Espers (band)
Encyclopedia
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
. Their fourth album, III
, was released on October 20, 2009.
Psych folk
Psychedelic folk or psych folk is a loosely defined form of psychedelic music that originated in the 1960s through the fusion of folk music and psychedelic rock...
band from Philadelphia that is part of the emerging indie folk scene. They formed in 2002 as a trio of singer-songwriter Greg Weeks
Greg Weeks
Greg Weeks is an American singer-songwriter based in Philadelphia. His music has been described as folk, acoustic, psychedelic and experimental. He is best known as a founding member of the psychedelic folk-rock band Espers. Weeks has released four solo albums and has guest-recorded with many...
, Meg Baird
Meg Baird
Meg Baird is an American musician originally from New Jersey and currently based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is best known as a founding member and lead female vocalist for the Philadelphia folk rock band Espers. In 2007, Baird released her first solo LP Dear Companion on Drag City...
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
Six Organs of Admittance
Six Organs of Admittance is the primary musical project of guitarist Ben Chasny. Chasny's music is largely guitar-based and is often considered new folk, however it includes obvious influences, marked by the use of drones, chimes, and eclectic percussive elements...
. Most of the band's members have also featured on recordings by a number of other folk artists such as Nick Castro
Nick Castro
Nick Castro is a folk, psych folk, traditional and experimental musician and member of the Young Elders.-Overview:Nick Castro was raised in San Diego, CA. His musical training started early although much of his accomplishment was self taught. His musical influences were varied. With an extended...
and Vashti Bunyan
Vashti Bunyan
Vashti Bunyan is an English singer-songwriter. In 1970, Bunyan released her first album, Just Another Diamond Day. The album sold very few copies, and Bunyan, discouraged, abandoned her musical career...
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
Locust Music
Locust Music is a Chicago-based independent record label founded in 2001....
and followed that with an album of cover songs, The Weed Tree
The Weed Tree
The Weed Tree is the second album from Espers, released on Locust Music in 2005. It was, for the most part, a covers album, although it did feature the original song "Dead King". The artists covered were The Durutti Column, Nico, Michael Hurley and Blue Öyster Cult. It also included two...
, in 2005. This release featured the band's versions of songs by artists as diverse as Nico
Nico
Nico was a German singer, lyricist, composer, musician, fashion model, and actress, who initially rose to fame as a Warhol Superstar in the 1960s...
, The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is an ongoing project of guitarist Vini Reilly who is often accompanied by drummer Bruce Mitchell. Other current members are Keir Stewart and Reilly's girlfriend Poppy Morgan...
and Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
. In 2006 the band released their third full-length album, II
II (Espers album)
II is the third album from the band Espers. It was their first to be released on Drag City. The song "Children of Stone" was later covered by Marianne Faithfull on her 2008 album Easy Come, Easy Go.-Track listing:#"Dead Queen" – 8:13...
(presumably so called because it was their second album of original material), on Drag City Records
Drag City (record label)
Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...
. Their fourth album, III
III (Espers album)
III is Espers' fourth full-length album. It was released on October 20, 2009. The band has stated in a press release that they've "attempted to create something that would be perhaps cheery at times, though that mark may have been missed.”-Reception:Allmusics Thom Jurek gave the album a glowing...
, was released on October 20, 2009.
Albums
- EspersEspers (album)Espers is the self-titled debut album from the band Espers released on Locust Music in 2004. It featured the band in their original trio line-up and established their contemporary psych folk sound.-Track listing:#"Flowery Noontide" - 4:10...
(2004) - The Weed TreeThe Weed TreeThe Weed Tree is the second album from Espers, released on Locust Music in 2005. It was, for the most part, a covers album, although it did feature the original song "Dead King". The artists covered were The Durutti Column, Nico, Michael Hurley and Blue Öyster Cult. It also included two...
(2005) - IIII (Espers album)II is the third album from the band Espers. It was their first to be released on Drag City. The song "Children of Stone" was later covered by Marianne Faithfull on her 2008 album Easy Come, Easy Go.-Track listing:#"Dead Queen" – 8:13...
