Allah-Las

iTunes Editors’ Notes

The reason so many writeups about The Allah-Las mention that most of the band was previously employed at West Coast record collectors' haven Amoeba Records isn't just because it's a cute story. It's because the sound the L.A. band offer on their debut album is clearly informed by an intense scrutiny of '60s psychedelia and garage rock. But The Allah-Las have rejected the revivalist tag—they've assimilated their paisley-coated influences so intensively that this is simply the sound they make when their amps are on. Fun as it may be to play the spot-the-influence game amid the jangle and reverb, namechecking your favorite mid-'60s acts along the way, this is an album, not a museum. Wah-wah–laden rave-ups are eschewed for a more contemplative approach; the gentle melancholy riding atop the chiming guitars of "Vis-a-Vis" and "Seven Point Five" and the evocative melodies of the neo-surf instrumentals "Sacred Sands" and "Ela Navega" tell you all you need to know about where The Allah-Las are coming from.