Gurus

Barcelona-based trio the Gurus strike a noisy compromise between muscled-up Revolver-era Beatles and latter day slacker psych-pop à la Oasis on this full-length debut. Principal vocalist Emili Ramirez even manages something akin to a British accent here and there, which ought to come as little surprise to anyone familiar with the Rainbow Quartz catalogue as a whole. Just when the band seems firmly anchored in retro Angloisms, though, the Gurus offer up a delightful surprise in the form of the disc’s closing track, "Gerdundula.” Distorted vocals and multiple backwards-tracked guitars are brilliantly layered like colourful Persian rugs over a relentless dance beat, while Bangra-ish melodies impart some sort of Moorish flavour to the mix. A few more numbers along similar lines would’ve made for a much more original sounding record, and one less likely to be lost among the madding crowd of veritable ’60s nostalgia acts.