Speck Mountain

Speck Mountain is a psychedelic rock band based out of Chicago, Illinois. Their sound can be described as space rock, although an equal amount of weight is given to lyrics and song structures as to the intricate, echoing atmospheres that surround them. These vivid arrangements are created entirely using analog equipment and recording techniques, just as the songs themselves recall the scope of classic '70s rock, and even soul.

History

The band was formed in Brooklyn, NY in 2005, by Karl Briedrick and Jackie Ciliberti. Marie-Claire Balabanian joined later. After a first recording session that summer in New York, Ms. Ciliberti was replaced by Kate Walsh, who would contribute saxophone as well as piano and organ to "Summer Above", recorded in August 2006 at Soma Electronic Music Studio in Chicago (Ciliberti's keyboard work appears on the last three songs, which date from the original 2005 sessions). Karl and Marie-Claire share songwriting credit on the album, as well as swapping duties on guitar and bass, with Marie-Claire singing every song. "Summer Above" was released in 2007 on the band's own Burnt Brown Sounds label in the U.S., and April, 2008 on Peacefrog Records in the U.K. Manchester taste-makers Picadilly Records were impressed enough by the record to name it No. 5 on their 2007 'Albums of the Year' list even before it had been released domestically in the U.K. After East and West Coast tours of the U.S. in '07, Speck Mountain will be headed to the U.K. in May '08 in support of the strong reaction to "Summer Above" (including a 4-star review in "Uncut" magazine), as well the recently released "Hey Moon" and "Blood Is Clean" singles. They are currently recording their follow-up, again at Soma in Chicago.

Discography

LPs

*Summer Above (Burnt Brown Sounds, 2007/Peacefrog, 2008)

Singles

*Blood Is Clean (Burnt Brown Sounds, e-release 2007/CD coming in 2008)
*Hey Moon (Peacefrog, 2008)

Compilation appearances

*"Hey Moon" on: Bearded Ladies, Volume One (Bird Records, 2007)
*"Chlorine Fields" on: A Kind of Awe and Reverence and Wonder (Twisted Nerve, 2007)

External links

* [http://www.burntbrownsounds.com The official Burnt Brown Sounds website]
*myspace|speckmountain
* [http://www.peacefrog.com/ Peacefrog Records]
* [http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/3843 Dusted Magazine review of "Summer Above"]
* [http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-speck-mountain-summer-above-peace-frog-798625.html Review in The Independent]
* [http://www.noizemakesenemies.co.uk/2008/03/speck-mountain-new-single-debut-album.html Interview]