No sleep, no food, no stopping. Heavy rock and roll waits, but why be impolite? I landed in Phoenix after a two-hour flight from San Francisco that put me back on Mountain Time, two hours behind the Eastern Seaboard. Totally livable. I can’t and won’t account for the frayed neurons playing havoc with the various cortices in my brain, but the two-hour drive through the desert from Phoenix to Tucson in my rental car was just enough open spaces to set the mood for Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016, my playlist along the way curated to the best of my admittedly limited ability.

I swung through the Arizona Riverpark Inn to engage in a ceremonious dropping off of stuff. Wasn’t time for much else. It was after 5PM by then and doors at 191 Toole seven minutes up the road were at six. Places to be. A quick hobo bath in the sink would have to do, and I was off, greeted by brothers Joey and Wayne Rudell, of the band Fuzz Evil and the organizers of Borderland Fuzz Fiesta, as well as Todd Severin of Ripple Music, Bucky Brown who writes for Ripple Effect, Randy Blood, Mark Aceves of Zed and others. Luminaries all. Voices put to names and faces from social networking, I was glad to be in good company. The vibe was relaxed and would remain so for the duration.

To follow-up on Elder canceling earlier this week owing to injury and Fatso Jetson taking their place — they rolled in with the dudes and ladies of Yawning Man, who headline night two — psych rockers 3rd Ear Experience called in sick with food poisoning. That left seven bands on the bill, which proved to be plenty enough to riff the evening into oblivion or something close to it and effectively wash away months’ worth of humdrum adultism, stress for work, real life, and so on. It was, I don’t mind saying, much needed.

The esteemed Lance Gordon and his Mad Alchemy crew would be working an oil light show for the entire night, six projectors going resulting in unparalleled psychedelic gorgeousness accompanying the bands while they played. Here’s how it went down, front to back:

Big Mean

Among other things, Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 would mark my first real exposure to local trio Big Mean, named presumably for both beard and riffery. Actually, the three-piece take their moniker from guitarist/vocalist “Big Mean” Maheen who started the band as a solo-project circa 2013. They released their first EP last year and dug into thick, straightforward grooves to start off the show, not without a harder bluesy edge, but still fluid enough to help set the vibe for the evening as they played on one of the two stages, located on the floor next the main stage. The crowd filtered in, and for a moment it seemed half the people there had cameras, but it was an all-ages show, so some genuine kids would show up throughout the course of the night, and Big Mean gave the evening a suitably unpretentious start, some raw volume — the cargo train going by on the tracks behind the venue, for example, could not be heard over them — and a spacier guitar finish that saved their best nod for last. They were way more of a band than a solo-project, and solid at that. Left no room for complaint.

Dead Canyon

I can’t say Phoenicians Dead Canyon were a complete surprise, as I did check out their 2013 The Lonesome Company Demo to pick a track for the Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 mixtape, but the three subsequent years since that release have clearly brought some changes in their sound. Somewhat slicker thank the openers in their presentation, they got tighter as they went on, guitarist Frank Davenport and drummer Josh Bodnar sharing vocal duties over Roger Willams‘ thick bass tone, resulting in a sound that seemed like it would very easily translate to a long-player. I don’t know if they’re there yet, but they came across like a band with an album out, with touches of classic swing in Bodnar‘s drums and a very distinct sonic identity in development. They kept momentum between their first couple songs with a steady kick drum and stick clicks, stopping for the first time after three cuts, and even then not for long — there was shuffling to do. And they did it right on, with starts and stops that stood them out even on a night chock full of riff-led fare. They’d end the Arizona contingent of the lineup, but represented their home state well.

