Softly Towards the Light

The Black Hollies have built a musical career inarguably rooted in the sounds of the ‘60s, but they've swerved in and out of genres such as American garage rock, British “freakbeat," and hazy sitar-flecked psychedelia. On Softly Towards the Light, their third full-length, they opt for a brighter, gentler sound, melding the mod- and psychedelic-pop tones of that busy musical decade. One might argue that the band would have been right at home in the ‘80s’ L.A. Paisley Underground, playing with the Three O’Clock or Dream Syndicate, and perhaps have missed the boat, but what’s wrong with being a revivalist revivalist? Plus, when you have songs as utterly perfect as the glittering, hooky “Run With Me Run,” the moody and undulant “Gloomy Monday Morning,” or “Lead Me To Your Fire,” a track that showcases Herbert Wiley’s formidable guitar skill, you don’t really care what scene inspired this outing. Softly Towards The Light boosts the layering of vintage keyboards to great effect, and Justin Angelo Morey’s soulful vocals are uncannily suited to their well-constructed songs.