Espers (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Espers

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Img_capt = Espers performing in 2006
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Background = group_or_band
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Origin = Philadelphia
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Genre = New folkcite news
url = http://altmusic.about.com/od/genresstyles/p/new_folk.htm
title = What Is New Folk? A Genre Profile
author = Michael Keefe
work = About.com
date =
accessdate = 2008-07-7 ]
Occupation =
Years_active = 2002–present
Label = Locust Music, Drag City
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.espers.org www.espers.org]
Current_members = Greg Weeks
Meg Baird
Brooke Sietinsons
Otto Hauser
Helena Espvall
Chris Smith
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Espers is a psych folk band from Philadelphia that is part of the emerging indie folk scene. They formed in 2002 as a trio of singer-songwriter Greg Weeks, Meg Baird and Brooke Sietinsons but later expanded to a sextet including Otto Hauser, Helena Espvall and Chris Smith. Their music is reminiscent of late-sixties British folk as well as many contemporary folk acts such as Six Organs of Admittance. Most of the band's members have also featured on recordings by a number of other folk artists such as Nick Castro and Vashti Bunyan and as a result have become an important part of the psych-folk revival.

They released their self-titled debut in 2004 on Locust Music and followed that with an album of cover songs, "The Weed Tree", in 2005. This release featured the band's versions of songs by artists as diverse as Nico, The Durutti Column and Blue Öyster Cult. In 2006 the band released their third full-length album, "II" (presumably so called because it was their second album of original material), on Drag City Records.

Discography

Albums

*"Espers" (2003)
*"The Weed Tree" (2005)
*"II" (2006)

ingles

*"Riding" / "Under The Waterfall" (7") (2005)

Compilation appearances

*"The Golden Apples of the Sun" (compiled by "Devendra Banhart" for "Arthur Magazine") (2004)
**"Byss & Abyss"
*"Million Tongues Festival" (compiled by Plastic Crimewave of Plastic Crimewave Sound for "Arthur Magazine") (2004)
**"Under The Waterfall"
*"The 2005 Believer CD" (2005) (from "The Believer" magazine)
**"Firefly Refrain" (originally by Fursaxa)
*"The R.E.M. Collection Disc 3" (2005) (compiled by Peter Buck; mounted on UNCUT magazine's July 2005 issue)
**"Meadow"
*"Rough Trade Shops - Counter Culture 2005" (2006)
**"Meadow"
*"Folk Off" (compiled by "Rob Da Bank"; Sunday's Best Records) (2006)
**"Rosemary Lane"

References

External links

* [http://www.espers.org/ Official website]
* [http://www.locustmusic.com/index.php?option=com_artists&task=view&Itemid=6&cid=6 Espers] at Locust Music
* [http://www.dragcity.com/bands/espers.html Espers] at Drag City
* [http://naturalismo.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/espers-the-naturalismo-interview/ Interview with Greg Weeks and Chris Smith, May 2008]
* [http://www.groove.no/html/article/92162967.html Interview with Greg Weeks on band]