Sun Blood Stories Release Live from the Banana Stand

sun blood stories

Okay, so this one’s been out for a couple weeks. I’ll admit I stumbled on it yesterday while I was revisiting — yet again — the Bandcamp page of Idaho’s Sun Blood Stories to take another listen to their 2015 album, Twilight Midnight Morning (review here), as I have throughout much of this summer while guilting myself for having not yet shelled out for the CD or tape version. There it was: Live from the Banana Stand. And it’s a name-your-price download, no less.

Recorded in Portland, Oregon at the Arrested Development-referencing venue named in its title (“Always money in the banana stand”), it’s got excellent versions of some of the tracks from Twilight Midnight Morning, and confirms for me the open sensibility that the album presented, more specifically the feeling that on any given night the songs might wind up someplace very different from where they started. Vibe all over the place.

I dig it. Since you might too, here’s the info and stream:

sun blood stories live from the banana stand

Sun Blood Stories – Live from the Banana Stand was recorded before a live audience on June 20th, 2014 at the Banana Stand in Portland, Oregon. The album was recorded and mixed by Matt Thomson and mastered by Chris Vita. Dane Brist produced art for the album, which includes original photography from Banana Stand staff. Videos of Sun Blood Stories’ performance at Banana Stand feature footage from camera operators Michael McInerney, Tyler Bertram, Nick Gattman, and Alexei Shishkin, and were directed and edited by Michael McInerney. Banana Stand would like to thank Sun Blood Stories (Amber, Ben, and Brett), all who participated in this album’s creation and anyone that has helped us out along the way.

Boise’s Sun Blood Stories wrote us in early 2014 to share their track Desert for Days. Heavy, distorted, and spooky, the song’s distinctive, psychedelic energy felt like a midnight mushroom trip careening into and out of control. We were hooked. Emailing with Sun Blood Stories rapidly revealed their thoughtful approach and professionalism, and made us all the more excited to host the band in June 2014.

Listening to their performance, I feel very lucky they made the trip. Ben Kirby’s cool, fuzzy guitar riffs, Brett Hawkins’ garagey, off-beat drumming, Amber Pollard’s otherworldly slide-guitar, and Pollard’s and Kirby’s eerie vocals combined to make a uniquely haunting live record, and one which we’re proud to add to our library. You should add it to your library, too. It only costs pay-what-you-want.

If Sun Blood Stories and Treefort Music Festival are any indication, Boise really might be the post-Portland cultural mecca we’re all looking for. Sorry in advance, Boise.

-Louie / Banana Stand

http://sunbloodstories.bandcamp.com/album/sun-blood-stories-live-from-the-banana-stand
http://www.sunbloodstories.com/
https://twitter.com/sunbloodstories
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http://instagram.com/sunbloodstories

Sun Blood Stories, Live from the Banana Stand (2015)

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