Picnic Lightning – Simulacra (2023)
Described as “desert rock meets lo-fi punk” (Punktastic), “…rock that deftly walks the line between cerebral and unhinged” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and “…raw and brooding…” (Pete’s Rock News And Views), US-based Picnic Lightning bring a palpable grittiness to the modern-day rock scene. Along with these notable publications, the forceful foursome has received critical acclaim from Lost In The Manor, Paste, The Mad Mackerel, Indie O’Clock, and Edgar Allan Poets turning heads on a global scale. Formed in 2013, Cole Watkins (lead vocals and guitar), Thomas Ketchersid (guitar), John Cope (bass) and Cameron Navarro (drums) drew together their natural musical skills to share an inimitable sound with audiences. One of the most recent additions to their discography is the single ‘Simulacra’.
Influenced by the likes of Arcade Fire, Courtney Barnet, The Velvet Underground, the Trail of Dead and, oddly enough, the Beatles, Picnic Lightning has a gritty rock sound tinged with a hint of alternative pop in the music. Following their single ‘Nostalgiaholic’ and preceding the single ‘Palisades’, ‘Simulacra’ is a hard-hitting alternative rock song; however, a nostalgic otherworldliness exists leaning toward The Velvet Underground with a sliver of Radiohead in the ethereal ambience. Tossing listeners into a sonic swirl, the harmonic arrangement of vocals, drums and guitars brings an obscurity to the cinematic soundscape.
Interestingly enough, while Picnic Lightning has a mellifluous flow to ‘Simulacra’, the soothing gentleness of the single is embedded with dark, gothic grittiness. Moreover, the production is elegantly sophisticated, but a raw innocence is slathered across the melody. For me, it is the intoxicating vocals traipsing along the tune that really hits you between the eyes – not with a forceful rock jolt but with a softer, soul-stirring serenity that actually sends chills down your spine.
For more from Picnic Lightning, check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
