Fuzzy Cracklins album reviews stoner desert psych metal doom music: Chicago

Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Psych metal FARSEER's S/T album debut

I'm finally catching up on my reviews after the holidays, but I was listening to a lot of music and one album that got a lot of spins in The Swamp in December was the self-titled debut album from Chicago's FARSEER. This album sounds way beyond the typical debut effort and it delivers 47 minutes of a mostly instrument mix of progressive psych and sludge metal with two different singing styles added onto a few of the songs. I really dig this album. Take a listen:

I picked "Mouse Utopia" as one of Fuzzy's Fresh Picks on last month's show on Par9noid's Metal Underground so I guess that's my favorite song from the album. It's got a nonstop pounding rhythmn combined with guitars floating over the top, and vocals that kick in at just the right time. But it was not easy to pick a favorite from this album because it mitaintains a nearly perfect blend of progressive psych and sludge for the full 47 minutes.

The vocals do not dominate this album. Half the songs are instrumental, and when the vocals kick in they blend so seamlessly with the music it's like they are another instrument. That being said, I really dig the two styles of vocals. "Mouse Utopia" is full-bore gritty then when it gets to "Sleep in the Sound" we have a mix of those along with more angelic vocals.

Farseer is:

Brendan McCarthy: Guitar + Vocals
Ted Ballantine: Guitar
George Burrows: Bass
Kyle Curtis: Drums

From the band:

Blending post-metal and Floydian psychedelics with crushing riffs and consuming atmosphere, Farseer is a dynamic 4-piece progressive metal project from Chicago.

Influenced by / FFO:

Led Zeppelin, Modest Mouse, Baroness, Torche, Deafheaven, Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, Pink Floyd, Mastodon, Pelican, Russian Circles

Upcoming shows:

January 10 at Penny Road Pub in Barringon, IL with The Darkhorse Collective show info

Farseer on Bandcamp

Farseer on Facebook

Farseer on Instagram

Join Fuzzy's CD of the Month

Fuzzy Cracklins Presents
heavy underground music from The Swamp featuring

ADVENT VARIC blackened stoner metal
DEAD PANDA stoner punk
OPIUM WARLOCK psychedelic doom legion
THE LANCASTERS psych rock
DOS BRUJOS metal jams
CROW BALLARD folk psych
KAVOD meditative doom
TRIPPING HAZE CEREMONY stoner doom
WIZENED TREE stoner rock

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

On My Way by The Count is pure psychedelic bliss -- music review and band interview by Fuzzy Cracklins

On My Way by The Count

You guys know that me and Dr. Greenthumb love all kinds of psychedelic music, after all we did a comp together on Bandcamp a few months ago with over three hours of great music. Jams, improvised, doom psych, stoner psych, live, and even more. A sampler of everything that is going on today in the psychedelic music scene. So the point is, I dig psychedelic music!

So you can imagine when I got the word from my friends in Sleeping Child (check out my review here) that I went to go check out the new single from The Count so I could take a listen. Have a listen for yourself to The Count's new single, On My Way:

This is exactly what psychedelic means to anyone when you say, It's a psychedelic song. Right? I suppose now that we have doom psych and stoner psych and all that, I have to call On My Way something, so maybe I should call it "traditional" psychedelic. If this song came out in 1968 you would say, "Oh yea this is a groovy song." And it is groovy! The most important thing about music from that era was, Did it make you feel good or not? And this song makes you feel good. No doubt about it.

So let's meet The Count! He kindly took the time to answer a few questions:

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Tell us a little about yourself?

I’m 27 years old, based in Chicago. The Count is my solo project, and I play all the instruments that you hear in my songs. That includes recording them in my studio as well as mixing them. The project idea is many years old, but it only took off last year with my very first release which was The Count & His Majestic Band EP.

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Do you always use the full name of the band?

I’ve actually changed the name of the project to just “The Count” so that’s why there is a difference in title from my EP to my single. I’m still keeping the “Majestic Band” part for my backing band, whenever I play live.

FUZZY CRACKLINS: I'm sure your fans in Chicago will be glad to hear about you getting a band together! Tell us about it.

I put a backing band together a couple months ago, and unfortunately no live shows at the moment, but there will be very soon! [Fuzzy says to check out The Count's social links below to keep track of his upcoming shows!]

FUZZY CRACKLINS: What kind of music inspires your music?

The music that inspires me the most is anything that is full and lush sounding, like the “wall of sound” kind of deal. With that being said I love Beach Boys – Pet Sounds and many 60’s and 70’s psych bands. Brian Jonestown Massacre is also a big influence for me as well as plenty of other 80’s and 90’s stuff like The Jesus and Mary Chain, Spiritualized, Oasis, The Verve. Some more modern bands like Chatham Rise and Elephant Stone, and plenty more. [Fuzzy says maybe I should invite The Count to help me with my next psychedelic comp, right??]

FUZZY CRACKLINS: What's coming up for The Count?

I have more singles to release in the near future, kind of exploring and trying out different styles, but nothing that strays away too much from my sound.

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Good to hear! I'm looking forward to your next songs. Thank you for taking the time, Count!

The Count on Bandcamp

The Count on Instagram

The Count on YouTube