Evangelicals Irish Debut at Whelans

Posted on 30th May 08 by Contributor | 0

Artist: Evangelicals
Author: Jason Golden

Foggy Notions presents EVANGELICALS "DEAD OCEANS"" June 8" Whelans

Debut Irish performance from Dead Oceans amazing psychedelic group Evangelicals with support from Dublins gorgeous melancholic pop band Groom and the enigmatic Mumblin Deaf Ro "the man responsible for our hands"down favourite Irish album of 2007".

The Evangelicals seems like an appropriate name for a band from the Bible Belt town of Norman" Oklahoma" but this bands skewed" psychedelic take on post"Pavement indie rock seems unlikely to thrill the average church youth group. Seemingly heavily influenced by fellow Oklahoma oddballs Flaming Lips and the Starlight Mints" as well as other members of the lysergic end of contemporary indie pop" the Evangelicals were started in 2005 by singer" songwriter" and" at first" sole member Josh Jones.

After recording the majority of the Evangelicals debut album by himself" Jones recruited his childhood friend Austin Stephens as drummer and fellow Oklahoma University student Kyle Davis on bass" turning the group into a full"time studio and touring proposition. Signing to the respected indie Misra Records "Great Lake Swimmers" the Mendoza Line" the Evangelicals released their debut album" So Gone" on the thematically appropriate date of June 6" 2006.

Dabbling in glam" slipping in a little funk and soul" drinking the psychedelic Kool"aid" blasting the synths" cranking up the guitars" and wrapping it all up with a dose of pop smarts" Evangelicals second album The Evening Descends was released at the start of 2008 on Dead Oceans.

Beneath the shrieks of guitars" keyboard blasts" and proggy space"age grooves" Josh Jones leads the listener through tales of religion and revivalism" plus insanity" drugs" black"outs" zombies" good and evil" car crashes" love and a mental institution called Bellawood. Jones wild narratives and propulsive pop songs are anchored with the right balance of stoicism and wit by Davis and Stephens.

Evangelicals The Evening Descends just might be Oklahomas answer to Princes Around the World in a Day" but from the perspective of someone crashing at Pee"Wees Playhouse… who happens to have a chainsaw slowly gnawing through his leg. The Evening Descends is crazy" self"assured and above all" a totally wild ride.