ALBUM REVIEW: BRING ON THE PSYCHICS BY QUICKSAND
Reviewed by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
Release date 17 July 2026
Carl Sagan riffed on the idea of watching out for the con job in religion and spirituality. He was all about finding evidence and putting the foolishness of the paranormal aside and engaging with real life. Quicksand, the New York based post-hardcore band consisting of Walter Schreifels (lead vocals/ rhythm guitar), Sergio Vega (bass) and Alan Cage (drums), seem to be reflecting on these ideas and have come to the same realisation: Carpe diem!
And that is how the first song on ‘Bring On The Psychics’ commences. Quicksand urge us to “come on” and ‘Get To It’ with hook-driven guitar riffs and heavy drum beats as “time is running out”. The band are like a “broken-record”, so “let’s do it” and “get to it”. And those thoughts carry on into ‘Regenerate’, a song about pushing against excuses and procrastination and taking action. The big downbeat of the drums dominates the call for renewal: “balance” and “humility”. The focus of ‘Regenerate’ concerns the idea that personal growth comes only after difficult times as the beautiful refrain of “this is how we fall” breaks the insistent heaviness. Then, ‘Agency’ asks us to take responsibility for our decisions and actions. The three songs are really laying out the life rulebook. As “there is no one else to blame”, own your ‘Agency’.
Quicksand divert into the big guitar riffs and pounding drums of ‘Crystallize ’ next. It’s a straight-up pop-punk song about the “days going by so fast” as “anything could happen”. The song has great guitar riffs and the melody line is fantastic. It is an album highlight. The big “wise-up” rock song of ‘Supercollider’ follows, and those guitars wail. Then, the song breaks into this softer melodic vocal delivery that is so chill. The contrast is really good musically and really grows on the listener.
The chugging guitars, steady drum beat and thrumming bassline bring in ‘In Full Color’. The bass really centres the song as it gives it heft, like “all the stuff” weighing us down in life and “it’s all there in full color”. The magic indie pop-rock ballad ‘Days You Run To’ is an absolute album highlight. It’s just a beautiful song about “painting a picture” of days “you can’t wash away”. Brilliant!
The heavy drums and bassline grooves frame ‘Cool Guy’. It is a diss track about that guy who talks shit. It’s a fun song about that ‘pain in the arse’ who you just want “to shut it”. It is about the ‘try hard’ who wears everyone out and is just “too much”. The question is asked: “Could it be me? It probably isn’t”. Reflection!? Then, “punk kids on the side of the road” are told to ‘Move Forward’, “always forward”, even if it “makes you sound insane”, to the beat of the drum as the guitars wail on.
The album closes with the title track, ‘Bring On The Psychics’, and it has a soft lyrical start with a repetitive melodic guitar riff before the dynamic drumming kicks in. It’s a great ending that blends Quicksand’s sonic palette together: heaviness and the chilled-out experimental sounds.
This album, ‘Bring On The Psychics’, is a grower. The more I listened, the more I liked it. Give Quicksand’s wide sonic post-hardcore playground a few spins, it will reward you.
