Inner Outlaws - Inner Outlaws (2013)

Inner Outlaws are a Brooklyn-based five-piece psychedelic rock outfit who are totally fresh on the scene. Well, actually... not quite, because this band features members from the excellent instrumental post-rock group Spaces, whose album Nothing Exists but Atoms and the Void is a fantastic cosmic journey which I highly recommend you listen. 

Now, Inner Outlaws is a whole different affair than Spaces. Their debut EP has just two songs and only clocks in at about 15 minutes, yet it features many different movements and switches pace multiple times. Points of Fire opens with a futuristic progression of guitar notes which sound like they're about to explode into a soaring guitar solo, but nope!, the band shifts to an electro-rock inspired segment that kinda reminded me of Muse if they were less focused expensive effects and more focused on atmosphere and sonic details. The band doesn't linger on for too long, though, so the song gradually brings back the squealing guitars and becomes a really groovy, spacey bit of post-rock that eventually bleeds right into the second song. Bodies of Water starts off as a sweet folky tune with twangy guitars and melancholic lyrics, after which it moves onto a slightly darker atmosphere punctuated by acoustic guitar passages and droney bits. During the final part, the song goes back to the folk-inspired musings and everything ends on a cheerful and optimistic note. 

Ultimately, Inner Outlaws are all about atmosphere and creating a feeling of wonder and excitement. The music constantly reshapes itself and brings forth many different elements, from post-rock to soul and indie rock, making for a rather eclectic mix of sounds which is certainly interesting enough to warrant multiple listens. Their EP drops tomorrow and you'll be able to find it on Bandcamp. It's a great start and I can't wait to see what these guys come up with in the future. But until then, here's some videos for your viewing pleasure.

 
IO EP 2013 from Inner Outlaws on Vimeo.

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Inner Outlaws - Devil's Millhopper from Inner Outlaws on Vimeo.