Today

Returning with their third album in as many years, sunny Australian psych-pop combo the Babe Rainbow turn a corner on the breezy and understated Today. Unlike their first two releases, which, while pleasant enough, felt like a rather contrived amalgam of contemporary bubblegum-psych, sunshine pop tropes, and indistinct surf culture references, Today doesnt tout its own vibes quite so heavily. Overall subtler and more meditative, the low-key mysticism of Morning Song is quietly engaging, as is the bubbly uplift of its similarly acoustic counterpart, Many Moons of Love. Light bossa nova rhythms with woody congas and winsome flutes share space with inviting, languid West Coast pop as the Babes gently, but effectively, grow more sophisticated, especially on the lush closer For Your Eyes Only. They are most certainly still high on their own loopy trip, but without trying so hard, they somehow feel not only more creative, but more inviting. ~ Timothy Monger