Twin Temple - Sex Magick

 

#Twin Temple #garage rock #occult rock #rock & roll #satanic doo-wop #retro-1960s #indie rock #music video

"It's safe to say we've turned even further away from the light, and our souls are as damned as ever." Twin Temple vocalist Alexandra James is explaining her and husband/guitarist Zachary James' steadfast devotion to the devil. Given the hatred the self-proclaimed Satanic doo-wop duo has experienced at the hands of a hard-line Christian community since forming the band in 2016, can you blame them? When detractors first targeted Twin Temple a few years ago, zealots started sending stacks of Bibles to their Los Angeles doorstep — perhaps as a warning, or maybe in the misguided hope of "rescuing" the James' souls from eternal hellfire. Less obtusely, Alexandra explains that death threats routinely started coming their way through email and over social media; she adds that online extremists discussed mobilizing at their concerts, armed. This is all to say that rock & roll is still a dangerous game, at least when you're Twin Temple. "Since we started, we've received a lot of relentless moralizing, attempts to save our souls, religious fervor and backlash — even people questioning our sincerity, as far as if we're really who we say we are [as Satanists]," Alexandra explains of the extreme reactions their music has provoked. "As a kid, growing up seeing my heroes really challenge the status quo, I always thought, That's so cool, these pioneers of rock & roll are laying their lives down on the line for this. When we experienced it, it definitely gave me a whole new perspective."
What's sure is early Twin Temple songs like "Lucifer, My Love" and "I Know How to Hex You" — between their lush, orchestral pop presentations and devilish wordplay — have struck a chord across musical and ideological spectrums, for better or for worse. While clearly playing well for folks that vibe with early '60s R&B and the golden age of rock & roll, Twin Temple's love for the dark arts has also made converts out of heavy-metal fanatics — as well as earned them endorsements from famous appreciators of the occult, including Glenn Danzig and Ghost. On the other side of things, haters are literally looking to hurt the band over their beliefs. While some would shrink in the face of such violent, virulent adversity, Christian condemnation has only strengthened Twin Temple's resolve. "We just wanted to make the most brutally blasphemous record that we could," Alexandra says in relation to the group's scintillating, and obviously sacrilegious, sophomore full-length, God Is Dead. "We definitely wanted to up the blasphemy, and give some of the best black-metal records a run for the money, in terms of the themes."
True to their word, God Is Dead doubles down on Twin Temple's established anti-Christian aesthetic. Its album cover finds the couple locking eyes like lovers do — blood dripping out their mouths — as they hover over a burning church. Above some of the sweetest throwback soul sounds imaginable, Alexandra sings of torching scripture ("Burn Your Bible"), going down on demons ("Let's Have a Satanic Orgy") and just generally being "the baddest witch on the block" ("Spellbreaker"); while God Is Dead's title track is likely the most joyous ode to deicide you'll hear this year. That's the thing with Twin Temple: They're fun as hell. Despite the hate they've faced, they're still reveling in their love of Lucifer, and each other. Alexandra notes the band wanted God Is Dead to take a stronger romantic tack than 2019's Twin Temple (Bring You Their Signature Sound… Satanic Doo-Wop). That's clearly the case with "Two Sinners," a cursed bop about happily heading straight to hell with your betrothed. "Doesn't everyone want someone who makes them more depraved than they were before," Alexandra poses, rhetorically. "I think it's really romantic to break holy laws with someone, or to be nailed to a single cross. Like, I want to be buried in the same grave as Zach. So, I was just writing a love song about that." Both Zachary and Alexandra spent time in the California punk scene before linking up, but they're scant on the details of how they met — at least the 21st century incarnations of themselves. Whether playing up the camp or protecting themselves post-doxxing, they do suggest an introduction was made several past lives ago, all the way back in 1666. As if part of a finely honed vaudeville routine, Alexandra starts up that she was "burned on the cross" next to Zachary. "I was a witchfinder, actually," the guitarist clarifies, as Alexandra shoots back: "I thought you were the woman being burned next to me!"
This kind of gallows humor goes a long way to understanding Twin Temple. Sonically, their sound reveals a great reverence for the trailblazers of pop and rock & roll, Alexandra's brimstone-smoky vibrato reverberating against a Wall of Sound-style aesthetic. The band's lively, blood-spilling, ritual dagger-wielding stage show harkens back to the days of Fifties shock-rock pioneer Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Naturally, it's made them thick as thieves with the horns-raising metal community — leading to tours with Ghost, Danzig and others. It's all part of the same rock & roll continuum, Zachary argues, with Twin Temple perhaps acting as a bridge between the subversive-ness of Little Richard and extreme-metal vanguards like recent tourmates Behemoth — whose vocalist, Adam Nergal Darski, is also no stranger to offending the church. "We didn't make our music for anyone other than ourselves, from day one, and we continue to do that," Zachary says. "It just happens that, philosophically, the blasphemy resonates with a lot of metal fans. And obviously the visuals resonate because we're all lovers of horror." The culture jam continues with God Is Dead, a release that includes the Latin-grooved "Let's Have a Satanic Orgy," a song the band had also recorded in Spanish as "Tengamos la Orgía Satánica." Both versions report on a sex party taking place at the Witches' Sabbath, full-moon revelers grinding it out near a "magick circle." Rhythmically, it's a standout number in the Twin Temple catalog; playfully, it caps with a chant of "666," rather than a traditional "cha cha cha." God Is Dead's tour cycle will find the James' debuting new stage attire inspired by the song: baby pink finery embroidered with carnal scenes of demons and succubi getting it on.
Like the single, Alexandra says the stage wear was inspired by "some of the better orgies we've been to in recent memory" — while also paying homage to country great Hank Williams' ornate nudie suits, and the pastel color palette of Hollywood starlet Jayne Mansfield's Pink Palace mansion. But before all that, Twin Temple tell Revolver they have to take care of some business back at home. While wrapping up the call, Alexandra reports that the rest of their afternoon will include blood sacrifices and an exorcising session. "There's a grave I meant to tell you about that looks real ripe for digging," she says to Zachary. Without missing a beat, her partner in holy crime deadpans of the day's proposed desecration, "Just the usual."  From: https://www.revolvermag.com/music/twin-temple-satanic-doo-wop-duo-face-bible-bashers-most-blasphemous-album-yet

