Tag: psychedelic rock

Psycho Las Vegas 2021 recap: Day Three

We only had four bands on our itinerary for day three of the Psycho Music Festival in Las Vegas. One was a must-see for us (especially for my wife) and another was someone I, for some reason, had never seen before this festival.

First up were shoegazers Flavor Crystals, who played the early afternoon at the Rock & Rhythm Lounge to a small crowd, but a small crowd full of shoegaze fans. They dropped a heavy sound bomb on the place, flooding the casino with fuzz.

Flavor Crystals melting faces and minds.

They also added to my set list collection from the festival.

Thanks, fellas!

We took a break for a few hours and then came back for three consecutive shows at the Michelob Ultra Arena, which is connected to Mandalay Bay. Meanwhile, Summer Slam was happening at the stadium across the street, which made for a weird mix of T-shirts seen in the casino. You saw everything from shirts for wrestlers like John Cena and Rey Mysterio, Jr. to bands like Dying Fetus and Cephalic Carnage.

The first band at the Michelob Ultra Arena certainly weren’t the death metal category, but were rather Thievery Corporation, who put on a fun show combining bhangra, reggae, dub, rap, and funk. It was my second time seeing them, and the first time I saw them was also in Las Vegas (at the Cosmopolitan Hotel Casino rooftop pool), so it was an interesting return for me. They put on a fun set.

Sitar, drums, congas, bass, synths, and vocals from Thievery Corporation.

Next were The Flaming Lips, who are one of the best live bands going right now and one of my wife’s favorite bands ever. It was, as always, a delightful, uplifting experience. The usual spray of confetti into the crowd was minimal, and there were no giant, confetti-filled balloons launched into the crowd due to COVID concerns, but there was still plenty of fun to be had. It was fun to stand next to a guy who’d never seen them before then, and he gave me a happy thumbs-up during the show.

Wayne Coyne versus a pink robot.

My wife went back to the hotel room after the show, and I stayed to see Danzig. I’d somehow gone my entire punk teenage years, college years, and post-college years without seeing Danzig, Samhain, or any variation of The Misfits. Danzig started a little late, but Glenn Danzig and his band came out to an appreciative crowd and played the entire Danzig II: Lucifuge album and then some of their favorite hits. It was an impressive set, and the guitarist was especially talented. Glenn Danzig wasn’t too concerned about possible COVID infection, however, as he tossed multiple used water bottles and face towels into the crowd – half of whom left before his three-song encore, which baffled me.

One funny conversation I overhead as I was leaving the Danzig show was between two guys. One was checking the set times on his phone. His friend asked who was currently playing. “Cannibal Corpse,” said the man with the phone. His friend replied, “Yeah! Let’s fucking get brutal!”

Danzig being his spooky self.

I made it back to the room after wandering the casino a bit and being a bit overwhelmed by all the visual and aural stimulation, not to mention all the smoke of various kinds I’ve been around all day. We had an easy morning planned for the last day, and then a night of wild rock, Cambodian funk, soul funk, and metal lined up for Sunday.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: The Black Angels – Clear Lake Forest (2014)

The Black Angels‘ 2014 EP, Clear Lake Forest, is a fine dose of psychedelia and was a great way to get your summer freak on when it was released that year (and still is).

“Sunday Evening” hits you right away with reverb and the lyric “What if I told you that everything you know isn’t even really true?” Christian Bland’s guitar work on it ranges from skronky to trippy, and the song has probably the hottest tambourine work you’ve heard in a long while.

“Tired Eyes” opens with Stephanie Bailey’s always-dependable thunderous drumming and soon spins into a wild track with lead singer Alex Maas and Christian Bland sharing the vocals about someone who seems tired of living in illusion. I may be wrong. The song is so groovy that it seems to pour incense smoke from your speakers, so I may be hallucinating any meaning I’ve assigned to it.

“Diamond Eyes” is downright lovely. Maas’ reverberated vocals, Bland’s spaghetti western guitar, Jake Garcia’s soothing rhythm guitar, Kyle Hunt’s soaring synths, and Bailey’s military-precision beats all gel to become one of the Black Angels’ best tracks.

