Really sad news. Had the astute privilege to see them play several times including two shows that I either presented or co-presented and each I felt fortunate to have been there.
After mulling it over for months, Aaron Hodges has decided to leave Holy Spirits. As he is a principal member of the band, Holy Spirits cannot continue without him and will be put to an end. In the past two years, we’ve been really fortunate to have had many talented friends share in the band’s vision (and I am immensely grateful for them), and together have shared some of the best moments of our lives. But at its core Holy Spirits has been a collaboration between Aaron and myself, and that creative relationship simply needs some air. He and I have been friends since childhood, and have both a prodigious and yet tumultuous relationship. As our band was in an amazing place (having just done a tour with Gem Club, a Daytrotter session, a takeaway show at the OWS protest, along with a forthcoming Converse studio session, and about 30 recorded song sketches that could have become a full-length), his decision indeed breaks my heart.
I wanted to thank everyone who has supported Holy Spirits along the way. Whether you attended a show, or wrote about us, or just introduced yourself, I really appreciated it. Having a community such as the one we were a part of was amazing. Every band should feel as privileged. I hope to remain in this community in some way, shape or form, either hopefully with another project, or simply as a supporter. It truly does mean the world to me to be able to do so.
I choose to share this track with you because in a comp chuck full of blissed out and atmospheric beauty sat this track at the end by this Abbotsford, British Columbia native. So simple, so tender and so innocent. With just a kiss of reverb, a guitar, and a little harmonic help from some friends Joel created this organic ballad that you can listen to on your front porch breathing in the night’s air.
My bud Jamison aka Teen Daze has this wonderful way to share some of his incredibly talented friends’ music and to hopefully provide a jumping off point of these artists and keeping with the ethos of “all digital, all free”. This wonderful project is called Cultus Vibes. They’re releasing a comp tomorrow appropriately named Together for free that features Teen Daze, Bank Heist, The Parish Of Little Clifton, Manitoulin, Ghibli, Des A Boda and more!
Please download the comp tomorrow [December 6th] it’s well worth it.
I was sent to this from Thrill Jockey records to let me know that Dustin is releasing an album Dreams Say, View, Create, Shadow Leads which is due out in February. When Dustin performs he paints a colorful movie of a herd of tiny super human people on full sprint thru the Mushroom Forest.
So you know the Foals new album? Yeah. That one. It’s good right? Pretty poppy but solid. Well they worked with this fellow Aussie Jono Ma, who happens to be Jagwar Ma to craft those jams. So one would figure if Jono Ma could help the Foals graft Jams he’s got to have to have jamz of his own! Well my friend. You’re in luck. He’s got a few tracks for your aural pleasure. Crafting joyous tribal thump with a little help from some friends Gabriel Winterfield (Ghostwood) who adds some vocals, and additional percussion from Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint).
Hat tip to my bud Pasta Primavera for the rec where you can listen to another jam from Jagwar Ma.
This Friday at the Black Cat, this Tuareg diamond in the rough from Agadez, Niger is bringing extraordinary guitar playing and electrifying jams to DC.
I’m not one for black magic. However, if black magic happens to be like this, I might have to think about dabbling with the dark side. It’s a spooky soundtrack to a scene of a dark knight riding through a thick forest on a thin river standing at the front of the canoe with his best “Captain Morgan” stance with the hired old man from around the way in a ragged cloak donning a long beard paddling in slow motion.
These New Brunswick, NJ natives are releasing a limited 7” thru the Austin, TX based Marmara Records which you can order now. See kids Jersey has upside.
