Before I even began listening to The Ghost of A Saber-Toothed Tiger’s (GOASTT) new album, Midnight Sun, I was unsure about exactly what I was getting myself into. The name itself intrigued me, and I refused to let the members behind the band influence my taste in their music. I couldn’t sit through the album without listening to the similarity between John Lennon’s voice and his son, Sean Lennon. But what I appreciated was Sean’s way of utilizing his angelic voice to create avant-garde music that in essence took me through a beautiful psychedelic journey. A few years ago (and by this I mean like three) I had heard about Sean Lennon’s band in a magazine but I never bothered to listen to them. Mainly, I just admired the way the band looked and how cool it was that one of the world’s most legendary artists had a son was also making music.
After meeting at Coachella in 2004, Sean Lennon and his longtime girlfriend/model, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, dated for a couple of months until deciding to start a band of their own. One day, the couple was hanging out with Muhl’s childhood friend when both ladies decided to sing a song, a talent Muhl had never revealed to Lennon. From then on, Sean became infatuated with her voice and love for her that GOASTT began. Their band name was chosen by Lennon from one of Muhl’s many plays written during her childhood.
WHY WE DIG THEM:
There’s nothing more that I love, than a band experimenting with different sounds. GOASTT perfectly opens up their songs with unique sounds ranging from twangy string chords to eerie keyboards. Plus, I can’t deny that the love they have for each other made me have a soft spot for them.
BEST SONGS:
“Xanadu” – Twangy guitars introduce the song that later lead to escalating electric guitars. At the 2:42 mark, my mood and ears were nicely adapted to a new unveiling sound, emphasized with Muhl’s “Nah nah nah”s. The song essentially made me feel like I was entering Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory or discovering the land of Oz.
“Johannesburg” – A creepy, sinister song that has a great beginning of pounding drums. Random whistles jump throughout Muhl’s breathy, seductive vocals. Again, at the 2:42 mark, an unexpected wave of ear-pleasing synthesizers, breaks out with an accompanying trumpet that lifted me off my feet.
“Moth To A Flame” – The closing song to the album had me bobbing my head as I listened to this in my living room. If I had to describe GOASTT’s music aesthetic in a song, it would be this. This was definitely a smooth and beautiful way to end the album.
THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE GOASTT: Avant-garde — Harmonious — Psychedelic
UPCOMING SHOWS:
Friday 5/2/14 – Vintage Vinyl, Fords, NJ
Saturday 5/3/14 – Rough Trade, Brooklyn, NY
Monday 5/5/14 – U Hall, Washington, DC (w/ Jeffrey Lewis)
Wednesday 5/7/14 – Terminal West, Atlanta, GA (w/ BRONCHO)
Thursday 5/8/14 – One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA (w/ M. Ward)
Friday 5/9/14 – Club Dada, Dallas, TX (w/ BRONCHO)
Saturday 5/10/14 – ACM @ UCA Lab, Oklahoma City, OK (w/ BRONCHO)
Monday 5/12/14 – Red 7, Austin, TX (w/ BRONCHO)
Wednesday 5/14/14 – Club Congress, Tuscon, AZ (w/ Fever The Ghost)
Thursday 5/15/14 – Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ (w/ Fever The Ghost)
Friday 5/16/14 – Casbah, San Diego, CA (w/ Fever The Ghost)
Saturday 5/17/14 – El Rey, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Fever The Ghost)
Tuesday 5/20/14 – GAMH, San Francisco, CA (w/ Syd Arthur)
Thursday 5/22/14 – The Crocodile, Seattle, WA (w/ Syd Arthur)
Friday 5/23/14 – The Imperial, Vancouver, BC (w/ Syd Arthur)
Saturday 5/24/14 – Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR (w/ Syd Arthur)
Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger’s new album, Midnight Sun, is out today, April 29th, via Chimera Music. You can stream it here.
Words: Brissa Sanchez
