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In terms of delivering new music, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’<\/strong> is employing a strategy not unlike that of Marshall Crenshaw<\/strong><\/a>. Instead of releasing an album after a couple years’ wait, both acts are meting out new music in smaller, EP-sized bites. From a marketing (or fan relations) standpoint, this is a solid approach; it keeps the artists in the collective consciousness.<\/p>\n The EP format also seems to free the artists to explore some directions they might not pursue on albums. Drivin’ n’ Cryin has just released the third of four planned EPs in this series. (I reviewed their first, Songs From the Laundromat<\/a><\/em>, in September 2012.) Now, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ has always been a stylistically eclectic band, mining everything from bluegrass to metal to folk in the creation of their songs. And while the first two EPs in this series (the also-excellent second disc is titled Songs About Cars, Space, and The Ramones<\/em>) headed off in all sorts of directions, their latest has a more thematically unified approach.<\/p>\n The EP’s title provides your first clue: if Songs From the Psychedelic Time Clock<\/em> reminds you of XTC <\/strong>alter ego Dukes of Stratosphear<\/strong>‘s 25 O’Clock<\/em> EP and the compilation Chips From the Chocolate Fireball<\/em><\/a>, well, the similarity is probably intentional. Time clock is six songs delivered in various garage-psych styles, and it’s an effective set.<\/p>\n Listeners can play spot-the-influence or they can simply enjoy the tunes for what they are rather than what they sort of try to be. Conceptually reminiscent of fellow Atlantans The Coolies<\/strong>‘ Rock-opera-with comic-book Doug<\/em> (except without the rock-opera trappings), Songs From the Psychedelic Time Clock<\/em> serves up songs that are each reminiscent of a particular legendary band of old. \u201cThe Little Record Store Just Around the Corner\u201d features that loopy blown-jug effect unique (or unique until now) to the 13thFloor Elevators<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cMetamorphcycle\u201d feels like the Electric Prunes<\/strong><\/a>. And \u201cSometimes the Rain (Is Just the Rain)\u201d is reminiscent of both The Youngbloods<\/strong>‘ reading of \u201cGet Together\u201d and the bridge of The Moody Blues<\/a><\/strong>‘ \u201cLegend of a Mind.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n It’s all a lot of fun, and the songs would fit nicely on the Nuggets<\/em> compilation, not suffering a bit for any comparison. Leader Kevn Kinney<\/strong> is keeping the theme of the fourth (and final?) EP a secret for now, but if these first three are any indication, it promises to be another winner.<\/p>\n
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