Zed

San Jose four-piece Zed reportedly have a new album due out in August or thereabouts on Ripple Music, and much of what they played came from it. On a weekender with shows in Palm Desert and San Diego in addition to Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016, they also had a fill-in guitarist in the form of Tim Narducci of SPV heavy rockers Spiralarms, who took the place of Greg Lopez alongside guitarist/vocalist Pete Sattari, bassist Mark Aceves and drummer Rich Harris and was well at home running through “Please” from 2013’s Desperation Blues and new cuts like “Royale” and “Blood of the….” (I didn’t quite catch the full title). More aggressive than either Dead Canyon or Big Mean, they reminded me a bit of Dozer live, perhaps not as raging, but still two guitars pushing energetic material that doesn’t so much ask you to follow along as it does shove you in the direction it wants you to go. In any case, they were duly tight, Sattari showcasing punker roots reset in a thicker-riffed context, and if I hadn’t known beforehand that they weren’t playing with their permanent lineup, I wouldn’t have guessed. They closed with the more brooding “The Mountain” in grand style, a subdued feel at first flourished by lead interplay getting larger as it went. Zed sounded like a well-kept secret, and made me look forward to their record.

Funeral Horse

Look. I like weird bands. I make no apologies for it. As such, Houston’s Funeral Horse were exactly what I was hoping for. First line of my notes? “Can’t spell Funeral Horse without ‘fun.'” They were that, guitarist/vocalist Paul Bearer big on personality in leading the trio of himself, bassist Jason Argonaut and drummer Chris Bassett through “There Shall be Vultures” from their 2015 LP, Divinity for the Wicked (review here) as well as “Until the Last Nation Falls” from 2014’s Sinister Rites of the Master (review here) and “Scatter My Ashes over the Mississippi” from their 2013 debut, Savage Audio Demon (review here), along with what may have been a new song or two, all the while running a cohesive balance between blown-out stoner punk and heavy metal. Very clearly up for a good time but not at all a joke. On a personal note, I was already looking forward to having them at The Obelisk All-Dayer in August, but their ability to freak out the room at 191 Toole and actively not give even the remotest of fucks only made me more stoked to see them again. Bearer auctioned off Argonaut before “Scatter My Ashes” — I think the final bid was $20, including the bass — and their whole set was just a blast, a touch of ’90s noise rock more prominent in their sound than I’d previously realized. I was way into it, but hey, I like weird bands.

Fatso Jetson

Fatso Jetson‘s set came in two parts. For the first, they played as a five-piece fronted by Sean “The Captain” Wheeler of desert punkers Throw Rag. Wheeler sat in for opener “Trouble Maker,” as well as the mega-boogie “Golden Age of Cell Block Slang” from 2010’s Archaic Volumes (review here), their most recent full-length, and “Swollen Offering” from 1998’s Toasted, trading lines back and forth with guitarist Mario Lalli and also backed by guitarist Dino von Lalli, Mario‘s son. Dino was freshly in the band last time I saw Fatso Jetson, three years ago at Desertfest London (review here), but that dynamic between father and son has clearly taken shape, which came out further in the jammier second part of the band’s set, sans Wheeler. Atop the somebody-should-build-a-statue-in-their-honor rhythm section of bassist Larry Lalli (Mario‘s cousin) and drummer Tony Tornay, Mario and Dino alternated leads between frenetic shredding and airier effects, backed each other on rhythms in “Magma” and “Dream Homes” and shared vocals as they pushed “Orgy Porgy” to what felt like it should’ve been well past the breaking point. They may have been a last-minute replacement for Elder, but Fatso Jetson owned the room immediately — locked in from the start and only built momentum as they went. Yeah, they had that split with Farflung (review here) last year, and one with Yawning Man before that, but it’s been too long since they put out a proper record. As they showed in their finishing jam playing off of “Too Many Skulls,” their chemistry is so dead on that it deserves to be captured one way or another. It’s like the whole planet doesn’t even know it’s waiting for them to out-rock it. They were phenomenal.