Gentle Giant - On Reflection

 

#Gentle Giant #progressive rock #British prog #eclectic prog #classic prog #hard rock #experimental rock #jazz rock #neoclassical #medieval #1970s #animated music video

Free Hand was Gentle Giant's seventh studio album and first for new label Chrysalis Records. It was also their highest charting album in the States. It’s a strange prospect to promote an album 46 years after it was recorded. “I don’t think any of us were thinking back then that any of this would happen now with us in our 70s… it is a bit odd, really,” says Gentle Giant’s Kerry Minnear (keyboards, mallet percussion, vocals and a multitude of other instruments) in his soft, Dorset burr. Derek Shulman (lead vocals, main lyricist, woodwind) adds: “Honestly, I’m enjoying talking about it, because when the band finished… it could have been grief, but I just didn’t want to go back and revisit [Gentle Giant]. But now it’s a pleasure. There was no expectation that this was going to be preserved.” “That’s very true,” says Minnear. “I think the multitracks only survived because Gary [Green – guitar and vocals] stepped in and then dumped them on me when he moved to the USA. They’d been up in my loft for years, until interest started to bubble and they’ve served us really well.”
In many ways, the creation of Free Hand in the spring of ’75 was an artistic venting at the relief the band felt having finally escaped from a troubled professional relationship with the WWA record label and from equally disheartening management obligations. They were primed and ready.  “We were at a pretty good high, we’d established the band and were doing comparatively good business in Europe and North America. I think we were quite mature as a band and recording Free Hand proved a happy experience,” says Derek. Ray Shulman (bass, strings, vocals) expands, “As bands develop they tend to splinter and move apart, and I think that it was the last album we made where all of us were together in Derek and my home town of Portsmouth to write and rehearse.” “And we weren’t in London,” Derek emphasises, “we were in Portsmouth of all places, so that was us cocooned on the south coast! And Gary and poor Kerry were sequestered to leave their own homes and join us.” “That’s alright,” says Minnear with a laugh, “I got a wife out of it!”
Reportedly, the whole writing and recording process for Free Hand took about seven weeks – “I don’t think we ever spent longer than four weeks doing the actual recording,” recalls Ray. “In fact, [1973 album] In A Glass House took about 12 days from start to finish,” adds Derek, “We worked our fingers to the bone to get what we wanted when we recorded. We didn’t like to drag things out and jam all day – that would have been a terrific waste of time.” Ray agrees, “We were very structured in what we did.” The focus was very much on Ray and Kerry to deliver the music. “Although Kerry and I had collaborated on earlier albums, by the time we recorded Free Hand we were working on our songs independently initially. I’d go to Kerry with my backing tracks for help with top lines and to Derek for the lyrics. Kerry was a bit more self-contained, he’d get a little bit further on before looking at lyrics with Derek. I used to start the Revox and just play. Then, listening back, if phrases caught my ear, I’d develop them,” explains Ray. Derek elucidates his role: “Lyrically, it was partly abstract, but as the album title suggests, it was about getting out of the record deals and ugly contractual obligations and I think we felt free and at ease. Free Hand was much more personal than our previous album, The Power And The Glory, which was a statement on world affairs and how power corrupts, and the whole Nixon/Watergate thing. Free Hand looked at things that were personal to the band and what was going on immediately around us.”
As far as musical influences are concerned, the group were rarely tuned in to the sounds of their fellow proggers. “We never really listened to any of our contemporaries, not that I recall. For me it would be more like James Brown or things like that!” says Ray. “I listened to Charlie Parker. We listened to a lot of modern jazz, the American band Spirit, and Frank Zappa – Zappa was an influence, I have to say. Hot Rats was one of my favourite albums of that time,” Derek recalls. “We had such eclectic tastes and weren’t really interested in other bands labelled the same as us, although not for any particular reason,” says Ray. “Ray was classically trained on the violin, but we were both in pop bands in the late 60s,” says Derek. “R&B and soul were major factors in our upbringing and we loved that music, and Kerry was classically trained and considered Tchaikovsky a sort of mentor. Whatever was good we liked – ABBA or whatever – I don’t think we shut anything out.” “Those diverse backgrounds were also part of our secret,” reflects Ray, “Gary would play these kind of progressive, jazzy lines with a blues inflection, which made it quite unique, and the combination of all of us perhaps shouldn’t have worked but did.”
