Big Blood – “Big Blood & The Wicked Hex” – [Phase! Records]

magic jack   9/12/2012   12-inch, A Library

Psych Folk/Rock – This limited edition (350 copies) LP with screen-printed cover is on Phase! Records. It was recorded at home by Big Blood (Colleen Kinsella and Caleb Mulkerin) and released July 1st, 2011. The first song Run starts with some low rumble then single string guitar picking. Then the whole thing starts to build with the help of heavy, distorted bass and Colleen’s vocals (which are hauntingly familiar like something from the 60s psychedelic era) that chant run run run… Then the song fades back to the rumble thunder that leads into the next song which sounds like a dissonant tribal war cry with wailing vocals backed by continuous chanting “I will love you.” Next comes Never Let Me Go which starts to sound like an anthem with its marching beat and chanting vocals.
Side B starts with Keening – very faint sounds of children singing Happy Birthday To You then an accordion and surrealistic operatic vocals begin. The song slowly builds with background restaurant noises and then electronica. I felt like I was watching Eraserhead. The final song Water is like a dreamy haunting dirge marching through time.

Overall, and excellent record!!! Very diverse mix of sounds, textures and haunting vocals.