Portland psych rockers Spoon Benders make music that is at times dark and trippy, at other times a bit punky, but always eminently watchable. I went into the band’s Sunday night show at The Baby G knowing very little other than what I gleaned from a cursory listen to the band’s latest album How Things Repeat, but I liked what I heard, so I figured I’d take a chance. I was not disappointed.
The band impressed with their heavy psych sound and a solid stage presence. Singer/guitarist Katy Black has this cool vibrato thing in her voice at times that reminded me a little of Buffy Sainte-Marie – not necessarily a common reference point for psych rock, and I have no idea if Black is even a fan or if this is just a happy coincidence, but I do know that Buffy’s 1969 album Illuminations is plenty psychedelic, so maybe more psych rock bands should be taking some influence from her.
As I mentioned, Spoon Benders are currently on tour behind their latest, How Things Repeat, which came out back in May of this year. It’s a solid collection, with album tracks like “Dichotomatic” and “Rival” standing out as highlights of the band’s set.
If you get a chance to see Spoon Benders live, take it.