Adventures In Stereo ‎– Collection (1997-2000)

Adventure in Stereo's mastermind, Jim Beattie (formerly of Glasgow's Primal Scream and Spirea X), started AIS when he began writing and recording his simple, beautiful pop gems on four-track with Spirea X vocalist Judith Boyle. Now working with a full band, and using considerably more advanced recording equipment, Beattie and Boyle still achieve their distinct, low-fi sound by recording in mono, giving the songs an authentic mid-'60s feel. Much has been made of Adventures in Stereo's preoccupation with the music of Brian Wilson. However, with the arrival of Monomania, it's clear that AIS's fixation with the mid-'60s Los Angeles pop-scene isn't restricted to just the Beach Boys--they find equal inspiration in the good-time groove of the Mamas & Papas ("International") and the sugary pop of the Turtles ("Birds" and "This Day"), among others. Nor are they content with producing mere facsimiles of a bygone era as much as creating something new using the best aspects of the past. Boyle's sweet, reverb-drenched harmonies really give the songs their edge, lending an unexpected twist to what might otherwise be a redundant, if pleasant, exercise. It's refreshing to know that there is a band like Scotland's Adventures in Stereo, thousands of miles removed from the beaches of California, who can still make American Pop, something most American bands don't even attempt.