Album Notes

Background:

The Michigan based Indie / Psychedelic Rock group originally formed around 1997 with four young guys in love with The Beatles and Sonic Youth deciding to make a go at their own ambitious brand of Rock n' Roll. Combining elements of loud, freak-out guitar with complex arrangements and strong melody, the fledgling band quickly became a local favorite of music fans and musicians alike, and by 2002 had become the solid 5 peice that they are today.

The Sound:

Nowadays, the music is decidedly trippy, but not in the "jam-band" sense. Instead of extended noodling and aimless jamming, Wanderjahr crafts psychedelia with a bit of pop sensibility and a strong emphasis on songwriting. The tunes are thick with bombast, grand noise and delicate beauty, all fused into a quality sonic experience that might sit comfortably between Modest Mouse and Pink Floyd in your CD changer.

The Album - "Is to Disappear":

Though it's not their first recording effort (they've been on the scene for 7 years or so), the album is somewhat of a departure for the band, foregoing the 'live in the studio' approach for a more layered, atmospheric sound. "We wanted to shoot for a more detailed, 'headphones' kind of record with this one" says singer/guitarist/songwriter Mike Clauwaert, "...something you can explore as well as just listen to."

And there's plenty here to explore. Along with more intricate vocal harmony, the band has added a variety of instrumentation to the lysergic stew: banjo, cello, jaw harp, timpani, dobro, a gong, and even the sound of the skin being peeled from a tangerine.

Playing on themes of illusion, both literal and metaphoric, "Is to Disappear" conjures images of stage magic... rabbits, doves, magical hats, smoke and mirrors. All the while, the songs are actually painfully human tales of love, loss and disenchantment. It's not all gloom though. Many of the songs are bittersweet, the dark side making the light all the more illuminating and the joy all the more palpable.