“Lahs” by the Allah Las proves a decent record, but sadly more of the same

On their fourth album and their second for the Mexican Summer label, Lahs (2019), the Allah Las produce a solid psychedelic indie rock record that, however, regrettably sounds very similar to most of their other material, leaving questions as to how much growth the band can achieve. 

The album opens up with “Holding Pattern.” Very laid back, stoner rock vibes come across that then permeate the entire album. A steady rhythm is carried throughout the song and there are splashes of organ harmony. Lyrically, they describe a “Madame lost in the haze/ Of her endless holidays.” This is a fitting description for the escapist vibes that the Allah Las emanate in their music. 

“Keeping Dry,” the second track, contains a groovy, slow beat that feels like walking on the beach. The music comes in waves like a psychedelic daydream. It reminds me of “Ice Cold Daydream” by Shuggie Otis, with a much heavier surf rock bent. Lyrically, they criticize mainstream society and envision escaping, or drifting away and “moving like a cool breeze”. 

There is a nice flow between songs on the album that creates continuity and a sonic cohesion characterized by their loose laid back style. A general breezy tone strengthens messages that emphasize a care-free attitude aimed at transcending the everyday worries and hassles. 

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_4YOsfTq0k” width=”1260″ height=”720″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GqgNebPm50[/su_youtube]

Two of the instrumental tracks on the album, “Roco Ono,” and “Houston,” are some of the best. “Roco Ono” is a fantastic interplay between guitar and bass, creating catchy loops that weave in and out of different musical arrangements. While listening to this track I imagined an eclectic group of funky dancers spinning around at three quarters speed. “Houston” is also a refreshing, lively track with swimming, wavy guitar riffs accented by keyboard and drums. 

If Allah Las can be criticized for anything, it’s that they remain pigeonholed into a distinct musical style. When listening to track after track of similar sounding songs it can get a little tiring and leave the listener craving for some musical spontaneity. Adding some new instruments could help with this, but really the main issue is style. Several of the songs on this album with lyrics in a non-English language helped diversify the music, but the instrumentation still squarely sounded the same. 

Despite the lack of musical variety, this remains a respectable album with enough decent tracks for anybody to give it a listen. I only worry about how many more albums like this I can take before growing tired and bored. For now, though, the Allah Las remain a welcome Californian ocean breeze.

Article by Jack Austin