Third Eye Stimuli Records are creating quite a stir on the other side of the equator due to their recent run of high quality psychedelic offerings, and their newest addition to their envious back catalogue is no exception. Rosa Maria are known for their authentic surf hooks and dancey grooves and the Sydney based group have just released their sophomore album Here She Comes through Third Eye.
Inspired by the garage trash and strange sound from the 60s, Rosa Maria are creating a rock n roll cocktail that’ll possess the hips of any listener. Combine that with an insatiable lust to entertain and an endless output of new material, they are a band who are here to make their mark. Since performing their first live show in 2017 and releasing their debut LP Let it Be Known, the band have torn the Australian scene apart and have been seen on bills alongside the likes of The Murlocs, Stonefield, The Ruminaters, The Dandelion and Los Tones, to name a few.
Here She Comes was put together over a much lengthier period than their debut and long nights were spent recording with Owen Penglis (Straight Arrows) in his basement studio and the songs were then driven through analogue hardware for mixing before finally being handed over to Mikey Young (Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Total Control) for the mastering polish.
Opening with an ‘Intro’ you can’t be fooled into thinking you don’t know what to expect from what’s to come and it leads perfectly into ‘What Did I Do’, an upbeat track that exudes garage excellence blended with surf vibes intimately. ‘Tell the Devil’ has more than a hint of Allah-Lahs about it and fans will dig the vibe. ‘Great Unknown’ channels what the likes of the California coast bands are doing and is probably the most accessible track on the album. Its minor intonation has an emotive feel and allows the mind to wander. ‘Howlin’’ steps back to the raw, garage sounds and some rockabilly influences can also be heard.
‘No Life for Two’ takes a bit of all the preceding tracks and combines them to make something new, the same but different. There is the introduction of a traditional, psychedelic sounding organ which adds a different edge and intrigue to the track. ‘Papasito’ could have come from an entirely different album, with its Latin temperament as could ‘Dead Cat Swamp’ which like its name suggests could have come from Louisiana, or somewhere similar. ‘Shake em’ Away’ is a pacey number with a stunning instrumental opening that sets the tone for the rest of the track. Title track ‘Here She Comes’ is a song about celebrating death, embracing the unknown, the weird and the magickal. Frontman Broc Townsend tells us that “it’s all about La Calvera Catrina, the symbol for the Day of the Dead. She comes from the dead to tell me not to fear death, but to celebrate death.” Concluding ‘I’ll Be Gone’ would be a welcome addition to any Tarentino filmscore and finishes the album off strong.
Rosa Maria attempted to capture their live ethos in Here She Comes, and if the quality of the tracks on the album are anything to go by, we can only assume they are spellbinding live.
