Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 2nd, 2021 by JJ Koczan
Kudos to Thunderbird Divine on beating me to the obvious joke that their rehearsal room clip of the new song “Cerebral Tides” looks like it was shot on a security camera. The VHS filter only enhances that impression. Fair enough. You’ll always have my heart, Philadelphia.
Check your Way-Back Machine and you might recall Thunderbird Divine putting out the righteously-funked The Hand of Man EP (review here) just as humanity was beginning to burrow itself into the ground and hope it survived the asteroid slamming into the surface of the earth… or something like that. Either way, the EP r-u-l-e-d, and made a killer follow-up to 2019’s Magnasonic (review here), and it seems the group aren’t content to rest on those laurels, as their space-heavy cosmic sludge groove has expanded once again. What the hell does that mean? Means they got a keyboardist. Keep up.
And what exactly do we know about our new friend Jack? Well, it’s safe to assume he has a last name, though I don’t know what it is — I could ask, but that would be totally unlaid-back of me and the vibe in “Cerebral Tides” is directing me otherwise — and we know he makes Thunderbird Divine‘s rehearsal space one more person plus one keyboard’s worth of crowded. And from listening we know he rocks it. That’s not exactly nothing to go on.
But though more info will presumably be revealed in good time about their intentions/surnames, I’m glad to see Thunderbird Divine are working on new stuff. Even in this grainy form, you can hear “Cerebral Tides” has its groove on lockdown like there’s been an outbreak of nod, and the who knows whether it’ll stay instrumental or get some vocals later on. Whatever, whenever. These dudes have earned my trust to this point to the degree that, whatever’s coming next, I want to check it out.
Enjoy:
Thunderbird Divine, “Cerebral Tides” rehearsal video
Top secret security Thunderbird Divine cam footage has been leaked, revealing a new instrumental track called “Tides” and the presence of a ‘Bird named Jack, who seems to be playing keys.
Stay tuned for things to come, friends.
Thunderbird Divine is Erik Caplan: electric guitars, vocals, theremin Flynn Lawrence: electric guitars, Mike Stuart: drums Adam Scott: bass Jack: keys
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 23rd, 2020 by JJ Koczan
So just to make your life confusing, here’s a remixed track from a remixed record. But the remixed track is a bonus track that’s not part of the remixing process the rest of the record underwent, instead an outside collaboration. But the rest of the record, Until it All Collides — originally released in 2016 on Salt of the Earth Records — has been remixed and remastered. When the Deadbolt Breaks, in sound or style or method, have never taken it easy on the listen. It’s just not the way of founding guitarist/vocalist Aaron Lewis or the Connecticut outfit that’s been his destructive, extremist sludge vehicle for 15 years.
To wit, the premiere of “Floyd’s Machine (Remix)” below is one of two Juno6 remixes included on the forthcoming new version of Until it All Collides is fascinating and unlike anything the band has done before. Think Godflesh or some of Napalm Death‘s techno experimentations and you’ll be on the right track. When the Deadbolt Breaks have always been able to harness an atmosphere of threat, and certainly “Floyd’s Machine” keeps that as part of the foundation from which it builds, but it also takes an unexpected — and effective; like, Lewis might want to consider doing a whole record like this — turn with the outside reinterpretation of the band’s work.
When the Deadbolt Breaks have a new LP in the works for Desert Records in 2021 and a new lineup as well. Lewis updates below and “Floyd’s Machine (Remix)” premieres down at the bottom:
When The Deadbolt Breaks will be releasing the album Until It All Collides as remix on Friday Nov. 29th via Desert Records along with the songs Floyd’s Machine and Just Before Twilight. The band will also release a new full-length album in 2021 on Desert Records.
