There comes a point in your life when you can truthfully say that everything that you hear is in the style of yesterday. It’s The B52s reborn or The Ramones revisited or, God forbid, the Grateful Dead reincarnated yet, is that really a bad thing if a band can spin old wool into something new and noisy like Favor do with their album “Sandbox”.
Favor take “Sandbox” for a walk way back into the sands of time to duly find inspiration in the ramblings of psychedelic rock. The songs, therefore, pretty much define how to drag an idea out to maximum length but, by injecting it with generous amounts of raucous and downright lo-fi seasoning, Favor avoid any accusations of simple sonic plagiarism.
There are, of course, advantages to letting an album drift in and out of focus in the cleverly casual manner that Favor do and predictability clearly isn’t in their game plan for, just when you think you know where their guitars are going to take them, Favor sprinkle on some fresh sparkle and head off into a different rambling reverb nirvana.
It is what it is and that isn’t a bad thing with the twist and turns that Favor take giving “Sandbox” the legs to give a good showing in the second race at Santa Anita. When it all comes down, it’s a head thing and it's a strawberry letter 23 thing all in one. I’ve got the jangles now.
Best song: The tune in and trip out “New Keys, New Chrysler”.