Outlands

it's doing something right. The Sydney quintet Deep Sea Arcade has toured with both Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Burgess’ The Charlatans, but its debut album, Outlands, reflects older musical influences. The title track opens with sunny '60s-style melodies and nasal-inflected vocal harmonies reminiscent of The Monkees (when Davy Jones was on the mic). “Seen No Right” uses vintage guitar reverb that recalls The Beach Boys' surf-like tones (replete with a spooky theremin in the background). “Girls” harks back to the days of bubblegum guitar pop, with jangly tambourines and a good helping of Bay City Rollers–inspired “sha-la-la-las” that beg for rooster haircuts and tartan trousers. They even throw in a reedy Farfisa organ in “Steam,” a '60s-steeped jangle-pop track where 12-string leads and handclap rhythms drive the tune. By the bouncy “Granite City,” we get a sense of the band transcending its influences, with a slightly harder attack on its instruments contrasting a melodic restraint.