“The Flop” was the first single off Clear Lake Forest, and it’s easy to understand why. Hunt’s keyboards sound like he’s streaming them from the Doors’ “Soul Kitchen” outtakes. Bailey’s drums hit so hard they may take your lunch money. The bridge plunges you straight down the rabbit hole and doesn’t let you out. “An Occurrence at 4507 South Third Street” is the Black Angels’ second “address” song (the first being “Haunting at 1300 McKinley” from Phosphene Dream). It has a bit of a honky-tonk feel to it (thanks to the snappy beat) and I can’t help but wonder if it’s about another haunting or a murder or suicide that led to the haunting. “The Executioner” is certainly about death (a common theme on Black Angels records). Maas’ lyrics are the clearest on this track (before the freak-out of a bridge, at least). It’s an interesting twist. Maas wants you to know that sin may feel good, but death waits so you’d better get things straight before you meet it.

The closer, “Linda’s Gone,” follows the life of a woman who wants and seeks something beyond her boring life and even the boredom of the illusion around her (and all of us, really). It has all the stuff you like from the Black Angels: tribal drumming, metaphysical lyrics, trance-inducing synths, spacey vocals, and guitar licks that seem to fold in on themselves and then back out into different shapes.

Clear Lake Forest was a solid EP and a great follow-up to their full-length album, Indigo Meadow. Treat yourself to it.

Keep your mind open.

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The Black Angels – Death Song

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the Black Angels named their newest record Death Song, considering the name of their band comes from the Velvet Underground tune “The Black Angel’s Death Song.” The surprise might be that it took them so long, especially when you consider how many of their songs are about death. I think they were waiting for the right time, and the right time came after the 2016 election.

Death Song opens with the hard-hitting “Currency,” in which lead singer Alex Maas sings lyrics like “You print and print the money that you spend, you spend and spend the money that you print. One day it will all be over.” It’s a scathing takedown of corporate greed and the way it crushes the working class (“You’ll pay with your life, a slave nine to five.”). Meanwhile Christian Bland’s guitar sounds like an alarm klaxon and Stephanie Bailey crushes her kit.

“I’d Kill for Her” continues the theme of death and has the band firmly in dark psychedelia thanks to Kyle Hunt’s soaring synths and plenty of reverb on the guitars. The length of “Half Believing” is 4:20. Coincidence? Perhaps, but perhaps not when you hear its guitars simmering like a brew you might drink in a sweat lodge ceremony. On its face, the song is about Maas being wary of falling in love with a woman who might be treacherous. However, it’s easy to consider the song is subtly about concerns over civil rights and support for the arts over the next couple years (i.e., “I will die for things that mean so much to me. If you take them, you’d better watch out.”)

The guitars on “Comanche Moon” swirl around you like ghosts. Maas sings about the plight of the Comanche nation, and I can’t help but wonder if the Black Angels were inspired to write it when they saw coverage of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The near-funk bass of “Hunt Me Down” sets the tone for one of the grooviest tunes the Black Angels have released in a long while. Maas can’t escape another potentially dangerous woman (or is it the Grim Reaper?) who dogs him no matter the time of day or the place.

“Grab as Much (as You Can)” is lovely psychedelia, and the additional skewering of corporate greed is inescapable even as Maas sings about an amorous encounter with that mysterious, dangerous lady. The instruments on “Estimate” sound far away (as Bailey taps out a military procession march and Bland strums a simple, yet haunting riff), yet Maas’ vocals are immediate and almost pleading as he pledges to not get caught up in a They Live type of world but admits it’s difficult to avoid (“It’s kind of seductive.”).

“I Dreamt” is appropriately trippy and a bit frightening. The keyboards and guitars come at you from all sorts of angles, and Bailey practically lays down a house music beat. Maas takes on the role of a dreamweaver / wizard / shaman who offers to help us manage reality and the dream world (but which is which?).

“Medicine” has electro-beats behind Bailey’s rock ones, and spaghetti western guitars mixing with Hunt’s groovy keyboards. “Death March” is easily the trippiest song on the record. Maas’ vocals bounce all over the place, and the reverb on the guitars is enough to drop your mind down a rabbit hole to Wonderland. The album ends with “Life Song,” which seems to be from the perspective of a ghost who longs to be reunited with his love in the next world. It’s a lovely, soaring track that’s a fine send-off for an album (with a great, fuzzy solo from Bland) about death and dark times.

Death Song is another strong release from the Black Angels and further establishes them as one of the powerhouses of modern psychedelic rock.

Keep your mind open.

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Extremely limited editions of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s second album of 2017 now available for pre-order.