“WTDB was the first band I signed to the label in 2018,” says Desert Records founder Brad Frye. “I couldn’t be happier to help them release these two albums. The remixes are dirty, grimey, filthy and disgusting in the best way possible and will be released on Black Friday 2020, as a digital album for ‘name your price’ on Bandcamp. I heard one of the new songs from the upcoming album…killer stuff. Get ready for new music from the Psychedelic Doom hailing from the woods of Connecticut.”
Aaron Lewis on Until it All Collides remixes:
I was never really quite happy with the way the Until It All Collides EP sounded, which, I can only blame myself for since it was recorded at my studio like all of our records have been. But, I probably wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be working on that project at that time due to personal issues I was facing. So, I wanted to give the album the proper mix and master that it deserves. However this time, we removed the live songs and have added two remix versions of older When the Deadbolt Breaks songs as remixed and reimagined by our friend Juno6.
Those remixes will include ‘Floyd’s Machine’ from our 2018 album Angels are Weeping… God has abandoned.,. and ‘Just Before Twilight,’ from our 2010 double album The Last Day of Sun. Juno6 first sent us the remix of Floyds Machine close to two years ago now, and we wanted to wait for the right time to release it. Now is that time through Desert Records.
Over the past few months, we have also been working on a new record, which honestly I couldn’t be more pleased about. With the addition of Charlie Platterborze on guitar and Rob Birkbeck on drums, a whole new pathway has been opened for our music. The new music is more extreme, more diverse and more crushing than anything we’ve done in the past.
We are extremely excited to welcome both Rob and Charlie to the band, and to work with Desert Records on both of these releases.
The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the varied responses of publics and governments worldwide, and the disruption to lives and livelihoods has reached a scale that is unprecedented. Whatever the month or the month after or the future itself brings, more than one generation will bear the mark of having lived through this time, and art, artists, and those who provide the support system to help uphold them have all been affected.
In continuing the Days of Rona feature, it remains pivotal to give a varied human perspective on these events and these responses. It is important to remind ourselves that whether someone is devastated or untouched, sick or well, we are all thinking, feeling people with lives we want to live again, whatever renewed shape they might take from this point onward. We all have to embrace a new normal. What will that be and how will we get there?
Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan
Days of Rona: Willy Rivera of Spiral Grave (Stafford, Virginia)
—
How have you been you dealing with this crisis as a band? As an individual? What effect has it had on your plans or creative processes?
At the moment, Spiral Grave is on hold with everyone focusing on their work responsibilities and trying to stay healthy. We had begun writing new material since the debut full-length is already recorded and we had begun talking to labels for an official release but we had to pump the brakes once the restrictions and curfews came down being that I live in Virginia and the rest of the band resides in Maryland. All things considered, everyone’s in good spirits but itching to get back at it since we were making a lot of process and building some serious momentum for the band prior to the pandemic hitting.
How do you feel about the public response to the outbreak where you are? From the government response to the people around you, what have you seen and heard from others?
I’d say piss poor,at best. They were completely unprepared for what we were dealing with and the magnitude of the effect it would have on the citizens of this country. From the medical supplies,their inability to make effective&competent decisions in a timely manner, providing the public with the right information,being more concerned with the economy than the safety of the American public and the mishandling of the stimulus program… not to mention, how is $1,200 supposed to counteract people’s ever mounting financial issues considering most Americans live paycheck to paycheck and probably had little if any money put away?
The media has also played a hand in not providing the public with the pure facts, choosing instead to sensationalize and push an agenda of fear. Don’t get me wrong, you should respect the power and impact of this virus but choosing to focus on the number of dead and having little to almost no coverage of those who’ve recovered from it surely shakes what little faith I already had in corporate media. On the flipside, I do believe that some on the local and state levels have done more to keep their citizens safe than the Federal government by enforcing restrictions,curfews,social distancing,supplying those in the emergency fields with the required PPE and only having “essential” businesses open but some of the public is still choosing to stretch the rules when they can or try to ignore them completely.
