The Black Hollies

The Black Hollies really like the '60s. Their past efforts, including 2005's Crimson Reflections, have all the makings of a garage or basement rock band from the era: fuzzy guitar riffs, rapid-fire drum beats, and a scratchy-sultry lead singer fretting over sexual tension with various women. But just because the Black Hollies adore an era doesn't mean they can't have a sound progression. Their latest release, Casting Shadows, sounds less beer-and-weed bar band, and more like an LSD party hosted by Timothy Leary. Yes, the Black Hollies have entered their psychedelic era, complete with ghostlike vocals on singles like "Whispers Beneath the Willow," a song filled with a warm guitar sound. The band started off as a side project for several members of the Rye Coalition, but over the past few years the Black Hollies have become a full-time gig for vocalist/bassist Justin Angelo Morey, guitarists Herb Wiley and Jon Gonelli, and drummer Nick Ferrante (who recently replaced Scott Bolasci). Too young to directly remember the '60s? So are the Black Hollies (and admittedly, so am I), but that doesn't stop them from having a sincerity to their retro sound, and their live shows have won over fans and critics alike. With Private Dancer, Bluebird, and DJ Hot Roxx. 21+.
Thu., May 8, 9 p.m., 2008