Blips | Under The Radar Acts – New Electric Ride And Prince Rupert’s Drops

In our never-ending quest to dig up great bands whose tickets cost less than a corned beef sandwich at your local deli, we bring you our latest round of Blips here on JamBase. The idea behind Blips is to form a lasting relationship with acts we believe to have bright futures and stick with them as they develop and grow. We view Blips as a progression that begins with a mention in a Blips segment, then leads to a Blips Update, and ultimately culminates in a feature length interview. In this edition, we have some really cool new music, so take a sec, poke around the bands’ various websites and see what you think of these two under-the-radar acts…

New Electric Ride

Facebook

We are in a golden age of kick-ass psychedelic music and like the initial trip, the renaissance is totally intercontinental. Looking over the Atlantic, New Electric Ride, with their throwback sound and killer songsmanship should be on everyone’s radar. These Brits bring a heavy-duty psych rock that’s somewhere in between Cream and early Pink Floyd.

Their 5-song self-titled EP is overstuffed with “hey man, what is this? Turn it up!” tracks, but feels like a teaser. The opening track, “Mr Bumblebee,” is an almost perfect track, swirling together the best sounds of an era reinvented for today’s ears. Thankfully, the band is poised to release their first full-length this winter on Beyond Beyond Is Beyond records. The first taste, “All Who You Know,” is a wonderfully dreamy groove that may or may not tell you who buried Paul when played backwards.

Prince Rupert’s Drops

Facebook

And if you want to stretch things out a bit, you could do a lot worse than upstart mindbenders, Prince Rupert’s Drops. From closer-to-home Brooklyn, I first caught the very end of an opening set of theirs a year or so ago. Just a song and a half of their entrancing psychedelic music and I was quickly writing their name lest I forget. Never fear, PRD have been making some noise in town with steady gigging and the constant improvement that comes with it.

The Drops are the musical equivalent of a multi-hued, oil-and-water light show and are best appreciated playing live in front of one. Not afraid to stretch things out, they’re great brain-wandering music, truly talented jammers. The sound actually translates well in the studio, and their Run Slow release (label mates on BBIB with New Electric Ride) last year may be the best album you haven’t heard yet.

Somehow I could not find a single video of Prince Rupert’s Drops “Going Plaid” live, but you’ll have to take my word for it for now. You can check out a live set from their “earlier” days courtesy of NYCTaper.

Written By: Aaron Stein