The Committee to Keep Music Evil Forum

Hi all, huge BJM fan here, but at this moment I'm obsessed with Anton's latest discovery, Magic Castles, out of Minneapolis. I feel ready to burst, wanting to talk with someone about them. But since no one I know has heard of them, I figured this forum was my best shot at finding someone, considering they're opening for BJM on the last leg of their summer tour, and Anton released their new comp on his label. I found out about them a few weeks back when, after purchasing tix for the Chicago BJM show, decided to check out who these "Magic Castles" were. The first thing I saw after doing a search was a Youtube video for Ballad of the Golden Bird. If you haven't heard it, proceed to have your mind blown.



As I mentioned in an Amazon review, they make me feel like I've been whisked away to some enchanted forest, and Magic Castles are the house band/tour guides. Like Tom Bombadil from Tolkien, only awesome instead of unbearably lame. I'm seriously considering making the 8-hour trek to see them at some restaurant in Minneapolis tomorrow, even though I'll be seeing them in August. But it'd definitely be cool to see them with 70-80 other people, as I have a feeling they'll be getting more recognition soon, with the tour, radio interviews coming up, etc. Then in a few months when everyone digs them I can be like "Those guys? They are soooo 3 months ago!

Those guys? They are soooo 2 years ago!

Haha. Enchanted forests are so...... Like totally done as well man!

Maybe if you live in Minneapolis! I've decided I'm taking my ridiculously unreliable '96 Saturn to see them. I have to leave now (12:45pm central) if I'm gonna make it in time. I called the place, Hell's Kitchen, last night and asked if I needed a ticket or anything, and the lady said, "No, just show up with $5." I'm like, "Are you sure? It would suck to drive 7-8 hours only to get there and it's sold out!" But I guess they're not even that well-known in their hometown, cuz she said that won't be a problem as long as I get there early.

Anyway, gotta go! Cheers! (I must be completely batshit)

Holy Batshit!

Holy Batshit is right! Just got back a few hours ago, and my mind is well and truly blown. They only played six or seven songs, but that lasted like 70 minutes, so they definitely jam. Sort of in a noodling, late 60's Dead-style, but heavier and more hypnotic, with the two guitars snaking around each other the whole time. The Fafisa organ almost dominates, and all the instruments combine to create a wall of sound that's very euphoric to these ears. They did a Ballad of the Golden Bird->All My Prayers that went on for a half-hour, and I seriously started wigging out it, was so intense! And I wasn't even really high anymore by that point! They felt so honored that I drove all that way for a 70 min show, so the lead singer/guitarist Jason Edmonds invited me to hang out with them outside, and we all just smoked and shat the shit about Syd Barrett, Tolkien, and Anton (who they say is really nice) for 20 minutes until the next band came on. They were supposed to go last out of three bands, but one of the bands forgot a guitar, so Magic Castles had to go on over an hour early, and everyone showed up after they were already done! There were only around 50 people for them, then all the fans came. Anyway, for all you seeing BJM on the last leg of their tour, I highly recommend getting there in time to check out Magic Castles. One of the best live bands I've seen in a while, especially if you like jammed-out psych music.

Thanks for the tip Tripper! Must be something in the water up there since BJMs other opener, Flavor Crystals, are from the same area I think. Their new 3LP "3" has some long, noodly jams as well, very nice!

Yes, Flavor Crystals are my other current obsession, and "3" is absolutely amazing. Not sure which I like more between that and the new Magic Castles, but they both give me that feeling of hypnotized bliss. Magic Castles have an unfair advantage though since their new one is technically a compilation, featuring the "best" of their three self-released albums. It's weird that my two favorite newer bands at the moment are both out of Minneapolis ( I know they're not "new," but they are to me!). From what I gathered during my recent trip, there's a pretty decent psych scene going on there, with Magic Castles and Flavor Crystals being sort of the leaders and progenitors of it all. Unfortunately, I also found out that Flavor Crystals rarely play out anymore, so I missed my chance to see BOTH bands at the same show a few weeks back for Magic Castles' CD release party.

anybody know where i could land a link for their album? the more i hear the more i dig em.

I was in the same boat as you a few months back, desperately searching online for a free download to check them out more, as Youtube vids and Myspace samples don't really cut it as far as getting the full experience. There was nothing, so I ended up buying it from iTunes, loved it so much, then bought the CD. And I never buy the same album twice, as I'm poor as shit. Unfortunately I'm not computer savvy enough to upload it. BTW, their two earlier out of print albums, from which the new self-titled is compiled, are very good as well, with a lot of great jams left off the new one. The only place I've found to buy the download is here. http://themagiccastles.musicfloss.com/music

Unfortunately it's only 192kbps mp3, but I can't tell a difference when I compare say, the 192kbps "Death Dreams" to the iTunes 256kbps. Their 2009 cassette only release, Songs of the Forest, is available on iTunes and Amazon, but it's more of a solo thing by singer/guitarist Jason Edmonds, and is very experimental, sounding nothing like their other work. When I was talking to Jason after the show last month, he said that one was supposed to just be a special limited release of 100 copies for local label Moon Glyph, and was never meant to be widely available. I think a few of the songs are interesting, though very lo-fi, but you can't go wrong with their other three, which I still listen to almost every day even after 3 months. Magic Castles are one of the few bands it seems impossible for me to get sick of!

http://www.apolloaudio.com/

I'm pretty sure you can stream an entire song/album and this site should carry all bands discussed in this thread.

Which album are you looking for? I have The Lore Of Mysticore which I'll put on dropbox tomorrow if I get a chance. I'll PM you once I get it done. If anyone else has one of the others let me know please?

Could you PM me too? The "Songs of the Forest" EP/Album is now on spotify btw.

Legend

Have to say I am proud to call these guys a local band. It's a shame more people from Minnesota don't know about them, because they make some wonderfully unique sounds. They play a great show as well, I have no complaints. I saw em live with The Blue Angel Lounge and Asteroid 4 AND Chatham Rise, another wonderful local band worth looking into. The vibes were perfect that night all around. I can't wait to see The Magic Castles again with BJM at First Ave. That's bound to be something very special.