Displaying maybe some of Gentle Giant’s trademark precision and attention to detail, Ray Shulman isn’t about to give their 1975 album a completely uncritical ear. “Funnily enough, on Free Hand, some of it sounds a bit under-rehearsed to me. The next album, Interview, is a lot tighter playing wise. There are some loose bits on Free Hand, which kind of annoy me…” He won’t be drawn however on exactly what he might want to change. “All of it!” he exclaims initially, much to his compatriots’ amusement. “No, there are just some bits I hear now and go, ‘Hmm.’ It’s a great album, it’s just parts we could have done differently… and if I’d realised I would have commented at the time, but we didn’t have the time!” Minnear also recalls a missed opportunity, “One of my laments is the fact that the track Free Hand had a different ending live that Ray wrote – it was a much better ending than what I wrote on the album. Live Free Hand came over as a much more killer track when it went into this sort of interesting French waltz.” Derek, however, is unperturbed about any perceived weaknesses: “I’d rather do an Édith Piaf: ‘I regret nothing’ –  it was what it was,” he affirms. He is clear about something he particularly likes, though: “I think the beginning of Just The Same, with the finger snaps and the counterpoint piano and other instrumentation, that’s really clever. It’s pretty hard to hear where the downbeat is. Having dealt with many other bands [Shulman has worked in various record label executive roles over the last 30 years or so], there aren’t many who’d have started a song like that.”
Conversation moves over to Steven Wilson’s role in remixing and preparing the Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound versions. It’s been a positive working relationship since 2014’s re-release of The Power And The Glory, as Ray explains: “He originally contacted me through my involvement with DVD and Blu-ray authoring, and asked if we still had the original tapes for In A Glass House, because that was the one he could really see sounding better. Unfortunately, I had to tell him that they had gone forever. On some albums, like with some of the Octopus mixes, he said that he really couldn’t make them sound much better than the master we had, because he’s enough of a fan and technocrat that he knows what’s achievable. He’s a fan and wanted to remix stuff and we were like, ‘Well, yeah, okay.’ We had talked about getting some 5.1 mixes previously but Kerry and I felt that we didn’t have the experience or equipment, so he came along at absolutely the right time. I think we’re probably among the least fussy of the artists he’s worked with. Other projects give him explicit notes after every mix and he’s on to version five or more before they master. What he brings to it and what his ears suggest really works and we’re always really chuffed by what he does. He lightens everything up and there’s more space around everything – I don’t know if that’s a technical feature or whether it’s just his ears… I think probably it’s just his ears. I don’t think we’re ever done more than two revisions, have we, Kerry?” “No, it’s just been one or two places where it would be nice to hear some specific things,” agrees Minnear, “but usually what he brings out is very sensitive to what we were doing. You just have to mention something and he’s quick to see what you mean and he gets it.” Ray chips in. “Yeah, tiny bits really, nothing major.” “He’s really nice to work with as well,” offers Minnear. For Gentle Giant and Wilson fans alike, Derek has some additional breaking news and a heartfelt plea. “Ray has been working with Steven on two other albums, which will be released in the next few months: The Missing Piece and Interview. Hopefully, people will like the Free Hand remix enough to generate further interest. I really wish we could get hold of In A Glass House because it was a milestone for the band – I would love Steven to work on that, it’s a really interesting album. No one seems to know where the multitracks went. Could Prog put out an APB for it, because we would really love to find it? The best thing we could ever do would be to remix it and make it sound like it should have sounded, because it was done under such bizarre circumstances that it really deserves it.” “Possibly check in a skip outside WWA’s offices in Mayfair first!” quips Ray. Alongside the Atmos and 5.1 versions there’s also a Blu-ray included with Free Hand with specially created visuals accompanying each track created by Derek’s son, Noah.
Derek shares some final thoughts; “Everyone’s done their best possible work on this and it shows. Our music has really stood up and more and more young musicians and fans have caught on to what we were doing 40-45 years ago. We’re not Led Zeppelin, we’re not Pink Floyd – for that to have happened is very heartening. To know that what we did has some legacy to it. What we did was authentic, we weren’t following anyone, and the fact that the audience has become much, much larger is the most bizarre thing – kids are listening to it and trying to play it – something for all of us to be proud of.”  From: https://www.loudersound.com/features/on-reflection-gentle-giant-and-the-making-of-free-hand

