Tagged as psychedelic, RnB, Italian, electronic, alt-rock, The Mistoos’s “Girl (I Need You)” deserves a category of its own. At most, I might expect to see three of the aforementioned genres blended together on an experimental track. But “Girl (I Need You)” goes beyond what’s expected of the contemporary alt-rock band. 

The 60s-esque song is authentically retro enough to have been released during the peak of psychedelic music. Like its colorful, flower-child inspired artwork, the tune layers together bright instruments that, if not for the welcomed intermission of brief vocal sections, might be sensory-overload. Fortunately, The Mistoos balanced the track and created a song so lost in time and space I’m not sure two could ever agree just how to categorize it. Most notable on the track are the flavorful piano rolls and rhythmic use of the instrument.

The technique largely gives the tracks its vintage Italian sound. Picture a red 1960s Fiat 500 driving along the roads of Napoli. “Girl (I Need You)” goes there. The fun, distinct sound isn’t something often sampled or featured in modern rock and offers a clever twist on alternative rock. Showcasing the cultured approach to songwriting, the piano drives the track throughout its entire 3 minutes 27-second runtime.

This is an unconventional approach to piano rock relying on the familiarity and almost stereotypical nature of the Italian sound to form something mysterious and edgy. Somehow both new and old, traditional and alternative.

But the sensual, funky guitar that riffs alongside the keys supplies the groove. The fluid solos contrast against the staccato piano and stick out to the ear bringing the song to life through tribute to the era of psychedelics. Paired with vocal harmonies that beckon your ears back to rockers of the 60s, the aural aesthetic of the song is an accomplishment.

I have been dreaming about you

I just want something new

Oh the things we could do

You can take all my time

Lyrically, “Girl (I Need You)” is sparse, one of its strengths. The short stanzas fall in line with the tradition of many folk/psychedelic/rock songs of the retro era. The song instead opts for focus on musicality–the fun doo-wop-y harmonies add a nice touch. Still, sprinkled throughout are biting lines of reference to the all-too-familiar feeling of falling so strongly for someone.

Split between two clever A and B sections, the song speaks of a magnetic romance that’s as back-and-forth as the transitions from A to B.

Oh girl

I want you

But i just don’t want to mess up my mind

The classic rocker’s conundrum–if you fall in love, you’re going to fall too hard. 

This song is clever. Different. Interesting. Alternative rock doesn’t have a standard sound, but this track still sounds surprising even with no set expectations for what the genre should be. I listened to it several times, and each time I came up with a new band I could hear elements of in it, from The Beach Boys to The Doors.  The track is a love letter, a time capsule, and an invention.