Should Have Taken Acid With You

from the EP Psychic Chasms, Lefse Records, 2009



Mmmmmmm, this track is so yummy I can’t stop listening to it!!! In fact, there’s not a single throwaway on this forthcoming EP from Neon Indian; yes, there are a couple brushes with minor cheese, but when your influences are italo, new wave & europop, you are bound to spend a little time in cheeseville! What’s great is that, unlike many in the recent crop of artists crafting ‘80s retro-synth masterpieces, he doesn’t try to clean it up much at all, his gear sounding every bit as cheap as those on the original italo songs he takes influence from. This track is enchanting, both in sound and in title---apparently, the lyrics were taken directly from a note Alan Palomo (who “is” Neon Indian, for all intensive purposes) wrote to pal Alicia Scardetta (who handles visuals for the music) back in high school, “…I should have taken acid with you, touch the stars and the planets too…should have taken acid with you, melt our times and become unglued…should have taken acid with you, tell my parents that I’m staying with you…” The underlying, windchime-esque synth riff is a nice variation on Fleetwood Mac’s “Gypsy”, and matched with his airy vocal delivery it all feels like a day spent atop a big puffy cloud; based on the vibe here, perhaps Mr. Palomo decided to indulge in some coke instead of the acid going around that day…