Rilo Kiley - The Moneymaker

 

#Rilo Kiley #Jenny Lewis #indie rock #alt-pop #folk rock #alternative rock #music video

It's the prerogative and privilege of any pop act to change direction. It's one of the things that makes pop music so exciting. But change always carries a degree of risk, and in the case of Rilo Kiley's fourth album Under the Blacklight, it manifests a wonderful sense of irony: Under the Blacklight is Rilo Kiley's riskiest album because it's their album that takes the least risks. Finding the band's music polished to an almost blinding sheen, Blacklight is not a commercial album so much as Rilo Kiley's conception (or misconception) of what a commercial album is. It's their "Project Mersh", an alternate-universe sell-out move. But beneath that surface - and Under the Blacklight is at first listen almost overwhelmingly surface - Rilo Kiley must know they're full of shit. Either they're utterly serious about their flirtation with the mainstream or they're taking the piss with a wink. In both cases, the songs suffer a smothering slow death by context. At the same time, the fun - or maybe "fun" - disc stresses how humorless and full of shit Rilo Kiley's former indie brethren remain, scared stiff of the prospect of unabashed pop in the true please-the-masses sense. But it's still an audacious, fascinating exploration of banality, almost to a patronizing point. Perhaps it's no coincidence that the big, straight down the middle-sounding first single is called "The Moneymaker".
From note one, the album's musical allusions and the references come fast and furious, and are often strikingly specific. The mock swagger of "Moneymaker", for instance, sounds like Heart doing Foreigner's "Juke Box Hero", and the rest of the disc revels in similar oddball but specific collisions. The title track sounds like Aimee Mann writing a song for Mandy Moore. "Dejalo" is Rilo Kiley's take on Miami Sound Machine. "Dreamworld" is *Mirage-*era Fleetwood Mac. "Smoke Detector" is Blondie by way of the Beatles. "15" does blue-eyed soul like Dusty Springfield. And so on. The saving grace for something so shallow is, as usual, Jenny Lewis, a strikingly direct singer and an even better lyricist. Especially following the verbose More Adventurous, she's almost ruthlessly efficient with her words here, making the most of a few choice lines. "Smoke Detector" demonstrates nearly as many derivations and variations in meaning of the word "smoke" as there are of the word "fuck," including "to fuck." "I took a man back to my room," she coos. "I was smoking him in bed/ Yeah, I was smoking in bed." In "Close Call" Lewis wryly observes "funny thing about money for sex/ You might get rich but you'll die by it," while the title track features the withering pun of an aphorism "even dead men lie in their coffins." "15" tracks the seduction of a wounded and vulnerable young woman, ripe like a peach and "down for almost anything." Many of Lewis's other character-study lyrics plum the sexual, too, not like a cop-out coy pop princess (even though someone like, say, Hilary Duff could do a fine job with the obvious cell phone metaphor of "Breakin' Up") but in a grown up sort of way. Or at least a distorted, corrupted, grown-up-in-L.A. sort of way.
