The Third Eye

Misty Lanes is the moniker for the solo recording project of Sydney-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, engineer, and producer Steven W. Schouten. Since his 2017 self-titled album, Misty Lanes has been defined by reverberating guitars, punchy drums, dreamy organ melodies, and delicate vocals that embody the soul of cult classic Sixties bands such as The 13th Floor Elevators and The Kinks. Misty Lanes will return with a new album, Colourless Green Ideas, on March 8th via the one and only Echodelick Records.

The idea for the new album came after Steven stumbled on a sentence, “Colourless Green Ideas Sleep Furiously.” It’s a grammatical yet semantically nonsensical phrase from the American author and linguist Noam Chomsky. It’s also a nicely poetic sentence that reads like a Zen koan. It got Steven thinking about how we’re always searching for meaning for things, but not everything needs meaning, and some things can just exist. Call it art for art’s sake. This seemingly small idea was the driving force behind Misty Lane’s upcoming sophomore album, Colourless Green Ideas.

The record is an eclectic collection of songs that explore various sounds and subgenres from psychedelic rock, baroque pop, outsider folk, krautrock, funk-infused garage rock, and much more. It was written, recorded, and pieced together between 2016 and 2021 in different home studios before Steven finished the mixing in 2022. Colourless Green Ideas has been a long time coming, but it’s worth the wait.

Steven levels up his songwriting, mixing, and production on the new album, with new instruments such as his Mellotron Micro appearing throughout. Both the songwriting and production have nods to Sixties artists like Brian Wilson, Billy Nichols, The BeeGees, and more. Steven tries to stay true to the rawness and emotional depth of his ideas, which he calls “colourless green,” and the first demo, which always captures the initial feeling of a song’s idea but is typically almost impossible to capture in the studio.

The album starts with a brief introduction track, a field recording featuring some birdsong and other ambient noise. The record begins in earnest with “And Here We Are,” as Steven lays down a groovy drum track and jumps into a funk-filled psychedelic trip. The vocals are a bit pushed back in the mix, which gives it that classic Sixties psychedelia feel. The guitar playing is tight and emotive, and for a psych-rock fan, there’s a great deal to enjoy. It’s a hell of an earworm.

Now that we got the incense burning, we jump into “The Glorious Ones,” another freak-funk psychedelic funhouse hall of mirrors. The song sounds like what I imagine many alt-rock bands from earlier this century would have liked to sound like if only they had the talent and creativity that Steven has. His vocals are unique, coming with a nasally delivery, and the guitar work is once again top-notch. It’s another excellent track.

“Get Down” is a short track at just over two minutes. While it sounds similar to the previous two songs, it has many redeeming qualities, such as the boogie-woogie fast pace and crunchy guitar tones. 

“Would You Believe” comes next and hits us with a pure, Sixties-styled vintage throwback that conjures hippie chicks with flowers in their hair and peace signs galore. It’s a beautiful song that will appeal to card-carrying members of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

“Unamism” also gives psychedelic Beatles vibes, likely because of the dreamy sounds of the Mellotron or organ (from what I gathered). The short instrumental track unfolds in the grandeur of beauty and, as the album title suggests, colourless green ideas. There are more colors included than green, though. It’s like a bag of Skittles where you can taste the rainbow.

“The Body Electric (Rise/Fall)” is a super-interesting short instrumental interlude, perhaps the trippiest song on the record. The repetition of the sounds is trance-inducing and a great way to mark the halfway point in our journey. “In The Dark” brings us back to the carefree Sixties-styled theme of the record with upbeat jangly guitars and punchy drums.

“A Guardian Angel Makes a Small Breakfast” reminds me of Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, not just because of the cheeky track title. I can picture old Syd riding his bicycle around his English hometown in this song. “Metronome Heart” is where the baroque pop influence comes in strongest. I loved the rawness of this track and how the lo-fi production quality made it feel like a long-lost demo.

“The Healing Door” gorgeously closes the album. The gentle acoustic ballad is a promise from Steven for better times and healing through music, something we can all hold onto tight these days.

I highly recommend Misty Lanes’ Colourless Green Ideas to anyone who loves the softer side of Sixties psychedelia. The album is a breath of fresh air and seems geared to sensitive souls seeking refuge from this cruel world. The Third Eye covers a lot of heavier stoner rock and other hard-edge psychedelia, so it was great to hear something more soothing to the soul. If I may, Misty Lanes new acid-folk-drenched record is like Chicken Soup for the Psychedelic Soul.

Colourless Green Ideas will be released via Echodelick Records on March 8th, so get your pre-orders in now and consider grabbing this one on vinyl. By the time the record drops, winter will be winding down, and the earth will re-awaken in the spring (at least where I’m living). This album will be a good soundtrack for warmer days in the Northern Hemisphere and long, sun-soaked walks in the park.

Pre-order Colourless Green Ideas by Misty Lanes on Bandcamp here.

Support Misty Lanes by finding him on Bandcamp or social media (Facebook, Instagram), or see all of his links here.

Support Echodelick Records by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or Instagram.

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