Music Review: Wand, Golem

By Less Lee Moore

Last year, Wand released a killer album called Ganglion Reef (review), which included a righteous track called “Flying Golem.” This year, they’ve picked up where they left off with an album named after that mythological creature. I’m not sure why they’re so fascinated with beings brought to life from inanimate matter, but the word “Golem” does provide the kind of fantastic imagery that befits their music.

Listeners will be reminded of Ty Segall when they hear a song like “Flesh Tour”—we know he’s a fan because Ganglion Reef was released on his God? imprint and they were handpicked to be openers on his tour—but Wand comes across as more D&D-inspired. They’re also seemingly unconcerned with creating hooks or typical song structures. But their songs will still lurk in the recesses of your brain.

While Wand has retained their distinctive sound, there is definitely progress in a positive direction on Golem Everything feels simultaneously heavier yet more ethereal, which is a difficult feat to attain. The songs on Golem sound much more like David Bowie, circa The Man Who Sold The World, with the psychedelia turned up to 11. Songs like “Self-Hypnosis In 3 Days” and “Floating Head” come across like Redd Kross at their heaviest. The album is saturated with stunning guitar licks and Wand’s spine-tingling harmonies, highlighting the eerie, elfin voice of singer/guitarist Cory Hanson, who often recalls Marc Bolan without a vibrato.

Golem was recorded in 12 days, an impressive feat, considering the kind of intensely quirky music found within. Songs open with a bit that sounds like a bridge, or insert a fuzzy guitar solo before the halfway mark. Other times, they just stop abruptly and then start up again. The haunted guitar in the intro to “Reaper Invert” is awe inducing, and then it disappears completely, which only leaves you wanting more.

“Melted Rope” is slower and more dreamy than the other tracks, but no less intense. It nicks an exceedingly familiar melody—a snippet from The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life”—and transforms it into something else entirely. If Wand’s vague but clearly fanciful lyrics give you the impression that they’re as pliable as the titular entity of the album, the massively tight ending of “Cave In” crushes that myth. It’s as much of an unexpected marvel as the stoner/sludge rock opening and closing of “Planet Golem” (a place I would dearly love to visit). Appropriately named, “The Drift” closes the album with a hallucinogenic come-down.

Most appealingly, although they are probably considered to be part of the neo-psych/garage revival, Wand seems blissfully nonchalant about fitting into any one category. This is what makes Golem—and the band itself—so enticing for those who enjoy music that keeps them on their toes.

Golem was released by In The Red Records on March 17.

Tour Dates:
Fri. April 3 – Toronto, ON @ Silver Dollar ~
Sat. April 4 – Cleveland, OH @ Happy Dog ~
Sun. April 5 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle ~
Tue. April 7 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue and 7th Street Entry ~
Thur. April 9 – Missoula, MY @ Stage 112
Sat. April 11 – Vancouver, BC @ The Cobalt
Sun. April 12 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Tue. April 14 – Santa Rosa, CA @ Arlene Francis Center
Wed. April 15 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
Thu. April 16 – Costa Mesa, CA @ The Wayfarer
Wed. May 13 – Brussels, BE @ Nuits Botaniques Festival
Thu. May 14 – London, UK @ Rough Trade East In Store
Fri. May 15 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape Fest
Sat. May 16 – Lyon, FR @ Nuits Sonores Festival
Sun. May 17 – Barcelona, SP @ Almo2bar
Mon. May 18 – Madrid, SP @ Costello
Tue. May 19 – San Sebastian, SP @ DabaDaba
Wed. May 20 – Bordeaux, FR @ Rock School Barbey
Thu. May 21 – Angers, FR @ Chabada
Fri. May 22 – St. Brieuc, FR @ Art Rock Festival
Sat. May 23 – Utrecht, NL @ Guess Who Festival
Sun. May 24 – London, UK @ Old Blue Last
Mon. May 25 – Groningen, NL @ Vera
Tue. May 26 – Berlin, DE @ West Germany
Wed. May 27 – Metz, FR @ Trinitaires
Thu. May 28 – Dudingen, CH @ Kilbi Festival
Fri. May 29 – Toulouse, FR @ Week-End Curiosités Festival
Sat. May 30 – Nimes, FR @ This is Not a Love Song Festival
Fri. June 5 – Ravena, IT @ Beaches Brew Festival
Sat. June 6 – Poitiers, FR @ Less Playboy Is More Cowboy Festival
Fri. Sep. 4 – Sun. Sep. 6 – Dorset, UK @ End Of The Road Festival