Dr. Yes! and the Soulgazers

“You’re listening to Dr. Yes! and the Soulgazers. We’re broadcasting live from your head. We’ve got some sweet, spacy, soul jams comin’ your way, so stay tuned …” So opens the new CD—engineered by Candy Apple/Joybook keyboardist Scott Barwick in his Origami Lounge studio—from local experimental/electro/neo-soul music maker Dr. Yes!. Dr. Yes!’s friendly, introductory words (voice effects make it sound a lot like they are being spoken by late, iconic soul singer Barry White) are backed up by Dr. Yes!’s vintage wobbly keyboard sounds and bandmate Sanchor’s minimal guitar. “Midnight Gambler,” which could almost be called a rocker on this laid-back, atmospheric album, begins intriguingly: “So I sold my soul/ To the man in red/ For a tooth of gold…” This disc is easy to listen to just for the relaxed emotional environment it creates, but at times the words refreshingly jump to the fore. Live!..From Your Head ends the same way it starts—the last song, “Sol Jam” (“sun,” in Spanish, not “soul”), uses the same melody as song one, and politely says goodbye to the listener: “Well, it’s that time for us to say goodbye. Thank you for listening. You’ve been such a beautiful audience …”