Secret Mountains

Location: Baltimore
For Fans of: Wye Oak, Beach House
Though the band recently lost their vocalist just before the release of their highly anticipated full length debut Rainer, this Baltimore sextet continues to produce sprawling songs that dabble in shoegaze inspired moments of grandeur. With a startling scope, Secret Mountains unravel with an unexpected intensity. Their tracks typically hinge on dream-pop aesthetics, but their draw comes from their overwhelming sense of restraint. At any given moment their songs can come to an explosive peak that tosses all expectations aside and leaves listeners begging for more. - Paste Magazine

Location: Baltimore
For Fans of: Wye Oak, Beach House
Though the band recently lost their vocalist just before the release of their highly anticipated full length debut Rainer, this Baltimore sextet continues to produce sprawling songs that dabble in shoegaze inspired moments of grandeur. With a startling scope, Secret Mountains unravel with an unexpected intensity. Their tracks typically hinge on dream-pop aesthetics, but their draw comes from their overwhelming sense of restraint. At any given moment their songs can come to an explosive peak that tosses all expectations aside and leaves listeners begging for more. - Paste Magazine

Secret Mountains is a band split between Baltimore (where it originated and some members of the sextet still remain) and Brooklyn, where a couple of members live now. Their recently released Rainer LP is both a lovely and loud compilation of songs that defy description. Secret Mountains blends the psychedelic with the organic to create a prog rock catharsis. So what exactly is Secret Mountains? In an interview with the band’s lead guitarist Jeffrey Silverstein and bassist Alex Jones, I attempted to get through some of the enigma. As Alex would say, it’s something you have to, “listen [to] and decide for [your]selves.”

Two of you live in Brooklyn while the rest of the band is in Baltimore. What’s it like to be in a long distance relationship as a band?

Alex: We definitely don’t practice as often as we’d like to, so we’ve been corresponding through the internet much more frequently. [We send] ideas and demos to everyone on Dropbox, talk on G-chat, that kind of thing. I’m going to be moving up to Brooklyn this summer, so that should actually make everything a whole lot easier since Chris, Jeff, and I produce the majority of musical ideas in the band.

Jeffrey: Being split between two cities is definitely tough, but can also be very rewarding. It makes you work harder and really make the most of your time with each other. It was hard enough to get us all in the same room when we lived in the same city, so I think in a way we are kind of used to it. It’s definitely nice being able to set up shows in either city and have good friends who show up to both.


Photo by Micah E. Wood
Secret Mountains, Rainer, and the sounds of nature throughout the album make me wonder which one of you (if not all of you) has a seemingly deep fascination/connection with nature. How did that come about the be a part of the band and why?

Alex: Those nature sounds on Rainer are all taken from field recordings I’ve made over the past few years, mostly around the Jones Falls and Druid Hill Park areas in Baltimore. Those places in particular are some of my absolute favorite spots to go when I need some time to space out and clear my head. I don’t think there’s any particular way it became incorporated into the music and visual aesthetic, it just happens that way. I would say that the idea of being isolated in the wilderness and wandering with no particular destination in mind definitely has an appeal to our collective psyche, so naturally it would come out in the work.

Jeffrey: I think we’ve definitely worked to create a fairly natural, honest sound for ourselves, one that wouldn’t have happened if not for some connection with nature. Most days, I think any of us would rather be out in the woods/mountains camping then in a crowded bar or something. I suppose its just kind of ingrained in all of us.

There are some great Polaroids of the band up on your tumblr. Who’s the photographer in the group, and do you find it important to share candid moments with your fans/audience?

Alex: Kelly has taken a lot of photos on film when we’ve been out on tour, which is where the photos on the front and back of the LP came from, but most of our photos come from people outside of the band. We try to bring someone on tour with us specifically just to take pictures and document everything (shoutout to Ian and Ace) because none of us are really photographers.

Personally I would much rather see some candid photos of people actually doing things instead of a few posed press photos of a bunch of dudes trying to look like they’re not trying to look cool, so yes, candid shots are absolutely better.