Blaak Heat

Los Angeles by way of New York by way of Paris by way of who knows where else three-piece Blaak Heat — who’ve also dropped the “Shujaa” from their moniker in their many travels — had their work cut out for them headlining the floor stage. Playing between Fatso Jetson and Dead Meadow probably counts as the evening’s least enviable task, but the three-piece flourished. They’ll release their third album, Shifting Mirrors, in May through Tee Pee Records (Europe gets it in April), and aside from closing out with “Shadows (The Beast Pt. II)” from their 2013 sophomore outing, The Edge of an Era (review here), everything they played was new. This was particularly encouraging. I’d heard “Anatolia” on the aforementioned mixtape, but in songs like “Shifting” and “Zeta” (likely partial titles), they affirmed their progressive leanings in winding rhythmic complexity, guitarist/vocalist Thomas Bellier an emergent frontman presence and new bassist Henry Evans (ex-Spindrift) and drummer Mike Amster (also Sinner Sinners, Boarchucker and ex-Abrams) seamless in their execution. It was noted on stage that Amster was just back from Europe — as in, the same day — and while I’m sure having just come from a time zone upwards of eight hours ahead of that in Arizona was taking a toll, it didn’t stop him in the slightest from nailing the heavy psych frenzy and stretches of undulating groove. As an initial impression, mostly their new stuff seems like it’s refusing to settle or be tamed. “Sword” (again, presumably a partial title) was a tornado in the desert, a fitting answer to Fatso Jetson‘s own riffy torrents, less jammy perhaps, but furious in its purpose and instrumental focus. I’m going to look forward to that album, “Shujaa” or no.

Dead Meadow

It’s been half a decade since I last saw Dead Meadow. That was Roadburn 2011 (review here). In the interim, the shoegaze-psych pioneers issued a studio full-length, Warble Womb, in 2013 and toured vociferously to support it. Now 16 years removed from their self-titled debut, Dead Meadow are both massively influential and completely underrated. Once they took stage, there was never any doubt. Drummer Mark Laughlin‘s stiff-armed swing rolled out the swim-in-this-tone bass of Steve Kille and the guitar of Jason Simon, and Simon‘s quiet vocals set a particularly molten vibe. It’s fortunate Mad Alchemy was around, since Dead Meadow are essentially the aural equivalent of a liquid light show. It took me a couple songs into their set to realize what was going on, but it marked a fascinating turn for Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 to have Dead Meadow end the night. After Fatso Jetson and Blaak Heat, each more furious than the last, Dead Meadow were a sharp turn toward the laid back, and rather than drive the evening’s momentum over this or that edge, they melted the entire evening down and gave everyone an opportunity to bask in the warmth. Through cuts like “I Love You Too,” “The White Worm” and “Good Moanin’,” they were a gentle easing out for the night, all fuzz righteousness and non-aggro heft, effects wash and mellow-out. I wouldn’t try to make rash predictions or anything, but that’s a spirit I’d expect Yawning Man to echo at least in part in closing out Night Two, giving the festival a kind thematic cohesion that resonates as much conceptually as sonically. Either way, Dead Meadow — who’ve already toured South American and the West Coast in 2016 — were a trip into raw psychedelic bliss, which is a trip I just about always welcome taking, and in rounding out the night, they expanded the palette and minds alike. I’m going to try very hard not to let another five years pass before I see them again.

—

Before Dead Meadow went on, solo act Leonhardt went on near the merch area for a quick set of solo acoustic material. Another last-minute addition, his inclusion demonstrated a growing reach on the part of the fest stylistically. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did more of that kind of thing in the future.

More pics after the jump. Thanks for reading.

Read more »

Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 is set for Feb. 26-27 at 191 Toole in Tucson, Arizona, and as you can see above, I made a mixtape for it. I’m thrilled to be able to say I’ll be there for what’s the second edition of the festival, which features Dead Meadow, Yawning Man, Elder and Switchblade Jesus as its headliners as well as a liquid light show from the foremost purveyor of such things, Mad Alchemy.

