Psych rock is back – or at least the tag is, for any band who prioritizes reverb over melodies. Florida transplants Fading Yellow earn the title by crafting actual songs rather than relying on vibes. As Jared Abramowitz cuts Ed Gonzalez’s melancholy guitar haze with a buzzy synth line, debut EP opener “Secret” journeys from midtempo head-bopper to kinetic distortion freakout. Animated saxophone, courtesy of Nelson Ny-Devereaux, fuels project highlight “Tranquilizer,” which nears jazz territory when the band makes way for a brass solo. “My laziness defeats me,” Gonzalez sighs at one point, though the music suggests otherwise.

This article appears in December 29 • 2023.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Carys Anderson moved from Nowhere, DFW to Austin in 2017 to study journalism at the University of Texas. She began writing for The Austin Chronicle in 2021 and joined its full-time staff in 2023, where she covers music and culture.