Well, that’s rather groovy. The Shrubs make a lovely sound; it is the sound of pop being pushed into relatively progressive psychedelic realms, not so far that it becomes a bit of a claustrophobic wig-out, as some music made in such realm does, but far enough to turn their addictive, pop-aware undercurrent into something genuinely adventurous and beguiling.
And somehow, for a style first birthed in the sixties, this sounds all about the here and now, not nostalgic, pastiche, or looking to past glories, totally forward-thinking and cutting edge. It’s how bands remain interesting. It’s how genres evolve. It’s how the future of music is assured.
Pop with a bag of drugs and a Ph.D. to its name, and not a whiff of incense or patchouli oil to be smelled? Yes, why not?
