Castles In Spain

Castles in Spain:
Numero Tres

Inspired at a young age by her mother, who was a professional singer in India, Biachi now fills the airwaves with her own unique blend of the otherworldly. With the ethereal Dead Can Dance-esque introduction on "See You There," the sultry contours of Biachi's vocals, and a Cure-like guitar, one would expect the rest of the album (and song) to follow suit in this spiritual realm. By the time we reach the chorus, though, we enter a whole new landscape of heavier rock reminiscent of Led Zeppelin and Soundgarden. With three albums under her belt and a lengthy list of live perfomances, Biachi has fashioned this band into an accomplished, diverse, and professional act. For a trip across the seven seas, catch the entrancing waves of Castles in Spain at the Bottom of the Hill and Slim's, or treat yourself to 40 minutes of aural delicacies with Numero Tres. Available at Tower, Streetlight, and Amoeba Records.
- Sarah Snavely

With a beautiful blend of eastern melody and a sense of trance, Castles in Spain draws you in. They blend a Janes Addiction rhythmic quality with a Led Zeppelin vocal feel. It has a great late night lights low, Red wine, maybe a little pot. Early Sinead meets Linda Perry.

This is the best band I have heard out of the Bay Area in years. The Song "The Way Out" has a beautiful blend of Irish folk with those eastern melodies. Brilliant guitar work in this one. The odd meter is a nice touch over the entrancing vocals. "In the Valley" is reminiscent of early Sinead, The Lion and the Cobra. Biachi, the lead vocalist and guitar player is completely amazing. When you have the fortune to hear an artist of this caliber it helps bring back that love with the art of SF.

If you read our stories you know we are a little down on what the SF scene has become. Doing what we can to help bring it back. This band and for sure her singing brings us a little glimmer of hope for the music of our great city. This band not having a record deal and touring the world proves our theory that record companies have no Fucking idea what the hell they are doing. Thank God for the Internet. It brought us this absolutely genius band that we may never have had the chance to hear... GET OUT THERE AND SEE THIS BAND. It is worth EVERY DOLLAR YOU PAY. Buy the CD, support them in every way you can. This is the type of band we want to have representing us on behalf of San Francisco to the world.
- The_Reverend_Rob

Castles in Spain Again Castles in Spain play a style of rock that often goes toward the Goth side of things. This means that songs like My Nerves will remind listeners of acts like Siouxsie and the Banshees as well as early Sarah McLachlan and Natalie Merchant. The sedate strains of guitars and drums during the title track again bring Castles in Spain to a place that blends Goth music with early-nineties alternative. The tracks go by almost as quickly as a heart beat; even when a song like Again goes on for eight minutes, the fact that Castles in Spain can link together lines and arrangements so successfully shows that they are a mature act. The entirety of Again is solid, with Castles in Spain creating a style of music that has not been heard in popular circles for years. The fact that they can blend Goth and indie rock so well will draw listeners by the barrelful into their corner. The lead singer, Biachi, has a set of vocals that should remind listeners of a Stevie Nicks. The production of the instrumental segment of the disc is perfect; it allows the band to shine without dominating Biachis vocals. Rather, they provide a nice compliment to Biachi�s vocals, highlighting them when need be. The vocals are a focal point of Castles in Spain�s music on �Again�, but this is not to say that the instruments present do not get their own moment in the sun. During tracks like �You�re Not Forgotten�, Castles in Spain allow Biachi to disappear from eir vocal duties and focus on the instrumental efforts of the band. This instrumentally-heavy style continues during �Tribalicious�, a track that sounds (obviously) tribal, and would work perfectly as a backdrop for the next Stomp-type musical to take over Broadway. Castles in Spain have songs that would appeal to a wider audience, but at no point do the tracks on �Again� feel as if they are pandering to individuals only to guarantee Castles in Spain a larger audience. �Again� is a disc that blasts past the 40-45 minute mark that many other discs stick to, while never feeling as if the act is merely adding tracks just to stick around longer. There are not many individuals that know about the band at this juncture, but I am confident that the act will gain a few listeners when the right individuals find out about the act.
Top Tracks: Dreary Dazy, Youre Not Forgotten

- Neufutur Magazine

Castles In Spain Promote Sonic Agenda on New Release "Again"
Visionary artists like Biachi, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the popular Bay Area based
band Castles In Spain (www.castlesinspain.com), frequently have a hard time trying to describe their music to industry reps who would love nothing more than to pigeonhole them. But after
three previous, critically acclaimed independent recordings -- and gearing up to release the band's eagerly anticipated fourth collection, Again -- she knows her art well enough to find just the right words to sum up CIS's edgy but ethereal, cool but otherworldly brand of modern rock. "We have a unique sonic agenda, incorporating everything from tribal rhythms, cinematic and atmospheric vibes and even some Middle Eastern flavors into a style that's very soulful," says Biachi. The San Francisco Bay Guardian describes CIS's music as: "Bombay Zeppelin. Imagine Jimmy Page and Robert Plant riding through the desert, kicking up dust and camel dung at some Cairo bazaar, where Chrissie Hynde is sitting in with Jane's Addiction, playing Black Sabbath and middle-eastern folk music."
Just as the Oceanside, California born Biachi's love for rock developed from the first drum set her father gave her at age seven, the singer comes by her swinging exoticism very naturally. Her mother was a famous professional singer, percussionist and belly dancer in her native Bombay, India, and Biachi first performed with her mom onstage when she was four. "I idolized my mother for her amazing talent." Biachi's dad was a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton when she was born, and Biachi moved around a lot with him after her parents divorced. "With songs like 'Gratitude Adjustment' or 'Look In Her Eyes,' I don't mean to preach, but I'm just saying I'm damn lucky to be here, alive and making the music I want to make. When I look in the mirror, I laugh at myself every day. That gives me a sense of utter joy. One of our fans told me that going to a Castles In Spain show is like going to therapy, that people feel cleansed after hearing our music. The feeling is really mutual."
- Buddy Hollywood

