Sunwatchers are led by three key members of former Athens psych-goof powerhouse Dark Meat, and the New York band shares its predecessor’s taste for gnarled riffs and ecstatic drones. But Sunwatchers elevate cosmic rock and roll to a new plane. The group incorporates international flavors—listen for the electric phin, a guitar-like instrument native to Thailand—and elements of modern composition and free jazz, blending Albert Ayler-style sax wails with motorik rhythms and fuzzed-out licks. In contrast to Dark Meat’s excess, Sunwatchers seek to navigate spiritual peaks and valleys on their self-titled debut, out now on Castle Face Records. They’ll convene at the brewery with local psychedelic standouts Mind Brains and Hot Fudge.
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