Words by Jonathan Stout
When not doing freelance writing, Jonathan Stout is heavily involved in the NKY and Cincinnati music scenes as the Marketing Manager for Kentucky based venue The Southgate House Revival and founder of DIY Recording label Lo Fi City Recordings. He’s also an active musician, performing and recording with Sleepy Drums, Mutt Fuzz, Burnt Cabins and gewgaw.
The last couple months have brought new releases from some heavy hitters of the psychedelic realm, so I’d like to take a moment to focus on them, in an effort to momentarily tune out the endless feed of bad news that’s constantly assaulting us all. So please join me now, as we begin with Voyager To Voyager (Heavy Psych Sounds), by the legendary Dead Meadow.
The band, who have remained reliably consistent and prolific throughout their career, deliver Voyager to Voyager just three years after 2022’s Force Form Free. It’s remarkable that they’re able to deliver such a solid collection so soon, especially considering the tragic loss of bassist Steve Kille in 2024. Fortunately, the majority of his parts were recorded before his passing – so the change can’t be heard within the recordings. What can be heard is the band leaning more on their grooving psych rock (“The Space Between”), blues (“The Unhounded Now”) and folk inclinations (“Not The Season”) rather than their heavier material, but I’m not complaining! There’s a real feeling of loose and natural chemistry in these performances, presented in a very warm analog blanket, which only adds to the classic rock vibe of many of these tracks. Not only does Voyager to Voyager succeed in delivering 8 new ambitious, thrilling tracks, it also serves as a testament to Dead Meadow’s growth, staying power and chemistry. With all of this considered, Kille’s passing becomes all the more tragic. I certainly hope they continue to make new music, as this newest set is very promising.
In related news, it was recently announced on Yawning Man band socials that Jason Simon of Dead Meadow would be contributing guitar work to the desert stoner metal titans’ upcoming record (a total home run celebration for fans of heavy psych everywhere!). Additionally, Yawning Balch, a band featuring Bob Balch (Fu Manchu, Big Scenic Nowhere) and three members of Yawning Man just released Volume 3 (Heavy Psych Sounds). This inspired collection of instrumental improv jams serves up the goods and then some for anyone interested in long playing, slowly building space rock. The different styles of guitar players Bob Balch and Gary Arce complement each other nicely, with Balch often handling a solid rhythmic lead riff while Arce blasts off, creating an atmospheric bed to support it all. It’s all expertly recorded, and the performances and glossy sheen make it so most listeners probably wouldn’t even realize these pieces were improvised. As both bands share members, it’s hard not to mention Big Scenic Nowhere (covered in an earlier Head Space) as a sonic reference here, as these pieces often sound like BSN sans vocals, which may be a plus to anyone who prefers that. Overall, this is a solid release that will greatly appeal to fans of adventurous space/desert rock everywhere.
Speaking of desert/stoner rock, it’s hard to bring up the subject without mentioning Chris Goss, whose seminal production and collaborative work with Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Mark Lanegan, etc. has had an undeniable lasting influence on the genre. Production work aside, his long running band, Masters of Reality, have often led the pack in terms of taking chances to help progress the capabilities of stoner rock, and such is the case with their newest release, The Archer (Mascot Records) With a distinct effort to break away from heavy riffing, The Archer instead explores what Goss refers to as “mystic blues.” That’s not to say that you’re going to hear a bunch of BB King rehashes here- as Goss mentions on their Bandcamp page “Blues isn’t a three-chord riff progression. It’s life itself.” In other words- blues may be a jumping off point for some of these song structures, but Goss’ penchant for progressive structures and sharp left turns makes this a far cry from what many may initially refer to as blues. Instead, it leans into a mysterious sound that comes at the listeners in a far more subtle fashion than most metal listeners are used to. However, if you stick with these compositions, you’ll be treated to fabulously fuzzed out lead guitars and driving riffs, as the songs build, twist, turn and recede. The end result is an intriguing surprise from this elusive sonic titan that will undoubtedly stand tall within the band’s discography.
Reverting back to the realm of instrumental music, Unknown Mortal Orchestra released their newest collection of compositions IC-02 Bogotá (Jagjaguwar) in late March. For their last few album cycles they’ve followed each collection of vocal songs with a collection of experimental instrumental compositions. To create the instrumental compositions of this series they choose different cities to spend time in, improvise and collaborate. For this edition, the band spent time in Colombia to make music and initiate their new keyboard player, Christian Li. The results have been a real thrill for fans, as this series has given the band room to stretch out, try new things and tweak their sound. IC-02 Bogotá follows the 2023 album V and further expands upon their dub, jazz, Afrobeat and, of course, psych rock tendencies. The abundance of inspiration felt throughout these recordings is infectious, as the band jumps from one far out sound to the next with the excitement of a kid in a candy store. One can imagine this process really helps creative juices flowing, which will undoubtedly inform their next release of vocal songs. Perhaps every band should follow suit! It would be nice to hear more freewheeling experimentation from artists both commercial and non-commercial, especially in this day and age where mainstream listeners have become used to robotic perfection.
Let’s wrap this session up by traveling back to one of the current leading exporters of modern psych rock, Australia, to talk about Slipper imp and shakaerator (p(doom) records), the newest release by Babe Rainbow. This shimmering collection is bursting at the seams with good vibes and a sunny disposition. Although these songs are filled with unique arrangements, they still took a back-to-basics approach in terms of refraining from working with collaborators, as they often have in the past. To record, the band took over a massive warehouse on an old banana farm where they could get to work alongside friend and producer Timon Martin. Throughout it all, they’re able to maintain a looseness that isn’t sloppy but isn’t suffocatingly tight either. In effect, even though they often change styles from song to song, they maintain a comfortable understanding with the listener. This comfortable understanding, paired with abundant sunny melodies, makes Slipper imp and shakaerator the perfect beach soundtrack. It’s almost a shame that this album arrives in the dismal rainy season of March because it’s for sure a summer record. Just make sure to keep it banked for when the temperature rises and you touch sand again.