Psychedelic collective The Third Mind has announced their return with “Spellbinder!”, a four-song companion album to last year’s critically praised “Right Now!” that promises to reconnect the group with the founding concept that first brought its members together: “spontaneous musical conversation“. The album’s out March 13 and is now available for pre-order here.
The first single, ‘Reap What You Sow’, is out now – watch its video below – and is accompanied by its official video, which can be seen below. Featuring assembled vintage stock imagery interwoven with live performance footage shot by Teemu Sipilä at The Chapel, San Francisco, January 20, 2024, the video was created, produced, and directed by Victor Krummenacher. The album opens with an instrumental reinterpretation of ‘Spellbinder’ inspired by Hungarian jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo, whose work has long influenced guitarist David Immerglück. “I’ve been a huge fan of Gabor Szabo my whole life,” Immerglück says. “When the idea came up to record ‘Spellbinder’, it felt like a no-brainer.”
“We wanted another instrumental, and an opportunity to flex our improvisational muscles. It was not so much about covering Gabor Szabo, but doing an improvised piece of music – that was always The Third Mind concept,” offers Dave Alvin. “If anything, this recording is as close as we’ve gotten to the original concept of the group. Right Now! and 2 (the second album) are more song-based, and the improvs are based on the songs. Spellbinder is all based on improvisation.”
Also featured is a newly realised version of ‘Before We Say Goodbye,’ expanding on the track first heard on “Right Now!” Alvin originally envisioned the song as “a combination of a Haight-Ashbury and R&B ballad. Willie suggested adding strings, and suddenly it felt like Marvin Gaye or The Chi-Lites,” he recalls. That vision comes to life with string arrangements recorded by Stevie Blacke. Bassist Victor Krummenacher: “Stevie took Willie’s arrangement to new heights by adding an octave violin—a very Motown move. I love doing these kinds of unexpected things with this band.”
Formed by GRAMMY winner Dave Alvin and bassist Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker, Monks of Doom, Eyelids), who are joined in-studio by guitarist David Immerglück (Counting Crows, John Hiatt, Monks of Doom, Camper Van Beethoven), drummer Michael Jerome (Richard Thompson, Better Than Ezra, John Cale), singer/songwriter Jesse Sykes (Jesse Sykes & The Sweeter Hereafter), and special guest Willie Aron (piano, organ), The Third Mind create albums using improvisational work, recording live in a circle with no rehearsal and no written arrangements! A heady brew!
