Strange Weather

Time cant help but move forward, even if youre cheerfully living in the past, and the band Levitation Room are subject to this rule just like anyone else. On their first two albums -- 2016s Ethos and 2019s Headspace -- they were blissfully fascinated with 1960s garage and psychedelic rock, sounding as if theyd passed through a time gate from 1966, when such things were in their first flower. In 2024, as they released their third LP, Strange Weather, Levitation Room have been transported into the early 70s, as soft rock was becoming the new flavor of the month. Psychedelia is still high on their list of ingredients, as the blissful murmur of Julian Portes vocals, the buzzy vibe of "Revelations," and the tripped-out breakdowns on "Immortal Love," "Pintura," and "Scene for an Exit" remind us; however, the easygoing flow of the music, the phase-shifted guitars, the chime of the electric piano, and the light but lively melodic sense of these songs suggests weve zoomed past the Summer of Love into the latter days of the first Richard Nixon administration. How much fans will appreciate their timeline jump is likely a matter of personal taste, but Strange Weather shows theyre certainly as good at pretending its the 1970s as they were in willing themselves into the mid-60s. Julian Portes songwriting is as strong and assured as ever, Gabriel Fernandezs lead guitar shows an admirable command of the fluid and the crunchy, and bassist Kevin Perez and drummer Jonathan Martin are a confident and agile rhythm section who navigate the many moods of this music with panache. The music flows easily without feeling bland, the production brings out the best in the songs and the musicians, and the lyrics to the closing track, "The Other Side," suggest these guys do know its 2024 and theyre aware of the issues of the day (some of which do have parallels to the late 60s and early 70s). Strange Weather is something new for Levitation Room in its sonic outlook, though from a standpoint of quality, its the same as always, a gifted and imaginative band stretching their wings and soaring high. ~ Mark Deming