Pastel Dream, an indie rock quintet from California, look like the type of simple, easygoing people that you’d love to grab a beer with. Formed by frontwoman Caitlyn Whitfield in her junior year in college, the band hardly cares about feigning an image or seeming flashy. They’re a bunch of friends that share a passion and that’s just how they want us to view them. On their second album Too Much Too Fast, a set of deeply personal dream-pop tunes, this honesty, and authenticity of theirs shine brighter than ever.
Pastel Dream’s version of dream-pop is more ‘pop’ than ‘dream’ as it uses the airy vocals and coruscating guitars typical of the genre in service of songs with sticky hooks and peach-sweet melodies that strongly remind of The Smiths (who Caitlyn has admitted to being a fan of in the past). Over the breezy, reverb-soaked mix Caitlyn spills out her dreams, anxieties and memories in expressive lyrics like: “A comfort swells inside my chest/ Venus rushes through my eyes/ Can we just run away tonight”. Listening to her is like peeking into a stranger’s diary and bonding with them as your realize how much you share in common. Caitlyn’s bandmates bring these naked emotions to life by giving them a warm, summery backdrop. They can get loud, like on the epic Summer Nights with its glittery bursts of synth and saxophone solo, and also melancholic like on Dear Stephanie, but gentle nostalgia is their main mood. Give Too Much Too Fast a spin and lose yourself in their reverb-heavy bliss.
Favorite Tracks: Summer Nights, Balcony, Dear Stephanie
Track List
1. Mind 02:29
2. Summer Nights 03:54
3. Balcony 05:17
4. Mellow 03:07
5. Silence 03:24
6. Dear Stephanie 03:47
7. 38th St. 04:17
8. Too Much Too Fast 04:19
9. Lexi You’re a Good Girl 04:00
Related Links
Pastel Dream on Facebook
Pastel Dream on YouTube
Pastel Dream on SoundCloud
Pastel Dream on Spotify
Pastel Dream on BandCamp