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Jason Simon – guitar, vocals Steve Kille – bass, sitar Stephen McCarty – drums Cory Shane - guitar 'Feathers' is the fourth studio album by Washington DC’s Dead Meadow, its second for Matador Records, and its first as a quartet with new guitarist Cory Shane. Dead Meadow play an unusual blend of flawless Hendrix/Sabbath riffage, dreamy psych, heavy undulating rhythms, dirty blues-rock, and environmental jams, with eerie high-pitched vocals. Miles beyond “stoner rock” gimmickry, this is a beautifully natural sound, played by expert instinctive musicians Dead Meadow met in the DC punk/indie scene, though their music draws from more faraway sources. The band formed in the fall of 1998 from the ashes of local bands The Impossible Five and Colour, when singer-guitarist Jason Simon, bassist Steve Kille, and drummer Mark Laughlin set out to fuse their love of early 70's hard rock and 60’s psychedelia with their love of writers J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft. Dead Meadow released their six-song debut in 2000 on Fugazi bassist Joe Lally's Tolotta Records, and a joint vinyl release on D.C. indie label Planaria Records. In 2001 the band released its second album, Howls From The Hills, on Tolotta. Where the first self-titled album was recorded in their practice space for a couple hundred dollars and plenty of learning curves, Howls From The Hills was born in a barn in Liberty, Indiana. Their sound fuller without losing its live essence, the band grew to encompass everything from ambient guitar drones to surging psych-funk sludge, blues-folk tunes to barbiturate space-rock, and some southern slow boogie thrown in for good measure. Dead Meadow released their six-song debut in 2000 on Fugazi bassist Joe Lally's Tolotta Records, and a joint vinyl release on D.C. indie label Planaria Records. In 2001 the band released its second album, 'Howls From The Hills,' on Tolotta. Where the first self-titled album was recorded in their practice space for a couple hundred dollars and plenty of learning curves, 'Howls From The Hills' was born in a barn in Liberty, Indiana. Their sound fuller without being overcomplicated or losing any of its live organic essence, the band grew to encompass everything from ambient guitar drones to surging psych-funk sludge, sparse blues-folk ballads to distorted barbiturate space-rock, and a sprinkling of southern slow boogie thrown in for good measure. In spring 2002, original drummer Mark Laughlin reluctantly quit the group, replaced by old friend and previous collaborator Stephen McCarty (whose grandfather's farmhouse is where the band recorded Howls From the Hills). Also in mid-2002 the band found an unlikely patron in Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe, who recorded, produced and printed Dead Meadow's live disc 'Got Live if You Want' it on his "Committee to Keep Music Evil" imprint of the legendary Bomp label. Soon after, they recorded a Peel Session at the Fugazi practice space - the first time the BBC recorded a Peel Session outside their own studios. Shortly after signing with Matador in 2003, Dead Meadow self-produced 'Shivering King And Others' in the basement studio of the DC Pirate House over five months and during a busy schedule of touring. Along with the heavy rockers and bluesy numbers as on the previous two records, the band went deeper into the psychedelic realm, with chiming acoustic touches and lovely, disorienting ballads. With the addition of 2nd guitarist Cory Shane and beautifully spacious production, 'Feathers' opens up the Dead Meadow sound still further, seeming at once more experimental and more accessible than anything they’ve recorded thus far. The record captures the famous intensity of their live show, but songs like "At Her Open Door" and "Stacy’s Song" reveal an obsessive beauty as jarring as sheer volume. Jason’s guitar virtuosity is at its peak, as influenced by the droning modal character of Eastern music as by classic rock riffs. Ever deeper, Dead Meadow remain one step ahead of expectations. Select Discography Dead Meadow (Tolotta) 2000 Howls From The Hills (Tolotta) 2001 Got Live If You Want It (Bomp/Comittee To Keep Music Evil) 2002 Shivering King and Others (Matador) 2003