There’s a difference between having your rights stripped and having your privilege inconvenienced. Our actions have repercussions and choosing to be flippant about your safety is one thing but when it endangers the health of those around you, that’s a problem. Trust me, I hate wearing the masks and I want my life back but this is our current reality so we just gotta push through it and do the right thing.
What do you think of how the music community specifically has responded? How do you feel during this time? Are you inspired? Discouraged? Bored? Any and all of it?
It was a serious bummer initially because music AND creativity got tossed aside and all I could do was work. I was working crazy hours and I was trying to take as much overtime as possible because we didn’t know if we’d be shut down as well and we’d have the rug pulled out from under us. You can only keep that pace for so long until it starts to wear on you and you don’t have your usual outlet to channel your angst through. Not to mention,not being able to see my friends, express myself or follow through on building something fruitful with a great girl that I’d just met because everything was put on hold besides work. So all of the things that would bring me joy were traded for working a thankless job… but in hindsight, I’m grateful for the paycheck because I know a lot of people who are struggling right now with greater financial responsibilities than I. I’ve started writing again,now that my head is clear again and I’m getting my chops back up so we can hit the ground running when this blows over finally.
What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything? What is your new normal? What have you learned from this experience, about yourself, your band, or anything?
I would just ask people to have patience and be kind to each other. Unfortunately,this pandemic has shown both the best and the worst in people as is usually the case but I think what we need right now is a little bit of empathy so that we can think of someone other than ourselves. It’s easy to be self-consumed and get bogged down in feeling sorry for yourself. I was incredibly happy with my life right before this pandemic struck. I had started a new position at work, the band was doing great and I had met an amazing girl and then that all went to pot once this thing struck but compared to what others are dealing with, I can’t really complain. I’ve had a steady check coming in,a roof over my head and my health so once this blows over, I’ll be ready to pick where I left off with everything and live life as fully as I can.
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 5th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Well, the track is raw and that would seem to suit Buzzard Canyon just fine. The Connecticut-based heavy rockers bid farewell to bassist Randall Dumas and a howdy-ho to Rob Birkbeck, who takes on the role even as progress continues on the band’s forthcoming second album. Obviously there’s work to be done, mixing, mastering, but hell, listening to the version of “Ashes” that comes with the new video of compiled studio footage, the song sounds pretty close, and certainly suits the name of the to-be-realized LP, Drunken Tales of an Underachiever: The Saga Continues…, which, while it may be cumbersome, definitely gets its point across in terms of the vibe the band are going for.
With intertwining vocal lines and choice driving riffery at their disposal, Buzzard Canyon give their new record an enticing tease here, and if it’s something they put together because they’re on lockdown and bored and/or antsy to do something, anything, well hell, I’ll take that.
Rock and roll:
New Buzzard Canyon Member Announced and New Video
Hey folks, as you may or may not know, Buzzard Canyon has been hard at work on our follow-up record to Hellfire and Whiskey over the past…. while now. We are excited to say that it is near completion! The amazing Bill Kole is currently working on the art, we are in the final stages of mixing and we’ll be sending it off to mastering once that is done. It’s a 10 track journey of fast paced, hip swinging rock and roll, filled with whiskey flavored riffs, psychedelic nuances, and drunken tales of woe… You will not be disappointed.
We have also had a lineup change to announce. Randall Dumas was a member of Buzzard Canyon for many years, and we have mutually agreed to part ways. We wish him well and thank him for his time with us!
With all of that said, we would like to take this moment to welcome the very talented Rob Birkbeck on bass. With the departure of Dumas, Rob stepped up and leaned the songs in a very short time, and recorded his tracks from home during this current lockdown.
We would like to present the following video for “Ashes” off of the new album titled: “Drunken Tales of an Underachiever: The Saga Continues….”
This version of the song is mostly mixed and not mastered.
We look forward to getting back out there with you all and making memories that will be forgotten in a drunken haze the next morning.
Enjoy the video, stay tuned, drop out, and stay safe.
