This six-piece band from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., shrieks its way through dizzying but lighthearted prog-hardcore songs that borrow something from Captain Beefheart. - The NY Times
The six-piece charge through layers of maniacal noise made complete with an onslaught of assaulting guitar riffs, machine gun percussion, squiggly synths, and Gieda's volatile vocal thrusts. - Spin Magazine
Every An Albatross concert stands the chance of being their last, or at least, getting shut down by the authorities. Notorious for a dangerously convulsive stage show to match their spazzy, organ-driven grindcore, the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, sextet has had its share of run-ins with concert security men. - Revolver Magazine
An Albatross is an aural emancipation via sacred sonic offerings FREE of the cynicism and post-post-modern mire that so much of today's underground culture is entrenched in. Their mission: to attune you to the "Kinetic-Life" and yield an experience gratifying to the body and the soul alike: a communal gathering of bodies in motion devoid of inhibiting, hyper-individualized frame of thought. "One congealed mass!," their mantra is proclaimed on stages across dozens of countries—in clubs, art spaces, bars, basements and living rooms.
An Albatross is a psychedelic sonic orgasm; a barrage of mechanical, jerky and discombobulated time signatures eclipsed by hectic Farfisa organ and synthesizer melodies. Not unlike sitting down with an average American family during primetime television, the music is unquestionably attention-span friendly for an ADD-diagnosed society: unbelievably short, complex, infectious bursts of polyrhythms and spirit.
After solidifying their early tour experiences and songwriting in the studio, a fledgling incarnation of the band in 2000 released the 12" EP "Eat Lightning, Shit Thunder" on Philadelphia upstart label When Humans Attack! The enhanced CD version, released soon afterwards on Bloodlink Records, featured explosive early live footage, eloquently capturing the unique synergism between the band and its audiences, and thus setting the precedent for the near decade's-worth of ritualized "be-ins" An Albatross has become famous for.
In 2002, An Albatross signed on with New York City's label, and the following year released the infamous and merciless eight-minute aural onslaught, "We Are the Lazer Viking" - an enhanced CD/EP produced by sonic savant Wharton Tiers (Sonic Youth, Helmet, Dinosaur Jr.). Surrounding the EP's release, the group cut its teeth by beginning a several-years long tour that helped them amass a sizeable cult following. During the grueling tour process, a short break yielded a follow-up split EP with Oakland's legendary noise-rock outfit XBXRX. This forged a long-term relationship with underground-music moguls' Sonny Kay (VSS, Year Future) and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (Mars Volta, At The Drive In) Los Angeles-based Gold Standard Labs (GSL) label.
Cutting their teeth on new material on the road, An Albatross landed it's first trans-Atlantic voyage to Europe to perform at July 2004's French Eurockeennes Festival alongside The Pixies, Franz Ferdinand, Slipknot, Korn, Belle & Sebastian, TV on The Radio and many more. Soon thereafter, the group returned to Europe for a proper tour, the crowning jewel being their participation in a 2005 BBC Session initiated by long term fan, the late John Peel.
After mechanically annihilating several tour vans, logging thousands of miles and perspiring through hundreds of dates supporting WATLV, the band members found themselves immersed in the depths of a Brooklyn, New York commune where they labored 12 weeks over the 27-minute, 18-track mini-epic prog-saga aptly titled, "Blessphemy of the Peace-Beast Feastgiver and the Bearwarp Kumite." Upon its June 2006 release (Ace-Fu Records / GSL), critics hailed it as an exhaustive effort encapsulating the strife of band and commune life, incorporating classic thrash, free-jazz and a heavy handed influence of 70's progressive-psychedelia.
Months prior to Blessphemy's proper release, the group set forth with unparalleled spirit on an unbelievably rigorous tour schedule, crisscrossing the U.S. multiple times and making three additional transatlantic pilgrimages that amassed a staggering band-history total of 800+ performances, including support slots for psychedelic-rock legends, Blue Cheer, Japan's Melt Banana & DMBQ, Mars Volta, New York City's Brazilian Girls and Providence's noise rock legends, Lightning Bolt.
During the three year tour spanning 17 countries supporting both "Blessphemy," and the band's most recent “Family Album,” (Eyeball Records) the consistently rotating line-up shifted into its current incarnation. Currently, the "family" includes percussionista Steven Vaiani, writhing, psychedel-evangelist vocalist Eddie B. Gieda III, rhythmic contortionista bassist Jay Hudak, Farfisa/Hammond-master, Phillip Reynolds Price and newest family member: thundergod guitarist Jonathan Novakovich.
* Just back from the band's tenth successful European tour in as many years as a band, and performing at Belgium's Dour Festival and Czech Republic's Fluff Festival, An Albatross is poised for another string of standout US tourdates. Watch clips from the band's set at Belgium's Dour Festival here and the Fluff Festival here!
An Albatross Live!
10.02.09 Fri Montreal, Quebec Pop Montreal Festival - Club Lambi w/ The Homosexuals, Chain and the Gang, Tyvek
10.24.09 Sat Brooklyn, New York Union Pool w/ Dark Meat, Lovvers
10.25.09 Sun Manhattan, New York Cake Shop w/ Dark Meat
10.26.09 Mon Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Danger Danger Gallery w/ Dark Meat
10.27.09 Tue Washington, DC Black Cat w/ Dark Meat
10.28.09 Wed Baltimore, Maryland Talking Head w/ Dark Meat
10.29.09 Thu Charlotte, North Carolina Snug Harbor w/ Dark Meat
10.30.09 Fri Athens, Georgia 40 Watt w/ Dark Meat
10.31.09 Sat Atlanta, Georgia Star Bar w/ Dark Meat
11.02.09 Mon Orlando, Florida Will's Pub w/ Dark Meat
11.06.09 Fri Houston, Texas Free Press Block Party w/ Dark Meat
11.09.09 Mon Dallas, Texas The Lounge on Elm Street w/ All Leather
11.10.09 Tue El Paso, Texas Soho Lounge
11.12.09 Thu Phoenix, Arizona Modified Arts w/ All Leather
11.13.09 Fri San Diego, California Che Cafe w/ All Leather
11.14.09 Sat Los Angeles, California Spaceland w/ Lovvers, Le Face, Abe Vigoda
11.15.09 Sun Los Angeles, California The Smell
11.16.09 Mon San Francisco, California Elbo Room w/ Lovvers
11.20.09 Fri Portland, Oregon East End w/ Magick Daggers
11.21.09 Sat Seattle, Washington Comet Tavern
11.25.09 Wed Chicago, Illinois Reggies Live w/ Baroness
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