Two nights of eight bands a night means 16 acts in two days, and in acts like Waxy, Dandy Brown (also guitarist for Hermano), Blaak Heat and 3rd Ear Experience, the fest makes its desert-rocking intent plain. There are some harder-hitters in the bunch — the aforementioned Switchblade Jesus, as well as Sounds Like Murder, the punkier Blackwülf, and the persistently enigmatic Funeral Horse (whose song here is an exclusive mix) — but with Zed, Dead Canyon, Fuzz Evil and Big Mean to bridge any sonic gaps, it’s a cohesive roster of heavy that’s sure to please however many boozy heads 191 Toole might hold. I’ll let you know when I get there.

For those making their way through the playlist below, I’ll just put this in caps: IT HAS NEW YAWNING MAN. Yeah, that’s right. New Yawning Man. It’s a rough mix, but screw it, that counts enough for me. Also look out for a new track from Blaak Heat that will reportedly feature on their next album, Shifting Mirrors, which is out in April on Tee Pee and Svart, as well as an exclusive mix from Funeral Horse. There’s more, of course — a lot of it. But all told I think the music does a good job of setting up its own vibe, so please, dig in and enjoy.

Before I leave you to the audio, the lineup and ticket links below, I want to say thanks to Borderland Fuzz Fiesta for having me out and to all the bands involved for sending in their tracks to be included here, as well as to you for reading and listening.

Please enjoy:

Year two is upon us. Feb 26th-Feb 27th in downtown Tucson at 191 Toole. All Ages! Ticket Links and lineups below:

SINGLE DAY FRI 26Th DEAD MEADOW ($20)
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2438504

Eminence Main Stage
Dead Meadow
Yawning Man
Blaak Heat
3rd Ear Experience

Greeson Custom Stage
Zed
Funeral Horse
Dead Canyon
Big Mean

SINGLE DAY SAT 27th ELDER ($20)
BFFElder.brownpapertickets.com

Eminence Main Stage
Elder
Switchblade Jesus
Waxy
Dandy Brown

Greeson Custom stage
Fuzz Evil
Blackwülf
Cloudcatcher
Sounds Like Murder

Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 two-day tickets

Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 event page

Borderland Fuzz Fiesta on Thee Facebooks

Portugal-based fest Reverence Valada 2016 pretty much had me at Zone Six, but they continue nonetheless to add to their impressive lineup of offbeat rock — Killing Joke, Ozric Tentacles — and various forms of heavy, from With the Dead to Yawning Man. This batch of additions features UK punk legends The Damned and shoegaze progenitors Dead Meadow along with Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, The Cult of Dom Keller and Mécanosphèere, but of particular note are San Francisco’s LSD and the Search for God.

The resurgent Bay Area act just released their first EP in nine years, Heaven is a Place, which you can stream in full below, and if you’re looking for some of that dripping-wet West Coast dream-psych, they do it with particularly resonant attention to tonality and an underlying pop touch. Something that piqued my interest, might pique yours.

Here’s the latest announcement from the fest:

The Damned, Dead Meadow and four other bands confirmed for REVERENCE VALADA in September!

Portugal-based heavy and psych festival REVERENCE VALADA have just confirmed six new bands to play their third edition, including British punk legends The Damned. The festival will take place in Valada from September 8th to September 10th.

British punk forerunners THE DAMNED will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their first single “New Rose” this year at London’s Royal Albert Hall in May, where they’re set to play in front of 5,500 fans. Formed in 1976 in London, they are considered as one of the most influential punk groups along the Sex Pistols and The Clash. This Reverence Valada appearance will be their first show ever in Portugal.

Formed in 1998 in Washington, DEAD MEADOW is one of the finest indie psyche rock acts of the modern era. Among their nine studio and live albums, we can count collaborations with Steve Kille, Andrew Stockdale (Wolfmother), Anton Newcombe (Brian Jonestown Massacre) and many more. Their latest widely acclaimed album “Warble Womb” was released in 2013.