Posted in Features on April 6th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.
Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.
Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan
Days of Rona: Scott Harrington of Salt of the Earth Records (Colchester, Connecticut)
—
How are you dealing with this crisis? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?
I own Salt Of The Earth Records & 313 INC Artist Management, and I am a co-conspirator of The New England Stoner and Doom Festival.
The label side of things we have been busy because we do a good amount of mailorder, and people have been buying music and other things to help entertain themselves while staying in… We just had the new Thunderbird Divine EP, The Hand of Man, come out this week, and we have been using our YouTube channel to promote the release and hopefully give fans an entertaining look behind the scenes. Something visual to go along with the music side.
As far as the crisis having an impact on plans, it definitely has. Today we had to announce that New England Stoner and Doom Festival is being postponed till next year (May 14-16, 2021). The good news is that it appears all of the bands are on board.
We also had a really big European tour that was going to be announced this week, that we have postponed till next February. As well as we had a huge concert event “Friday The 313th Oddities Bazaar” scheduled for March 13, that we canceled to be on the safe side. It was before the quarantine and at the moment when we canceled it, we wondered if we were going overboard, but in hindsight I feel we 100 percent did the right thing.
People need to stay home.
What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?
We are based in Colchester Connecticut, a suburb of Hartford. So we are kind of in the middle of CT.
Our town and surrounding towns are quarantined except for essential workers.
My family has been in self-quarantine since March 12. We are taking this extremely seriously.
My son-in-law works for UPS as a driver. He is an essential worker, and I am proud as all hell of him. He is a major part of bringing some sort of normalcy to a lot of people. And he is extremely careful. Who would have thought a month ago that an Amazon order containing cereal, toothpaste and peanut butter would have made me happier then even a package with some killer records in it? It’s crazy times no doubt.
How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?
The virus’s effect has been monumentally huge on my local community as well as our global music community. There are so many tattoo shops, record stores, recording studios, venues, bars, merchandise printers, vinyl and CD manufacturers that have been forced to close for who knows how long. It’s a huge petrifying sacrifice on their parts. And I truly thank them with my all of my heart For doing the right thing, even though it’s not easy at all.
I feel like the music community has really come together to support each other and others around us. I see lots of people buying bands music and merch online… PLEASE KEEP DOING THIS! Every single sale can make a big difference.
What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?
I want each and every person reading this to know all hope is not lost. We are being forced to show our resiliency and we are being reminded of the things that are really important. Family, friends and our health. I’m going to sound like a hippie here, but in my family we have raised (and are still raising) our kids by a simple creed: Be a good human.
If someone needs help, and you can help them… do it.
And Even through this chaos I count myself lucky. I have my wife and my kids and this huge global metal family that I am part of. I really appreciate all of the artists that we have the honor of working with. As well as all of the awesome metal fans we get to bring the heavy to.
Posted in Features on April 2nd, 2020 by JJ Koczan
The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.
Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.
Thanks to all who participate. — JJ Koczan
Days of Rona: Erik Caplan of Thunderbird Divine (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
—
How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?
Obviously, this whole thing sucks — bandwise and just in general. This virus is a bastard. We’ve canceled shows, including our CD release show. Half of the band is working from home, the other half works in very small businesses. We are being careful, skipping rehearsals and staying home. Adam (bass) and I are sending song ideas back and forth via Dropbox, but it’s really not the same as getting together and just playing. It sucks, and I miss my dudes. Thankfully, we’re all safe and healthy. That’s ultimately the most important thing. My buddy Mike (former drummer of Wizard Eye) just texted me and said, “There are gonna be a lot of rusty rehearsals when this quarantine is over.” I can’t wait to go be rusty.
What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?
I’m in Montgomery County, PA, which is very close to Philly. Schools are closed. All non-essential businesses are closed. Everyone is supposed to stay home. People are half-assedly doing this. Too many are out doing stuff in crowds because they’re bored. I’m honestly concerned for the health of general population right now.
