Bloodletters and Badmen

Just as intriguing as their name, Bloodletters and Badmen are about to take you on one whacked out psych trip through classic and new age rock on their EP Bloodletters and Badmen. The band is made up of two lovers, which is always a great formula for good music. Charlie Miller and Kameron Biehl are based out of Brooklyn, NY and created this collection of fantastical tracks over a ten-month period.

Their music is perfect for a movie soundtrack; the effects and far-out vocals just make you fall into a world that is revolving around an imaginary storyline. The second track “Or Else” seems to be pulling you along a track as the song progresses. As you go through valleys, fields, and rock canyons, the sky is subtly changing all the while.

At times, their songs also seem to transcend time and you feel as though you’re listening to music from the real Woodstock era and everyone in your circle has got flowers in their hair. The song “Fingerprints” just makes me think of a slow motion film of hippies throwing their head back as they frolic through a daisy field.

The track “I Don’t Care” has an uber hypnotic effect, as the guitar is tuned to a wonky chord and is gently humming in the background eerily keeping the beat. Then the chorus builds up and erupts into a bridge that just seems like it must be sung along to. The song has a both sleepy and wakeful effect, almost like a daydreaming state.

Recording quality on the album could be improved a bit, sometimes the vocals get a bit drowned out in the background, rather than appearing crisp in contrast to the other sounds. This could be attributed to the effects used. Overall this is a great listen for anyone into psych rock from this era or ones passed. - The Equal Ground/Eva Cantillo

Featured on Blog. No review. - McArc