How Psych-Rock Has Developed

In my last blog post I talked about the roots of psych-rock music, what makes the genre so unique and used examples of artists from the 60’s and their sonic techniques to gather an understanding of how this genre originated. Now I’d like to expand more on this genre and talk about how it has developed into the sound and sight it is today. Modern psych-rock, although having a variety of similarities to vintage psych-rock has in the past decade has evolved into its own class of music all together. Throughout this blog I will talk about a number of modern psych-rock bands that have shaped the genre into what it is today with the help of technology, how this genre has fused into others and mention a certain producer at the heart of it all.

In my opinion psych-rock took a pretty large turn in the mid - late 2000’s. Flaming Lips being the band who paved the way with albums such as ‘The Soft Bulletin’ and ‘Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots’ from 1999 and 2002 respectively. One thing that makes this band so unique are their experimental recording techniques. In a Pitchfork Classic documentary, the band explain how they managed to physically manipulate the speed of a tape machine they were recording to create a ‘bending’ sound they’d never heard before.

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“At heart, psychedelia is the cross roads between rock music and technology, a place where suggestion and allusion dwell in secrecy. It's a place for free thinkers, those who know their history and those who would rather forget it.” (Clash Music, 2013)

It goes to show that psych-rock music is all about experimentation and breaking the rules. Another band who like to experiment and break the rules are one of psych-rocks finest MGMT. Full of unusual mixing choices, MGMT started off as a ‘joke’ band poking fun at the music industry and the life style of rock stars, which is ironically where they ended up. MGMT like the other bands I have talked about, incorporate heavily effected guitars and synths among an array of samples and of course flanged drums, which is definitely what puts them in the realm of psych-rock music but anyone can slap a phaser on their guitars or towels + effects their drum kits, how do these bands take modern psych to a higher level?

Dave Fridmann is an American record producer known best for his work with Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips, Tame Impala and MGMT. All of which are classified as modern psych rock bands and are at the top of course. Ridiculous production techniques are Fridmann’s bread and butter. Here’s a quote from Pinky Latt from Enmore Audio when talking about Dave Fridmann’s work with MGMT:

“To achieve said heights of distortion, Fridmann reportedly assaulted tracks with substandard compressors from the ‘90s (the identities of which are, sadly, unknown). The outcome of such sonic pulverisation were mixes that sound noticeably over-compressed in, somehow, a good way – or as Vanwyngarden put it, “loud, but not bad.” (Latt, 2017)

Fridmann has over the years, become a psych-rock icon in the production world and drew the attention of arguably the biggest modern psych band of today, Tame Impala. Working with them on their first two records ‘Innerspeaker’ and ‘Lonnerism’ I think it’s safe to say that modern psych-rock wouldn’t anywhere near where it is today without him. Here’s Kevin Parker talking about his ‘cosmic, wizard abilities’.

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Something pretty peculiar has happened in modern psych-rock since Tame Impala raised to the throne. And that’s the amount of R&B and Hip-Hop artists who are now fusing psych music into their own and collaborating with modern psych artists, especially Tame Impala and on a number of occasions. I feel it has little to do with Kevin Parker’s drum style being groovy and reminiscent of early hip-hop beats as well. Here’s a short video outlining some of the heavy weight R&B and Hip-Hop artists who have sampled or collaborated with Tame Impala.

Another noticeably iconic feature of modern psych-rock bands are there exceptionally colourful and energetic live shows. Linking back to the Flaming Lips, here are just a couple of images from a few artists showing this genre’s way of standing out when it comes to performances.

Tame Impala Live

King Gizzard Live

Flaming Lips Live

MGMT Live

Unknown Mortal Orchestra Live

So, overall when describing what modern psych-rock is, you want to be talking about the extremely outlandish production techniques that go on to acquire certain sounds such as physically messing with a tape machine like the Flaming Lips, having no rules when it comes to what instruments you use like the Beatles and their harpsichords or King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard with their microtonal guitars, the influence Dave Fridmann has had on artists, how psych-rock has fused with other genres and the spectacular live shows that go along with it.

References

Latt, P. (2017). Engineering the Sound: MGMT’s 'Oracular Spectacular'. Retrieved 30 July 2019, from https://enmoreaudio.com/engineering-sound-mgmts-oracular-spectacular/

(2019). Retrieved 30 July 2019, from https://reverbmachine.com/blog/race-for-the-prize

A User's Guide To The New Psychedelia. (2013). Retrieved 30 July 2019, from https://www.clashmusic.com/features/a-users-guide-to-the-new-psychedelia

The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin - Pitchfork Classic. (2013). Retrieved 30 July 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=widmy3lqT_w

How Tame Impala Became Rap’s Favorite Rock Band | Genius News. (2019). Retrieved 30 July 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FulQvn9y55U

Tame Impala Talk Lonerism "I wouldn't know where the line is between artist & producer". (2012). Retrieved 30 July 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QIrzrti378