Charts and Maps

Another gem I wanted to share with you today is Charts and Maps. Formed in Los Angeles and sadly broken up band has a distinctive and pretty unique psychedelic jazz-rock sound. Combined with elements of math and post rock influences it creates a very interesting listening experience, taking you to the streets of a big city, somewhat taking you back to the jazz times. The bright tones and sax layers make it all very stylish. This band was claimed to be one of the most interesting live experiences of the LA underground scene. And it is best represented in their only full-length album - "Dead Horse" (2011). Makes me think I'd give things to witness them on stage.

Little is known of their actual history, mostly just other projects they've played. Such Heard of Elephants, The Nocturnes, Random Patterns and Woolen. Sadly non of these bands didn't get me to experience that feeling Charts and Maps do. Random Patterns sometimes get close and is overall a nice listen non the less.

Here are some of the favorite songs and some links:

http://chartsandmaps.bandcamp.com/
http://www.last.fm/music/Charts+and+Maps
https://myspace.com/chartsandmaps

Sweet Smoke

Hey guys! Yeah, it's been a while, I know... Had to take care of some things (like my head for instance). The times of this band were also quite a while ago. So let us go on a trip to the end of the 60's and the beginning of the 70's, times of changes and rise of psychedelic rock scene, when it really started shaping into something powerful. The band I'm talking about today is Sweet Smoke. Some of you might know the band, me - I just stumbled upon this gem few months ago. If you are looking for some nice and chilled out tunes, with flutes, acoustic guitars, violins, sax, cellos and piano interludes - well this is the thing you are looking for. This is some classic psych nicely mixed with jazz. Perfect relaxation music!

Sweet Smoke was born in mid 60's in Brooklyn, NY. After playing an audition gig in a bar, they were offered to play in the Caribbean. Guys took the offer, quit the schools and went on. What followed was months of extensive playing every night for hours and hours, and so the band solidified in a sense. Their sound acquired shape... Soon after, they've decided that going back to Brooklyn wasn't an option, and after some debates they've moved to Germany to live as a commune. There they record and release their first effort called "Just a Poke" (1970). Filled with soothing melodies and the feels of summer, sun, lying around on the grass, by a river and embracing life as it is... Truly a hippie sound.
During later years the band had taken a pause from making music, and most of the members took off on a road trip to India, where they've stayed for a year, in Ashram, learning meditation and chanting. It had greatly impacted their next album, released in 1973. "Darkness to Light" was the last actual album (except for the live record, released later on). More instruments have been incorporated and the band grew by 2 more members.

Band members are alive to this day, and sometimes gather for some laughs and jams. Taste the sound of freedom for your selves:

http://sweetsmokeband.com
https://www.facebook.com/sweetsmoke
http://www.last.fm/music/Sweet+Smoke
http://www.youtube.com/artist/sweet-smoke?feature=watch_video_title

Prisma Circus

I wanted to review this band for a while now, and when you'll hear them, you'll know why. Warm welcomes to you from Barcelona heavy psych trio Prisma Circus! The band first formed as a duet of Alex Carmona Blanco on drums and Joaquin Escudero Arce on bass/vox in the late 2010 and started their work on songs, was later joined by a brilliant guitarist Oscar Garcia Albizu. The line-up stayed the same to this day. And isn't it a great one? Fluent and funky psychedelic rhythms, tones full of fuzz and wah, cool beats and damn nice vox. It all mashes up into an outstanding mix of spacey psychedelia, that sounds to be influenced by many great 60's and 70's rock artists. With all the interesting and pretty original moves they manage to make you swirl in the sound. Really sunny and summery!

Prisma Circus released an 4-track EP in 2012 and is now almost finished on their first full-length album! Even more of a reason to mention them. I will be reviewing the new album as soon as I get my hands on it. For now, all of you Hendrix, Floyd, Astra and blues-rock admirers - you'll love what follows:

http://prismacircus.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/prismacircus
https://myspace.com/prismacircus
http://www.last.fm/music/Prisma+Circus
http://www.discogs.com/Prisma-Circus-Prisma-Circus/release/3815323

Second Grave

It's been a while without some decent doom! And in the moment of need it found me on it's own. Ladies and gentlemen, here's a fresh doom from Boston, Massachusetts - Second Grave. The band formed in 2012 as Gein on bass, Chuck Ferreira on drums, Chris Drzal on guitar and Krista Van Guilder on vocals and guitar (!). They've managed to record their debut album that same year. No surprise since all of the band members are experienced musicians who have participated/participate in such acts as Black Pyramid, Obsidian Halo, Dahlia's Dead, Warhorse and others.

I would like to mention separately, that the band's forntman, or should I say frontwoman, has a gorgeous voice. Those rock bands with female vocals ain't too much of an widespread phenomenon, and rock bands with great female vocals are so much more rare. I take my hat off and say that this is the case. She really doesn't go over the line of what she can perfectly pull off, and what she can pull off sounds great as is.  The band plays the sort of classic style of doom with the dark aura and literature topics. The production on the record is pretty good. Can't say that the musical part is exceptional but it manages to keep attention some 70% of the time. There are some really good tracks, like 'Covet', the instrumental track 'Salvation' and 'Soul Extinction', and there are the less inspired tracks that frankly seemed kind of repetitive and monotonous on both vocals and music. But I must say, that the band does have that something that makes them work. They probably need to spend some more time together writing songs and, hopefully, next album will bring us more of the doom awesomeness!

The band is non the less good, and that 'Covet' track I just fell in love with.
Go on and listen, support and make sacrifices:

http://www.secondgrave.com/
http://secondgrave.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/secondgraveband

Track of the Day: Various Artists - Reformation Blues

A very chilled out day today! Finally feeling rested and well slept. Still dying to get the fuck out of work and get home to my new VOX VT20+ and wait for the soon-to-be-mine Epiphone LP Standard PlusTop! Other good news include me finally getting the internet connected at my new place and which most probably will translate into more posts for you guys, so stay tuned. 

And the main reason of this post is this here gem of a track. The album can be checked out at Discogs, all tracks should be available on youtube. I am already considering getting it!

The Sizlacks

It's a perfect day for something laid back today. I figured it's time to write about The Sizlacks, a psychedelic surfer rock from Australia. The one and only Australia, packed with poisonous wombats and deadly pigeons, sea crocodiles and most venomous jellyfish. Yet there's still room to be chilled and laid back surfer dude, long hair, beards and brilliant psychedelic rock! So this trio arose in a beautiful city of Perth on the western coast of Australia, and started delivering swirling and stoner waves right at us! And along with these waves - the brilliant artworks that accompany each song. Seriously guys, whoever is doing these artworks - you, sir, are a genius!

The band it self is pretty fresh and started out just recently, so there ain't a lot of material really, but the stuff that is available is damn gorgeous! Everything from guitar tones, drums and all the way to vocals seems right spot-on. The surfer vibe is perfectly there and makes you want to grab that desk from under the PC and go catch a wave. A very advisable listen to any one who likes chilled out psychedelia and such bands as Brujas del Sol.

So join us for some brilliant summer vibes:

http://thesizlacks.bandcamp.com/album/the-sizlacks-demos
https://www.facebook.com/TheSizlacks
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Sizlacks
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSizlacks