IV

by Psychic Temple

Overview

Chris Schlarb's Psychic Temple is an ever-changing collective with a revolving door lineup including dozens of musicians, and a similarly eclectic range of styles. Through jazz, country, drone, and singer/songwriter folk pop, the group keep things cosmically minded. 2016 brought the Temple's most accessible full-length yet (Psychic Temple III) in addition to covers of Brian Eno's ambient landmark Music for Airports as well as Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" on a 7" single titled Two Songs About Cults. Participants on IV include British folk-rock legend Terry Reid, indie pop songwriter Avi Buffalo, and jazz drummer Chad Taylor (Chicago Underground Duo), among many others, but of course, the Temple is about the collective effort, not the egos of the individual members. The album's songs are generally smooth, mellow, and dreamy, sometimes recalling the adult contemporary indie stylings of the Sea and Cake with a bit more of a down-home flavor, but beyond that, they're all quite different. Opener "Spanish Beach" is a slow drifter with hints of castanets and mariachi-like trumpet. "Wait for Me" is more upbeat, with a thumping, galloping rhythm and shimmering keyboards and backing harmony vocals. "Turn Off the Lights" is another highlight, with a simmering yet still relaxed groove and sitar-sounding notes adding a mystical flair to the adventurous proceedings. "S.O.S.," an expansive piece of downbeat yearning, is reprised from the previous year's cult-themed single. "The Art of Giving Up" leans a bit closer to the Pet Sounds-isms of the High Llamas, but somehow seems a bit more restrained. Instrumental "Isabella Ocean Blue" ends the album, filled with tricky, string-bending jazz-guitar soloing and warm layers of horns and distant-sounding organ notes. Curiously, most of the album's tracks end prematurely, giving way to brief instrumental codas which seem unrelated to the songs they bridge together, adding to the album's dream-like feel. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	07/14/2017
Label:	JOYFUL NOISE RECORDS
UPC:	0714270691256

Tracks

1. Spanish Beach
2. Wait for Me
3. Dream Dictionary
4. Turn Off the Lights
5. Nazarene Dream
6. SOS
7. Paper Tiger
8. If I Don't Leave They'll Take Me Away
9. The Art of Giving Up
10. Isabella Ocean Blue

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Psychic Temple   Primary Artist
John Clement Wood   Keyboards
Chad Taylor   Drums
Davin Givhan   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Tabor Allen   Drums
Arlene Deradoorian   Vocals
Anthony Shadduck   Double Bass
Philip Glenn   Violin,Mandolin,Keyboards
Jeremy Trezona   Sax (Tenor)
Eamon Fogarty   Vocals
Lloyd Harmon   Vocals
Mike Baggetta   Guitar (Electric)
Avi Buffalo   Guitar (Electric)
Mick Rossi   Wurlitzer
Kris Tiner   Trumpet
Nedelle Torrisi   Vocals
Danny Frankel   Percussion
Danny T. Levin   Trombone
David Moyer   Sax (Baritone)
Steuart Liebig   Bass
Nathan Hubbard   Vibraphone
Max Bennett   Bass (Electric)

Technical Credits

Jeff Lewis   Engineer
Steve Krolikowski   Assistant Engineer
Tabor Allen   Composer
Olivia Hemaratanatorn   Cover Photo,Photography
Jeremy Trezona   Horn Arrangements
William Caleb Parker   Assistant Engineer
Devin O'Brien   Engineer,Photography
Ian Sefchick   Photography
Ronan Chris Murphy   Mixing
Ian Souter   Photography
Chris Schlarb   Producer,Composer,Arranger