André Salvador and the Von Kings is the nom de plume of Tim Cheplick, a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist and one-man band. “Narrow Window”, from his debut Rock And Roll Springtime, has Cheplick playing every instrument, which in this case includes organ, piano, guitar, bass, and drums. With a calming psychedelic edge provided by the wonderful assortment of twangy guitars, lush rhythms, and Cheplick’s sonorous vocals, “Narrow Window” drifts along like a calmer Tame Impala cut, though with a more charismatic psych-pop grasp thanks to the occasional orchestral flourishes and calming organ-laden interludes, like the brilliance around 02:30.
There’s also some Beatles influence thrown in there for good measure, especially in the crisp and immediate pop production. The warm guitar and vocal melodies as well hearken back to the Fab Four’s Abbey Road era. There’s a plethora of psych-rock bands these days, but Cheplick’s music has an edge. Whereas many other acts sound like they’re ripping off classic rock in their emulation of it, Cheplick is embracing its legacy and adding to it simultaneously. This is a wonderful find, for sure.
Also released on the “Narrow Window” single was the excellent psych-friendly “Maybe the Roses”, which is very infectious in its own right:
