Primitive beats, check. Vintage organ, check. Reverb-drenched psyche guitar, check. The surgical-masked men of Clinic are back with their fifth album, “Do It!” And while the formula is the same — Velvets-meets-Nuggets-era ’60s rock — so too are the generally stellar results.
Ade Blackburn still delivers most of his crackpot lyrics in a menacing adenoidal whine, but shifts to a lower breathy murmur on the slower tracks. “Free Not Free” is a revelation. Its delicate melody and yearning vocals bring to mind Burt Bacharach — at least until the blasts of filthy guitar that break up the mellow groove. Most of the album plays to the band’s strengths: delivering dark and sinister atmospherics. “The Witch” is a radio-ready rave-up built on descending chords and rollicking toms, while “High Coin” rides a tattooed snake charmer guitar line.
Unlike many of its garage-rock revivalist counterparts in the U.S., the Liverpool band’s undeniably retro sound palette doesn’t feel like a fashion decision. Indeed, the band’s one sartorial distinction is a penchant for wearing surgical masks. But that’s always been a droll comment on rock celebrity. The focus is on the music.
Check out the group’s videos at www.clinicvoot.org/php-files/news.php, then go hear them live at the Empty Bottle on Monday.
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Clinic with Okkervil River-offshoot Shearwater; 7 p.m. Monday at the Empty Bottle; 1035 N. Western Ave.; 773-276-3600.
