Electric Jaguar Baby embark on a 'Psychic Death Safari' for fuzzed out sophomore LP

Electric Jaguar Baby are something of a collage, clipping and pasting elements of larger, more recognizable works into a curated mosaic of sound that unquestionably owes a considerable debt to the source material but comes to life in a fascinating, helter-skelter manner that trades complete originality for tried-and-true patterns that nevertheless succeed in the band's singular mission to simply rock. Psychic Death Safari is the band's sophomore release, building upon the lo-fi production of their debut with more polish, more riffs, and - of course - more fuzz. Everything one needs to know about the album is right there in the title; trippy psychedelic vibes with a jubilantly nihilistic attitude embark on a guided tour of monumental exhibits to some of rock history finest moments.

Electric Jaguar Baby largely plays it safe on Psychic Death Safari. Their self-titled debut album stood out for moments of absolutely bonkers experimentation that brought new ideas to the table without any sense of hesitation in breaking the hard rockin' formula. Not all of it nailed the landing, but the effort was nonetheless commendable. By coloring within the lines on Psychic Death Safari, Electric Jaguar Baby are able to double down on the core of their sound without having to worry about reinventing the wheel. The result is a more straightlaced sound but presents a stronger, more unified thesis to rally behind.

The entire tracklist is absolutely drenched in fuzz and left to marinate in a kaleidoscopic acid bath until every aspect of Psychic Death Safari is tie-dyed and deep fried. This album is custom tailored for disciples of the riff, loaded to the absolute brim with an unfathomable amount of supersized guitar heroics launched into the stratosphere from a platform of how-low-can-you-go basslines and persistent motorik percussion. The initial slate of singles were a perfect appetizer for the full album main course, laying out a framework of electric blues on "Hitmaker" and swaggering road warrior anthem "Shiver River." "Never Enough" channels 1960s British Invasion with a spartan beat and jangly guitar lines before kicking into a high-octane hook and a ripping solo. "Lazarus" kicks down the door with a thick cut riff and falsetto vocals that collapse into a deep, rolling groove. The album finally slows down for the closing track as the widescreen wonder that is "Magik Queen" embraces the first rays of dawn breaking over the desert after an all-night generator party winds down into the calm of morning.

Psychic Death Safari knows what it is - a straightforward, no-nonsense rock and roll record that satisfies the primal urge for unstoppable riffs and rhythms and made to be played at maximum volume. Psychic Death Safari is available on limited colored vinyl and CD here. Stream the album on Spotify and follow Electric Jaguar Baby on Instagram.