The Harvey Girls

It's tough to know if the weirdness on I've Been Watching A Lot of Horror Movies Lately is natural or simply an attempt to elevate their songs above an increasingly crowded field of psych pop bands. But considering the effortlessness with which they convey it, this husband and wife duo bring some genuine eccentricities to the table. As the title suggests, horror movies have been a source of inspiration, which is reflected in the lyrics. The music brings together country and folk, but adds numerous synths and other noises, dropped in via a looping system they also use in their live shows. The songs keep the arrangements relatively simple, clocking in at less than four minutes per. When they throw in everything but the kitchen sink and drag things out for as long as possible, it's more problematic ― the spooky, gothic flavour is where they excel, as on opener "The Body Without Any Eyes" or the album's centrepiece, "Caerse Muerto." Been Watching A Lot of Horror Movies Lately is never less than interesting, even when their ambitions overtake their ability.