Are you waiting in vain for Brian Wilson to come out with a new album? Ryan Hicks may not own a theremin or occasionally spend weeks in bed (as far as I know), but he’s definitely taking a page from Wilson’s book with Prairie Ocean, an album about memory, maturity and place.
The record, created over the span of a year and a half, traces Hick’s roots back to his childhood and youth in California and Saskatchewan. Full of vocal harmonies and Beatlesque bass lines, Prairie Ocean sometimes feels like a lost piece of dreamy early ’70s California pop (until you hit the crashing power chords of “I-5,” which feels like a Deep Purple interpretation of “Ventura Highway).
The CD release party for Prairie Ocean is being held tonight at The Artesian on 13th, featuring Squeeze of Scotch, Leland and Brass Buttons. Tickets can be purchased online for $15 or $20 at the door.