How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?
When I go anywhere outside of the house, things are eerie. Kids are home from school, but they’re generally not outside. Playgrounds are empty. Grocery stores have a very strange energy. People are distanced, but they’re also fractured and shopping sort of hysterically. It’s very disconcerting. My neighbors wave and say hello from a distance. That’s not so different, actually.
Musically, I’m seeing a lot of our peers doing songs on Facebook, posting acoustic stuff or just jamming alone (shout out to Ken from Eternal Black showing of his beautiful amps and guitars). I find this very life-affirming and communal. I’m glad to see them alive and well, doing their thing. I want this to be over so I can hug everyone.
What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?
We’re here, we’re alive and we’re hoping everyone is being safe and staying healthy. This thing isn’t a joke or a game, and you’re not too young, too smart or too badass to get sick or get someone else sick. This situation is like telling your kid to go to bed when they’re hyped up and don’t want to sleep: I promise all the fun stuff will still be there when you wake up. Just follow the rules. All the fun will come back. Let it go for a while. It’ll be okay. We’re gonna be here. Let’s stay healthy.
Posted in audiObelisk on March 20th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Psychedelphia four-piece Thunderbird Divine release their new EP, The Hand of Man, on March 28 through Salt of the Earth Records. It’s only three tracks and about 12 minutes long, but The Hand of Man works quickly to blow the roof off of where Thunderbird Divine were early last year when they made their full-length debut with the rousing Magnasonic (review here), with the three-and-a-half-minute opening title-track throwing its Fu Manchu-style fuzz and riff-worth-remembering out the airlock into an open space of guest organ and backing vocal arrangements in preparation for the Monster Magnetism of the ensuing six-minute centerpiece “Boote’s Void,” a triumph and moment of arrival certainly for bassist Adam Scott if not the rest of the band — though also definitely the rest of the band, as the guitars of Flynn Lawrence (also sitar; yup) and Erik Caplan (also vocals, lap steel, theremin, etc.) grow richer in tone with the surrounding keys and drummer Mike Stuart shows his style as malleable either to the swing of “The Hand of Man” and the roll of “Boote’s Void” as well as the move over to percussion alongside Caplan for the psych-bluesy instrumental finale “’88 Testadoon,” a hypnotic instrumental that one only wishes jammed on for about nine minutes instead of the two it does.
Run-on sentence much? Hell yes, but The Hand of Man functions that way as well, with one piece moving fluidly into the next and into the last, the songs building off each other along the way. Granted, “’88 Testadoon” is something of an epilogue, but even that brings a sense of patience and atmosphere to the proceedings that bolster the whole outing and broaden the band’s sound overall. Magnasonic showcased no lack of potential on the part of the former Wizard Eye and Skeleton Hands members, who also recently took on The Yardbirds‘ “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago” — which one only hopes will see a physical pressing of one sort or another soon — and The Hand of Man finds them working quickly to fulfill that potential casting a melodic swirl in “The Hand of Man” made stronger through the backing vocals of Brittany Marie and Avalicious and the keys of Charles Newman. Hate to say it — actually I don’t — but Thunderbird Divine might end up having to play shows as The Thunderbird Divine All-Stars if this keeps up, because what they’re doing here really, really works, right up to Caplan channeling his inner Dave Wyndorf as the deceptively patient cosmic unfurling of “Boote’s Void” takes place before the harder fuzz kicks in, righteous and spaced and soulful in likewise expanding measure.
