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An Albatross
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An Albatross is a psychedelic sonic orgasm; a barrage of mechanical, jerky and discombobulated time signatures eclipsed by hectic Farfisa organ/synthesizer melodies. Not unlike sitting down with an average American family during primetime television, the music is unquestionably attention-span friendly for an ADD-diagnosed society: unbelievably short, complex, infectious bursts of polyrhythms and spirit.
After solidifying their early tour experiences and songwriting in the studio, a fledgling incarnation of the band in 2000 released the 12" EP "Eat Lightning, Sh*t Thunder" on Philadelphia upstart label When Humans Attack! The enhanced CD version, featuring explosive live footage that captures the unique synergism between the band and their audiences, followed soon afterwards on Bloodlink Records. In 2002, An Albatross caught the attention of New York City's Ace-Fu Label and forged a relationship that culminated in the 2003 release of the eight-minute aural onslaught, "We Are the Lazer Viking," an enhanced CD EP produced by sonic savant Wharton Tiers (Sonic Youth, Helmet, Dinosaur Jr.). Quickly thereafter, the band released a follow-up split EP with Oakland's legendary noise-rock outfit XBXRX on the Gold Standard Labs (GSL) label. September 2004 marked the beginning of the current line up featuring incendiary percussionist Edward Klinger, writhing, psychedel-evangelist vocalist Eddie B. Gieda III, rhythmic contortionista bassist Jay Hudak, circuit-bent breakneck speed-guitarist Jake Lisowski, and Farfisa-master, Phillip Reynolds Price. With an unparalleled spirit stimulated by the current line-up and several recent releases in its pocket, the band set forth on an unbelievably rigorous tour schedule, crisscrossing the U.S. multiple times and making two transatlantic pilgrimages for a staggering total of 600+ performances. The most noteworthy of these dates included a slot on the July '04 French Eurockeennes Festival, a March '05 BBC session - initiated by the late John Peel - and a support slot for the East Coast leg of the legendary Melt Banana's 2005 spring tour. The band's performances have now acquired a quasi-legendary status, surpassing the traditional concert schema by facilitating a complete fusion of band and audience. Under the mythical banner of future-primitive/psychedelic entities like the Lazer Viking and The Electric Coyote, An Albatross' Revolutionary Politics of Dance are executed nightly through their electrifying performances. |
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