Psychic Temple (mandolin content!)

**Miltown** · Feb-11-2016, 5:59pm

I'd never heard of this band before today (they're on Sufjan Stevens's label, Asthmatic Kitty), but this song has some nice mandolin on it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztcOW3DdzdA

**Miltown** · Feb-11-2016, 6:08pm

Actually, I think Psychic Temple is just the name of the album--the artist's name is Chris Schlarb. Anyway, I dig it, especially the mandolin.

**themodestokid** · Feb-11-2016, 9:53pm

nice! who's that playing mandolin?

**Miltown** · Feb-12-2016, 11:00am

Originally Posted by themodestokid

nice! who's that playing mandolin?

some hipster dude?

**Bertram Henze** · Feb-12-2016, 11:15am

I don't know - Mr Natural walks around a cave while instruments as well as players get moved like objects. That's not what I call band identity. The mandolin is more of a marginal prop.

**Miltown** · Feb-13-2016, 11:38am

Originally Posted by Bertram Henze

I don't know...The mandolin is more of a marginal prop.

Well, the mandolinist plays throughout the song, and takes a couple of (imo) nice solos. But, different strokes for different folks.

The album that song is on hasn't been released yet. I'll be curious to see if the mandolin is featured on other tracks (and also who the player is).

**Bertram Henze** · Feb-14-2016, 1:55am

Originally Posted by Miltown

the mandolinist plays throughout the song...

Yes, but it's mostly chord accompaniment many other instruments could do - the mandolin does not really come into its own here, acting rather like the little guitar it is mistaken for so often. It reminds me a bit of what REM did on "Losing my Religion". What's more, at the start of the video Mr Natural acts like he'd make those sounds with his 12-string. Very strange.

...and takes a couple of (imo) nice solos.

The band is not really stepping back to create a free space for the soloist, as they would in Bluegrass. They just play on, and the mandolin player seems to be sent to play outside, like a little kid.

**Jess L.** · Feb-14-2016, 4:16am

Originally Posted by Miltown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztcOW3DdzdA

The mandolin player has a lot better balance than I do,

I wouldn't be able to keep my balance while being pulled along on a little sled-thingie like at 1:10-1:18 in the video.

But, about the music itself... some nice mandolin tremolo at 2:36 etc, and a mysterious ghost banjo (or banjo-like sound) at 3:40... interesting video...