That’s always the question though with a release like The Hand of Man — perhaps even more so as it’s coming after Thunderbird Divine‘s debut album — in terms of how indicative it is of their sound moving forward versus is it a one-off, the band trying an experiment that just happens to work exceedingly well. Hell if I know. Maybe they don’t either. What’s exciting about The Hand of Man though, aside from the material itself, which is electrified in any number of figurative senses, is that it makes Thunderbird Divine a less predictable band on the whole. Going into their inevitable second album, whenever it might arrive — shit, the sooner the better — I feel like I have less of a grasp after listening to these three songs on what to expect for a follow-up to Magnasonic than I did before the EP came along, and that is invariably a good thing. Whether they continue to build on the fluidity as presented here in a style that, were it not so short, would definitely be album-ish, or push into something rawer in terms of arrangement or again decide to take an unanticipated direction, they’re very quickly beginning to earn a basic level of trust that they can carry their songwriting through any number of diverse applications. Dudes have it down, is what I’m saying. Let the nonsense move you, because the nonsense is awesome.
The Hand of Man was recorded at Retro City Studios in Philly and Cottage Sounds Unlimited in Brooklyn. You can stream the premiere of the title-track below, followed by a quote from Caplan on the making of the song, that Yardbirds cover, and a trailer for an upcoming recording documentary on the making of the EP.
Please enjoy:
Erik Caplan on “The Hand of Man”:
This track started as a riff that existed before I joined up with these dudes back in 2017. Flynn is a masterful riffologist, and this one has a lovely swagger. We previously tried to cram this riff into a bunch of other song structures, and none of them were quite right. Eventually we realized we needed to let it breathe, and it developed an identity of its own. After that, the song grew naturally into its final form. I love Mike’s break before the bridge. It’s a small moment, but it feels very natural. We wanted it to be a banger, but we also wanted it to have a foreboding, scattered feeling as an overtone to the groove in the bridge.
Basic tracking took place at Retro City Studios in Philadelphia, where we nailed down the essence of the song, my main vocals and all of the backing vocal arrangements. Picture me acting as a lunatic choir director from behind a baby grand piano as the ladies (Avy and Brittany) attempted to decipher my conducting for the backing vocals… it was pretty amusing.
Joe Boldizar and the crew at Retro City got excellent, organic sounds for us in the main tracking phase. Adam and I then took the track to Cottage Sounds Unlimited in Brooklyn to add the Wurlitzer, B3 Organ and lap steel guitar. Charles Newman is a talented musician, and keys are a specialty for him. He interpreted our (admittedly offbeat) sonic requests brilliantly. When we brought the tracks back to Retro City for mixing, Joe sort of instinctively knew what we wanted. It was a very smooth process overall.
The lyrics are my musings about a documentary called Discovering Bigfoot. The filmmaker, Todd Standing, put a lot of time and effort into making this sort of visual poem for the Bigfoot population he clearly loves and respects. I’m not saying his research is flawed or anything like that, but his approach was certainly a little unconventional, as I suppose it should be, considering the subject matter. I’m not sure he proved his thesis by making this film, but he succeeded in providing entertainment.
Thunderbird Divine is Erik Caplan: electric guitars, vocals, theremin, lap steel guitar, percussion, vocal arrangements Flynn Lawrence: electric guitars, electric sitar Mike Stuart: drums, percussion Adam Scott: bass, synth, 3-string strum stick, percussion
With Brittany Marie and Avalicious: backing vocals (Additional backing vocal arrangement by Brittany Marie on “Boote’s Void”) Mike Scarpone: djembe on “Boote’s Void” Charles Newman: keys, synths on “Hand of Man” and “Boote’s Void”
Thunderbird Divine, The Hand of Man recording documentary trailer
Thunderbird Divine, “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago”
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 5th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
Somewhat unexpected but most definitely welcome news out of Philly in that Thunderbird Divine have a new EP on the way following up on their righteous 2019 debut, Magnasonic (review here), and further, that they’re already streaming a new single as a precursor to that. If there’s anything I enjoy, it’s not waiting for new music. The track they’ve got posted now is a Yardbirds cover “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago,” which they nonetheless manage to make sound like it comes from the future, and the upcoming three-songer is called The Hand of Man. It’ll be out through Salt of the Earth Records on March 28. Preorders are up now, and you should do that.
