014's Annabel Dream Reader, the Wytches aim for a deliberately primitive sound, with Kristian Bell's guitars floating in deep pools of fuzz and reverb while firing off blasts of feedback on a regular basis; meanwhile, Daniel Rumsey's deep, clanking bass and Gianni Honey's simple, sturdy drumming keep this music moving forward on its long march to the sea. The results suggest a fusion of the greasy thunder of '80s garage revival bands like the Fuzztones and the spooky lyrical obsessions of vintage psychedelia (with the faintest bit of psychobilly poured in), all filtered through a potent dose of LSD. Annabel Dream Reader works rather well when the Wytches play this music for crazy, over the top fun on tunes like "Gravedweller" and "Wide at Midnight," but when they turn down the amps and aim for a more contemplative sound, as on "Summer Again" or "Track 13," the results are a lot less satisfying, as Bell's always theatrical vocals begin to sound contrived rather than dramatic and the thunder of the guitars isn't around to disguise the weak spots in the music and lyrics. The Wytches show some genuine promise on Annabel Dream Reader, but they need to come up with a few more ideas of their own in addition to the many clear influences they draw from...and they might want to at least buy Troy Gregory a cup of coffee sometime.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
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