Even though my email gets flooded with new music on a daily basis, I do have a habit of surfing the internet to discover fresh & inventive tunes. This is especially true on a local level where all I have to do is peruse through the Providence tag on Bandcamp. Via this process, I often find some cool stuff to listen to and the fact that it’s been created in the same city I live in, or in the surrounding areas, makes it even cooler. This is exactly how I came across the “Peppermint Lane” EP from Pablo Moondog, which is the moniker of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Paul Gott. The record came out on November 3 and it exudes a psych-rock vibe while also possessing a retro aesthetic.

Along with writing the majority of the songs on the record, Gott also handled the production. The one track that’s an outlier is a rendition of The Kinks’ “This Strange Effect,” but it fits perfectly with the rest of the EP. It drives the ‘60s feel of the release, especially if you’re into the mod movement that took place in the United Kingdom during that decade. The sound quality is excellent as well, I love how Gott’s lyrical delivery has a major effect on the instrumentation and arrangements. You can’t go wrong with kickass guitar riffs and this EP has that in abundance.

The title track of the record begins with a distorted synth before riding a melody that’s pleasantly catchy courtesy of the chorus. “Say You’ll Never Let Me Go” has more of a dream pop quality where the presence of a keyboard sets it apart from the other tracks. The cover of “This Strange Effect” is excellent, Gott’s version does it justice in a variety of ways and I enjoyed giving it a listen. There’s more of a stripped-down tone going on at first with “Nowhere To Go (Nowhere To Be),” and then it builds up to become more substantial with the drums serving as the foundation. Capping off the EP is “All That We Have,” which is a bit more melancholy than the others but just as fantastic.

After listening to the “Peppermint Lane” EP, I hope Gott takes the Pablo Moondog name and starts a band. I’d love to see these songs performed live in a local venue and I’m sure I’m not alone in that particular feeling. In the meantime, look Pablo Moondog up on Bandcamp and give the new record a listen. This is ideal listening material for any psych-rock fan, and the same can be said for anyone who digs the alt-rock era of the ‘90s or modern singer-songwriter type of stuff. This is also an album that’s one of my favorite releases to come out of Rhode Island in 2023.