by Jason

Some bands release a string of singles and then spark a mad anticipation for more. The Age of Colored Lizards is just one of those bands. In August of 2016, they released their first track “We Don’t Care” and the shoegaze boards were abuzz with this newly found, fuzzed out dream band. Not long after, “The Fall”, “It’s All Gone”, and “Pale White Sun” followed. All of this fueled anticipation of a larger release which has come in the form of Another Day. The four-song EP, while short, gives fans a glimpse into what will hopefully lead to a larger LP soon. Hailing from Oslo, Norway, the trio produces a hazy, shoegaze sound with slowcore elements. However, their sound betrays their local as they blend some of the pop sensibilities of the early girl groups, sprinkling their hazy sound with Jesus and the Mary Chain style constructions. It creates a bright, dreamy cinematic feel rather than the dark and cold one associated with the Nordic countries.

Another Day begins with “Why”. It’s a slow, enchanting piece that blends a Beach Boy’s aesthetic with slowcore drenched fuzzy guitars. The percussion is sparse and the guitars pensive, never overpowering the reverb-tinged vocals. In this way, there is a psychedelic flavor to the Lizards delivery. “Why” is followed by “In the Morning” which has louder, jangly guitar with fuzzy edged textures. The slowgaze feel continues as the pop structures in the songs are stretched out with careful lines and notes. The guitar strums slowly as the bass adds subtle accents.

“Pale White Sun” is a track we at Somewherecold featured in February. It’s a more up-tempo track from the previous two and fits nicely as a centerpiece to Another Day. There is a cinematic quality here, evoking sunny Southern California in the same way that bands like The Lassie Foundation and Coco B’s do. The guitar hook in “Pale White Sun” is addictive and mesmerizing and the vocals perfectly paced throughout. “Stars Are Falling” rounds out the EP with shimmering, fuzzy drenched guitar and spare percussion and bass. The final track ties together a coherent EP leaving the listener simply wanting more, as many good band’s EP’s do.

The Age of Colored Lizards has given us a gift in 2017 by gracing us with four beautiful tracks that tantalize and will hopefully lead to a full-length in the near future. A dreamy, slowcore, pop extravaganza, Another Day should not be missed. I, for one, look forward to hearing more!