Ah, L.A., where there's a thrift shop on every corner, the breakfast spots bustle well into the night, the lines at clubland bathroom stalls snake to early 1980s lengths, acts get signed at karaoke bars, and the plastic surgeons know just the thing to do with all those rough edges. Forget that Rilo Kiley's songs namedrop Brighton, New York, and Laredo: Under the Blacklight adds up to the familiar headline "California Band Makes California Album." Were all the AOR indulgences at least tied together into a concept they might have been more easily forgiven. And were any of those lyrics a little more pointed and less generalized, like they were in the anomalously galvanizing anti-Bush protest "It's a Hit", they'd add up to more than just a 40-minute short story collection on tape (with incidental music). For the relative few who really, really care, debates may rage over whether Under the Blacklight marks some sort of progress, though what's just as likely is that Rilo Kiley's earlier output was artificially regressive in a bid for some sort of cred. But leave that stuff to the conspiracy theorists. To be fair, most everyone would be well served giving in and enjoying Rilo Kiley's pop for pop's sake, smart, dumb and especially smug in equal measure. Song by song it goes down awfully easy, but be warned. The band sure cleans up well, but there's a fair amount of guilty washing and hand-scrubbing to be done afterwards.  From: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10555-under-the-blacklight/

Diane Coffee - Soon To Be, Won't To Be

 

#Diane Coffee #Shaun Fleming #ex-Foxygen #retro-1960s #retro-1970s #art rock #pop rock #psychedelic rock #glam rock #animated music video

A ’60s-ish rock-and-roll experience that recalls Phil Spector and doo-wop and leisure suits and even a slew of one-hit-wonder bands from back in the day are somehow updated and given present-day indie-rock treatment in this band that is named after a fictional character. No, I don’t think that Diane Coffee is front man Shaun Fleming’s alter ego, even though he crowds the issue a bit by wearing eye shadow and presenting in a distinctly feminine voice. Adding confusion to the issue is the band’s Wiki page — it states that “Diane Coffee is Shaun Fleming...,” and later, NPR likened Mr. Fleming to both David Bowie and Mick Jagger. Yes, Fleming’s a true Motown-glam show-stopper in that respect.
Diane Coffee’s leader and chief songwriter got his start in showbiz as a child actor by voicing characters in Disney cartoons. Later, he got busy with the drums and joined the band Foxygen, a group that started during high school in the L.A. suburb Fleming grew up in. The Diane Coffee thing came about after he moved to New York. There, he hunkered down with a guitar and wrote songs that would see the light of day via a DIY recording and subsequent release titled My Friend Fish. The pop-music critics at the internet music magazine Pitchfork resonated with the new music Fleming made; they, too, made subtle jokes about the band name, but they posted releases of Coffee’s singles and later gave Diane Coffee a performance slot in their own music festival.
Fleming got tired of New York, lives in Indiana now. He claims the band name is a hybridization combining the singer Diana Ross with a song titled “Mr. Coffee.” He once told a reporter to pick any name — just make good music. Which, at least on its face, appears to be what Fleming is doing.  From: https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2016/feb/24/of-note-man-called-diane-coffee/

 

PJ Harvey - Man-Size

 

#PJ Harvey #Polly Jean Harvey #alternative rock #art rock #indie rock #hard rock #punk blues #folk rock #avant-rock #lo-fi #singer-songwriter #1990s #music video

PJ Harvey, the acclaimed British musician, has built her career on thought-provoking and emotionally charged songs. Released in 1993 as part of her album “Rid of Me,” the track “Man-Size” stands out for its raw intensity and powerful lyrical content. This essay aims to delve into the meaning behind “Man-Size,” deciphering its themes, metaphors, and artistic nuances.

