Delta Stardust – Snakes Made of Light
Delta Stardust, a roots semi-psychedelic band from Memphis and North Mississippi, just released their debut album of musically layered earthy songs: Snakes Made of Light. Delta Stardust has pulled a large group of musicians together but the sound isn’t what you’d traditionally label psychedelic, nor it it bluegrass or simple folk. It’s jam band, and psychedelic for sure, just not in the “psych rock” sense, and it’s quite innovative and natural, but with sustain, and as you can tell from the album title Snakes Made of Light, this album is a sonic, and possibly literal if you want it to be, trip.
“Thank you” starts the album by breaking the third wall and thanking the listener and in a wider sense, just expressing gratitude: “thank you for seeing through me / for lighting up my day in a very soulful day.” Strings and a vocal hum support the song of gratitude amidst its many other layers.
“Memphis Tattoo” has a whistle and a saw but as much as those instruments can sometimes connote simplicity, this one is not musically simple: “welcome to Memphis, it’s heaven or hell / show me your Memphis Tattoo.” There’s a lot swirling here rising and falling from underneath the song for hometown pride, Memphis-style.
“Owl in My Backyard” starts out with a world music style mix, and then opens into an atmospheric, mandolin and banjo carried ode to the view of natural world. The next song “Feelin’ Good Blues,” is a covenant to get you feeling good.
“Havin’ A Ball, Y’All” combines a Moog sound popping in and out with horns, and is a party sound “floating in this galaxy” that is its own unique homage to Memphis and North Mississippi. Later in the album “What the F#ck Did You Put In My Drink” is a somewhat loopy song that sounds like you’re staggering and better just sit down and let things flow.
Lots of strings and percussion sounds abound here but in each song the intention stays true. It’s never a free for all, it consistently sounds like the group was of one mind, which is saying a lot when you consider the number of musicians on this project – see the list below. The album mixes views on nature and punctuations of down home sounds and pops of natural psychedelic sounds that, generally, well, will get you high if you aren’t already. That’s just a fact. If there is an area of critique of this album it’s that the vocals could be crisper and clearer in the mix. You can find the music here: https://orcd.co/snakes-made-of-light
Snakes Made of Light was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Seahorse Studio. It was co-produced by John Kilgore and Michael Graber, and engineered by John Kilgore.
Musicians on the album are Michael Graber on vocals, 12 string acoustic guitar, lead guitars, sitar guitar, bass, percussion, vibraphone, setar, drone guitar, shutti box, vocal drone, autoharp, electric mandolin, gong, kazoo, washboard, tenor guitar, clavinet and acoustic guitar; Andy Ratliff on harmony vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, tenor banjo, baritone guitar, electric mandolin, saz, vocal drone, and percussion; John Kilgore on triangle, Mellotron, harp, accordion, flute, marimba, farfisa, bells, vibraslap, Hammond organ, harmonium, synth, tabla, percussion, Moog, drums, vocal drone, and harmony vocals; Jesse Dakota on drums, shaker, background vocals and percussion; Scott Carter on vocal drone, space drums, conga, darbuka, shaker, tambourine, backing vocals and percussion; Grayson Smith on piano, Rhodes, harmony vocals, vocal drone, percussion and organ; Kitty Dearing on musical saw, harmony vocals; Julie Graber on harmony vocals; Carlos Gonzalez on charango, violin, bass, backing vocals, vocal drone and percussion; Jesse Gonzalez on shaker; Eric Lewis on pedal steel; Tom Link on saxophone and clarinet; Robert Allen Parker on lap steel; Grayson Smith on clavinet; Michael New on harmony vocals; Nick Newlin on accordion; Victor Sawyer on tuba and trombone; Mark Jordan on washboard and drums; and Jeremy Shrader on trumpet.