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
MURDER OF THE UNIVERSE PRE-ORDER IS NOW LIVE
Han-Tyumi & The Murder Of The Universe 13 min video released

MURDER OF THE UNIVERSE
released June 23, 2017

  • King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s 10th studio album MURDER OF THE UNIVERSE will be released June 23, 2017.
  • Pre-order now from www.flightlessrecords.com
  • The album consists of 21 tracks split into three chapters. Watch the video for “Chapter 3: Han-Tyumi and the Murder of the Universe” HERE. 
  • There are three different pre-order editions all limited to 2000 copies world-wide.

Tracklist:

The Tale Of The Altered Beast

1. A New World
2. Altered Beast I
3. Alter Me I
4. Altered Beast II
5. Alter Me II
6. Altered Beast III
7. Alter Me III
8. Altered Beast IV
9. Life / DeathThe Lord Of Lightning Vs. Balrog

10. Some Context
11. The Reticent Raconteur
12. The Lord Of Lightning
13. The Balrog
14. The Floating Fire
15. The Acrid CorpseHan-Tyumi And The Murder Of The Universe

16. Welcome To An Altered Future
17. Digital Black
18. Han-Tyumi, The Confused Cyborg
19. Soy-Protein Munt Machine
20. Vomit Coffin
21. Murder Of The Universe

Altered Beast Edition 
– Tri-coloured wax
– 30 page illustrated story book
– Zoetrope animated labels
– Download card
– Limited to 2000 worldwide

Floating Fire Edition
– Floating Fire Splattered wax
– 30 page illustrated story book
– Zoetrope animated labels
– Download card
– Limited to 2000 worldwide

Vomit Coffin Edition
– Vomit coloured blob with splatter wax
– 30 page illustrated story book
– Zoetrope animated labels
– Download card
– Limited to 2000 worldwide

FOLLOW THE BAND’S FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM/TWITTER FOR NEWS.

Rewind Review: Cream – Goodbye (1969)

Wrapping up my journey through the Cream (Ginger Baker – drums, Jack Bruce – bass and vocals, Eric Clapton – guitar and vocals) catalogue, I arrive at their fourth and final record – Goodbye. The band was dealing with the pressures of success and frequent touring, the clashing egos of Baker and Bruce, the eagerness of Clapton to try something new, and a lot of drug use among all three.

Goodbye, which features interior album art of the song titles on gravestones, is only six tracks. Three are live cuts and three are studio recordings. The opener is a version of “I’m So Glad” over nine minutes long. Bruce’s bass is fat on it and they’re soon into a massive jam during which all three members try to outdo one another. This jam is so heavy that it’s a shock when they come back to the lyrics.

The bass and drums on the live cut of “Politican” are almost sludge metal, but Clapton keeps the blues flavor close. He keeps it even closer on “Sitting on Top of the World” with funky riffs, and Baker’s drumming on this cut is outstanding.

The studio cuts begin with “Badge,” which is written and sung by Clapton. It’s almost a Traffic track (and Clapton was trying to get Steve Winwood to join the band around the time, but Winwood was happy with Traffic). Clapton’s guitar work stretches out for a great mix of blues, psych, and even a touch of surf. “Doing That Scrapyard Thing” has Bruce playing bass and piano as he sings a quirky jaunt about his youth.

I’m sure the irony wasn’t lost on Cream, their label, and their fans that the last song on Goodbye is titled “What a Bringdown.” It’s a song that returns to their psychedelic rock (listen to that freaky guitar work by Clapton) and talks of changing times and looking for better opportunities (i.e., “Do you or don’t you wanna make more bread?”).

Goodbye is a good record. It’s no Disraeli Gears, but any Cream is better than none. They were too good to last, not unlike the Police. Theatres weren’t big enough for their rock, and unfortunately the band wasn’t big enough for them.

Keep your mind open.

[No politics here, just music when you subscribe.]

 

Moon Duo’s new album, “Occult Architecture Vol. 2,” due May 5th.

MOON DUO ANNOUNCE OCCULT ARCHITECTURE VOL. 2,
OUT MAY 5TH ON SACRED BONES

STREAM/WATCH VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE, “LOST IN LIGHT”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rP-9axxbO4
https://soundcloud.com/sacredbones/moon-duo-lost-in-light/s-WEKtG

(above image of Moon Duo by John Jeffrey, post art by Jasmine Pasquill)
Following the recent release of Occult Architecture Vol. 1, Moon Duo – guitarist Ripley Johnson and keyboardist Sanae Yamada — announce the details of Vol. 2, the second part of their psychedelic opus, set for a May 5th release via Sacred Bones. The announcement comes with a new single, “Lost in Light,” and its accompanying video, which gives a glimpse into the shimmering world that represents the lighter half of this Yin and Yang themed creation – the Yang.