1. Unveiling the Lyrics and Overall Message
“Man-Size” presents itself as an exploration of gender roles and expectations, challenging societal norms and drawing attention to women’s struggles for autonomy and identity. Harvey’s lyrics navigate the complexities of modern femininity and the constant pressure to conform. The song tackles themes such as objectification, power dynamics, and the emotional toll of societal demands.

2. Dissecting the Symbolism
Harvey’s lyrics often carry symbolic elements, adding layers of meaning to her songs. In “Man-Size,” the repeated mention of “man-size” can be seen as a metaphor for both physical and metaphorical strength. It emphasizes the societal expectation for women to fit into a predetermined mold of masculinity and highlights the pressure to conform to masculine traits to gain recognition and respect.

3. Analyzing the Chorus
The chorus of “Man-Size” is particularly gripping, with Harvey passionately proclaiming, “I’m coming up man-size / I’ll rip the whole thing down.” This fiercely defiant statement signifies a resolve to break free from societal constraints and embrace one’s own identity without compromise. It resonates powerfully, echoing the struggles faced by individuals attempting to defy gender norms.

4. The Role of Raw Emotion
PJ Harvey is known for her emotionally charged performances and vulnerability in her music. In “Man-Size,” her raw vocals and intense delivery evoke a sense of urgency, amplifying the song’s themes. By allowing her emotions to shine through, Harvey emotionally connects with her audience, enhancing the impact of her message.

5. Socio-Political Commentary
Throughout her career, PJ Harvey has been highly regarded for incorporating socio-political commentary into her songs. “Man-Size” is no exception, as it addresses the feminist movement and stirs dialogue about the challenges women face in a patriarchal society. The song serves as a rallying cry for women struggling to find their place and assert their independence.

6. The Music’s Impact on the Message
The musical arrangement in “Man-Size” adds depth and intensity to the song’s meaning. The heavy guitar riffs and distorted soundscapes reflect the frustration and anger woven into the lyrics. This sonic backdrop serves as a driving force, mirroring the internal struggles addressed in the song and further amplifying its impact on the listener.

7. Historical Context
Considered within the context of its release, “Man-Size” emerged during the grunge and alternative music era of the early 1990s. It was a time of cultural exploration and challenging norms, making it the perfect stage for PJ Harvey’s provocative and thought-provoking music. The song’s themes resonated strongly with the evolving feminist movement and contributed to ongoing discussions surrounding gender equality.

8. Interpretations and Personal Experiences
As with any piece of art, the interpretation of “Man-Size” may vary from person to person. Listeners often project their personal experiences onto the lyrics, finding solace or inspiration within them. The song’s powerful themes can speak to a wide range of individuals, evoking conversations about gender roles and society’s expectations.

9. Critical Reception and Impact
Upon its release, “Man-Size” received critical acclaim for its boldness and socio-political commentary. Rolling Stone magazine hailed PJ Harvey’s work, stating, “Harvey’s fierce voice is fearlessness itself, her wrenching, instigatory rock & roll scrapes the soul to its core.” The song’s impact extends beyond its initial release, as it remains relevant and resonant, inspiring artists and listeners alike.

10. The Significance in PJ Harvey’s Discography
Within PJ Harvey’s extensive discography, “Man-Size” holds a significant place. It represents her dedication to addressing important societal issues through her music and showcases her growth as an artist. The song’s thematic complexity solidifies Harvey’s reputation as a thoughtful and evocative songwriter, furthering her artistic legacy.

11. Cover Versions and Collaborations
Over the years, “Man-Size” has been covered by various artists, showcasing its enduring relevance and impact within the music industry. The song’s powerful message has inspired collaborations as well, amplifying its reach and demonstrating its ability to transcend time and genre boundaries.

