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Mostly Trees

Mostly Trees

Review by Gary Hill

This outfit hails from Minneapolis, and they have produced an alternative rock set that seems to have nearly equal parts grunge and psychedelia at play. With the modern trend of listening to one song at a time, pretty much anything here is quality. When you spin it from start to finish, though, it does get a bit samey at times, and it can be a little generic at points. Still, it's all worth the time to listen.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2020  Volume 1. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review
Ride
There is a weird effects laden opening that leads out to a screaming hot hard rocking jam. This thing has a lot of psychedelia built into it along with just some driving rock music.
22nd and 2
Atmospherics open this tune. It works out to more of a melodic alternative rock groove from there. This tune is solid, but a bit average and by the numbers.
Champagne
Now, this is a classy step in the right direction. There is a bit of a dreamy, psychedelic edge built into it. I'm reminded of the Cure to some degree, too. This is a strong cut that has some intriguing changes. It lands more on the mellower, melodic end of the spectrum.
Lies
Now, this rocker reminds me a lot of Nirvana, particularly in the vocal department. It's an energized stomper that is effective.
Layover
This is another classy alternative rocker. While it's strong, it doesn't really manage to stand all that tall because it's just a bit too generic.
Seen It All
Now, this gets things back on track in style. It's hard-rocking and a bit punky. There is a real fire and passion built into this cut, with parts of it again calling to mind Nirvana. There are catchy hooks built into it bringing some more accessible sounds, too.
High in the Trees
Hard-edged alternative rock with some hints of psychedelia is the concept on this number. It gets a parental advisory. It works well. It includes an unusual drop back section at the end with some sound clips built into it.
It's Been Winter
I dig the riff driving this cut. While it's an obscure reference, this cut really makes me think of The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets to a large degree. This is meaty and still has some melodic psychedelic bits. This is without question my favorite tune here. It's among the most original and unique sound tracks here, too.
Fell Off of It
Here is another highlight of the set. There is so much psychedelia built into this melodic piece. It has a nice balance between the mellower and more rocking sections. I could see this being described as a cross between early Pink Floyd and Nirvana. It has some particularly soaring moments.
Not A One
An angrier tune, they still manage to bring it out into some cool psychedelic type stuff mid-track. Beyond that this is another with a lot of Nirvana-like grunge built into it.
 
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