Ganglians

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release

5...according to our Business Lady on Thu 14 May, 2009.

I don't know much about Ganglians but after two reliable releases in a row from Woodsist records (Wood's 'Songs of Shame' and Kurt Vile's 'Constant Hitmaker') I thought I'd take this one on for review. I'm pretty pleased with the decision as this is a sweet sweet 's/t' debut from these Sacramento weirdo space poppers. The album combines elements of the reverb drench garage rock of Thee Oh Sees with a temperament toward lo-fi drum machine bedroom pop. Vocals drift into the stratosphere as every possibility is explored in an attempt to craft the perfect broken pop song. Elements of the Beach Boys can be heard scattered about the record with the suggestion of song writing ambition coupled with a preference for traditional tape based recording techniques. In parts it's strange and spooky, in parts it's naive and wild with enthusiasm yet these folks obviously know what they want to achieve and are doing a damn fine job of it too. An excellent record with the consistently quality artwork approach I'm beginning to expect from Woodsist. Highly recommended.

Sacramento's Ganglians want an island somewhere where they can soak in the sun and prowl the canopy by night. It's not often that they do get out, but they can get down for that. Recording sometimes as one, sometimes as four it's a real game to figure out where the entity comes from and where it's going. First and foremost it's about uncertain pleasures. It's a bit like choose your own adventure. There's "codeine balladry"; a slightly upsetting tempo that is quickly flushed into an aural high, the next moment you're in the toy strewn abyss of the bedroom and then out to the tribal caves of the natives. The planets align and the sun beats down, palms tingling, and you are on the island they've built, the scenery constantly shifting for a better view, of you. 8 tracks in 24 min

"If you ask them, Sacramento's Ganglians consist of "the whole of the Ganglian race" as well as "the squirrels in the walls that bounce acorns across the ceiling in the dead of night." So far, I've resisted the urge to look too hard to find out more. What I do know is that the group, who creates all-over-the-map damaged-and-psychedelic noise-pop, is about to release an EP and LP on Woodsist. The label's already had a banner year and change via Crystal Stilts, Wavves, Blank Dogs, Vivian Girls, etc. Add this to the trophy case. Really, Ganglians' sound isn't as easy to peg as some of their cohorts -- listen to three songs and you'll hear three different approaches with some similar threads running through. See, for instance, "Hair"'s rollicking dark surf and the more pastoral (and considerably epic) "Valiant Brave."- Brandon Stosuy

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