The Tyde - Three's Co
Review by Jack Foley
SURFING plays a very big part of The Tyde’s attitude to songwriting. Their melodies come dripping in the sunshine sound of California and are heavily influenced by the likes of the Beach Boys, Jesus and Mary Chain and Teenage Fanclub.
Frontman Darren Rademaker is an avid surfer and describes his latest album, Three’s Co – the follow-up to Once and Twice – as music for surfers. It’s a summer album made for getting into the van and heading down the coast, windows down, surfboards on top and sunshine blazing.
As such, it’s unapologetically feel-good, driven by shimmering guitar riffs, an easygoing, laidback vibe and strong melodies.
From the opening moments of Do It Again Again, you can pretty much tell whether you’re going to like it. The track unfolds amid a flurry of breezy guitar riffs and soft, serene vocals that hint at the psychadelic haze of the Jesus & Mary Chain, albeit with more sunshine flourishes. It’s an effortlessly upbeat record that pretty much captures the spirit of the rest of the album.
The piano-tinged Separate Cars is another breezy listen which, vocally, hints at Lloyd Cole. The inclusion of some excellent retro-styled horns only adds to its appeal and the whole Orange County vibe.
Too Many Kims is more straight-forward alt-rock in style, the melodies and electonic flourishes crashing about the vocals like cascading waves. While Glassbottom Lights occupies an almost stoner territory that once again recalls the retro brilliance of the Jesus and Mary Chain, as well as the rolling guitar riffs of The Cure (especially late on).
Three’s Co. was completed at VisionQuest Studios in Los Angeles and was conceived as a way of connecting the dots between Bob Dylan, The Byrds and Felt. It intends to re-stoke the fires of the Californian cool and provide a plugged in, sunshine alternative to the more stripped back and acoustic sound of Jack Johnson and co. As such, it makes an excellent bedfellow – The Tyde providing a surfer’s soundtrack to the main event, while Johnson and co keep the beach campfires burning.
Other highlights on the album include LTD Appeal which drips with old-school Tom Petty values (Rademaker’s vocals are even more husky and throaty) and low-key final track Don’t Need A Leash, which successfully eases the long-player to a close like some spectacular Californian sunset.
If you haven’d had chance to check out The Tyde already, then maybe now’s the time. It’s an extremely bright listen that’s tailor-made for the arrival of our warmer weather.
Track listing: