The Tyde - Twice

California's The Tyde have the retro-rock game on lockdown right now. Whereas most "the"-prefixed indie favorites pillage the late 70s for new-wave inspiration, The Tyde go back further, to the jangly, psych-country sounds of The Byrds, Beach Boys, and Gram Parsons. And guess what? It's F-R-E-S-H. Made up of Beachwood Sparks members (singer/guitarist Brent Rademaker, drummer Chris Gunst, and guitarist Dave Scher) and various other West Coast indie-pop luminaries, The Tyde craft track after track of sweet, vaguely smoked-out campfire jams. From the sun-baked melancholy of "Best Intentions" and "Breaking Up The Band" to the absolutely infectious "Crystal Canyons" and "Henry VIII" (which is just BEGGING to be used over the opening credits of a film or a clever Volkswagen commercial), nearly every track on the album is a keeper. At first, the familiar 12-string strums and classic melodies might seem overly simplistic. Yet with each listen, Twice's charms will steadilly grow on you until you have no other choice but to let their easygoing ways into your head. Definitely recommended. [www.thetyde.com]