Weird Milk - “Time Machine”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…The Lemon Twigs, Big Star, ELO

London’s Weird Milk takes the listener back to peak times of psychedelic pop/rock of the 70s with their bouncy, jangly songwriting across a trio of intoxicating 2019 singles. Piano and guitars take the lead on melody while Weird Milk’s rhythm section tightly twists and turns with a prog-rock mindset. That latter element is one of the most important of Weird Milk’s sound - it’s easy to space out in psych rock territory, but instead Weird Milk are noticeably tight on these early singles that sit alongside 2017’s more new-wave focused debuts “This Close” and “You”. Whether it’s the dream-rock breaks of “Anything You Want”, the soulful melodies within “Honey, I’m Around”, or the wish-for-the-past modes of latest single “Time Machine”, Weird Milk nails whatever sound they are going for and are a band primed for a long and winding career. Their throwback sound feels completely fresh fifty years past their forefathers’ time, even throwing scents of chillwave indie rock and garage pop into their sound for some contemporary, personal edge. Influences aside, Weird Milk’s music is fun and ambitious, two things that should translate to a killer live set at SXSW 2020. (Kevin McStravick)