Midday Veil are one of the few bands around today that really capture the pioneering spirit of the psychedelic scene that emerged in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Rather than relying on tired cliches and tacky drug references, they continually push the boundaries of their sound with an emphasis on experimentalism and ritualism over simply slapping stranger guitar effects over the top of every song. Sean M. Palfrey caught up with Midday Veil frontwoman Emily Pothast to talk about band’s new album, musical rituals and cake orgies, yes cake orgies.Continue reading
Tag Archives: Sean M. Palfrey
Veni Vedi Vici – An Interview With Centuries
There aren’t many independent bands that can claim to have toured the the US and Europe before has even come out, but Florida’s prodigal hardcore songs Centuries can. Now with their first full-length outing, Taedium Vitae, available on Southern Lord they are poised to take their bleak and heavy sound to a wider audience. Sean M. Palfrey spoke to Centuries’ cofounder Vincent about the new album and the practicalities of international touring as an independent band.Continue reading
Stranger By Starlight – Chalk White Nights
The coming together of the front-man of experimental rockers Oxbow and the multi-instrumentalist behind Stray Ghost can only set the saliva glands of fans of unique and adventurous music into overdrive. The unique voice of Eugene S. Robinson and the unbridled skill of Anthony Saggers seems like a moribund match made in heaven.Continue reading
Disappears – Era
Chicago’s Disappears have been an interesting, if sometimes frustrating band to follow. Their garage rock sound, typically drenched in reverb, tremolo and plenty of distortion is fairly straightforward on the surface. But listen closely and there are subtle nods to everything from Krautrock, deathrock, shoegaze, psychedelia and funk. Suddenly they become a monstrously groovy prospect. Their first two albums, Lux and Guider set them apart as a band to watch. But the momentum was somewhat derailed thanks to a lacklustre third outing on Pre Language.Continue reading
Midday Veil – The Current
Despite psychedelic being a by word for “recorded in a haze of suspicious-smelling smoke” these days, there are still a number of bands who embrace the experimental ideals pioneered by the likes of The Beatles and Pink Floyd. USA’s Midday Veil would be one such band.Continue reading
Jerusalem In My Heart – Mo7it Al-Mo7it
Mo7it Al-Mo7it from Jerusalem In My Heart is a surprising and very enjoyable experience. Led by Montreal-based Radwan Ghazi Moumneh the album fuses contemporary electronics with traditional Arabic music. And despite being in existence for eight years now, the core trio are only now committing their work to an album format having preferred highly artistic public performances for the majority of their existence.Continue reading
Conny Ochs – Black Happy
After a successful collaboration with Scott ‘Wino’ Weinrich for 2012’s Heavy Kingdom, Conny Ochs is back with his follow-up to pick-up from his 2011 debut solo album Raw Love. After a decade’s worth of time spent in various bands in one capacity or another he certainly has his songwriting craft down to something more than just the usual insipid formula spewed out by the modern charts. Taking in elements of folk, blues, country and Americana and yet sounding like none of these Conny Ochs, like his countryman Shino, is admirably walking the same path as the greats but refreshingly, is not simply reproducing their work.Continue reading
Ensemble Pearl – Ensemble Pearl
Immediately Ensemble Pearl‘s self-titled debut has a lot to live up to. A project consisting of luminaries such as Stephen O’Malley (Sunn 0)))), Atsuo (Boris), Michio Kurihara (Ghost) and Bill Herzog (Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter) is going to inspire not only an instantaneous following from fans of avant-garde metal, but also very high expectations. Thankfully though the collective skill and musicianship on display here means that Ensemble Pearl doesn’t disappoint, though it may come as a big shock to some.Continue reading