On the surface, there’s some serious psychedelic damage in this band. Most of their tracks could pass for buried treasures on some little-known Pebbles or Nuggets compilation, and lovers of late-’60s garage/psych will latch onto it right away. Especially since the reverb-drenched recording makes it all sound like it’s emanating from some long-ago bat cave.

Listen close enough, however, and there’s a sly wink behind it all. Most of the tracks sport arrangement touches that you’d expect from a modern New Orleans band, but not a ’60s psych record: A trumpet solo here, a featured violin there—and the vintage sound was actually achieved by Bob “Bassy Bob” Brockmann, a producer/engineer with some big-deal credits. Keyboardist Yano’s organ solos are also more accomplished than one might find on an old psych 45. The band’s also fond of sneaking in musical quotes from all over the place—Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” on “Slip Away;” Blondie’s “X Offender” on “Brave New World,” and an obvious Cat Stevens quote on “This Girl is Free.” And any band who’d nick the drum intro from Ringo’s “Back Off Boogaloo” (on “Downtown”) gets an automatic thumbs-up.

None of which would work if the spirit wasn’t high, and the songs weren’t good. Dr. Mary’s Monkey usually writes from the same perspective as their ’60s brethren: The world’s messed up, so let’s create our own reality. Also, like those ’60s bands, they’re all about catchy hooks and choruses. The best track here, “Baby Don’t You Feel Alright?” is a good vibes anthem whose delivery matches its sentiments: “No one’s gonna bring us down, we’re gonna fly up to the sky right now.” That’s a sentiment that works in any era.