These Baltimore psych-rockers’ fourth album is apparently based on Carl Jung’s Red Book, in which the psychoanalyst turned his gaze inward to document that which “burst forth from the unconscious” – which, in Jung’s case, turned out to be snakes, strange landscapes, wise old spirit guides, that sort of thing. And so from one set of faintly mystical archetypes to another: for it is vintage psych-blues riffs and mid-paced wig-outs that have burst forth from Arbouretum singer-guitarist Dave Heumann’s consciousness here.
Fortunately, Heumann has one of the most distinctive voices around, with a unique, heavy-folk feel to his grand, hymnal melodies, and there are some welcome new digressions this time, too, including swelling strings (When Delivery Comes), upshifts in tempo (the garagey Empty Shell) and a cover (Jimmy Webb’s past lives regression therapy foot-tapper, The Highwayman). Perhaps best not to take the “inner images” stuff too seriously, but let’s not begrudge a terrific-sounding rock band a few high concepts now and then
Arbouretum - When Delivery Comes (solo acoustic) from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.
