UK artist MORDECAI SMYTH is an unknown entity to me, but if I have understood matters correctly he released his debut single followed by a full length album back in 2011, and received quite a lot of positive remarks about his material back then. “Dial M for Mordecai” is his third release in total, a 5 track EP that was issued through fledgling UK label Mega Dodo Records in 2013.
The fifteen minutes of music we’re presented with here is of the kind that has a strong and distinct 60’s flavor to it. Not so much The Beatles sounding either, and as The Kinks are stated as an important inspiration for this artist I kind of presume that fans of that band will hear some similarities in that department to the style explored here.
Opening piece Dream on does contain some smooth, psych dripping sequences that does remind of the fab four at their most psychedelic admittedly, albeit alternating with more dramatic, staccato sequences that at least to my ears have a subtly different flavor. As does the following songs. Psychedelic Sarah actually gave me associations to 80’s band Madness just as much as 60’s psychedelic pop, and while the pumping organ and rhythms dominating the verse parts of the otherwise smooth and gentle psychedelic Dark Haired Douglas didn’t give me any distinct associations, the following Trapped did, and in that case it is a case of The Doors.
Final track See My Friends is, from what I understand, a cover of a tune by The Kinks. In this take on it with an extract from The Beatles Norwegian Wood incorporated into it.
The end result is a charming little production of 60’s sounding psychedelic pop/rock, with organ, Mellotron and even a harpsichord unless I’m much mistaken, with rhythms backing ranging from gentle and careful to more dominant and dramatically staccato inn nature, as regarded in an early to mid 60’s context that is. My impression is that this is an artist and a production that first and foremost will appeal to those with a strong affection for psychedelic pop and rock from that era, a pleasant sounding production in general and most likely a small gem for the specific audience outlined.
My rating: 68/100
