Fey Ray w/Tin Tin (Chicago), Downpilot
Thurs April 8, the Hideaway, 9 pm, $6.
Local band Fey Ray’s I Wanna Be New & Perfect was two and a half years in the making, technically preceded by a self-released EP called Nixon in China. “The lineup changed when we added guitarist Sean Kelly [formerly of the Guest Stars],” says singer/guitarist Matt Duss (the band also includes bassist Stacey Lester and drummer Seth Howard).
With the new talent in place, I Wanna Be New & Perfect can be perfectly translated, says Duss, as a cross between Nick Drake and Fugazi. “It’s a complex album,” he explains, “that gives a nod to postmodern rock conventions, but we’ve all absorbed that ’70s classic rock sound, too.” That classic sound includes the band Boston, whose eponymous first record, according to Duss, is the best ever made. “It’s a masterpiece,” he gushes, “and the band has performed it live in its entirety.”
Tom Scholz’s invention for multi-tracking guitars can be heard most evidently on “Reflections of Radicalism in America,” but there’s no one kind of style to settle on with the new album. In contrast, the title track is woozy and the lyrics are in want of emotional renewal. It calls to mind both the Beatles with its layers of harmonies and My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless, while “All Mixed Up Under a Tree” is pure shoegazer shrug. “We are making music to be heard,” Duss declares with purpose. “The harmonies are extremely important on this record, and to the band.” If that’s the case, then Fey Ray may not be new, but they certainly sound perfect.