LSD and the Search for God – Heaven Is a Place (Deep Space, 2016)
If shoegaze often feels like a genre hamstrung by rigid requirements, the slew of My Bloody Valentine knock-offs surely don’t help it. Though LSD and the Search for God fall squarely in this camp—with shrieking, reverb-drenched tones reminiscent of Kevin Shields’ signature stamp—their knack for catchy songwriting has elevated them slightly. Following up on a sole nine-year-old EP, Heaven Is a Place is as expected as it is inoffensive, its shimmering psychedelia mostly obscuring its mindless lyrics. While closer “Without You” recalls early The Verve at their most jam-based, LSD are ultimately beset by the genre’s most tried and true basics.
Trial Track: “Heaven”
5/10
