P.P. Rebel 
Paris Rebel Richens isn’t an entirely new name around these parts. The songwriter has been found for years among the ranks of Hierophants and longtime RSTB faves Parsnip. The latter give a few clues to the ‘60s pop overtones on her latest album as P.P. Rebel, but even those familiar with the outfit’s 2019 debut will have a tonal shift on their hands. The debut was a sugar-coated strum n’ drum collage that moved through moments like a pop-up book; bright colors taped and tied together with a whimsical touch. On Devotee, Richens threads her experience with Kriya Yoga into the mix, creating the kind of lost ‘60s pop album that’s equal parts dayglo hues and spiritual quest. With a second-hand harmonium at its heart, the record incorporates elements of chant into the songwriting, but doesn’t latch onto it in the way that psych-folk and more formal drone might. She cracks open the record with the familiar wheeze of the instrument and tips into a hypnotic rhythm, but the band lets the tonal anchor tie them on a long leash, floating towards VU and Skip Spence waters.
The record continues to keep its spiritual core combined with a sense of ‘60s pop splash. The loping bass lines loop around the harmonium; dancing with it and away from it at the same time. The stripped down kit is a familiar fold-over from the Aussie Indie set, but here it feels perfectly organic, a kind of coffee house humbleness that’s right in line with the album’s exuberant pop experiments. The record threads through the hippy heights of Joe Boyd and Joe Byrd territory, touring though ISB and the outre inklings of The United States of America. It’s a fringe pop record that cracks the doors open to let in the more sewn-up listeners on the breezy sunshine-pop of “Ascension” and folk trappings of “Happy.” It’s nice to see an album like this today that dabbles with very specific sound, unafraid to let its friction fend off its fun. This one’s a grower, but the more time you spend in Devotee’s world, the brighter it becomes.
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