"Here's a band that could splice the DNA of Syd Barrett and Soft Machine with Iggy Pop and the Velvet Underground, that could bridge post-psychedelic mind-altering electronics with a buzzed proto-punk urgency: the ultimate garage band." - Pitchfork
A bridge between the psychedelic and punk eras that no one crossed at the time. A harbinger of the future from the past working in the present tense. Saucer was - and still IS - Canada's foremost psychedelic/proto-punk (whatever THAT means) unit was responsible for creating some of the most intense, out-there musical moments inthe mid-to late '70's.
Saucer combined Detroit street rock grit w/Velvet Underground -inspiration, mixed it with Kraut-rock and early electronic experimentation and came up with something original. "Cyborgs Revisited" , a compilation of demos and live material was originally released in 1989 on a piece of pressed petroleum-by-product, was re-issued in 2003 on CD by Sonic Unyon, and has garnered great gobs of press.
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Mendocino County in Northern California is known for its spectacular coastline views, immense redwood trees in ancient forests and abundant nature that remains largely undisturbed by man. It is perhaps the most logical home base for a band like Carlton Melton, who compose and record their music in a geodesic dome (a.k.401ka. The Dome). It is the perfect setting for a band creating meditative soundtracks freed from the constraints of traditional song composition.
While Carlton Melton’s sound is heavily inspired by psychedelic music, it is equal parts, blues, rock, improvisation and drone. Whether the band is hanging on a well-defined riff reminiscent of Led Zeppelin or Joe Walsh or largely abandoning conventional music structure à la Spacemen 3 and Bardo Pond, Carlton Melton uses layers, textures and repetition to create music that makes full use of the spaces in between notes and chord changes … sonic explorations if you will.
The music that Carlton Melton makes is bold and does not hesitate to “go there” just to see what the heck might be still left out there in the world of unexplored improvisational and psychedelic music. And there is a lot of ground left to explore and cover. Whether it’s in The Dome or in the live setting, Carlton Melton give themselves full permission to realize and create spontaneous sounds and create genuine musical gestures that resonate beautifully with audiences throughout the world. How many bands can claim that?
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Shively's homegrown heroes Blackplate self describe as: Flood Plain Dirge Punk Quiet Loud Quiet Louder.