Castles in Spain return with what I believe to be their fourth album, Again. This is my first exposure to this band and it is a much different experience than what I was expecting. The songs were all written, arranged, and produced by Biachi, the bands self-assured and talented frontwoman. They are presented as a rock act but their reality goes much deeper than that, often traveling mystical roads previously tread by only a handful of bands including Led Zeppelin, the early work of Janes Addiction, and Jefferson Airplane. The album opens with My Nerves, which is very akin to spacier Jefferson Airplane work. By the time the title track rolls
around though the band is showing their colors a bit brighter, creating an ambient rock that sounds more original than the first couple of songs lead you to believe. Again is quiet likely the highlight of the album in my opinion, the album is rightly named after it. Youre Not Forgotten adds another layer to the album, sounding a little more laid back and a lot less psychedelic (until the very end). Its soft nature is made memorable by Biachis vocals, much like the rest of the album. Other highlights include Whats Your $ign and the flowing folk rock of Gratitude Adjustment, a song that deals with the naivety we often exhibit in regards to our individual life journeys. Biachi almost sounds like early Perry Farrell as she sings Its time for a doctor to come to my realm/ A gratitude adjustment baby, in line for you. The album gently sways back and forth between haunting folk tunes and down to earth psychedelic rock while boasting powerful melodies throughout its duration. Castles in Spain was a nice surprise for me. This is a band that certainly has a lot to offer listeners that are looking for
something accessible yet slightly out of phase. There is a lot of creativity displayed on Again that I think will appeal to any fan of quality music but particularly those who love to pop profound music into their stereo, ipod, or record player in the dark of night.
Reviewed by: Mark Fisher
- 1340 Magazine

Artist: Castles In Spain
Title: Again
Label: Rat Attack Music
2006
www.myspace.com/castlesinspain

On Again, Castles in Spain demonstrates that their music is as powerful and majestic as the towering fortresses for which theyre named. The lead singer, Biachi, continues the tradition of outstanding female rock vocalists to emerge from the San Francisco music scene. On the albums opener, My Nerves, her voice might have you doing a double-take and scanning the album credits for the name Grace Slick. Thereafter she sounds like a slightly more subdued version of the venerable and more contemporary Linda Perry.

The guitar and rhythm work on the album is also excellent. The music is at once tough, lush and hypnotic, often reminiscent of the musical atmosphere created by bands like Porno for Pyros. The albums title track has an epic sounding quality to it, hitching the listening on a musical ride comparable to that of Janes Addiction Three Days. And whether the tracks are ambitious in scope like Again or bring violin to the mix to create a beautiful melancholy in a tune such as Look in Her Eyes, the material is solid and accomplished, start to finish.

Favorite Track: Track 3, Again
- Online Rock

reviewermag.livejournal.com,

August 16, 2006.
REVIEWER magazine

Castles in Spain: “Again”
(Rat Attack Music)

I was taken immediately by the brilliant voice of Biachi, the Voice of CIS. In fact, she is really everything to do with CIS: songwriter, producer, singer, plus she plays guitar and percussion too. Along side Biachi are Joe, Bill and Derek, on bass, drums and guitar, respectively. The CD cover has a gothic feel to it, I half-expected it to be either death metal or slow, dirge-like drills. But, instead I was
happily surprised to get a Grace Slick-like voice over some gothic-esque r&r. It has a well-produced sound, not a hack-job recorded in their basement. There are articulate acoustic guitars, the aforementioned Voice, a dark vibe, but not nihilistic. It is a sexy kind of dark exotic vibe that oozes sensuousness. (“You’re only pretty as you feel...”) Anyway, “Again” is a sensual, vivid, nocturnal animal that has teeth. It is a swaying, slowed-down mellow album that works out a great meditation soundtrack; it puts you in that high-above state of mind. You can close your eyes and lose yourself in lush, sexy darkness; watery stillness, crooning you into some kind of state of mind where you’ve cleared out all the chatter, the clutter and racing, non-stop rattling on and on.
It gave me flashbacks to Ultra Vivid Scene, with a similar laid-back, dark savoir faire. I will remember
that Voice, though. Ms. Biachi has finally reached my ears. I suppose it was inevitable that we collide,
my senses and this CD, with Biachi singing her heart out, singing her own beautiful melodies. Play on, sister.

(http://www.castlesinspain.com)
by Kent Manthie
- Reviewer Magazine