Written partly during Tim Cohen’s stay at an isolated horse ranch in Arizona with only a guitar, Korg keyboard and drum machine, The Fresh & Onlys’ House of Spirits possesses the impeccable pop faculties displayed on the band’s last two albums while also presenting experimental atmospherics and drum machine-anchored ballads never heard from the group before. The album testifies to the band’s rigorous full-length approach with firmer narratives than on past material – the A-side is devoted to the absurd and unreliable character of dreams culled from Cohen’s nightly subconscious activity at the ranch while the latter half finds the speaker awoken, resolute and lucid. All throughout, Cohen says the album grapples with the “idea that home is where your feet are.”
In recording House of Spirits, The Fresh & Onlys – Cohen, bassist Shayde Sartin, guitarist Wymond Miles and drummer Kyle Gibson – wanted to honor the mysterious vibe the desert gave to Cohen’s songs as well as his singular approach to glistening pop with sinister undertones. Recorded with Phil Manley (Trans Am) at his Lucky Cat Studios in San Francisco, the seasoned ensemble’s fiery feel, lush analog production, and careful arrangements are prevalent throughout, but it also presents The Fresh & Onlys’ experimental tendencies. Take for instance, album track, “Bells of Paonia,” featuring violent, churning guitar noise between gospel-like vocal interplay.
House of Spirits, The Fresh & Onlys’ second album for Mexican Summer following releases on Castle Face, In The Red, Captured Tracks and Woodsist, is out June 10. The band will play several shows at SXSW next week and tour the US and Europe this spring and summer. All dates are below.
Thu. March 13 @ 7:45pm – Austin, TX @ The Yellow Jacket, 1704 E. 5th St. (Juxtapoz Magazine)
Fri. March 14 @ 4:00pm – Austin, TX @ Waterloo Records, 600 A N. Lamar
Fri. March 14 @ 10:25pm – Austin, TX @ Swan Dive, 614 Red River St. (Mexican Summer Showcase)
Sat. March 15 @ 4:30pm – Austin, TX @ The Scoot Inn, 1308 E. 4th St. (Converse Death Match)
Sat. March 15 @ 7:00pm – Austin, TX @ Hotel San Jose, 1316 S. Congress Ave.
Fri. May 2 – Sun. May 4 – Austin, TX @ Austin Psych Fest