DIY alchemists THE CULT OF DOM KELLER are creators of whacked out soundscapes and songs that seem to come from another universe, all from the confines of their sonic bunker. After gracing the stages of Austin Psych Fest and Roadburn, they will once again enthrall European fans with their appearance at Reverence Festival.

San Francisco’s LSD & THE SEARCH FOR GOD have developed a must-see reputation within the underground psychedelic/shoegaze/space rock community. 2016 will be the year they will tour Europe for the very first time.

Operating in “chaos rock” territories, MÉCANOSPHÈERE is an international music and art performance collective rooted in Portugal. Blending spoken word, concrete and cosmic music, ghost jazz, the 10-year band will offer a theatrical and versatile show at Reverence Valada. Our sixth band confirmed is UK’s sludge/doom/noisemongers PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS.

– REVERENCE FESTIVAL 2016 –
September 8-9-10th in Cartaxo, South Portugal
Weekend & day tickets available at this location

http://www.reverencefestival.com/
https://www.facebook.com/reverencevalada/
https://twitter.com/reverencefest
https://www.instagram.com/reverencefest/

LSD and the Search for God, Heaven is a Place (2016)

Tell the squares to catch the last train out, because Dead Meadow are coming to Freak Valley 2016. The latest addition to the German festival’s 2016 lineup continues the thread of stylistic expansion by being psych as hell and a landmark act among shoegazing lysergic-types, and I’d have sworn I read somewhere they had a new album coming? Am I making that up? I might be. Someone run it by PolitiFact and see if it holds up.

Either way, Dead Meadow rule and are a great addition to the bill. Their joining comes with the reveal of the official poster, which once again is by Lex “Mr. Frumpy” Waterreus of Aussie heavy rockers (and Freak Valley veterans) Seedy Jeezus, which you can see below:

+++ OFFICIAL POSTER +++ DEAD MEADOW +++

Here’s the official Freak Valley Festival 2016 poster!

Do you like it like we do? Thank you so much Mr Frumpy!!

You’ll find a new band on the poster – DEAD MEADOW

DEAD MEADOW is the reason for the resurgence of heavy psychedelic rock.

Dead Meadow (Official)’s live show is an intoxicating blend of pounding riffs and slow-burning intensity — an expansive, feedback-soaked, thunderous journey. It’s also very, very LOUD!!!

They will throw you back with an endless haze of 70’s guitar fuzz and groovy sweetness. They rock harder and truer-to-retro than their pop-twin Tame Impala but with a paralleled fresh groove and original level of mystical lyricism. Older generations, and the new with a craving to rock out like they did in 1969, will not be disappointed from this show.
Dead Meadow, purveyors of California’s finest psych-rock, make their way to Freak Valley Festival for what promises to be a rip-roaring evening of reverb-drenched guitar freak-outs and thudding stoner beats.Their unique marriage of Sabbath riffs, dreamy layers of guitars fuzz bliss, and singer Jason Simon’s high-pitched melodic croon have won over both psychedelic pop/rock and stoner-rock fans alike.

Freak Valley Festival – 26th-27th-28th May 2016
www.freakvalley.de – www.rockfreaks.de

FVF 3-day tickets – only 69€ incl. camping!!

TICKETS are selling like Earthless vinlys already – take care to get your’s in time! Already more than 80% sold!!

