PSYCHIC ILLS SHARE “BABY” FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM INNER JOURNEY OUT – DUE OUT JUNE 3rd
Sacred Bones Records
Psychic Ills have already shared the first two singles (”I Dont Mind” and ”Another Change“) from their highly anticipated fifth album, Inner Journey Out, and today they’ve shared a new track from the album, ”Baby”.
Psychic Ills Tres Warren explains the creation of Baby saying, Baby was one of the earliest demos I had for Inner Journey Out, but it was one of the last songs we finished. I really like what the gospel singers brought to it. Dennis Wilsons ‘Pacific Ocean Blue’ and Dions ‘Born To Be With You’ were big influences on this record, and definitely this song. Those records can still make me cry on the right day…
The seekers in New York Citys Psychic Ills have spent more than a decade following their muse wherever it takes them. Inner Journey Out, the bands highly anticipated fifth album and first since 2013, is the culmination of an odyssey of three years of writing, traversing the psych-rock landscape theyve carved throughout their career and taking inspired pilgrimages into country, blues, gospel, and jazz.
Inner Journey Out started out the way many Ills records have – with frontman Tres Warren’s demos. Like all of their records, Elizabeth Hart’s bass is the glue that holds everything together. Where other recent albums found Warren overdubbing himself to create a blown-out, widescreen sound, this recording handed the reigns to a multitude of guest players. A cadre of musicians and vocalists – including Mazzy Stars Hope Sandoval, who duets on lead single I Dont Mind – join in on the journey. This is also the first record to feature touring keyboard player Brent Cordero, his Farfisa and Wurlitzer work is a staple throughout. Rounding things out, is a platoon of drummers and percussionist including; Chris Millstein, Harry Druzd of Endless Boogie, Derek James of The Entrance Band, and Charles Burst, one of the records engineers. These musicians build the frame on which Warren lays his hazy guitar and vocals. An endless array of friends and guests join the proceedings to provide pedal steel guitar, horns, strings, and backing vocals, which culminate in a career-defining moment for the Ills.
Thematically, Inner Journey Out is a detailed exploration of the interior and the exterior, and the pathway between the two. The focused songwriting makes the stylistic departures fit seamlessly within the bands dexterous ethos. The rousing gospel psychedelia of Another Change and Baby, two of the records four songs to feature back up singers and the far-out free jazz exploration Ra Wah Wah help shape Inner Journey Out into a multi-faceted, full album experience. Deeper set tracks like Music In My Head features guest vocals by Starreds Liza Thorn and resonant fingerpicking by folk guitarist Mike Wexler. Synth drones of fellow time traveller Drew McDowall provides the bedrock of “Hazel Green. All expanse aside, its the most personal Psychic Ills album, too, hinting tantalizingly at love and loss but denying the listener resolution — asking questions, but never answering; seeking, but never fully concluding.
The friends and family collaborative effort extends beyond the sound and into the design of the record with fine artists and long time Psychic Ills collaborators Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe creating all of the art for the record.
A decade on from releasing their critically lauded cult debut, Dins, and the deep dive into cosmic improvisation of Mirror Eye that followed, through the more recent and straightforward outings of Hazed Dream and One Track Mind, Psychic Ills have delivered their most remarkable statement yet with Inner Journey Out.
Tour Dates
6/11/2016 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg (Northside, Record Release Show) *
6/14/2016 – Manchester, UK – Ruby Lounge
6/15/2016 – London, UK – Lexington
6/16/2016 – London, UK – Lexington
6/17/2016 – Brussels, Belgium – Beursschouwburg
6/18/2016 – Paris, FR – International Psych Festival
6/19/2016 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands – Best Kept Secret Festival
6/21/2016 – Zurich, Switzerland – Club Zukunft
6/23/2016 – Milan, Italy – Sacrestia
6/24/2016 – Pescara, Italy – IndieRocket Festival
6/25/2016 – Ravenna, Italy – Hana Bi
8/12/2016 – St. Malo, FR – La Route du Rock
8/19/16 – Paredes de Coura – Vodafone Paredes de Coura
* w/ Weyes Blood
Psychic Ills
Inner Journey Out
(Sacred Bones Records)
Release Date: June 3, 2016
Pre-Order via
Inner Journey Out Track List
1. Back to You
2. Another Change
3. I Don’t Mind (feat. Hope Sandoval)
4. Mixed Up Mind
5. All Alone
6. New Mantra
7. Coca-Cola Blues
8. Baby
9. Music in My Head
10. No Worry
11. Hazel Green
12. Confusion (I’m Alright)
13. Ra Wah Wah
14. Fade Me Out
Band Links
(Background Photo Credit: Kenny Jossick)
