Album Review: Pedaljets – Twist The Lens

Kansas City’s the Pedaljets are back with their first album in over six years, their latest release “Twist The Lens” follows on from 2013’s “What’s In Between“, this is a band that have always ploughed their own furrow regardless of passing trends and in that respect nothing has changed, but at the same time everything has changed. The Pedaljets have retained the core trio of Mike Allmayer, Matt Kesler and Rob Morrow that have been the mainstays of the band’s line up for over three decades, “Twist The Lens” also sees some new blood introduced as it’s the first outing to feature the latest addition to their ranks, lead guitarist Cody Wyoming. The album also features veteran producer John Agnello at the helm and sees the band reunited with Archer Prewitt, whose artwork has adorned the Pedaljets last three album covers.

On the surface you could be forgiven for assuming “Twist The Lens” is a retro blast from a band quite happily embedded in the past, after three, coming up on four, decades together, you could also quite understandably leap to the conclusion that this is the band’s last hurrah, that is until you drop needle, hit play or do whatever it is  your format of choice requires. ‘Disassociation Blues‘ opens “Twist The Lens” with a measured dose of power pop that is blended perfectly with dark post punk, from this point the Pedaljets spread their wings further as you get deeper into their latest full length, elements of the paisley underground, punk rock, garage revival and rock ‘n roll all steadily creep into the mix to create an album that constantly shifts in style but always sounds fresh, yet oddly familiar

“Twist The Lens’ is very much much a product of the scenes that were thriving even before the Pedaljets formed back in the mists of time, but this does not sound like a relic from a bygone era, instead it’s a vibrant and revitalised album that draws from the past of the alternative scene but avoids getting mired in nostalgia. “Twist The Lens” is the culmination of a long musical journey for the Pedaljets and for me comes across as a heartfelt and contemporary love letter to the past, I could have listed all the bands I picked up that have obviously inspired the Pedaljets whilst spinning “Twist The Lens“, but do you really need a list of the best bands from the alternative scenes that were spawned in the late seventies and early eighties, I doubt it as there’s a good chance they’re already lurking in your collection. 

‘Twist The Lens‘ can be pre-ordered via Pedaljets website here