Tame Impala compared to Syd Barrett

If you like the captions underneath the photos in the Straight's music section, you can thank copy editor John Lucas.

In addition to writing most of these cutlines (but not the one above), Lucas also delivers astute observations in his concert reviews.

This is one example from an article about Tame Impala, which played last night at the Commodore Ballroom:

"Oh sure, I gleaned that the band specializes in paisley-rainbow psych rock, that it really, really likes its effects pedals, and that singer-guitarist Kevin Parker has a knack for writing acid-washed melodies that Syd Barrett would have envied before he stopped caring about such things and retired to his mum’s basement in Cambridge."

To read the full review, go here.

Speaking of Syd Barrett, one of the former Pink Floyd songwriter's self-portraits was stolen from London's Idea Generation Gallery on April 9.

The 31-by-23-centimetre piece of art was painted in 1961 and 1962 for a former girlfriend, gallery owner Libby Gausden. She also owns the painting, and has offered a 2,000-pound reward for information leading to its return.

The Idea Generation Gallery can be reached at 011-44-020-7749-6850.

Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.