The music of Chicago based Secret Colours is like a sexy vintage car, or to be precise, a sexy vintage car from the ‘60s. Whether you love or hate their cockiness, no matter your music taste, this band will turn heads. Yes, there is absolutely no dearth in the number of bands that have the ‘60s etched in their DNA, but none is as unique as Secret Colours. This muscle car of a band makes its retro-inspired cohorts seem more like cookie-cutter econoboxes. But Secret Colours is not all brawns and no brains. This band is as sophisticated on the inside as it is sexy on the outside.
This new offering from Secret Colours is the joined product of two EPs: Positive Distractions Part I (released February 4, 2014) and Part II (released April 29, 2014). This disc offers quite the same experience as its predecessor, 2013’s Peach: ‘60s-inspired rock music that is glamorous, grandiose, and as British as tea and crumpets in the afternoon. Granted, there is a little less rock ‘n’ roll heaviness on this record. Its predominance of Beatle-esque psychedelic pop tracks makes this a much lighter album. But still, there is very little distinction between Peach and Positive Distractions: if you love one, you’ll love them both.
Being similar to its predecessor is a great thing because this album has the same swagger and sexiness as Peach. The songwriting is still as great, and the band’s version of Britpop-infused psychedelic rock is superb and like no one else’s. The lineup of this collective has constantly been in flux; apart from the original members, vocalist/guitarist Tommy Evans and drummer Justin Frederick, it’s quite a different crew on Positive Distractions with the inclusion of newcomers, bassist Eric Hehr and guitarist Mike Novak. However, despite the inconsistencies in the lineup, the band’s music is as tight and consistent as ever. Keep it up, boys!