Release Date: July 05th 2024. Record Label: Mongrel Records. Formats: DD
Share The Pill - Track Listing:
1. We All Fall Down
2. Dual
3. Walk In The Sun
4. Good Time
5. Candy Floss
6. Stolen From Heaven
7. Share The Pill
8. Catch Me If You Can
9. Catatonic
10. Dreaming Of Water
11. You’ll Forgive Me (When I’m Clean)
12. Dead Flowers
Line Up:
Andrew Paine - Vox,Bass,Keys
Mandy Backstrom - Vox,Bass
Tim Ball - Guitar
Ca'Lee Quick - Guitar
Chealsey Leukes – Drums
Review
Share The Pill is the new album from South African Psych/Noise/Shoegaze/Stoner Rockers Filthy Hippies though the record has a deep Indie Rock that aligns them more closely to bands from the 1980’s and 1990’s Alt Rock scene. The record is quite adventurous with Filthy Hippies exploring a surreal and jazzy Psychedelic sound which is quite experimental but always warm-hearted.
Filthy Hippies aren’t afraid with some Classic Pop sounds along the way but there’s a ton of heavy shoegaze guitars that can be quite dynamic and powerful. Share The Pill can only be described as a hallucinogenic trip with layers of sonic tapestry where I can see the Phil Spector influence the PR blurb that accompanied the album coming shining through.
There’s cues to bands such as A Place To Bury Strangers, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Slowdive and even HUM. The record could be too melancholic for some for the first four tracks of We All Fall Down, Duel, Walk In The Sun and Good Time as Filthy Hippies operate too closely within the Indie/Pop creative template at times but it’s beautiful to hear. However, they do show some gritty determination when the heavier Alt Rock grooves appear which adds a layer of distortion that you don’t expect.
Fifth track Candy Floss is one of the standout tracks where the music shifts dramatically with elements of Shoegaze, Noise Rock, Post-Rock and sullen Stoner Rock attitudes. The vocals from Andrew Paine are excellent and where you can hear influences from the 1980’s Alt Rock scene and the band resemble bands such as REM and The Pixies at times. Perhaps the perfect reason why I became a fan of this great band in the first place.
Sixth track Stolen From Heaven is a Post-Rock driven number with a slow-paced Shoegaze attitude which has moments of Distorted Pop noises with a Prog Rock attitude becoming quite Jazzy and Psychedelic on the later stages of the track. The dual vocals from Andrew and Mandy work superbly well together and leave you wanting to hear more before the song fades into the distance.
The second half of the album is equally as strong and beautifully dynamic as the first with Filthy Hippies once again experimenting with their Shoegaze focused sound with heartfelt lyrics to match. The Electronica aspect is more dominant here in places but the band manage to keep the “ROCK” aspect of their music fully intact even when the experimental “POPPIER” creative themes take centre stage.
Other great songs to check out are: Share The Pill, Catch Me If You Can, You’ll Forgive Me (When I’m Clean) and Dead Flowers.
Share The Pill won’t be for everyone as Filthy Hippie’s experimental approach is one of the main strengths of this album and allows the band to have a fearless attitude that provides some emotionally charged and highly original sounds throughout the record.
This is an exquisite release from one of South Africa’s best kept musical secrets.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Plug Music Agency for the promo.
Share The Pill is available to buy from all good digital stockists now.
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