After recording two really good albums of note-perfect garage psych (2012's Sufis and 2013's Inventions), Nashville duo the Sufis decided to retreat behind the scenes to produce and engineer acts like Paperhead and Universal Friend. After a move to Brooklyn, where they ended up studying with LaMonte Young, the duo (Calvin Laporte and Evan Smith) decided to chuck out the paisley, 12-string guitars, and fuzztone pedals in favor of a wider range of influences and sounds on their third album, 2018's After Hours. Instead of coming off like a modern-day take on the Monkees, this time out the band aims for something less colorful and more nocturnal. To that end, they de-emphasize guitars, bring in vintage synthesizers, and pitch the lead vocals down to a breathy whisper, while writing songs more suited to a long lie-down than a jangling dance party. There are a few exceptions, like the perky rocker "Another Way" and the gently swaying "Mercy," which borrows large chunks of the old chestnut "Mercy, Mercy," but mostly the duo seem intent on scrubbing all the fun out of their sound. That's fine -- not every record needs to barf unicorns -- but for a band that used to have such a light touch, the heaviness on After Hours is a bit disarming at first. Once it becomes clear -- maybe after a couple spins -- that the Sufis have changed their modus operandi, it's easier to see the positive aspects of the shift. They do a fine job integrating synths into the arrangements on tracks like "It's Hard," the stylistic stretching allows for some nice lo-fi Memphis soul ("All Knowing [71]") and pop-reggae ("Till I Get Home") lifts, and the detached vocals are a perfect fit on the late-night soft rock-inspired songs (the title track) and the keyboard-heavy psych-pop ("Anymore"). It's not a perfect transition; "Made Me Leave/Crispy Grapes II" is as much an overcooked slice of woozy psych whimsy as one might expect from the title and "Watch Out" is another case of the duo trying way too hard. A couple of swings and misses don't mean the record is a strikeout; After Hours is a solid hit that may not provide the same bubbly satisfaction as their early output, but still sounds like the work of a couple guys with ideas and the skills to bring those ideas to fruition. ~ Tim Sendra, Rovi

1		After Hours
2		Made Me Leave / Crispy Grapes II
3		Anymore
4		Another Way
5		Mercy
6		One of a Kind
7		It's Hard
8		Watch Out
9		Till I Get Home
10		All Knowing (71)
11		Take Care of Yourself

	Like us on Facebook
	@SoundHound	Follow