(2006) - IIIIII (Espers album)III is Espers' fourth full-length album. It was released on October 20, 2009. The band has stated in a press release that they've "attempted to create something that would be perhaps cheery at times, though that mark may have been missed.”-Reception:Allmusics Thom Jurek gave the album a glowing...
(2009)
Compilation appearances
- The Golden Apples of the SunThe Golden Apples of the Sun (album)The Golden Apples of the Sun is a limited edition compilation of contemporary folk music curated by musician Devendra Banhart for the art magazine Arthur Magazine. The title comes from a Ray Bradbury short story...
(compiled by Devendra BanhartDevendra BanhartDevendra Obi Banhart is a singer-songwriter and visual artist. Banhart was born in Houston, Texas and was raised by his mother in Venezuela, until he moved to California as a teenager. He began to study at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1998, but dropped out to perform music in Europe, San...
for Arthur Magazine) (2004)- "Byss & Abyss"
- Million Tongues Festival (compiled by Plastic CrimewavePlastic CrimewavePlastic Crimewave , otherwise known as Steve Kraków, is a Chicago-based illustrator and writer, avant-garde musician, music historian and impresario. He is the editor of Drag City-published magazine Galactic Zoo Dossier, eponymous frontman for Plastic Crimewave Sound, founder of the Million Tongues...
of Plastic Crimewave Sound for Arthur Magazine) (2004)- "Under The Waterfall"
- The 2005 Believer CD (2005) (from The BelieverThe Believer (magazine)The Believer is a United States literary magazine that also covers other arts and general culture. Founded and designed in 2003 by the writer and publisher Dave Eggers, it is edited by Vendela Vida, Heidi Julavits and Ed Park...
magazine)- "Firefly Refrain" (originally by FursaxaFursaxaFursaxa is a USA-based acid folk or freak folk project led by Tara Burke of Philadelphia. Her home-recordings feature acoustic guitar, simple Casio electronic keyboards, accordion, dulcimer and her heavily overdubbed vocals on a 4-track recorder.She has been making music since childhood...
)
- "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 2005Rough Trade ShopRough Trade are two independent record shops based in London, UK.The first Rough Trade shop was opened in 1976 by Geoff Travis in the Portobello Road district of west London. In 1978 the shop spawned the famous Rough Trade Records, which was to go on to be home to bands from The Smiths to The...
(2006)- "Meadow"
- Folk Off (compiled by Rob Da BankRob da BankRobert John Gorham, known by the pseudonym Rob da Bank, is a British disc jockey. He presents a Friday-night/Saturday-morning show, Rob da Bank, on BBC Radio 1 from 5am-7am, focused on promoting new left field music...
; Sunday's Best Records) (2006)- "Rosemary LaneRosemary Lane (song)Rosemary Lane is an English folksong: a ballad that tells a story about the seduction of a domestic servant by a sailor. This song, and the related sea shanty Bell Bottom Trousers, are Roud #269.-Synopsis:One variant of the song begins with the words:...
"
- "Rosemary Lane
- Acoustic 07Acoustic 07Acoustic 07 is a 2-disc compilation album, released under V2 Records in the United Kingdom on March 12, 2007. The collection is the seventh of V2 Records' popular Acoustic series.-Track listing:Disc 1#"Lovestain", performed by José González...
(2007)- "Mansfield and Cyclops"
- A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind: Volume 1A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind: Volume 1A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind: Volume 1 is a 2008 compilation album with selections by Amorphous Androgynous It was released on CD in November 2008. It is an extensive compilation mix album featuring a wide variety of artists, selected and mixed by the duo...
(Compiled by Amorphous Androgynous) (2008)- "Mansfield and Cyclops"
- The Playlist August 2006 (2006) (from UncutUNCUT (magazine)Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
magazine)- "Mansfield and Cyclops"
External links
- Espers at Locust MusicLocust MusicLocust Music is a Chicago-based independent record label founded in 2001....
- Espers at Drag CityDrag City (record label)Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...
- Interview with Greg Weeks and Chris Smith, May 2008
- Interview with Greg Weeks on band