It’s safe to say that San Francisco-based lo-fi band, Melted Toys, have been floating around for some time in one form or another. After years of shuffling through different roles in their practice spaces, the guys finally nailed down a sound they liked around 2010. Since that time, Melted Toys released their 2011 EP Washed and Dried, though Underwater Peoples Records, and spent a good deal of time exploring their scene and making friends with fellow Bay Area artists. Now, after many months of waiting, the band has finally given fans their first full-length record, Melted Toys- once again with support from Underwater Peoples. The newest release contains 12 tracks, including and a wealth of new tunes for fans to enjoy and a re-recording of Come on.
Melted Toys starts out simple and soft, with an eerie sample reminiscent of Closure in Moscow’s Pink Lemonade, before jumping into Bummed Out, a mildly paced glimpse at what the album has to offer. As the album continues on, listeners are treated to a smooth cruise of clean guitar riffs and the pulsing of an unimposing drum machine.
Melted Toys pumps out a beachy vibe through the first half, rarely exceeding the decibel limits of the previous tracks. Towards the middle, we reach standout tracks like Blush, that pick up the pace a bit as the drumming and bass playing intensify; setting a tone for follow-up tracks Always and Water Arches before returning to it’s original timbre. During this time listeners may catch of glimpse of The Strokes, MGMT or Sugar Ray.
The album concludes with a very fitting sendoff in Citrus Honeymoon, a track that nicely closes out the album with a softly-waving goodbye. You can almost picture the sun setting over the San Francisco Bay.
Overall the guys have gotten right down to their ideal sound, taking listeners for a mellow journey through a soft rock sound that transports listeners with it’s ambient vocals and gentle rhythms. The album is absolutely fit for a Sunday morning spent lying by the pool, dipping in and out of daydreams.
Performing at Adult Contemporary July 27th