Paris Falls
Vol. II
Paper Weapons Records

On their latest effort, husband and wife team Raymond and Jennifer Brown (Meowcifer) concoct a mixture of Seventies psychedelia and low-key late Eighties underground rock and toss in another very healthy dose of The Beatles. With subtle harmonies, melodic drones, and simple chords intact, Paris Falls tout their classic rock influences proudly–you’ll hear hints of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, among others–but they thankfully don’t completely rely on the tried and true. Instead, they take what they’ve learned and create calm and warm songs that seem to flow seamlessly into each other.

“Lonely Goodbye” and “Wish You Well” build on the solid pop of last year’s excellent Vol. I, but again, Paris Falls don’t tie themselves to any static sound. The last quarter of “Shelter” and the fuzzed-out, atmospheric standout “Untitled” rival many instrumental post-rock bands while “Repeater” crushes most better-known modern psych-rock bands. It’s this range, coupled with the band’s ability to cross genres while maintaining the album’s flow, that makes Vol. II one of this year’s finest and most compelling releases. –David A. Cobb

Check out Paris Falls online here and catch their show at Rudyards this Friday night (7.4.08) with the impressive and spacey Inner Lights.