The Sunshine Fix
SXSW Records
Reviewed by Greg Beets, Fri., March 15, 2002
The Sunshine Fix
Age of the Sun (Emperor Jones/Kindercore) A few strains into the opening title track of this sprawling psychedelic pop set from Olivia Tremor Control co-founder Bill Doss, don't be surprised if you find yourself drifting off into chlorinated memories of hot July afternoons at the swimming pool. The sounds of Top 40 AM radio coming out of a tinny loudspeaker swirled together with cannonball splashes and lifeguard whistles to create the perfect summer soundscape. Doss and his pick-up group of Athens, Ga.-based indie compatriots let their reverence for mid-period Beatles and Beach Boys shine through unabashedly in creating a similar pastiche. Like XTC's Skylarking, the Sunshine Fix's Age of the Sun utilizes the song-cycle form to take listeners on a warbling, blissed-out journey that revolves around the life-giving power of the sun as a central theme. "That Ole Sun" starts off like a reverberating Shimmy-Disc oddity before gradually becoming an iridescent, jangle-laden gem complete with hand claps. Whether straddling the line between acid and bubblegum on the sublime "Digging to China" or flirting with psychedelic soul on "See Yourself," the Sunshine Fix sustains a remarkable degree of ambition without losing the handmade collage aesthetic that makes this album so personable. But nothing prepares you for the album-closing hypnosis engineered by "Le Roi Soleil," a dulcet vocal loop that goes on for over 20 minutes and tricks your ears into hearing sounds that don't really exist. The only thing missing is someone clapping their hands three times to bring you back when it's all over. (Saturday, March 16, Buffalo Billiards, 1am)