Directed by Micah Buzan, the “Lost In Light” video was created as a counter-reaction to his previous animation for Vol. 1’s “Cold Fear.” He explains: “’Lost In Light’ is the Yang to ‘Cold Fear’s Yin. In ‘Cold Fear’ the aliens ruled the planet in their giant skyscrapers and tortured humanoids. ‘Lost In Light’ continues the story of ‘Cold Fear’ a million years into the future, when the aliens have died off after exhausting the planet’s resources, and nature reclaims the land. Huge flowers grow out of the dead humanoids, aliens, and their buildings. Moon Duo emerge from an alien’s head as a flower and rainbow, becoming one with the planet as the sun absorbs everything into oblivion.”

The Occult Architecture of Moon Duo’s fourth album is an intricately woven hymn to the invisible structures found in the cycle of seasons and the journey of day into night, dark into light. Offering a cosmic glimpse into the hidden patterning embedded in everything, Occult Architecture reflects the harmonious duality of these light and dark energies through the Chinese theory of Yin and Yang. Following the Yin (darkness, night, earth) represented on Vol. 1, Vol. 2 presents the Yang. Yang means “the bright side of the hill” and is associated with the sun, light and the spirit of heaven. As such, Vol. 2 explores the light and airy elements of Moon Duo’s complex psyche.

“In production we referred to Vol. 1 as the fuzz dungeon, and Vol. 2 as the crystal palace,” guitarist Ripley Johnson explains. “The darkness of Vol. 1 gave birth to the light of Vol. 2. We had to have both elements in order to complete the cycle. We’re releasing them separately to allow them their own space, and to ensure clarity of vision. To that end we also mixed Vol. 2 separately, in the height of Portland summer, focusing on its sonic qualities of lightness, air, and sun. Listeners can ultimately use the two volumes individually or together, depending on circumstance or the desired effect.”

Watch Moon Duo’s “Lost in Light” Video –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rP-9axxbO4

Stream “Lost in Light” –
https://soundcloud.com/sacredbones/moon-duo-lost-in-light/s-WEKtG

Watch/Listen:
Occult Architecture Vol. 1 stream — https://open.spotify.com/album/4AlRpwAsVlD0fuDnt9i3XD
“Cold Fear” video — https://youtu.be/VwZG_jY9gFs
“Creepin’” stream — https://soundcloud.com/sacredbones/moon-duo-creepin/s-4zh7u

Occult Architecture Vol. 2 Tracklisting:
1. New Dawn
2. Mirror’s Edge
3. Sevens
4. Lost in Light
5. The Crystal World

Pre-order Occult Architecture Vol. 2—
http://hyperurl.co/OAVol2

Purchase Occult Architecture Vol. 1 —
Via iTunes – http://hyperurl.co/OAVol1
Via Bandcamp – https://moonduo.bandcamp.com/album/occult-architecture-vol-1

Moon Duo Tour Dates:
Sat. March 11 – Mexico City, MX @ Festival NRMAL
Wed. Mar. 15 – Newcastle, UK @ Northumbria University
Thu. Mar. 16 – Manchester, UK @ Band On The Wall
Fri. Mar. 17 – London, UK @ Heaven
Sat. Mar. 18 – Paris, FR @ Le Trabendo
Sun. Mar. 19 – Nancy, FR @ L’Autre Canal
Mon. Mar. 20 – Zurich, CH @ Plaza
Thu. Mar. 23 – Budapest, HU @ A38
Fri. Mar. 24 – Graz, AT @ Orpheum Extra
Sat. Mar. 25 – Vienna, AT @ Chelsea
Mon. Mar. 27 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
Tue. Mar. 28 – Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu
Wed. Mar. 29 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumphuset
Thu. Mar. 30 – Oslo, NO @ Bla
Fri. Mar. 31 – Stockholm, SE @ Kagelbanan
Sat. Apr. 1 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pusterviks
Mon. Apr. 3 – Groningen, NL @ Vera Club
Tue. Apr. 4 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord
Wed. Apr. 5 – Eindhoven, NL @ Effenaar
Thu. Apr. 6 – Brighton, UK @ The Haunt
Fri. Apr. 7 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sat. Apr. 8 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
Fri. Apr. 21 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Sat. Apr. 22 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
Sun. Apr. 23 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Tue. Apr. 25 – Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
Wed. Apr. 26 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott
Thu. Apr. 27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade
Fri. Apr. 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Sat. Apr. 29 – Washington, DC @ DC9
Sun. Apr. 30 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
Thu. June 8 – Ravenna, IT @ Beaches Brew
Sat. June 10 – Barcelona, ES @ Unload Club
Mon. June 12 – Bilboa, ES @ Kafe Antzokia
Tue. June 13 – Madrid, ES @ Caracol
Wed June 14 – Biarritz, FR @ Wheels and Waves Festival
Thu. June 15 – Montpellier, FR @ Le Rockstore
Mon. June 19 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix
Tue. June 20 – Brussels, BE @ Les Ateliers Claus
Sat. June 24 – Sat. July 1 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
Fri Aug. 18 – Parades De Coura, PT @ Parades de Coura

