Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 10-30-13

What are you up to next Wednesday, November 6th? If you’re in Chicago and want to see a great psychedelic rock show, I strongly encourage you to come out to the Empty Bottle for Secret Colours, Elephant Stone and The Besnard Lakes. Almost one year ago, Chicago’s own Secret Colours also played a show with Montreal’s Elephant Stone at Beat Kitchen, and the results were nothing short of mindblowing. The difference between then and now? Well, Secret Colours released their second album Peach this past summer, taking their psychedelic sound to a whole new level that eclipses their previous work. Stream that entire record if you don’t believe me. Elephant Stone has been plenty busy in 2013 too, and unleashed their self-titled second record upon an unsuspecting public this past February, and touring almost nonstop to support it. In case you’re not familiar, the band is led by bassist/sitarist Rishi Dhir, and their sound has been compared to the Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Black Angels, both of which Dhir has been a member of (officially or unofficially) at one time or another. Perhaps the best way to get introduced to Elephant Stone though is through this free compilation they’ve put together via Noisetrade. Give that a try and then tell me you’re still not on board with the band. I won’t believe you. In part because the Montreal music scene is so supportive of one another (shout out to Arcade Fire), Elephant Stone actually cancelled/changed some of their tour dates this fall in order to spend more time on the road with their friends The Besnard Lakes, who also put out an album this past spring called Until in Excess, Imperceptible UFO. That’s a heady title, but The Besnard Lakes are a heady band. Their previous records The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse and The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night are downright heroic pieces of carefully orchestrated and epic psych-rock, which has earned them more praise and a greater spotlight than you might expect. The main duo of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas have proven truly masterful in their craft, and as their new record shows, they aren’t afraid to take some risks either. While things have gotten a little more subdued and a little less commercially viable, the spirit of their past efforts stays true. Check out the videos for their tracks “Colour Yr Lights In” and “People of the Sticks” to get a good idea of what the band has been up to these days. All that said, all three bands are going to destroy the Bottle next Wednesday, and you should be there. It’s a 21+ show, starts at 9, and tickets are $12 in advance. Buy them here. Now then, onto today’s Pick Your Poison business. Don’t miss tracks from Chad Kichula, CUSCINO, Mount Pressmore, Psapp, Way Yes and Weathered. After the jump, the Soundcloud section has audio streams of songs from Beachwood Sparks, Vex Ruffin, and White Fence, as well as Matthew Dear’s remix of Jagwar Ma, and Twin Shadow’s remix of SKATERS.