Pushing Past Yesterday.

Consistency can be seen as a good and bad thing. The good is the knowing the reliable and routinely will never change. The bad knowing change is not likely, Things will most likely stay the same. But in WOODS case, change is not always a good thing. The group has been around for awhile now in the music business. In previous bands, side projects, and as the current lineup. Always making consistently good music. People usually can not say WOODS is a amazing or even great, but a solid band. But is there anything wrong with that? The reliable bizarre-folk veterans always create enjoyable multi-listenable records. Compiling numerous records where nearly all can be considered stand outs. None overshadowing the other, almost in respect of their previous work. So in less then a year of their last album "At Echo Lake" The group has released another one of their groovtastic albums to enter their mass discography, "Sun and Shade." But this record may be the most "friendly" for new listeners to the group. For those who have not listened before, one must ease their way into the music created by the Woodsist founders. The rather long instrumentals of "Out of the Eye" and " Sol Y Sombra" are not for the faint of heart. Both consuming about half of the album's duration. A common staple for their music. The record itself maintains WOODS trademark dreamy, beautiful, and often bizarre sounds. From the light jangle of guitar and bass comes a a screeching hault as G Lucas Cranes begins whaling on tapes. Then Jeremy Earl's original innocent voice comes swooping in and out of the song. Achingly real and heart breaking lyrics spew from his lips. And the presence of Jarvis Taveniere adding his personal touch to everything. Almost a calming factor, knowing he his behind the group. The overall quality of "Sun and Shade" is nothing less then we can expect from the young men. Nearly every song can be a single in itself. It may not be a "breakthrough" album for the guys. But I doubt there ever will be. And I doubt they even care if there is. WOODS has been compared to the likes of Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young, and most notably the Grateful Dead of the 20th century. They make music for themselves first, they play what they feel, what puts smiles on their faces. It is rather sad to think a group of this talent may never receive the attention they deserve. But for the loyal fans of the group, and the men themselves, the music they are creating is as memorable and touching then any other that is out there. Earl puts it best in "Any other day" when he confesses "I won't believe that it can't get worse."
-Alex Regla.

Woods, "Any Other Day" by The FADER

WOODS- Sun and Shade out now.