Jason Simon – guitar, vocals Steve Kille – bass, sitar Stephen McCarty – drums Cory Shane - guitar 'Feathers' is the fourth studio album by Washington DC’s Dead Meadow, its second for Matador Records, and its first as a quartet with new guitarist Cory Shane. Dead Meadow play an unusual blend of flawless Hendrix/Sabbath riffage, dreamy psych, heavy undulating rhythms, dirty blues-rock, and environmental jams, with eerie high-pitched vocals. Miles beyond “stoner rock” gimmickry, this is a beautifully natural sound, played by expert instinctive musicians Dead Meadow met in the DC punk/indie scene, though their music draws from more faraway sources. The band formed in the fall of 1998 from the ashes of local bands The Impossible Five and Colour, when singer-guitarist Jason Simon, bassist Steve Kille, and drummer Mark Laughlin set out to fuse their love of early 70's hard rock and 60’s psychedelia with their love of writers J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft. Dead Meadow released their six-song debut in 2000 on Fugazi bassist Joe Lally's Tolotta Records, and a joint vinyl release on D.C. indie label Planaria Records. In 2001 the band released its second album, Howls From The Hills, on Tolotta. Where the first self-titled album was recorded in their practice space for a couple hundred dollars and plenty of learning curves, Howls From The Hills was born in a barn in Liberty, Indiana. Their sound fuller without losing its live essence, the band grew to encompass everything from ambient guitar drones to surging psych-funk sludge, blues-folk tunes to barbiturate space-rock, and some southern slow boogie thrown in for good measure. Dead Meadow released their six-song debut in 2000 on Fugazi bassist Joe Lally's Tolotta Records, and a joint vinyl release on D.C. indie label Planaria Records. In 2001 the band released its second album, 'Howls From The Hills,' on Tolotta. Where the first self-titled album was recorded in their practice space for a couple hundred dollars and plenty of learning curves, 'Howls From The Hills' was born in a barn in Liberty, Indiana. Their sound fuller without being overcomplicated or losing any of its live organic essence, the band grew to encompass everything from ambient guitar drones to surging psych-funk sludge, sparse blues-folk ballads to distorted barbiturate space-rock, and a sprinkling of southern slow boogie thrown in for good measure. In spring 2002, original drummer Mark Laughlin reluctantly quit the group, replaced by old friend and previous collaborator Stephen McCarty (whose grandfather's farmhouse is where the band recorded Howls From the Hills). Also in mid-2002 the band found an unlikely patron in Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe, who recorded, produced and printed Dead Meadow's live disc 'Got Live if You Want' it on his "Committee to Keep Music Evil" imprint of the legendary Bomp label. Soon after, they recorded a Peel Session at the Fugazi practice space - the first time the BBC recorded a Peel Session outside their own studios. Shortly after signing with Matador in 2003, Dead Meadow self-produced 'Shivering King And Others' in the basement studio of the DC Pirate House over five months and during a busy schedule of touring. Along with the heavy rockers and bluesy numbers as on the previous two records, the band went deeper into the psychedelic realm, with chiming acoustic touches and lovely, disorienting ballads. With the addition of 2nd guitarist Cory Shane and beautifully spacious production, 'Feathers' opens up the Dead Meadow sound still further, seeming at once more experimental and more accessible than anything they’ve recorded thus far. The record captures the famous intensity of their live show, but songs like "At Her Open Door" and "Stacy’s Song" reveal an obsessive beauty as jarring as sheer volume. Jason’s guitar virtuosity is at its peak, as influenced by the droning modal character of Eastern music as by classic rock riffs. Ever deeper, Dead Meadow remain one step ahead of expectations. Select Discography Dead Meadow (Tolotta) 2000 Howls From The Hills (Tolotta) 2001 Got Live If You Want It (Bomp/Comittee To Keep Music Evil) 2002 Shivering King and Others (Matador) 2003