Jeffrey, you met Kelly while you were both waiting for the light rail? Tell me more about that. How did the rest of the band come around to be six members?

Alex: Pretty much Jeff and Kelly just started talking on the light rail and then decided to play music with each other, they can tell you a lot more about it than I could. Later Chris joined, then Cory, then Jake. I’ve known Jake since our high school days, so when they decided they needed a full-time bass player, they asked me.

Jeffrey: It’s a pretty dull story at this point to be honest. All I know is I got lucky meeting Kelly when I did. She was one of the first people to be like, hey these songs are good––they weren’t–– you should keep writing more. I needed that. Once we grew tired of Juno soundtrack comparisons, we were like, “Fuck it––we need to play LOUD.” I lived in the same apartment complex as Jake, and we would smoke a bunch of pot and work on music and play video games. I had known Cory for a while through mutual friends and was always so amazed that he wasn’t already in bands being as good as he is at guitar. And THAT HAIR––my goodness! I had some mutual friends as Chris and would soon find out he is an absolutely beast at life. There is seriously nothing that kid can’t do. Alex was the last piece and fit in so well. He seriously has made this band evolve so much sonic - Alt Citizen Magazine

We cross a beautiful November, the urge to post this mixtape earlier than expected has torn me for days ... So yes, we are yet Saturday the 79th mixtape is already online! So enjoy! Stay home warm by saying that out to share a good gastro or bronchitis nice not great else waiting for you outside. Little thought Gang Escabots Papis and other rubbers Cannes technically unemployed for several days. This mixtape is a bit for you.
So good listener and good weekend to all.
And do not hesitate to turn this mixtape, it's free!

No Dice Mixtape # 79 by Nodicemag on Mixcloud
Credits:
Black Milk - Why Worry
Lilacs & Champagne - Burgers & Tangerines
Bot'Ox - The Face Of Another
Low - Plastic Cup
The Flaming Lips - Waitin 'For a Superman
The Beatles - Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Secret Mountains - Rainer
The Appleseed Cast - Barrier Islands (Wa Do Remaine)
At The Drive-In - Enfilade
Master Musicians Of Bukkakke - Mist Of Illnesses - No Dice Mag

Baltimore psychedelic rockers Secret Mountains have been making their sweet psychedelic jams for years, impressing many a crowd at shows mostly in their native Baltimore but also New York and its surrounding areas for quite some time with little word of a full length. However after two EPs (Kaddish and Rejoice) and a tape of newer songs (Winter Sessions), Secret Mountains are proud to usher their debut full length Rainer into the world.

In comparison to their past recorded efforts (Rejoice in particular), Rainer is a starkly darker record. Darker textures, darker lyrics. Coming off the celebratory closing track off Rejoice "Rest Easy", that seems like a bit of twist and yet even in "Rejoice", the band tended towards similar tendencies. Beginning with title track, Rainer is an album with a surprisingly cinematic feel. The tracks follow in Secret Mountains' tradition of stretching out before you like a sparsely traveled country road and yet, this time around the tracks, the lyrics, the jams, the all around feel of it all is far more insistent, more hard-hitting, restless even. A remarkable change of pace from the Rejoice EP where the three song EP essentially floated by rather effortlessly.

Instead, "Rainer", "Coasting", and "Remainder" wouldn't be out of place in a indie action film or psychological thriller. Rainer seems to revel in its darker-seeking textural palette until around the time of "High Horse", a touching memorial to a departed friend. That's right about the time the record starts to brighten up a little, letting a bit of sunlight into its previously overcast skies especially on the hopeful, skyward reaching "Remainder".

A lot of bands are rather quick to put out a debut record sometimes to the point of not making sure it's really all that good. Secret Mountains inability to put out a full length until now has clearly helped them (not that they were ever in any danger of putting out a bad record) as Rainer seamlessly flows with the band at their absolute strongest, each members' input clearly visible. