It's slightly disconcerting within twenty seconds of a 2022 record starting , to be reminded, not slightly but very strongly of prime time Jethro Tull. Or else the riff from King Crimson's 21st Century Schizoid Man, Particularly when the band concerned, Garcia Peoples are still relatively credible.
But that was my first impression on starting to listen to False Company the opening track on Dodging Dues their sixth album just out. I confess, I thought, 'Oh bloody hell, Jethro Tull, my big brother's band.' and cast it to one side. But I'm back to give it a full listen.
It's an odd experience. Garcia Peoples are still unreasonably young, even though they've got a few records under their belts. but their musical inspiarations are as old, or sometimes older than the hills themselves. First the Tull, then The Dead, from whom they take their name, then any other long haired band who stalked the earth between about 1969 and 1973: Crosby, Stills and Nash, Allman Brothers Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Wishbone Ash. Name your own unfashionable hippie. You'll almost certainly be able to detect them somewhere on the grooves of Dodging Dues.
It's all very odd, but here comes my great confession. I like it. I'm not quite sure why anyone would really want to do this in 2022. Least of all a group of people quite as yoing as Garcia Peoples, But they do it very, very well. Every great lyrical Tolkien, Isaac Asimov and Ursula Le Guin inspired, drug addled cliche is dragged out into the light but it doesn't harm the record none at all. In fact it supplements it. There's even a song called Cassandra on here.Garcia Peoples take you back fifty years and more with effortless grace and make it seem like a very good idea. Far out.
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