Available @ www.freakvalley.de and Woolheads

FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL: No Fillers – Just Killers
Line-up 2016:
Dead Meadow [US] – Psychedelic Stonerrock
Baby Woodrose [DK]- Psychedelic Garagerock
Lonely Kamel [NO]- Heavy Blues, Hardrock & Stoner
Rotor[D] – Instrumental StonerRock/Psychedelic
Monolord [SW] – Doom/Sludge
The Golden Grass [US]- Heavy/Funk/Boogie/Psychedelic/Freakbeat
Farflung [US] – Spacerock for 21st Century Heads
…more tba very soon

www.freakvalley.de
https://www.facebook.com/freakvalley
https://twitter.com/FreakValley
https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/start-order/rid/LYSQRABJ/language/en

Dead Meadow, Live at Psycho California 2015

Following up on what we found out from Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 earlier this month, the Tucson-based desert and heavy rock fest has let loose two more big names for its lineup. Reportedly they still have a headliner for Saturday to announce sometime between now and February — should be plenty of time to do so — but with Dead Meadow and Yawning Man joining the previously-announced likes of Blaak Heat, Zed, 3rd Ear Experience, Funeral Horse, Big Mean, Waxy, Fuzz Evil, Dandy Brown, Cloud Catcher and Dead Canyon, the weekend’s roster stretches further sonically and upward in profile. I’m very curious to find out who that other headliner will be.

Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 is set for Feb. 26 and 27 191 Toole in Tucson. The latest info off the PR wire follows here:

Dead Meadow, Yawning Man, Waxy & More To Play Tucson’s BORDERLAND FUZZ FIESTA

Back for its second year in a row, Borderland Fuzz Fiesta will once again bring the unmistakable sounds of Palm Desert, California and beyond to Tucson, Arizona. Curated by the Rudell brothers of both Powered Wig Machine and Fuzz Evil, the show will take place on Friday, February 26th and Saturday, February 27th at 191 Toole in the heart of Tucson’s historic downtown.

More band announcements will be revealed soon, but as of now, here’s the lineup:

Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 Official Lineup:

Friday, February 26th:
Dead Meadow
Yawning Man
Blaak Heat
3rd Ear Experience
Zed
Funeral Horse
Big Mean
Dead Canyon

Saturday, February 27th:
Waxy
Dandy Brown (of Hermano)
Cloud Catcher
Fuzz Evil

*All bands will be accompanied by the Mad Alchemy Liquid Light Show*

EARLY BIRD TWO-DAY PASSES (limited to 50) are $30 and can be purchased HERE: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2436886

Tickets for FRIDAY NIGHT ONLY are $20 and can be purchased HERE: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2438504

Tickets for Saturday night will be released when the headliner is announced.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1105158519517789/
https://www.facebook.com/Borderlandfuzzfiesta
BorderlandFuzzfiesta@gmail.com

Yawning Man, “Perpetual Oyster” Live at Cobraside Records, June 2016

True to their word, it’s Jan. 15 and Psycho California 2015 has announced the headliners for what looks like the best American festival lineup I’ve seen since the days of Emissions from the Monolith. That’s not to take away from the hard work anyone else is doing, but just look at the list of bands. It’s unreal. You’d want to be everywhere at the same time to see all of it. Absolutely wild.

Sleep and Pentagram were pretty clear choices to headline. Not only for being legends in the heavy underground, but for also being just about two of the only bands left. Sweden’s Cult of Luna were something of a surprise, but for a festival already showing a European reach in bringing aboard the likes of Samsara Blues Experiment and Stoned Jesus, they make sense. Hell of a bill. Kudos to anyone who actually gets to go to the thing.

Announcement follows, courtesy of the PR wire:

PSYCHO CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCES HEADLINERS: SLEEP, PENTAGRAM AND CULT OF LUNA

WEST COAST METAL FESTIVAL HAPPENING MAY 15, 16 & 17 AT THE OBSERVATORY IN SANTA ANA

FIRST WAVE OF ARTISTS ANNOUNCED INCLUDED KYLESA, EARTH, OM AND RUSSIAN CIRCLES

Psycho California, the west coast’s first annual metal festival and a must see for fans of doom, heavy psych and sludge, has announced the headliners for this year’s event: Cult of Luna (May 15), Sleep (May 16) and Pentagram, who will perform First Daze Here in its entirety (May 17).