(Occult Architecture Vol. 2 cover art)
Download hi-res album art and press images – www.pitchperfectpr.com/moon-duo/

Rewind Review: Cream – Wheels of Fire (1968)

The third stop on my journey through the Cream (Ginger Baker – drums, Jack Bruce – bass and vocals, Eric Clapton – guitar and vocals) catalogue brings me to their double album Wheels of Fire.

The album opens with perhaps their greatest hit, “White Room,” in which Bruce sings about being trapped in a strange place while Baker’s drums try to break him out and Clapton’s guitar wails like someone in a mental asylum. It’s a great way to start a record. Many bands could (and did) learn from it.

Their cover of the blues classic “Sitting on Top of the World” is another fine entry into their list of blues-rock power tracks, and Clapton’s guitars are downright dirty on it. “Passing the Time” floats from rock to calliope-fronted psychedelia. “As You Said” is more tripped-out psychedelia with Bruce’s vocals layered with reverb, his acoustic guitar licks spiced with Arabic influences, and even playing cello on it.

“Pressed Rat and Warthog” brings in trumpet and recorder as Baker sings about an unlikely pair of pals with a weird store and Bruce and Clapton put down heavy riffs.

Everyone had a political statement to make in the 1960’s, and Cream was no exception. “Politician” is a sharp-witted sting on politicians using their position to get laid and ducking responsibility whenever possible (“I’m support the left though I’m leanin’ to the right, but I’m just not there when it’s comin’ to a fight.”). “Those Were the Days” mentions another subject common in 1960’s music – Atlantis. Bruce sings about ancient times and places and how he craves a return to such enlightened times before Clapton unleashes a quick solo that might raise the lost city from the depths.

Their cover of the blues standard “Born Under a Bad Sign” pretty much set the standard for covering the Booker T classic. You can tell they had a good time recording it, and Baker’s groove is so sick it needs penicillin. “Deserted Cities of the Heart” has an excellent guest violin by Felix Pappalardi (who contributes a lot to the album on several tracks and instruments).

The second part of the double album is a live recording from the Fillmore that opens with another one of Cream’s greatest hits – their cover of Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads.” Eric Clapton, as you well know by now, shreds the tune like a crosscut saw. As good as it is, however, it’s really a warm-up for the epic version of “Spoonful” that clocks in at nearly seventeen minutes. “Traintime” has Bruce having a blast on harmonica while Baker keeps a Johnny Cash-worthy beat behind him. Baker then goes bananas on “Toad” – a drum solo over sixteen minutes long.

The live portion of the album is alone worth the purchase price. The psychedelic rock on the studio album is a great bonus.

Keep your mind open.

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VIVA PHX artist spotlight: Froth

Froth is a synth-psych band that started as a joke and became a cult hit.  Their sound ranges from wild Failure-like guitar riffs to quirky krautrock keys.  Their 2013 album Patterns was one of my favorites of that year.  I missed them at Levitation Austin that year when they opened for Metz and A Place to Bury Strangers at the Thursday night festival kick-off show, and I heard they put on a good set.  It’s high time I catch up with them.

Keep your mind open.

VIVA PHX artist spotlight: Jjuujjuu

Hailing from Los Angeles, psychedelic rock duo Jjuujjuu create massive desert soundscapes through Phil Pirrone’s guitar work and Ryan Knights’ drumming.  Their new single, “Bleck,” is a wallop of distortion, reverb, and mind-altering chord progressions.  I missed these guys a couple years back at Levitation Austin.  I got there just as their set ended and the crowd went wild for them, so I’m keen on starting out my VIVA PHX festival by getting my face melted.

Keep your mind open.