The Prof. Fuzz 63's “Nadine Codeine” is Psychedelic and Odd, As Intended to Be

Published for Indie Band Guru

When first listening to this single, the first images that appear in my mind are old documentaries displayed on the television or the internet that glorify the 1960s and 1970s counter-culture. Elongated guitar notes strung by half-dazed musicians on a platform performing in front of an intoxicated mass. The title “Nadine Codeine” perfectly envelopes the feeling of the song as well as the reverse-colored filtered music video.

The Prof. Fuzz 63 describes themselves as a ”Lo-fi Rock band.” For their latest project titled Owls, it is made up of Professor Fuzz who is behind the vocals and guitars, Sleepy Redhead who is also behind the vocals, as well as the organ and piano, and Mr. B who is behind drums. Their new single in comparison to their other projects is slower and more sultry when it comes to the instrumental and vocal pattern.

The single starts with a punchy drumbeat that follows the family of strings, slow but bouncy. The instrumentation follows the cadence with the vocalist’s pouncing lyrical pattern. “Nadine Codeine” is an interesting title, which is referenced in the chorus. From a simple Google search, “Nadine” is a girl’s name from French origin, which means “hope.” Obviously, with Codeine referring to a narcotic, it’s clever to hear the title being referenced repeatedly in the context of a girl who is symbolically associated with the vocalist.

This may be a reference to drug hallucinations or a previous/current lover who conjures a hallucinatory response from her partner’s response. Going off from the story of Professor Fuzz himself, this song came to mind when he was living in Taipei back in 2018. He thought about the many bands in a lineup he performed with who held “Punk Rock” names. “Nadine” is a character in his world, purging through a dream-like reality induced by cough syrup, in which the song analyzes her euphoric and subliminal psyche.

Either way, the instrumental and vocals work hand-in-hand and is a good segue into the type of topics and aesthetics that you may hear on their new project, Owls.

Support the band by checking out the music video below: