The Fernweh // The Fernweh

The Fernweh

The Fernweh

Skeleton Key

4 Stars

Awarm, kaleidoscope of retro psychedelia, The Fernweh is the eponymous debut of the Liverpool trio. Comprised of Jamie Backhouse on guitar, Ned Crowther on guitar and vocals, and Oz Murphy on keys and saxophone, the band constructs a sonic tableau perfect for Anglophiles. It's a faithful throwback to British Invasion latecomers of the 1960s. If one were to add the hiss of a lo-fi vinyl capture, this might convincingly pass for a lost relic of the era. A loving pastiche of swirling, chimey tones, these 13 tracks are brilliantly produced and immerse the listener in the world created therein. It's one faintly familiar to American audiences, recalled second hand through a hazy montage of memories, filled with foggy glens and unkempt hair. The stakes are raised as the fourth track, "Brightening In The West," kicks in, an uptempo ride in a gear that burns hotter. The percussive keyboard hits of "A Leaf Didn't Move" provide a favorite signpost past the B-side. Before the album closes with "Afternoon Nap," a mostly-instrumental use of sampling, "Little Monsters" gives the listener their last meal, marked by a rowdy build of guitar work. — Nick Warren