Why Deadhead Culture Is a Pure Strain of American Noir
Yes, Deadheads came for the music, but also for the possibility of a life outside the bounds of straight society; something vaguely criminal and very American noir.
psychedelic rock
When the Sax Went Wah-Wah After the Guitar
The wah-wah pedal. It’s the foot-stomping device guitarists use to add a taste of toe-tapping funk or cosmic psychedelic noodling, and then it moved to the saxophone.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Conjure a Futuristic Rave
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard offer a sci-fi rave that veers between an ominous soundtrack warning of impending doom and a cathartic path toward salvation.
Widespread Panic Rock Like a Sweet Jelly Roll for the Soul
Trends may come and go, yet through it all Widespread Panic rock on into their 40th year as one of the US’ longest running bands in the land.
Les Claypool and Friends Deliver Musical Fireworks for 4th of July
For the Claypool Gold Tour, Les Claypool pulls triple duty by bringing Primus together with his Fearless Flying Frog Brigade and the Claypool Lennon Delirium.
Panda Bear and Sonic Boom Create Immersive Neo-Psychedelia
What feels missing from Panda Bear’s new LP is a greater willingness to let carefully chosen timbres lead to equally adventurous harmonic or structural destinations.
Khun Narin Take to the Studio for Stunning ‘III’
While all of Khun Narin’s records have been masterpieces, III is their best shot at mass exposure. If there’s any justice in the music industry, it might just pay off.
SLIFT’s ‘Fantasia’ Is a Triumph of a Concept Album
SLIFT tell us that the planet is on fire and the men with claws are dancing, but don’t sacrifice a decibel of their noise. It’s a small triumph of artistic discipline.
Gun Outfit Reach Higher Ground on ‘Process and Reality’
Gun Outfit’s Process and Reality imbues a cosmic existentialism in which celestial instrumentation coils and twists, like a serpentine trail in a canyon.
Phish Go Gonzo in Return to Sphere Las Vegas
Catching Phish performing live at Las Vegas’ Sphere feels like chasing down that elusive American Dream and catching up with it, at least for a weekend.
A Place to Bury Strangers Discuss Their Resurrected Songs
A Place to Bury Strangers resurrect lost obscurities for a record that paints a map of their past and future simultaneously. Oliver Ackerman describes the process.
Jimi Hendrix Experience’s ‘Axis: Bold as Love’ Shines On
For serious Jimi Hendrix aficionados and audiophiles, it’s hard to imagine this classic psychedelic rock album sounding any better.