Thunderbird Divine have a gig booked around the release and they’ll be at Maryland Doom Fest 2020 as well. More info follows here, courtesy of the PR wire:
Philly’s Space Hippies THUNDERBIRD DIVINE Set To Release ‘The Hand Of Man’ 3-Song Single on Salt Of The Earth Records!
Psychedelic Rock Collective THUNDERBIRD DIVINE shares their tribute to The Yardbirds’ “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago” ahead of the upcoming release of a three-song single ‘The Hand of Man’.
The Philadelphia-based space hippies of THUNDERBIRD DIVINE will put forth their second release, ‘The Hand of Man,’ on March 28th via Salt of the Earth Records, alongside a documentary of the recording sessions.
“We absolutely loved what Thunderbird Divine did with Magnasonic, and The Hand of Man just keeps the ball rolling,” says Scott Harrington, president of Salt of the Earth Records. “These guys are at the top of their game when it comes to songwriting and arrangements.”
A companion recording, a cover of The Yardbirds’ “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago” is presented here in video format and will be available for free download via the band’s Bandcamp site. “We tracked and mixed that one ourselves,” says guitarist / vocalist / multi-instrumentalist Erik Caplan. “We relate to The Yardbirds more and more as we continue writing. That band was stuck between being known as bluesy rock act and a progenitor of psychedelia and studio experimentation. This cover is a tribute to their brilliant work.”
Primary tracking for the three-song ‘The Hand of Man’ single was done at Philadelphia’s Retro City Studios, with Joe Boldizar handling most of the engineering duties. Additional layers were added at Brooklyn’s Cottage Sounds Unlimited, with Charles Newman providing his prowess on various synths and keys. “Working with the guys was a total pleasure,” says Boldizar. “They showed just the right amount of focus and did some fun experimenting with the tracks.”
‘The Hand Of Man’ Tracklist: 01. The Hand of Man 02. Boote’s Void 03. ’88 Testadoon
This release finds the band committed to its rock and psychedelic roots with a less densely embroidered approach to layering and instrumentation.
“For ‘Magnasonic’, we really went all out in the tracking process, just creating several sonically nuanced elements in every track,” Caplan says. “We built those layers in the studio as we worked. For ‘The Hand of Man’ sessions, our orchestration and instrumentation, from the ladies singing backups and the electric sitar, to the Wurlitzer organ, was fully realized before we set foot in the studio.” The result is a focused, streamlined trio of songs true to the band’s love of both riff-rock and trippy experimentation.
This theme follows through the release’s visual elements, as well. “For this recording’s artwork, I started with a synthetic cubist design and built elements out from there,” says bassist / multi-instrumentalist / art designer Adam Scott. “I intentionally departed from the vibrant color palette used on ‘Magnasonic’ and focused more on layers and space.”
Additionally, THUNDERBIRD DIVINE will make available a 17-minute visual record of its recording process in the form of a documentary compiled by close band friend and fellow musician, Jamie Victor. “I love the guys, love the band and love making videos,” Victor explains. “It all lined up. I consider these guys family, so it was my pleasure to make this for them. They didn’t even know I was going to do it.”
Upcoming Live Dates: Mar. 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Ortlieb’s Jun. 18-21 – Frederick, MD @ The Maryland Doom Fest 2020
Performed by Erik Caplan: electric guitars, vocals, theremin, lap steel guitar, percussion, vocal arrangements Flynn Lawrence: electric guitars, electric sitar Mike Stuart: drums, percussion Adam Scott: bass, synth, 3-string strum stick, percussion
With Brittany Marie and Avalicious: backing vocals (Additional backing vocal arrangement by Brittany Marie on “Boote’s Void”) Mike Scarpone: djembe on “Boote’s Void” Charles Newman: keys, synths on “Hand of Man” and “Boote’s Void”
