Rick McNulty hosts Left of the Dial Friday nights, 7-11 pm. Follow him on Twitter @Rick_Daddy
Prog rock is the punch line of plenty of jokes from music critics. We tend to think of prog as songs about mysterious castles, magic elves, and Rapunzel-like princesses. But what if prog had a bit of an edge? Less fairy-tale and more non-fiction? Oh, and a large psychedelic component?
Welcome to the world of All Them Witches, a talented band of musicians out of Nashville. They have a sprawling new album called Dying Surfer Meets His Maker which launches into blissed out psychedelic jams amidst a giant soundscape – the kind that scared your parents when you were locked in your room in junior high.
And yet the lead vocals from bassist Michael Parks, Jr., won’t frighten anyone. He has the same gentle lilt of David Gilmour from Pink Floyd or Daniel Rossen from Grizzly Bear. He’s there to soothe you before Ben McLeod sets fire to his guitar. Listen below for standout tracks, including the tumultuous instrumental “El Centro.” Also: their second album is being reissued this month by New West. Check out the dizzy blues of “When God Comes Back.”
