“The Black Angels bring the aura of mid-1966 the drilling guitars of early Velvet Underground shows, the raga inflections of late-show Fillmore jams, the acid-prayer stomp of Austin avatars the 13th Floor Elevators everywhere they go, including the levitations on their second album, Directions to See a Ghost. Mid-Eighties echoes of Spacemen 3 and the Jesus and Mary Chain also roll through the scoured-guitar sustain and Alex Maas’ rocker-monk incantations. But he knows what time it is. ’You say the Beatles stopped the war,” Maas sings in ‘Never/Ever.’ ‘They might’ve helped to find a cure/But it’s still not over.’ Even so, this medicine works wonders." – David Fricke, Rolling Stone

Last time we met The Black Angels, they were staring into the desert sun somewhere outside of Austin, Texas. Two years later, night has fallen and the spirits have come out. It’s time for The Black Angels to provide Directions On How To See A Ghost.

If you’re familiar with Passover, the band’s 2006 debut, you’ll know that The Black Angels’s music alone is enough to invoke spirits. There’s a name for the band’s sound; they call it ‘hypno-drone ’n roll’. It’s the sound of long nights on peyote, of dreams of a new world order, and of half-invented memories of the seamy side of ’60s psychedelia.

While the Iraq war is still a major influence on the band’s lyrics, there are new forces at work here, including Eugene Zamyatin’s dystopian novel We and in Christian Bland’s words “psychic information from the past and future.” See, The Black Angels really are in contact with ghosts.
“Civil War battlefields are prime spots for seeing ghosts,” says Bland. “One time at Kennesaw mountain in Georgia, I was climbing the mountain in the middle of June and it must have been close to 100 degrees, but in this one particular spot it was very cold. The hairs on my neck stood up and I knew something strange was happening. Then the wind whispered something like ‘retreat,’ and I did. I later learned that the spot where I was on the battlefield was known as ‘the dead angle’, the place where the fiercest fighting took place. The confederates ended up retreating from the mountain towards Peachtree Creek.”

The Black Angels formed in Austin, Texas, in 2004, comprising from six people (now five) from very different backgrounds. Singer/vocalist Christian Bland is the son of a Presbyterian Pastor and was raised in a devoutly religious household. Bassist / guitarist Nate Ryan was born on a cult compound and drummer Stephanie Bailey claims she’s a descendent of Davy Crocket. She and Alex Maas (vocals/guitar) believe a little girl in a red linen dress haunts the group’s home.

The band released Passover in 2006 to critical acclaim for both the album and the song “The First Vietnamese War”. Most of all, Passover established The Black Angels as a band with brains, balls and a strong message. And this time around, the message is there to read in a 16-page booklet that comes with the album.

“Our central theme is that people need to open up their minds and let everything come through, and to learn from past mistakes,” says Christian. “Only then will we understand the reality of this world and progress beyond where we are now as humans. We’ve built upon that theme with Directions to See a Ghost. We want people to study the booklet we are providing with the album in hopes that they will be able to relate each song to something in their life.”
_"War is Peace.

Freedom is Slavery.
Ignorance is Strength.
Keep Music Evil."_

TRACK LISTING

You On The Run
Doves
Science Killer
Mission District
18 Years
Deer-ree-shee
Never/ever
Vikings
You In Color
The Return
Snake In The Grass

Huge plumes of thick black smoke drift over Manchester city centre. A sign perhaps that the recent troubles are not quite over. Police remain, patrolling the streets in vast numbers amidst a chorus of sirens as fire engines race to attend to this the latest in a long line of disturbances engulfing the city. A fire spreading rapidly through a derelict warehouse in nearby Salford is to blame. Nestled away in a basement rehearsal space just a stones throw from all the commotion are I See Angels. Formed in 2008 their music, with its surreal twisting soundscapes, dynamic highs and lows and enigmatic lyrics burning with frustration and desire, makes for a rather fitting soundtrack to the drama unfolding on the streets above them. Not that they know it. The band, Paul Baird (vocals, guitar, piano), Martin Cowan (bass) and Chris Norwood (drums) are busy rehearsing for upcoming shows to promote the release of their self-titled debut album. And it seems no riot or looting spree is going to stop them.

"I'm actually really angry that people think it's okay to behave this way. To see them trash parts of the city and disrespect the people and places we love sickens me." say's the bands songwriter/frontman Paul Baird. "I'm just glad we didn't run with our first choice of album cover now. It would have seemed tastleless I reckon. You won't believe it but it showed a young couple fucking in the middle of a riot!" A strange coincidence maybe. Thankfully artist Tash Willcocks (Elbow) presented the band with a better choice for the album cover.

Having received critical praise in publications including Music Week, Mojo and the Manchester Evening News, while being favourably compared to the likes of Pavement, Mercury Rev and early Radiohead, expectations for the band are riding high. “We are hugely excited to be working with I See Angels at this pivotal stage in their career.” states Brent Thurrell, Manager at Manchester independent record label Mimic This. “We all share a vision and a belief that this band will one day be a huge influence on the Northern music scene and beyond.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: Dark but beautiful, introspective pop, like Elliott Smith's early work but with a full band. At times this is heavy, elsewhere it's fragile, but it's always powerful and straight from the heart. Really good stuff.