THE ALTERNATE ROOT REVIEWS MYSTERY DRUG

I See Hawks in L.A. are California Country Rock gentlemen. They have a literary sense to their songs that equals American writers from the South (Faulkner), the West (Twain, O. Henry) and the East (Poe). Their music reflects the moods and emotions of the songs characters as much as the men behind the curtain that pulling the strings and writing the words. Mystery Drugs has an uplifting mood stitched into the album fabric as it describes the life of an aging pirate in the title track, a chance meeting with a major musical score (Rock’n’Roll Cymbal from the 70’s) and flows majestically  (“The River Knows”).
I See Hawks in L.A. follow psychedelic tradition by not following sound rules and regulations. The Hawks are a rock band with a Roots accent. Their songs are vignettes again using psychedelic rock as stage settings.  A cowpunk essay on commerce as love (“My Local Merhcants”), a classic country take on a classic rock event (“We Could All Be in Laughlin Tonight”) and a heavenly choir back-up for a diatribe on driving the 405 at 6 o’clock (“Stop Driving Like An Asshole”) all share Mystery Drugs. I See Hawks in L.A. remind us of the romance of the American West. “Sky Island” follows a San Joaquin daughter as she heads down the 99 for freedom and “Oklahoma’s Going Dry” looks through the dust and Commanche ghosts to try and locate the river that run blue, then red.  Memories follow a young San Franciscan couple through The Mission and watch as the snow falls outside through the windows of a Tahoe casino in “If You Remind”. The track opens Mystery Drugs and will immediately remind you that it is way too long between I See Hawks in L.A. releases.
Listen and buy the music of I See Hawks in L.A. from AMAZON or iTunes