The Canadian psychedelic band Elephant Stone has released a follow-up of sorts to their 2024 album Back Into The Dream – an album of the remains of “what could have been”. Back Into The Garage is comprised of the home demos that frontman Rishi Dhir created during the writing process for Back Into The Dream during Christmas 2021. Dhir calls the album a “collection of charmingly imperfect songs” and a “sneak peek into [his] creative process”. This 10-track album is a delicious display of Dhir’s composition and creative abilities. Back Into the Garage is my first introduction to Rishi Dhir and Elephant Stone. Though listening to an album of demos…
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Knockout 10.27.23 – Psyched! Fest 2023. Reckling, Annabelle Chairlegs, Daydream Twins, The Grizzled Mighty and WIFE
I attended Psyched! Fest 2023 show at the Knockout on October 27th, one of multiple shows sponsored by Psyched! Radio SF. This was the sixth show in their series of shows in San Francisco. This was the smallest of all the shows, showcasing bands in a smaller and more intimate venue, where they could interact with the crowd in all their Halloween costumes. There was a DJ set by 13 Angels, playing some good standards like The Smiths and others, to set the mood of the show in between sets, “spinning melodic enchantments that will transport you to otherworldly dimensions,” but it’s also hard to hear the DJ at the…
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Fuzz Club’s Helicon – God Intentions
Following the success of their previous two albums, Glasgow psych outfit Helicon have released their latest album God Intentions on the Fuzz Club label. Recorded at Dystopia, Glasgow with producers Luigi Pasquini and Jason Shaw, God Intentions was mastered by RIDE’s Mark Gardener and includes contributions from the Rhona MacFarlane String Quartet, Lavinia Blackwall (Trembling Bells), Mark O’Donnell (Tomorrow Syndicate), Sotho Houle (French avant-garde violinist) and Anna McCracken. Formed in 2011 by brothers John-Paul and Gary Hughes in Glasgow, who were appalled by the mundane mediocrity of mainstream music, the brothers set out to “channel the cosmic noise of their Scottish homeland and sitar-led opium tainted sounds of India with…
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They Blinded Me with Psych! The Chemistry Set’s “Pink Felt Trip”
As a mom of an 8 month old, most of the music I’m currently listening to is “Baby Shark” related. And while those “doo doo doo doo”s are admittedly pretty catchy, it’s incredibly refreshing for me to get to hear something complex, ephemeral, and COOL. Pink Felt Trip, the latest album from The Chemistry Set is all of those things and more. The Chemistry Set are no newcomers to the scene- this year marks their 35th anniversary making music. The cult London Psychedelic band The Chemistry Set have quite a history. Founded by Dave Mclean and Paul Lake in 1987, the band are veterans of the alternative Manchester label “Imaginary”…
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Return of the Bay Area Psychedelic Rock Scene
"As the sun set through the clouds over Haight street, the faint sound of a Turkish drum being played can be heard in the distance amongst all the tourists, hippies, and street bohemians of the neighborhood. The Milk Bar is hosting a modern psychedelic show with bands on the bill this evening, and things were shaping up to be a nice return to form for the Bay Area psych rock scene"
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Fringed jackets and far out pop sounds: Gabriel’s Dawn’s self titled debut
"Gabriel’s Dawn are one of the most exciting bands born of the Covid lockdowns- this month, they are releasing their first full length album and I can’t get enough of their twangy jangle pop."
