Food & Drink

Seattle Music 2014: Psychedelic Bands

From the Rose Windows to The Comettes, these local bands are far out

By Brangien Davis & Jake Uitti August 13, 2014

0914rosewindows

This article originally appeared in the September 2014 issue of Seattle Magazine.

What’s your favorite current Seattle band? If you have trouble answering (or if you draw a blank after Macklemore), we’re not going to judge. But we are going to suggest it’s time to check in with the city’s thriving indie music scene. New local bands are exploring sounds, blurring genre boundaries (though we’ve wrestled them into categories here) and playing vibrant live shows all over town (see our Live Music Venue guide). Even with this sampler of 50 bands, we haven’t scratched the surface of Seattle music. Listen right here—where you can stream songs from all 50 bands—and also try tuning in to KEXP (the city’s unsurpassed discovery engine for local music) for a whole week. Soon enough, you’ll have an answer to the above question—and you might just go on and on. Peruse the local bands featured in the other genres here.

Shabazz Palaces

Gateway Bands: Digable Planets, A Tribe Called Quest
Ishmael Butler (aka Palaceer Lazaro, formerly of Digable Planets) and Tendai “Baba” Maraire comprise this experimental trip-hop duo—whose entrancing beatscapes earned them a Sub Pop contract—and whose 2011 album, Black Up, was incredibly well-received. Spin magazine calls them “psych-rap mystics,” and that sounds about right—as long as you add “from outer space.” With the July release, Lese Majesty, these hyperintelligent aliens are coming to take us away on a metaphysical head trip, with a soundtrack of heavy beats, burbling synth and hypnotic rap. subpop.com/artists/shabazz_palaces

Sample Song:

Video:

The Comettes

Gateway Band: The Doors
Singer Timmy Sunshine has a bit of an Oasis sound in his vocals, and there is a similar, charmingly aloof quality to how he comports himself on stage, too. The Comettes, who call “Earth” their hometown, feel a bit pleasingly out there. Full of moxie and celebratory spirit, their sound evokes The Walkmen and Cold War Kids—ambient yet incisive all at once. In addition, they hold the distinction of recently opening for Grammy-nominated group The Lumineers. The 2014 EP Sun Came Up shows them polishing their sound to a fine burnish. thecomettes.bandcamp.com

Sample Song:

Video:

Rose Windows

Gateway Bands: Jefferson Airplane, Cream
This Sub Pop band displays the best of psychedelic rock without overdosing on the dreary. The male/female harmonies will open your eyes and ears like a hit of wasabi, and the group isn’t afraid to add a flute to the mix of giant rock drums and distorted keys. Their music may make you feel like you’re chasing Alice down the rabbit hole, but at the end of the trip is a whole universe of music. Explore it on the acclaimed 2013 release, The Sun Dogs. soundcloud.com/rose-windows

Sample Song:

Video:

 

Follow Us

Beauty and Diversity in Art

Beauty and Diversity in Art

Seattle's art scene is embracing more voices and viewpoints than ever

Seattle has become something of a hot spot for diversity in the arts...

The Power Of Quitting

The Power Of Quitting

Giving something up is never easy, especially because society rarely rewards such behavior

I’m not a quitter... llustration by Arthur Mount

Selling Seattle

Selling Seattle

New effort from Visit Seattle showcases the city’s stunning beauty

Visit Seattle’s new three-and-a-half-minute destination video is worth bragging about...

Echoes & Sounds

Echoes & Sounds

Seattle institution KEXP has recently launched ambitious new programs highlighting unique Indigenous and Asian music...