With their blend of jazz chops, progressive arrangements, and psychedelic flourishes, British quartet Syd Arthur have been carrying on the tradition of the progressive “Canterbury scene” of the 1970s (Caravan, The Soft Machine) — first with their debut album, On An On, and now with their follow-up LP, Sound Mirror, due out April 22nd on Harvest Records.
In addition, the band has also announced upcoming performances at Coachella and SXSW, along with February tour dates in Los Angeles and New York City.
The band first came together in 2009, carving out a niche in their home of Canterbury, England, where they built their own recording facility, dubbed Wicker Studios. But On An On (with its shifting time signatures, unusual instrumentation, and expansive grooves) earned the band a new audience state-side upon its November 2013 re-release. And with that international exposure, the band gained a bigger following on the road, touring with other like-minded experimentalists White Denim and Paul Weller.
As a sampler of the band’s psych-prog brilliance, check out their recent single “Ode to the Summer.” It’s absolutely fantastic, with Liam Magill’s elastic vocal pogoing off bluesy guitar riffs and a funky, propulsive rhythm section.
February tour dates below:
11 – Los Angeles, CA, The Echo w/Belle Brigade
13 – New York, NY, Rough Trade w/American Royalty
14 – New York, NY, Mercury Lounge
15 – Philadelphia, PA, Kung Fu Necktie
March
12 – 16 – Austin, TX, SXSW
April
12 – Indio, CA, Coachella Fest
19 – 20 – Indio, CA, Coachella Fest