“2015 is going to be a slow year for Cult of Luna. However as much as we are musicians we are also fans,” said Cult of Luna’s Johannes Persson. “Evaluating if the offer to play Psycho California was worth dusting off our instruments was not hard after looking on the line-up. Being on the same bill as Pentagram, Sleep and a festival packed with the best bands around is a privilege in itself and we’ll try to live up to that honor.”

The lineup for Psycho California is: Sleep, Pentagram, Cult of Luna, Kylesa, OM, Earth, Russian Circles, Bedemon, Conan, Wrench, Eyehategod, Indian, Earthless, Pallbearer, Stoned Jesus, Old Man Gloom, Cave In, Acid Witch, Truckfighters, Tombs, Bang, Electric Citizen, Coffinworm, SubRosa, Eagle Twin, Mammatus, True Widow, Anciients, Bellwitch, Dead Meadow, Lord Dying, Death By Stereo, Radio Moscow, Ancient Altar, Samsara Blues Experiment, Atriarch, Elder, Mothership, The Well, Deathkings, Wo Fat, Rozamov, Destroyer of Light, Highlands, Bloodmoon, Slow Season, Goatsnake, Crypt Trip, Wrench, Lords of Beacon House, Tumbleweed Dealer, Sinister Haze, Blackout, Red Wizard, Banquet and Loom.

Festival interludes will be provided by Housecore Records’ artist Author & Punisher and vinyl DJ set from Bob Lugowe (Relapse Records) and Sean Pellet (Last Daze Here).

Previously announced early bird tickets sold out immediately. Tickets for the festival are on-sale this morning with both a 3-day pass ($149.50) and a 3-day VIP pass available ($256.66)

VIP packages include a 3-day festival pass, a signed screen print concert poster by David D’Andrea, express entry via artist check-in booth, access to artist VIP lounge, a limited edition Thief X Obey festival tee, a Psycho record bag and patch as well as access to a complimentary craft tequila bar, premium microbrews and artisan snacks.

www.psychoca.com
www.facebook.com/psychocalifornia
https://www.facebook.com/Thiefpresents

Sleep, “The Clarity/Dragonaut” Live in Chicago, Aug. 28, 2014

Tomorrow, Sept. 9, marks the release date of Old Testament‘s self-titled debut on Xemu Records. The (relatively) new project is spearheaded by Jason Simon of Dead Meadow and retains a bit of his signature shoegazing psychedelic meander, but meets that swath of influence head on with touches of classic blues, languid Americana rollout and organ-laced ’60s psych. Songs are lush sonically but humble in their intent, and Simon‘s drawl works well as an alternate-reality Hank Williams on the rambling “Movin’ On,” as well as on the Earth-gone-fuzz drone rock of “Trip Light.”

Instrumentation and atmosphere vary widely throughout Old Testament‘s Old Testament, as Simon and his band — which here includes Nate Ryan, formerly of The Black Angels, as well as Oak Munson, Jessica Senteno, Ryan Rapsys, toy with country twang on “Dallas” and raga explorations on the penultimate “Now as in Ancient Times,” but in addition to Simon‘s voice tying the material together, there’s a unifying thread of joy deep within the slow-moving material, and while the songs aren’t always happy or boisterous, the album maintains a signature American optimism that carries through even in the train-ride blues of “Josephine” or the blown-out gospel folk of closer “Time to Rest.”

“Summer Grass,” which I have the pleasure of premiering today, pulls some of the diverse vibes of the album together nicely into a cohesive, twanging but still psychedelic fluidity. The interplay of organ, guitar and what sounds an awful lot like accordion gives a melodic foundation moved forward by drums and spacious enough for the vocals to breathe out engaging and unpretentious verses. It doesn’t sum up everything Old Testament has to offer, but it’s a good place to start.

