You can call Federalea supergroup, really. Consisting of members of Spindrift, The Black Angels, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Federale makes spaghetti western psychedelic rock best suited for obscure European films of the late 1960’s. Seeing them under Levitation Austin’sLevitation Tent in the Austin, Texas sun on April 29th seems like a can’t-miss show. I love spaghetti westerns so I’m sure I’ll love their set.
Hailing from California, Amerikan Bear are masters of the psychedelic 1960’s California sound. I discovered these groovy cats when they discovered me by following me on Twitter. I was soon hooked on their cool mix of psychedelia, rock, and blues. They’re opening the Elevation Amphitheater at Levitation Austinon April 29th, so they’ll be the first band I see. It should be a good start to the festival.
Keep your mind open.
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I will see Seattle, Washington’s Night Beatsany chance I get, so I was happy to see the Empire Garage main stage on April 28th at the Levitation Austinkick-off show there.
I just saw them at Levitation Chicago, and their set was in the top three I saw there. They get better every time I see them and they’re at the top of their game right now. See them before they take off on their tour of the UK. If you’re in the UK, don’t miss them.
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The Golden Dawn are one of those legendary bands who put out one great record and then disappeared. They formed in Austin, Texas around the same time as The 13th Floor Elevators and released their lone record, The Power Plant, before breaking up in 1968. Everything I’ve heard off The Power Plant is great, with a heavier edge than 13th Floor Elevators material. I missed these guys at Levitation Austin in 2014, so I’m keen to see them at the Thursday night pre-festival kick-off party at Empire Garage.
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Fresh off the release of their new album, Freaks of Nuture, Holy Wave will be performing their groovy stoner-psych rock at Levitation Austinon April 29th. I loved their last record, Relax, so I look forward to hearing the new material (especially since I missed them the last time they played Levitation Austin a couple years ago). My wife also likes what she’s heard from these guys. I think you would, too.
Keep your mind open.
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Christian Bland and the Revelatorsis one of multiple side projects from the Black Angels‘ lead guitarist. They love early Pink Floyd records, and that’s all right with me. I saw them at Levitation Austina couple years ago and they put on a good afternoon set. I’ve met Mr. Bland at three different Black Angels shows (Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis), and he was a cool cat and happy to sign my gig poster each time.
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French psych-rockers Wall of Deathare returning to Levitation Austin. I’ve seen them twice: Once at Levitation Austin 2013 (when it was still known as Austin Psych Fest) and then later that same year when they opened for the Black Angels in Indianapolis. They always put on a good show of loud psych, so I’m interested in hearing their new material.
Keep your mind open.
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Les Claypool of Primus and Sean Lennon of The Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger have teamed up to create a new psychedelic-prog rock project called The Claypool Lennon Delirium.
TGOASTT opened for Primus on their last tour, and Claypool and Lennon would often jam on tour before, during, and after shows. Claypool had hoped to put together another Oysterhead album after Primus’ last tour, but “the stars wouldn’t align” (according to the CLD’s website) and Lennon told him he didn’t have any immediate plans.
The initial tracks of the CLD’s album, Monolith of Phobos, are a trippy mix of Primus, TGOASTT, Beatles, Zappa, Beefheart, Pet Sounds Beach Boys, and acid jazz. This should be an excellent record (due out in June), and their summer tour should be a must-see.
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It is fitting, crucial in fact, that the name of the newest Night Beats record isn’t Who Sold My Generation? It’s Who Sold My Generation. No question mark. Night Beats (Robert Levon Breen – bass and backing vocals, Danny Lee Blackwell – guitar, vocals, piano, percussion, bass, James Traeger – drums) aren’t asking who sold their generation to career politicians, multinational banks, and corporations. They already know. It was sold by “spitting news anchors,” people selling toxic junk as food and drink, those in power who let that power corrupt them, and, mostly, damningly, their generation for allowing it to happen.
“Celebration #1” is a spoken word manifesto over a freak-out beat, blues bass walk, and dark alley guitar. “When they come into your down, the sons of a sold generation, they’ll grab what isn’t nailed down,” Blackwell sings. Millennials don’t expect things to be handed to them, but they are tired of their future being bartered, sold, and stolen. They are here to take it back.
“Power Child” makes sure you know this is a Night Beats record because it is full of their usual great grooves, reverb, slick drumming, and sound that would be just as fresh if they’d originally opened for MC5. Blackwell’s shredding solo on it closes out the song, leaving you wanting more. Don’t worry, because “Right / Wrong” is just as good. I always like the vocal effects Blackwell uses. It’s hard to discern sometimes where his normal singing voice ends and where distortion and reverb begins, and I think that’s great.
“No Cops” is the first single from the record, and it’s a burner with Been’s bad ass bass, Traeger’s floor-stomping drums, and Blackwell’s guitar that seems to be everywhere at once as he sings about a couple days in the city gone horribly wrong. It’s nice to hear the band branching out into border rock territory with the Spanish lyrics in “Porque Manana,” which could be translated as “Why Tomorrow?” Since there’s no question mark here either, I’m guessing it’s actually “Because Tomorrow.” Act now, because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed to any of us.
Traeger plays drums and a maraca at the same time on “Sunday Mourning,” creating one of the best beats on the record, and Been’s bass line on it holds the song together so well that I imagine he’s a bricklayer when he’s not on tour. Been is the newest member of Night Beats, and his addition has taken the band to another level. His bass work is a hot mix of boogie blues, psychedelia, and funk. Not to be outdone, Blackwell’s guitar on “Sunday Mourning” might make your jaw fall off your head.
“Shangri Lah” and “Bad Love” reveal the band’s love of surf music. “Burn to Breathe” is a slow burn of excellent psychedelia that calls back to the 1960’s better than most modern psychedelic bands can even attempt.
The Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville” is about a young man about to be sent to Vietnam. Night Beats rock far harder than the Monkees, of course (although “Clarksville” is a great tune), but I can’t help wondering if “Last Train to Jordan” might be the band’s tribute to members of their generation who served in the Middle East.
“Ain’t gonna wait for tomorrow, ain’t gonna wait for tonight,” Blackwell sings on “Turn the Lights.” Again, complacency is the enemy of us all. The song has a great harmonica solo. So, as a sloppy player of the Mississippi saxophone myself, I love it.
The album closes with “Egypt Berry” – perhaps the most raucous rocker on the record. Pay attention, upcoming bands: If you’re wondering how to end your album, you might want to take a lesson from Night Beats. End with a song that combines Arabian-flavored guitar, Elvis Presley rhythm section beats, Johnny Cash bass, surf cymbals, and a false ending that gives you one last hit before you go.
This is already in my top records of 2016 so far and will most likely be in the top ten for the entire year. Night Beats get better with each record, so buy this and their whole catalogue. Do not hesitate. Hesitation helped sell a generation to one percent of the populace. Night Beats have warned us to not let it happen again.
Keep your mind open.
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Canadian psych-rockers Suuns have started a PledgeMusic campaign and a Bandcamp page for their upcoming album Hold / Still. The first two released tracks, “Translate” and “Paralyzer,” are good cuts that lace their weird psychedelic sound with electro touches. Hold / Still is sure to be a good record if the rest of the tracks are as good as these.
Keep your mind open.
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