What’s That Sound? – New Planet Trampoline – “Dark Rides & Grim Visions”

When this record hit my inbox over the summer, I had no clue as to who New Planet Trampoline were or what I was about to hear.

The record starts off without answers, fading in slowly with the vague and airy mantra of “There Is Nothing More To Say,” driving it’s point home as you’re bounced pleasantly along by a Pink-Floyd shuffle.  Keyboards and harmonies plunge in right after, setting the tone for the rest of the record’s late ’60s psych-pop influence. It’s an excellent homage to the sounds of that era: jangly guitars, clean leads, crafted melodies, and not too much polish.  The production quality is modern, though, which adds a freshness to the old familiar sounds.

The band juggles a lot of different influences: “Grim Visions” wouldn’t be out of place on one of the old Nuggets collections.  “Ex-President” and the ethereal “This Is The Morning” evoke the Byrds’ jingle-jangle pop.  The energy of Arthur Lee’s later work creeps into “Confidence Man.”  There are more “flashback” moments, but too many to recount here.  Modern influences (grunge, namely) and elements are present as well, and New Planet Trampoline manages to navigate them and add enough twists to keep the songs from sounding dated.

I really like this record, enough that I bought the gorgeous purple double LP after the fact.  New Planet Trampoline have accomplished what many try but few pull off well,  lovingly incorporating vintage influences and folding them over into a new framework to make a truly original record.

You can check out “Dark Rides And Grim Visions” in all formats at New Planet Trampoline’s BandCamp page, and get news and updates on their Facebook Page.

Big thanks to Stow House Records for bringing this one into my collection!