Fans of The Pillbugs, listen up! A mix of '60s-styled garage rock, psychedelia, and gritty soul. The band live in the space between the height of mod and the beginnings of the whole psychedelic rock movement in the mid/late 60s. “ 3 ˝ stars. With their feet planted in the '60s and their heads swimming in clouds of legally questionable smoke, the Black Hollies offer up a second batch of vintage rock & roll with Casting Shadows. These ten tracks will sound familiar to anyone who picked up the band's Crimson Reflections debut -- or, for that matter, anyone familiar with the gritty psychedelia of the Seeds, the Standells, or any act that might've played the Electric Circus in 1968. And while fuzzy guitar riffs and vintage tube amps have become customary accessories for many 21st century bands, the Black Hollies sound tighter, grittier, and altogether trippier than most of their retro-minded peers. Casting Shadows doesn't just borrow from the counterculture era -- it lives it. Of course, not everyone will love the Black Hollies' dedication to an era that is possibly older than the band members themselves, and Casting Shadows could very well be criticized as lacking any sort of forward-thinking, modern sensibility. But that's likely the point, and the Black Hollies make a strong case of remaining stuck in the past. “- AMG. "Their sound, a mash up of British Invasion blues, guitar heroics and psychedelia that would bring a smile to Brian Jones’ face." - Rolling Stone. “The Black Hollies have studied the masters. They have practiced all the tricks of the trade that helped to make '60s garage rock and psychedelica, like the smoothly melodic vocals nestled amongst instrumentation buzzing out of those old speaker cabinets. While anyone can get some vintage equipment, The Black Hollies take it a step farther, jumping off the deep end into a pool of trippy melodies, buzzing energy and shiny love beads. Perhaps the most notable aspect of “Casting Shadows” is how perfect and how rehearsed it sounds. Each pounding drum rhythm and each tripped out raga-inspired guitar lick falls exactly where it should in this modern spin on that old psychedelic garage rock sound. While it never hinders The Black Hollies from sounding energetic and electric, it does remove some of the joy. Whatever the case, The Black Hollies’ “Casting Shadows” is an inspired trip down memory lane that keeps an eye on the present.” – PlugInMusic. EXTREMELY Highly Recommended!
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