Sun and Shade

iTunes Review

Woods continue their consistent run of memorable releases with Sun and Shade. Loosely intertwined, country-fried acoustic and electric guitars, expressive percussion, and Jeremy Earl’s distinctive high-pitched quiver are mixed with gentle tape loops and sunny psychedelic textures to create a sound that encompasses both indie slacker and Deadhead sensibilities. The concise “Any Other Day,” “Be All Be Easy,” and “Say Goodbye” achieve a jangly, sun-burnt glow, and “Pushing Onlys,” “Hand It Out,” and “Who Do I Think I Am?” are the kind of superbly-crafted melodic pop tunes that Woods are able to pull out of the haze with disarming ease. “Out of the Eye” and the vaguely Middle Eastern-leaning “Sol y Sombra” sound like something the Byrds and the Velvet Underground would create if they shared a rehearsal space. Interjecting these meandering, mesmerizing jams into the set is an interesting risk that pays off by showcasing both sides of the band. Woods cover a lot of sonic territory on Sun and Shade, and the way in which they make the familiar sound mysterious is simply thrilling.