Talk in Tongues: Alone With a Friend

LA is in the middle of a halcyon period for music being created here. And one of the best things about it is that it seems to be all-encompassing, with local musicians not content to limit themselves to a specific genre or style. A reflection of absorbing KCRW’s own eclectic approach to music? We’re too humble to suggest so. But whatever the cause, it is refreshing and creates wonderful Frankenstein monsters like newcomers Talk in Tongues, who ostensibly offer a modern take on psychedelic sounds. But there’s much more going on within the grooves of their debut album, Alone with a Friend.

The quartet never settle for either heavy or light flavors of psych-rock, choosing instead to incorporate a hearty pop sound into the mix, dropping touches of mid-90s British jangle rock here and folky 70s prog rock there. Heck, the members all switch instruments at the drop of a hat, so who would expect them to stick to one thing, no matter how well they do it. And do it well they do, instinctively dipping into a driving rhythm on songs like “She Lives in My House,” and offering a pulsing, active bassline on “While Everyone Was Waiting.” That the album’s finale is called “Something Always Changes” suggests their attitude, and the adventurously restless listeners among us appreciate it.

-Eric J. Lawrence

Tracklist:

1. Time's Still (For No One Yet)

2. While Everyone Was Waiting

3. Mas Doper (Love Me Probably)

4. Still Don't Seem to Care

5. After Tonight

6. Always Fade

7. Call for No One Else

8. She Lives in My House

9. Who Would've Guessed

10. Always All the Time

11. Something Always Changes