Sic Alps - Napa Asylum

Sic Alps are another band whose back catalogue has been greatly neglected by The Business Lady...and now I'm feeling the shame as Sic Alps are ace! I red an interview with these lads in the recent issue of Niche Homo and was taken by their banter and now here I am being introduced to their fine style for the first time whilst sitting at work typing on a dodgy laptop with headphones on. Sic Alps feature members of The Ropers, The Hospitals and the little known Henry's Dress who have been haphazardly playing music since 2004 yet have still managed to record sides for some of America's finest indie labels including Awesome Vistas, Animal Disguise, Important, Woodsist, Siltbreeze and Skulltones, among many others. On first listen it's obvious these lads have got a lot to offer. 'Napa Asylum' consists of 22 tracks making it an epic double album so, as you can imagine, there's alot to digest for newbies, but for long time fans this is probably the big pay-off they've/you've all been expecting for a while! It's hard to pinpoint direct influences as there's a bit of everything here, albeit wrapped in the warm, fuzzy blanket of lo-fi indie rock. I'd suggest that Sic Alps are primarily a psychedelic rock band in the mould of the early brit-psych pioneers, yet elements of classic US lo-fi, alt. country and rock can also be heard. Yet I reckon there's more to it than that - I just need to listen a few more times before I can get my head around it. Great album!