The first time I heard The Early Years I was walking home from the train. It was late August, one of those sticky humid days, and my headphones were blasting away on shuffle. I was thinking about stopping at the Dunkin’ Donuts on Coney Island Ave., so I could buy a tasty tropical smoothie. It had been a long day, and I deserved a treat to cool down my blood. Is it really a smoothie if they fill the cup with canned fruit and heavy syrup? Yeah, but sugary artificial flavors taste good. Then, I thought, “Damn, this song is kicking my ass. I don’t know who this is, but if I ever put together another band I want it to sound exactly like this.” After the song finished, I told the counter guy to make my smoothie extra thick.

I want to say that the Early Years are a cross between Hum and Ride, circa ‘95, two bands that understood how to push the rock to new levels, all the while capturing hot slices of ethereal, atmospheric melody.

The song “So Far Gone” opens up with a blast of psychedelic fuzz that penetrates the brain like a strong cleaning solution. The rest of the tune is a colorfully distorted ride through a park made of candy canes and lollipops. Trippy man. But don’t forget the solid drum track that moves the tune fast along the Autobahn. It’s clear this 3-piece from London enjoy playing with their pedals, and maybe they also enjoy drinking the occasional overpriced smoothie.

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