I’ll start off by saying I’m not the diehard fan of this garage rock revival that so many others are. I recognize the greatness guys like Ty Segall, John Dwyer, and White Fence’s Tim Presley possess. Their musical output is quite staggering, and to the newbie it can be rather intimidating. Much like someone walking into the Guided By Voices vault and wondering where to start, these guys tend to put out two or three albums a year making finding a proper jumping off point rather difficult. Tim Presley seems to be the less prolific(though four albums as White Fence since 2010, as well as a collab record with Segall called Hair is nothing to stick your nose up at.) For The Recently Found Innocent is his first release since 2012s Family Perfume Vol. 2 and last year’s leftovers-turned-full-on-album Cyclops Reap. It’s a tight 40 minutes of paisley-tinted psych, late-60s British invasion pop, and good old rock n’ roll.
“The Recently Found” opens up the album strangely, with noises and echoing in the background before “Anger! Who Keeps You Under?” comes rolling in like splash of mid-60s Stones. Presley seems to have a more madcap lean to his work. Something like a less freaked out Syd Barrett, or a more in-the-clouds version of Ray Davies. The Kinks are mined quite frequently on this album and that’s a good thing. “Like That” is a bouncy track that would’ve been comfortable sitting along side “David Watts” or “Harry Rag”. Sonically the song has the sound of an old basement jam session; dehumidifier humming in the background as a lava lamp glows in the distance and light from the afternoon barely makes its way through the dingy basement window. “Sandra(When The Earth Dies)” sounds like a Donovan b-side, with a hint of Jim Noir’s Tower Of Love thrown in for good measure. “Wolf Gets Red Faced” has a sound that brings to mind early Kinks singles with the breezy California jangle of The Byrds, then “Goodbye Law” comes out from nowhere and knocks it out of the park. Leaving the echo box in another room it’s a sparse acoustic-strummed track that doesn’t sound distant but close and personal. “Arrow Man” is a hell of a rock n’ roll song that owes more to The Stranglers than the British Invasion. “Hard Water” has more of that sleepy acoustic vibe, much like buddy(and Found Innocent’s producer) Ty Segall’s 2013 album Sleeper with some great slide guitar and pedal steel to give it breezy late-60s California vibe. “Afraid Of What It’s Worth” sounds more early 80s Liverpool than mid-60s Liverpool, owing more to Echo and the Bunnymen than any mop tops.
Throughout For The Recently Found Innocent Tim Presley makes great psych and garage-tinted pop and rock. He hits all the staples; The Kinks, The Stones, The Beatles, plus some other surprises. This is White Fence’s most straightforward rock album and accessible record to date.
Plenty of reverb? Check. Fuzzy riffs? Check. Psychedelic imagery? Check. Breezy, stoned pop? Check. Drop the needle and enjoy.
