Dr Mary's Monkey - Velvet Dreams

Dr. Mary's Monkey is a mod/punk/power-pop/soul movement from New Orleans, Louisiana based around the songs of singer-songwriter Shawn Gwin, nicknamed "The Sage" by his band and producers. The four-piece band is Sage, guitar, vocals; Robin Sherman, bass, vocals; Yano, keys, vocals; and David Shirley drums, vocals; plus special studio guests. Combining a love of music from Motown, Memphis, London and New Orleans with Sage's distinctive songwriting craft and lead vocals, their unique synthesis of styles makes for rock music that catches the ear, engages the mind and never forgets it's got to roll. Velvet Dreams was tracked in legendary New Orleans studio, Neutral Sound Studio; produced by Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated record producer and mixing engineer "Bassy" Bob Brockmann (Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Prince); and features an A-list of New Orleans sidemen. Velvet Dreams is bookended by the trippy and transporting "Intro (Up From The Dream)" and "Outro (Return To Dream)." Between these two dramatic tracks are a thrilling and diverse counter cultural-themed collection of songs. Highlights along the trip include "Energy," "Ocean Rider," "Velvet Dreams," and "This Modern Nightmare." The organ-dosed "Energy" is a lysergic fight-song about staving off the soul-sapping machine. "Ocean Rider" is an imaginatively-arranged 1960s-style rave up that recalls the Yardbirds with it's elegant moodiness and dramatic sense of urgency. The song offers a view beyond the world we're presented with; beyond the velvet dream state we all stumble around in. "This Modern Nightmare," is a jarring entry in the Velvet Dreams narrative, one last reality check before dipping back into the slumber of everyday living. This vibe here alchemizes the canonical psychedelic and garage records of the '60s and '70s into a visceral anti-establishment anthem. The single, "(She Said) This Girl Is Free," is unabashed Motown-meets-Beatles pop-rock. It features a whistled melodic motif, a slowly simmering groove, and a sweetly sincere musical sentimentality that recalls classic soul.