PRODUCT DETAILS
- The Black Angels’ classic sophomore album
- Pressed at RTI
- Triple LP housed in a Stoughton tri-fold gatefold jacket
“The Black Angels bring the aura of mid-1966 the drilling guitars of early Velvet Underground shows, the raga inflections of late-show Fillmore jams, the acid-prayer stomp of Austin avatars the 13th Floor Elevators everywhere they go, including the levitations on their second album, Directions to See a Ghost. Mid-Eighties echoes of Spacemen 3 and the Jesus and Mary Chain also roll through the scoured-guitar sustain and Alex Maas’ rocker-monk incantations. But he knows what time it is. ’You say the Beatles stopped the war,” Maas sings in ‘Never/Ever.’ ‘They might’ve helped to find a cure/But it’s still not over.’ Even so, this medicine works wonders." – David Fricke, Rolling Stone
Last time we met The Black Angels, they were staring into the desert sun somewhere outside of Austin, Texas. Two years later, night has fallen and the spirits have come out. It’s time for The Black Angels to provide Directions On How To See A Ghost.
If you’re familiar with Passover, the band’s 2006 debut, you’ll know that The Black Angels’s music alone is enough to invoke spirits. There’s a name for the band’s sound; they call it ‘hypno-drone ’n roll’. It’s the sound of long nights on peyote, of dreams of a new world order, and of half-invented memories of the seamy side of ’60s psychedelia.
While the Iraq war is still a major influence on the band’s lyrics, there are new forces at work here, including Eugene Zamyatin’s dystopian novel We and in Christian Bland’s words “psychic information from the past and future.” See, The Black Angels really are in contact with ghosts.
“Civil War battlefields are prime spots for seeing ghosts,” says Bland. “One time at Kennesaw mountain in Georgia, I was climbing the mountain in the middle of June and it must have been close to 100 degrees, but in this one particular spot it was very cold. The hairs on my neck stood up and I knew something strange was happening. Then the wind whispered something like ‘retreat,’ and I did. I later learned that the spot where I was on the battlefield was known as ‘the dead angle’, the place where the fiercest fighting took place. The confederates ended up retreating from the mountain towards Peachtree Creek.”
The Black Angels formed in Austin, Texas, in 2004, comprising from six people (now five) from very different backgrounds. Singer/vocalist Christian Bland is the son of a Presbyterian Pastor and was raised in a devoutly religious household. Bassist / guitarist Nate Ryan was born on a cult compound and drummer Stephanie Bailey claims she’s a descendent of Davy Crocket. She and Alex Maas (vocals/guitar) believe a little girl in a red linen dress haunts the group’s home.
The band released Passover in 2006 to critical acclaim for both the album and the song “The First Vietnamese War”. Most of all, Passover established The Black Angels as a band with brains, balls and a strong message. And this time around, the message is there to read in a 16-page booklet that comes with the album.
“Our central theme is that people need to open up their minds and let everything come through, and to learn from past mistakes,” says Christian. “Only then will we understand the reality of this world and progress beyond where we are now as humans. We’ve built upon that theme with Directions to See a Ghost. We want people to study the booklet we are providing with the album in hopes that they will be able to relate each song to something in their life.”
- You On The Run
- Doves
- Science Killer
- Mission District
- 18 Years
- Deer-Ree-Shee
- Never/Ever
- Vikings
- You In Color
- The Return
- Snake In The Grass
SHIPPING
- Shipping times are estimates, and transit times may vary. While we usually ship within one business day, please allow us up to 2 business days handling time for each shipment.
- Shipping charges on all premium shipping options (non-media mail) are non-refundable.
- Flat-rate media mail shipping is intended for individual consumers and not bulk purchasing. We reserve the right to request additional payments for bulk purchases using our flat-rate shipping service.
- If you would like your pre-orders and in-stock items shipped separately, please order them separately. Otherwise, we will ship all items in your order when the last title is released!
- Street dates for pre-orders are tentative and are subject to change.
- Every international order includes shipping insurance that covers both the purchase and shipping costs. In the event of a lost or damaged package, we will file an insurance claim on your behalf. If the claim is accepted by the insurance company, we will refund you the amount offered in the claim. If the insurance claim is rejected, no refund will be provided.
- Any duties, taxes and customs fees for international orders are the responsibility of the customer.
RETURNS
Domestic Returns (US Only): We stand by all of our products and offer a refund on all products within 30 days of purchase (excluding products marked as warehouse finds/no returns, bulk orders, or international orders). Returned items must be in the same condition they were sent. Shipping charges on all premium shipping options (non-media mail) are nonrefundable.
International Returns: Due to the cost of international shipping, we do not offer refunds, exchanges or returns on international orders. Every international order includes shipping insurance that covers both the purchase and shipping costs. In the event of a lost, delayed or damaged package, we will file an insurance claim on your behalf. If the claim is accepted by the insurance company, we will refund you the amount offered in the claim. If the insurance claim is rejected, no refund will be provided.
Bulk Order Returns (Purchases including 3 or more of same item): Shipping on bulk orders is nonrefundable. Customers with bulk orders are responsible for all return shipping costs as well as a 15% restocking fee deducted from the refund amount.