[rating=3.50]
There is a Southern California underwater dreaminess to By The Hedge so it may be surprising that Minks are a Boston band, but cold winters are far from the brain on the groups debut LP. “Funeral Song” stands out as a single specifically addressing summertime (and they like it!) with a bouncy bass line and synths but the whole album has an escapist/lazy vibe that conjures up late Augusts dying days. Lush instrumentals (“Indian Ocean”) and hazy lyrics over soothing guitars (“Cemetery Rain”) add to the other worldliness.
While there is an unfinished feel to a few tracks the soft indie shoegaze vibe can also sooth in its breezy way; layers of sound never intrude vibrating along the edges and background. The lyrics/vocals are buried behind the sonic sheen and only seem to be there so these tracks aren’t completely instrumental, but the group has created an effective mood setting first album.
