Photo by Carlos Chaves
Phantom Idol LP due 7/12 via Coconut Spaceship Records. Pre-Order Here
Today, L.A. neo-psych group, Dream Phases, share Turn Away, the third single off their upcoming LP, Phantom Idol. The album is due 7/12 and is set to continue the shoegaze, psychedelic, indie rock sound that Dream Phases has continually grown and mastered over the course of their two former albums.
Brandon Graham says ““Turn Away” is an upbeat driving track that is our west coast filtered take on 70’s German rock that has been a big influence on us. Shane, Keveen and myself wrote this song together, from scratch, one late summer night in the studio. It started with the grooving bassline followed by the drum beat and guitar hook. Keveen and I harmonize on the Turn Away lyric, as well as trade the lead vocals on various verses. We brought the song to producer Rob Schnapf, who has worked on some of our favorite albums, including the majority of Elliott Smith‘s discography, Beck‘s Mellow Gold, and AA Bondy‘s Believers. Rob suggested we slow down the track a bit from its original tempo and that helped to solidify the groove, while still being upbeat it made the song feel more relaxed and cruising. For the music video we worked with our frequent collaborator, Matt Lingo. We filmed all over Southern California, including Encinitas at Swami’s the legendary surf beach, San Diego at Balboa Park, many locations in Death Valley and Highland Park in Los Angeles. I was able to drive a 1966 Chrysler Newport in the video and cruise around Encinitas. This is the final single before Phantom Idol is released on July 12th.”
You can keep your dreams under wraps or unleash them into the world. For the three musicians who comprise Dream Phases, holding back their musical visions has not been an option. Conceived in the private recesses of their L.A. home base, the trio has expanded outwards by drawing upon the rich sonic heritage of West Coast pop/rock and skillfully reimagining it for the 21st Century. But beyond its finely wrought sound and texture, there’s an intensely personal quality to the work they create together. The dreams they explore transcend mere craft and calculation.
Emerging from the City of Angels’ neo-psychedelic rock scene in 2017, Dream Phases reflects California’s natural splendor and adventuresome inner spirit in its music. The earthy-yet-exalted sounds of the Byrds, the Beach Boys and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – as well as latter-day artists like the Rain Parade, Elliott Smith and Autolux – figure into the band’s family tree. While this lineage is worth noting, what comes through in the band’s latest work is an individual approach that translates the experiences of its members into something undeniably compelling.
Dream Phases’ initial flowering was as a solo project by Brandon.
After gaining a wealth of experience working with such notable L.A.-area combos as Blank Tapes, the Relationship, Levitation Room and Nacosta, he decided to fully develop the songwriting side of his talents on his own. What began as a homebrewed project quickly turned into a collaborative stew as brother Shane and compadre Keveen helped him develop his compositions into a full-blown sound. The newly launched band’s 2017 debut EP Maybe Tomorrow was quickly followed by So Long, Yesterday, a full-length release awash with shimmering tunes and hallucinatory imagery. “By the end, you’re left disoriented, not sure if you’re still dreaming,” wrote Shindig! reviewer Scott Croly about the album. “But once it’s seeped into your subconscious, you won’t want to wake up.”
Replicating the dreamy vibes of the band’s studio work live was a challenging task. Dream Phases passed the test with raw energy and a sense of commitment on stage, often backed up with light shows and other visual effects. A stirring SXSW performance in 2017 followed by two European tours proved the band’s mettle in front of enraptured audiences. “Our albums are very thought-out, but our live show is more primal and exciting in a different way,” says Brandon. “We never wanted to be a band that sounds exactly like it does on record.”
As with artists as diverse as the Kinks, Sparks and Oasis, the sibling bond shared by Brandon and Shane lies at the heart of Dream Phases. “There is a special synergy between us that wouldn’t be there if we weren’t brothers,” Shane says. “We share many of the same influences, but we also have some different ones as well that help make the band unique. We don’t always see eye-to-eye creatively, but then we work it out and end up with something we are both excited about.”
A band in constant creative evolution, Dream Phases draws strength from clashing colors and insight from the fusion of minds. With all its attention to detail, the band still seeks moments of transcendent surprise. “Fall down a rabbit hole/There you will finally find yourself,” Brandon sings in “Post TV.” Whatever wonderland they may arrive in, the band’s journey will be fascinating to follow. – Barry Alfonso
EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH BRANDON GRAHAM:
Q:What was your inspiration for “Turn Away”?
A:“Turn Away” was sort of a catching lighting in a bottle sort of moment. On a late summer night Shane, Keveen, and I got together to jam to see what we could come up with to start off the writing of a potential new album. We ended up writing the complete song in under an hour and then recorded a demo of it. Musically the bass and drum parts are inspired by our love of 70’s German Rock, with the insistent, driving and hypnotic grooves. Lyrically the song deals with information overload and generally burnout, through sources like social media and especially constant exposure to mis-information.
Q:What do you hope listeners take away from this single?
A:Ultimately we hope they enjoy the driving and upbeat groove of the song, and hopefully they will be singing along to the “Turn Away’ lyric by the end of the song. Thematically the idea is that even though we sometimes get totally burned out, it’s okay to turn away for a bit to reset and then come back when we are ready to, not to completely shut things out that are overwhelming and anxiety inducing. In today’s culture it is pretty normal for people to feel information overload, and it’s important to try to find a way to manage it.
Q:What’s the most memorable moment in your music career so far?
A:There are several moments that have felt memorable and important for us, from playing our first residency, writing a song for a children’s charity, to getting to work with companies like Fender, to touring the US and internationally. I think the main one so far is writing and recording this new album. We had the opportunity to work with producers we really respect and that have made some of our favorite albums of all time. It was a pleasure to make it and to be able to use equipment that was used on albums by Elliott Smith and Beck. It inspired and pushed us a bit further, and we are really happy with this new record.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
7/6 – Gold Diggers – Desert Daze Nights – Album Release Party – Los Angeles, CA
7/7 – Kilowatt – San Francisco, CA
7/12 – Tower Bar – San Diego, CA – Album Release Show
7/14 – J Riley Distillery – Redlands, CA
7/15 – the Wayfarer – Orange County, CA
7/18 – the Usual Place – Las Vegas, NV
Follow the band on Linktree, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), YouTube, Instagram, and their official website