12. Global Impact and Social Awareness
The lasting significance of “Man-Size” lies in its ability to provoke conversations about gender roles and societal expectations on a global scale. Harvey’s fearless approach has contributed to raising social awareness, enabling individuals to critically examine their own perspectives and challenge the prevailing gender narratives.

From: https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-man-size-by-pj-harvey/

Magick Brother & Mystic Sister - Echoes from the Clouds

 

#Magick Brother & Mystic Sister #psychedelic rock #space rock #psychedelic folk rock #progressive rock #retro-1960s #retro-1970s #Spanish

What’s the concept behind the formation of Magic Brother & Mystic Sister?

Xavier Sandoval: I feel we make music for a utopian lifestyle, perhaps the one we would like to have and although we try, reality and present is what it is. For this album we gathered four musicians with no other purpose than to improvise and play as freely as possible. Personally, I think music must contain something magical and evoke images, sensations, emotions. Trying to capture the atmospheres we imagine as best as possible and to tune in with that inspiration, is to use themes related to magic, or the world of dreams.

How would you describe your sound?

It’s a peculiar sound due to the type of formation we have; bass, keyboard, flute and drums, only with guitars recorded later. Our sound is based mostly on the use of the mellotron and flute, but also the patterns of bass and drums and the dreamy voices. Perhaps this combination creates our sonority? In some themes, the synthesizer, piano or guitar arrangements have shaped each song providing a more cosmic sound in some songs, and more jazz or folk in others.

Would you like to talk a bit about your background?

When I was a child my parents listened to flamenco, and on long car trips they always listened to cassettes of Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, Chuck Berry et cetera. I knew them by heart and I loved them. I’m self-taught. I started playing in high school, where I liked Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and so I started playing bass with a band of pupils older than me, experimenting with psychedelic rock, playing cover-versions of Hendrix, Cream, Steppenwolf et cetera. Then like everyone else we went through various groups, whether they were garage, pop, rock or psychedelia, until the era of techno and electronic music arrived, and I dedicated myself to studying and experimenting with ambient, cosmic music, krautrock, et cetera. I then spent a long spell collaborating in a music project for yoga and meditation playing the sitar. In the end, we make music whenever possible for each moment in life has its soundtrack. Sometimes it depends on the circumstances and your environment, and in our case it’s always from the underground and against the current.

Are any of you involved in any other bands or do you have any active side-projects going on at this point?

Nowadays there are a lot of musicians who have several projects at the same time and perhaps it’s quite common, but in my case, I do not believe too much in that. Life goes very fast; I have little time and I must make it compatible with my work. For me right now, it is difficult to indulge in multiple projects, and I believe in this one, so Eva and I are focused on it. I really admire other groups that make very interesting music and it would be great to collaborate with them, but it is difficult, who knows maybe in the future. Although I believe that MB & MS could be an “open project” for musicians who want to collaborate, it is a matter of connecting, creativity and energy. The doors will always be open.

Can you share some further details how your latest album was recorded?

The album was conceived by taking music from suggestive images, like an imaginary soundtrack we wanted to convey a cinematic and mysterious atmosphere. Although it’s a long story, each song has its moment, its place and represents something. It was a long process and some songs were left off the record. The album was recorded in our home studio, Cosmik Lodge, but some aspects were recorded in Sol de Sants Studio where Marc was working – utilising a mix of new and vintage gear. Normally we record bass, drums and keyboards at the same time, then we add flute, more keyboards, guitars, percussions etc. The first song we recorded was ‘Les Vampires’ where I made a script from which we recorded the different parts. Some songs were recorded on an inspirational night, and in others there were false-starts and took months to complete. We had several bases on which we had worked for a while, and then we would compose the rest. I think the cover by Bruno Penabranca (which we love) conveys that idea of how other sensory perceptions appear from a main image that arise in a creative feminine way.

How do you usually approach music making?

It depends on the song or the epoch. For this album, some songs have been created from the bass lines that we have tested in rehearsals, finding ideas that appear. Luckily some were recorded and in other sessions they were lost in the smoke of experimentation and the ambience. In our case, improvisation has been very important not only to let ourselves go, but also to get to know each other musically and to see which territories were most favourable for the individual – which patterns did we feel comfortable to investigate, deepen, study etc. Some songs are 7/4, 11/4 beats in which we have become used to building melodies. We have been testing different scales. Although in many of the songs the improvisation or the “magic of the moment” has been the starting point, in others many of the important details are calculated and measured and we try to convey that all the sounds, every note has a reason to be there whilst maintaining a criterion and respecting some patterns, be it folk, progressive rock or the style we were approaching.

