We’re always happy to bring you new, up-and-coming local artists here at Psychedelic Sunday and this week we have the distinct pleasure of introducing you to Chicago’s Crown Larks.
It’s difficult to toss Crown Larks into one genre, in many ways they seem to deliberately skirt the lines between genres, intentionally avoiding being pegged down into one. What you do get from this band is a hypnotic mix of psychedelic rock and jazz with spurts of noise rock thrown in.
Quick tempo changes, blaring horns, and erratic guitar parts help to make their debut 7-track album, Catalytic Conversion, a unique listening experience. Tracks like “Malone’s Lullaby Pt. 1” and “Pt. 3: Drownt at Cost” act like sections of a fuzzy dream that become clearer and clearer as they progress until the dramatic climax of “Pt.4 Satrap” hits you like a freight train. For me, everything became clear when I stopped trying to categorize what I was hearing and simply let the album take over.
By the time the 6 min. epic “Aquarium” comes on, you have no choice but to continue on this journey you started and let the haunting minor chords take you further away from reality. Singer/Guitarist Jack Bouboushian’s gentle vocal delivery and the smooth R&B infused keyboard parts of Lorraine Bailey make this song one of the albums standouts.
The track leads directly into the powerful jazzed up instrumental, “Blue Lobsters” that turns into an all out psychedelic jam session by the end of it.
Closing the album out is a great live track that gives you a taste of what to expect out of the band’s stage performance. Catalytic Conversion is without question one of the most unique and refreshing records to come out of Chicago this year.
The band has a ton of shows coming up, most of them in the Chicago area but they will be making their way as far east as New York and Washington D.C. next month. Do not miss their live show, and prepare yourself for it by downloading this fantastic album via bandcamp. Even better, buy yourself a cassette or cd copy for the car ride to the show. Highly recommended listening.
UPCOMING SHOWS:
October 22nd Chicago, IL @ Fireside Bowl
October 26th Chicago, IL @ Wallyworld
November 1st Chicago, IL @ WHPK Radio
November 8th Chicago, IL @ The Observatory
November 9th Detroit, MI @ Trumbullplex
For Crown Lark’s full tour schedule please visit their tour page.
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