AMG Review of Small Town

Dave Thompson
All Music Guide

Seattle's greatest (only?) psychedelic sensation bounce back with their first all-new studio album in a decade and, guess what? In terms of atmosphere, excitement, and undiluted beauty, it's as though they've never been away. Which is one in the eye for everybody who looks askance at reunions and comebacks, but is also testament to the musical genius bound up within this band. The opening title track leads you in gently, with only the heavenly intertwining of the vocals to cue you in; but the soaring "Rainfall" is harder, while "You Are" leads us into the tribal pastures that traditionally hallmark the best of the band. Sadly there's nothing here that can truly be termed an epic to match some of the band's past sonic excursions, but the rap-packed esoterica of the five-minute "Land of All" definitely leads you towards new horizons, while the misty tranquility of "Missing" is heartstopping in its majesty. A magnificent return from beginning to end.