It’s said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If this is the case, then The Explorers Club must love The Beach Boys. Everything is here: soaring melodies, floating harmonies, a gentle high-end vocal touch a la Carl Wilson, a Pet Sounds-esque instrumental (“Summer Air”), and even vintage-looking album art. All these anachronistic leanings would be irritating if they weren’t done so well. Cuts like “Forever” and “Lost My Head” would sound perfect alongside tracks like “Sloop John B” and “God Only Knows” on the original Pet Sounds. In fact, close your eyes and you might think you’re listening to a lost classic Brian Wilson LP. Other bands have tried this sort of thing before, but with mixed results (Splitsville came very close with their The Complete Pet Soul album). The Explorers Club hits it dead on.
--Frank Valish [June 2, 2008]