'Shivering King And Others' is the third studio album by Washington DC power trio Dead Meadow, and its first for Matador Records. It clocks in past 62 minutes and is possibly the most interesting and diverse album we will release this year. The Spiel Dead Meadow are three completely synched brains releasing a most unusual and original heavy rock potion. We haven't heard drums-bass-guitar get this focused, loud or important this side of 'Split'-era Groundhogs or Human Instinct's 'Stoned Guitar', and if you can't figure that one out, this is as high praise as you can get.You can’t just call it "stoner" or "psychedelic" rock; it's a complete natural sound, played by expert autodidact musicians. We don't have a name for what they do; "organic heavy music" mysteriously hasn't won anyone over yet. But we can assure you that we will keep thinking about it. You should too, but in the meantime, please step into the zone - there is still ample room up front, but not for very long. The History Dead Meadow met while attending all-ages punk shows in and around the DC punk/indie scene, though the music draws more from the sound of such rock legends as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Black Sabbath. The band formed in the fall of 1998 from the ashes of local indie rock bands The Impossible Five and Colour, by singer-guitarist Jason Simon, bassist Steve Kille, and drummer Mark Laughlin. The three members set out to fuse their love of early 70's hard rock and 60’s psychedelia with their love of writers J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft. With these fantasy visions of strange lands - as well as a heavy dose of punk energy - they created something even more esoteric than mere comparisons can conjure. Dead Meadow released their six-song debut in 2000 on Fugazi bassist Joe Lally's Tolotta Records, and a joint vinyl release on D.C. indie label Planaria Records. In 2001 the band released its second album, 'Howls From The Hills', on Tolotta. Where the first self-titled album was recorded in their practice space for a couple hundred dollars and plenty of learning curves, 'Howls From The Hills' was born in a barn in Liberty, Indiana. Their sound fuller without being overcomplicated or losing any of its live organic essence, the band grew to encompass everything from ambient guitar drones to surging psych-funk sludge, sparse blues-folk ballads to distorted barbiturate space-rock, and a sprinkling of southern slow boogie thrown in for good measure. In spring 2002 Dead Meadow had a bit of a shakeup; with the pressures of touring and his own personal issues, drummer Mark Laughlin reluctantly quit the group, replaced by old friend and previous collaborator Stephen McCarty. McCarty had in fact been a part of Dead Meadow since the beginning, adding extra instrumentation from time to time and even the use of his grandfather's farmhouse in Indiana where the band recorded 'Howls From the Hills'. Also in mid-2002 the band would also get an unlikely patron in Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe, who recorded, produced and printed Dead Meadow's recent live disc 'Got Live if You Want it' on his "Committee to Keep Music Evil" imprint of legendary garage/psyche label Bomp. Last year, they had the honor of being invited to record a John Peel Session for BBC Radio One, though this was recorded in the states at the Fugazi practice space - the first time the BBC recorded a Peel Session outside their own studios. Shortly after signing with Matador last year, Dead Meadow went back to the drawing board for their third album, self-producing 'Shivering King And Others' in the basement studio of the DC Pirate House over five months and during a busy schedule of touring. With almost a double record's worth of material, there are the "heavy rockers" and "bluesy" numbers as on the previous two, but there is also an overall psychedelic feel not yet touched in either of the Tolotta records. On top of the three-piece "jams," the band has played with Moogs and sitars, drone boxes and all forms of vintage tape echo and spring reverb units, for a taste of vintage heavy pop swirling into the circular trip of great psyche. Warning Dead Meadow will be bringing their unique marriage of Sabbath riffs, dreamy layers of guitar fuzz, and Jason Simon's high-pitched melodic croon to the US and Europe throughout 2003, and are always looking to play sacred sites. We thank you. Select Discography Dead Meadow (Tolotta) 2000 Howls From The Hills (Tolotta) 2001 Got Live If You Want It (Bomp/Comittee To Keep Music Evil) 2002 Shivering King and Others (Matador) 2003 |
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