For the first couple of tracks, I had this lot down as space–psychedelic rock. But as the album played through — and with repeated listens — I began to doubt that label. It soon becomes clear that the Wets (as fans hopefully call them) refuse to be pinned to a single genre. They pull off the trick of genre-hopping while delivering a cohesive, cool record with a definite space rock lean.
Opener “Time on My Mind” sounds like what Duran Duran might have become if they’d been fans of Gong — tight drums worthy of chart-hit land, paired with experimental yet melodic rock. “Sunshine Sue” follows a similar path, but adds flute and a dreamier vibe, reminiscent of a 1960s cult classic. The bass is both locked in with the drums and somehow playing a different tune entirely — think sixties meets Madchester — and it all wraps up with a nifty psychedelic guitar solo.
Next up, “High Rider” leans even further into Madchester territory. Happy Mondays could easily have recorded it (assuming “High Rider” isn’t the boy Shaun himself). “Summer Gone” is Stone Roses with flute, while “Hard No” is Gong if Daevid Allen had ever aimed for a chart hit. Both tracks stretch past six minutes and, along with the following “Evolver,” form the heart of the album — peak groove territory, driven by bassist Albert Sanchez’s hypnotic lines.
“On The Moon” is a gentle outlier, with Latin rhythms and a softer sound, while closer “Disintegrate” is the most conventional rock tune on the record.
The standout tracks are the three core grooves, but “On The Moon” deserves a mention despite its oddity. Wild Wild Wets are apparently a cult band in California — and they recorded all this themselves. Cult status beyond the West Coast may well follow.
See their bandcamp for more.
JMC
