Listen Local - Album Review: "Shirley" by Dead Friends
Dead Friends is a unique garage psych band hailing from right here in Edmonton. Described by their drummer (Ellen Reade) as “what you see during sleep paralysis”, Dead Friends pulls on the sounds of The Abigails, The Growlers, and Moon Duo at a cool yet heart-pumping pace. Despite deep influences from various garage rock/psychedelic/ surf rock bands, Dead Friends manages to carve out their own sound with an added western flair.
Dead Friends
Jesse Ladd, Carter Mackie, Callum Harvey, and Ellen Reade
Their second album Shirley (released May 1st, 2020) only continues the feverish energy displayed on their first album (Dead Friends). Dead Friends kicks it off with a growling baseline and organ that layer atop one another seamlessly on the first song, “Honey Darts”. I know what you’re thinking, but trust me when I say that more organ is exactly what we all need right now. The second track “Uncle Ennio’s Desert Dessert” leans into the western shootout displayed on Shirley’s album art. Jesse Ladd comes in with rich, drawling vocals that gives this tune its final old west touch. Dead Friends keeps their foot on the gas with cool tunes like “1912” and “Campfire” before circling back to the wild west with “Wells”, a tune for any cowboy-turned-rockstar that will leave you scrambling for more western-rock songs. To finish it off, a stripped back acoustic blues song titled “Dandelion Blues”. This tune closes the album with a sweet but infinitely fulfilling feel.
All in all, Shirley is a refreshing take on what garage psych/rock should be. It pushes the boundaries in just the right ways and demonstrates how much fun it is to play with genres. I would definitely recommend this album for a road trip, so long as you’re prepared to crank up the volume and rock right out.
