Floating Witch's Head Releases "You Look Like a Rainbow"
My first promise to you is that this isn’t actually about me. I promise. This first person self indulgent write up is a vehicle to navigate my own limitations as a writer. I suck at describing music objectively, but to be fair, I think everyone does. Sure I could talk about how Floating Witch’s Head is a garage-psych band, how their unique arrangement as a three piece of heavy downtuned blues-oriented guitars, organs, synths, and driving rhythms hints of a (far less “juggy”) 13th Floor Elevators. How they manage to summon the balanced songcraft of The Kinks, while incorporating a musical energy that whiffs of the great psych rock bands of yore, all while avoiding the lure of cheap nostalgia. Floating Witch’s Head invokes a gritty tube driven sound while also being uniquely their own thing. I could talk about all that, but instead I will tell you how Floating Witch’s Head makes me feel when I listen to it, which is awesome.
My second promise to you is that these songs are captured in a way that is a pleasure to listen to. This is a recording worth your attention. It is a great reminder that great albums are not about budget, but about craft and heart. As lore would have it, this album was recorded over a couple of days at the comfortable confines of Floating Witch’s Head’s studio with friend Jared Goodpaster to help engineer and mix. The result is an album that captures a perfect moment in time. It has the vibe of a band that is composed of great musicians playing great songs captured in a way that makes the listener feel as if they are in the room. There are even moments of candid studio chatter that further draw us in as listeners helping maintain the illusion that we are present and this is an exclusive concert for one.
As I raced my way West following the Columbia River listening to this collection of Floating Witch’s Head songs, I had a revelation of my own. I want to help put out records into the world and this album should be–no–NEEDS to be on vinyl. Music like this should be put out in a physical format befitting its nature. I hope you’re lucky enough to get a copy.
-Phil of Moon Ruins