Please enjoy. PR wire info follows the player below:

OLD TESTAMENT (FEATURING JASON SIMON OF DEAD MEADOW) TO RELEASE SELF-TITLED DEBUT SEPTEMBER 9th VIA XEMU RECORDS

Xemu Records has announced a September 9th release for the self-titled debut album from Old Testament (cover artwork appears above). The Los Angeles based outfit is helmed by Jason Simon (guitarist/vocalist/songwriter for Dead Meadow) and is intended to be an on-going project to add to his work with Dead Meadow.

On the group’s debut album, Old Testament have tapped into a strain of psychedelic imbued Americana. Droning backwoods ballads and haunting blues are possessed of warbling guitars, harmonium, singing drums, blown out harmonica, and Simon’s distinctive vocal styling. It’s a musical stretch of dusty highway that resides somewhere between Fred Neil’s Raga inspired improvisations and Robert Johnson’s haunted Mississippi Delta.

Simon says “I originally started working on these songs as solo material a few years back. I was inspired by the loose and weird quality of Dylan and The Band’s Basement Tapes. I gathered some friends together in my house and we tried to capture the vibe of traditional American songs… a lot of these traditional songs remind me of the strange stories found in The Old Testament. Stories of the bizarre and fantastical, dealing with love, murder and divine vengeance.” Over Time the material tapped into something else as Simon relates: “The songs took their own course as more droning, psychedelic and even eastern elements began to filter their way through.”

The members that appear on this album include Oak Munson, Jessica Senteno, Ryan Rapsys, and Nate Ryan (ex.The Black Angels). Old Testament has been active as a live band over the past year playing throughout California with only a self-released 7” available at shows. Following the release of the full-length on September 9th, the group intends to announce new shows.

Old Testament on Thee Facebooks

Old Testament on Bandcamp

Xemu Records

Dead Meadow, Howls from the Hills (2001)

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but it’s really, really, unbelievably hot out. I know out in the CA desert it’s like 115 degrees or some shit and here in New Jersey it’s only 95, but still, that’s about 30 degrees too much. My brains have melted and dripped down the back of my throat, post-nasal style. So long brains.

In an effort to recover what’s left of my liquified conscious, I’ve hunkered down with the A/C on and some Dead Meadow, whose 2001 outing, Howls from the Hills, stands among the most humid albums I own. It’s a classic of the form, and while the skies around here aren’t lacking for haze, sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Also with freon.

If you’re in the States, I hope you enjoyed the holiday yesterday. The Patient Mrs. and I did the family-BBQ thing and got some quality time in before the impending move to Massachusetts at the end of this month. Gearing up for that. Will probably need a day or two when it hits, but we’ll see how it goes. Can’t really be like, “Hey baby, I know we need to buy a bed and a refrigerator, but these obscure European heavy psych reissues aren’t gonna review themselves,” and expect anything other than a punch and that you’re-an-ass-and-you-know-it face I get sometimes. Any service interruption will come with due notification.

Not to plug it too hard, but Slevin added a mod yesterday to the forum that you can tag users now. If you want to address someone directly, just put their name in and it will send a message that they can link through to the post itself. It’s basic Thee Facebooks-type stuff, but I’m hoping people at least make good use of it to get some conversations going. Or at least just letting Arzgarth know when he’s being made fun of.

Speaking of Thee Facebooks, I put out the question earlier today of maybe starting up doing podcasts again. It’s going to be a while feeling out the adjustment of living and working in a new place — it’ll be the same place, so that might help a bit — but if I think I’ll be able to pull it off and not have it totally suck, I’ll do my best to put it together with the idea of keeping it simple and fun.

But that’s a little while off. Next week, reviews of Across Tundras and the new Egypt/Wo Fat split vinyl. If I can bring myself to leave the house tomorrow evening, I want to check out Naam at the Webster Hall Studio as they kick off a six-week US tour. Should I wind up there, I’ll review Monday. Either way, good times to come, so stay tuned.

Until then, a great and safe weekend to you.

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