“I don’t need much more than faith,” Magnetic Zeros frontman Alex Ebert sings on his band’s lush new single. And it’s a telling lyric: “Better Days” sounds like a warped Southern hymn beamed in from the Summer of Love, blending church bells, woodwinds, “Age of Aquarius”-styled choirs and a deeply psychedelic bass groove. In typical Zeros fashion, “Better Days” is undeniably corny–especially with Ebert’s cracked tenor soaring over the sprawl, spreading carpe diem one-liners. “Well, that’s some cliche shit, make me wanna cry,” Ebert sings early on. But that’s a bit harsh: “Better Days” is downright charming in its own goofy way, growing more hypnotic as it spirals toward an extended instrumental jam. The Zeros’ latest may be messy, but it certainly has heart.
