This is our first glimpse of the long-awaited debut solo release from You Am I guitarist, Davey Lane. Taken from his upcoming The Good Borne Of Bad Tymes EP, the single is both tripped-out and succinct: a cosmic psych-pop wonder.
There’s hardly a trace of resemblance to You Am I or the 60s stylings of Lane’s own group, The Pictures. Instead “You’re The Cops, I’m The Crime” takes its cues from a 70s cult figure, the inimitable Todd Rundgren.
And as with Rundgren’s finer moments, “You’re The Cops” is short and sweet, thought-provoking pop. Though the lyrics are elementary in the most endearing way – “You’re the water, I’m the wine,” etc – the accompanying sounds are an engrossing collision of droning synths, hooky guitar lines and a big, bouncing bassline.
“You’re The Cops” was originally unveiled in demo form earlier in the year but, as you’d expect, this re-recorded version packs a significantly bigger punch. The most pleasing thing is Lane seems keen to avoid the “guitarist makes a solo album” cliché. Here he chooses pop hooks, well-crafted songwriting and intriguing production over the usual self-indulgent guitar exhibition we often get from gunslingers-gone-solo.
If this is any indication of where Lane’s solo career is headed, he looks certain to cut his own unique path away from his friends in You Am I.
The Good Borne of Bad Tymes is out Friday September 6 through Lane’s own label, Field Recordings and MGM.
File next to: Todd Rundgren, Tame Impala
