Spiritual Vegas

Not surprisingly for someone whos main musical gig is playing in the psychedelically relaxed Allah-Las, Pedrum Siadatians first album recorded under the name PAINT was as laid-back as a cat stretched out in a beam of light. The second PAINT album has the same basic ingredients -- wobbly guitars, vintage keys, plenty of Kevin Ayers/Syd Barrett influence, Siadatians lazy drawl of a voice -- and similarly home-cooked, mid-fi sound. So basically, if PAINT did the trick, Spiritual Vegas will too. Its a little more pulled together and there are more people playing on it, which means it has less of a claustrophobic, bedroom stuffy feel. There are also a few new influences added to the mix, chiefly some Middle Eastern psych on Ta Fardah and some new age atmospheres on the sprawling and stoned instrumental Impressions. Siadatian also delivers a few tracks that shake off some of the heat-induced torpor to display a little bit of strutting mid-60s beat pop (Land Man), conjure up Bo Diddley on cough syrup (Well of Memory/ODAAT), and on Grape St. some light-hearted Kinksian rambling. Really, though, Spiritual Vegas is another album made to be listened to while totally immobile, preferably in a comfortable state of repose as the gently hooky, always pleasant songs roll by. Like PAINTs debut, it wont make you forget the Allah-Las, but as far as side hustles go, this isnt bad at all. In fact, some of their albums could use a little more of the stylistic range and willingness to experiment Siadatian displays here. ~ Tim Sendra