How pleased were you with the sound of the album?

I think we have achieved a good sound considering the means we have used, and for my part I would continue to change things and improve to infinity, but in the end, we have to say “enough”. The sensation of the listener matters and there comes a time when the musician himself stops being objective in terms of sound. From this aspect the views of many listeners have helped a lot - the comments have been positive in this regard.

What are some future plans?

The current situation has conditioned so much, since we have not been able to present the album as we would have liked, the situation with the live show, of the venues et cetera. So in some way the impulse of social networks has replaced the accepted style of promoting, and we greatly appreciate all the comments that have come to us from many parts of the world. The album sold very quickly, in the midst of this pandemic, so thanks again to those who have supported us and the positive reception that this album has had at such a difficult time. This month [December] the second edition of the album will be available. As it continues to be difficult to think about concerts, we have focused on continuing to compose, so during confinement Eva and I took up an old project that revolves around Tarot cards where we explore other dimensions – shorter songs but with our same psychedelic vision, to put it simply.

Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

Obviously, this is the most difficult question of the interview, haha. There would be countless bands and albums that I would list. I will say that obviously, we have a weakness for the music of the late 60s, Electronic music of the early 70’s, British Psychedelia, Canterbury sound groups, Soundtracks, Folk, Hard Rock, classical music, jazz… In each era I have had many transcendent albums that have marked the moment that I was living and among some that I can cite a group that really opened my mind many moons ago would be especially Popol Vuh, ‘Aguirre’ to choose one of their albums. Another album that marked me was ‘Zodiac’ by Mort Garson. Also Gong’s ‘Angel’s Egg’ and Ananda Shankar’s 1970 release. ‘S.F. Sorrow’ by The Pretty Things, as an initiatory album.

From: https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2021/02/magic-brother-mystic-sister-interview.html

Moby Grape - Hoochie

 

#Moby Grape #psychedelic rock #acid rock #folk rock #country rock #blues rock #West coast sound #1960s

In the wake of Skip Spence's mental and physical breakdown, 1969's "'69" was recorded as a quartet featuring singer/rhythm guitarist Peter Lewis, singer/lead guitarist Jerry Miller, drummer Don Stevenson and bassist Bob Mosley. Produced by David Rubinson, the album doesn't get much credit from critics or Grape fans, but to my ears it's quite good. It's even more impressive when you consider the turmoil surviving members found themselves surrounded by. Part of the criticism is understandable in that the set isn't particular cohesive, leaving you with the impression it was cobbled together from earlier sessions and catalog odds and ends. Others aren't going to agree, but I've always found the album's diversity is actually one of the characteristics that makes it so enjoyable. With all four members contributing material, the set bounces between different genres, including country & western, folk-rock, pop and conventional rock. It's done with a sense of professionalism and a laid back charm. There are plenty of highlights with Mosley acquitting himself with particular distinction - check out what may be his prettiest song 'It's a Beautiful Day Today' and the boogie rocker 'Hootchie'. Other standout tunes include 'Ain't That a Shame', the rocking ''Going Nowhere' and the typically bizarre (and disturbing) Spence leftover - 'Seeing'. In fact, the latter selection may be enough for some psych fans to buy this set. If I had to find something to criticize then it would probably have to do with Lewis' growing interest in country, but I have to admit I liked 'Ain't That a Shame' and 'I Am ot Willing'. On tracks like 'If You Can't Learn from My Mistakes' the band reminded me of something out of Mike Nesmith's solo career.  Was it the best Moby Grape studio album? Nah, it doesn't come close to the debut, but I'm proud to own a copy, having done my part to boost its sales to #113 n the Billboard album charts. And as you'd expected by a band seemingly cursed with bad luck, things turned even uglier for the band when Mosley unexpectedly quit the band in order to enlist in the Marines Corps. He last nine months before be given a dishonorable discharge for hitting an officer (not a career enhancing decision).  From: https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/moby-grape/moby-grape-69/