psychedelic – Page 8 – 7th Level Music

Rewind Review: A Place to Bury Strangers – Exploding Head (2009)

I’ve been meaning to pick up A Place to Bury Strangers’ 2009 album, Exploding Head, for years. I have no excuse other than it was never for sale on CD whenever I’d see them live. I love the band, so shame on me for taking seven years to pick up this fine record.

The opener, “It Is Nothing,” displays Oliver Ackermann’s (vocals and guitar) love of My Bloody Valentine. His guitar sounds like he’s playing it upside-down and backwards while his vocals seem to be coming from the bottom of an empty pool. “In Your Heart” is one of my favorite APTBS tracks. It has the stabbing guitar chords, chugging synth beats, lyrics about screwed-up relationships (“Don’t say you’ll be with me again. There’s nothing there, it’s dead.”), and David J-like bass I love from their songs, and it slays live.

Tribal drumming grounds “Lost Feeling” as Ackermann pleads with his girl to come back to him, but he knows he’s not even on her radar. It’s like a great lost Bauhaus track with even more blaring guitars. “Deadbeat” is nothing but, as it has some of the hardest, slickest beats and bass on the record. It’s an instant mosh pit creator, so be careful where you play it.

“Keep Slipping Away” is like early Cure but with more reverb, heavier amps, and not as much moping. “Ego Death” is heavy goth rock with a chorus that might knock you out of your boots. “Smile When You Smile” is equally heavy and a bit creepier. “Everything Always Goes Wrong” could be the theme for every Three’s Company episode by the title, but the sound of it is better for a modern Euro-horror film.

You’d think the title track would be loud enough to make your head explode, but APTBS wisely flips it around to make it a catchy industrial track with almost a dance club bass line and vocals free of reverb. The closer is one of their hardest and loudest live tracks – “I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadow of Your Heart.” As fast as it is on the record, it’s twice the speed live.

Don’t be like me and wait seven years to add this to your collection. It’s essential noise-psych.

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King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity

Holy crap.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have come to “fuck shit up” (as they put it) on their new record – Nonagon Infinity.

The band (Ambrose Kenny Smith – harmonica, vocals, synths, Cook Craig – guitars and bass, Eric Moore – drums, percussion, theremin, Joey Walker – guitar and vocals, Lucas Skinner – bass, Michael Cavanaugh – drums, Stu Mackenzie – guitar, vocals, flute) is wildly prolific and able to switch musical styles faster than a chameleon changes colors. Their last album, Paper Mache Dream Balloon, is a lovely bit of psychedelic hippy pop music with some rock and blues touches.

Nonagon Infinity, however, is the most blistering rock record I’ve heard in a long while. “Robot Stop” explodes from the opening seconds like a land mine hit by a tank. Each track flows seamlessly into the next. This happens so well that the album loops on itself by the end. I’ve read interviews with the band in which they had planned this all along. The album can be listened to on loop without any noticeable bumps in the road. In fact, you could start Nonagon Infinity on any of the nine tracks and it would still loop itself without stumbling. It’s an incredible piece of audio engineering.

“Big Fig Wasp” emerges from “Robot Stop” like a train emerging from a tunnel. Everything is layered in wall-flattening guitars, double drumming, and slightly distorted vocals before launching into “Gamma Knife” like a rocket leaving Cape Canaveral. The harmonica on “Gamma Knife” is the booster on that rocket, taking the song out of orbit. “People Vultures” follows it, with lyrics about rampant consumerism and a heavy Jethro Tull feel.

“Mr. Beat” has a great trippy groove before “Evil Death Roll” comes in with heavy reverb on the guitars and a cool mix of stoner rock and psychedelia. “Invisible Face” sounds like they recorded it while diving 80mph down a dark desert road. “Wah Wah” refers to both the guitar effects and the near mystical chant lyrics as it builds to mind-blowing intensity. It melts your brain into the closer (or is it the opener?) – “Road Train,” which might crush any sanity you have left by this point.

As stunning as Nonagon Infinity is, I’m sure it is even better live, so don’t miss them on their current tour. You won’t regret it, or buying this record.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Allah-Las

Los Angeles psych-rockers Allah-Las will be performing at Levitation Austin on May 1st. They have a neat mix of surf, psych, and 1960s garage rock that I’m guessing comes from the fact that three of them met while working at Amoeba Records where they had ample opportunity to talk music and dig up vintage gems from the era.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Australian psych-rockers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard return to Levitation Austin on May 1st. My wife and I were lucky enough to see their first performance on U.S. soil at the festival two years ago, and I’m keen to see them again. Their new album, Nonagon Infinity, is a sizzling rocker that loops on itself from multiple directions. Hearing it live should be mind-blowing.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Drinking Flowers

Los Angeles post-punk band Drinking Flowers will bring their cool drone / psychedelic sound to Levitation Austin on May 1st, playing the Levitation Tent that day. This is another band I hadn’t heard of before they were booked for the festival. I love discovering new, good bands, and they sound like another one I’ll be obsessed with by the time their set is finished.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Cellar Doors

This San Francisco psychedelic three-piece Cellar Doors makes haunting, intriguing sounds that hooked me from the first listen. I hadn’t heard of them until they landed a spot at Levitation Austin, so I’m thankful for their upcoming appearance on May 1st. They open the Levitation Tent stage, and I’m sure it will be a good start to the day.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Brian Wilson

A major coup for Levitation Austin this year is landing the legendary Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. He’ll be performing the landmark classic album Pet Sounds in its entirety for its 50th anniversary on April 30th. He’s only doing this in a few spots around the world, so this performance is a must-see.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Black Angels

It’s hard for me to express how much I love The Black Angels. I first heard them when I downloaded a music compilation that contained their song “Doves.” It was my gateway drug to the psychedelic music renaissance that was going on without my knowledge. I’ve seen them five times since (Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, twice at Levitation Austin) and will see them any chance I get.

They curate the Levitation festival, so they always play the main stage. I will stand in the thunderstorms that might come on April 30th in Austin if I must to see them again.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: La Mecanica Popular

Psychedelic salsa? I’m in. La Mecanica Popular are playing Levitation Austin‘s Elevation Amphitheater on April 30th, and I’m sure it will be a lively, fun show down by the river. The band combines hot salsa music with wild, weird psychedelic and Euro/mondo flavors for something you can’t quite pin down but definitely can dance to without trouble.

Keep your mind open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWqIXhs6X_8

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Arcs

The Arcs are the psychedelic, two drummer-having side project of The Black Keys‘ Dan Auerbach. Their new album, Yours, Dreamily, will be freshly out by the time Levitation Austin gets here, so I’ll be hearing the material on April 29th while it’s still fresh and unknown to most. I like what I’ve heard so far and I’m happy that Auerbach is taking his blues guitar into the land of psychedelia.

Keep your mind open.

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