Chicago-based musician Sean McConnell has been releasing EPs under the Cold Country moniker for the past several months, and has just dropped his first full-band EP, Missing the Muse, exclusively on BandCamp. While the new group may not be purely a psychedelic band, this latest EP is too good to ignore. Somewhere along the psychedelic side of the indie rock scene (or maybe the indie rock side of psychedelic scene) is where you’ll find these songs.
With its infinite layers of instrumentation and subtle hints of tambourines and toy pianos, Missing the Muse owes some of its sound to the ’60s psychedelic pop era but these 5 songs are deeply rooted in traditional folk music.
That being said, every time I think I have this EP pegged to one overarching genre, a guitar solo or driving drum beat comes in and makes me re-think my decision. If I had to choose, Missing the Muse would most likely fit best under the broad label of “folk” but its certainty not the kind of folk album your parents listened to. Decide for yourself and give a listen to the EP’s title track below.
Sean McConnell’s songs have an ethereal quality to them. Between his vocal style and the many layers of instruments and voices that accompany him, you really get lost in the music. It’s this quality that first attracted me to this EP and how I knew it was something special.
For those listeners with a broad range of musical tastes, Cold Country does it all. With layers of dreamlike melodies, hauntingly brilliant vocals and heartfelt songwriting, this EP fits right in here on Psychedelic Sunday and whatever genre you put it in. A must hear for fans of music. Period.
Sean is currently working on a follow-up as an artist-in-residence at Hill House in East Jordan, Michigan and will tour U.S. DIY spaces in August before making his Daytrotter debut in September.
For a limited time, you can pay what you want and own a digital copy of Missing The Muse from Bandcamp. Be sure to check out Cold Country’s back catalogue while you’re there.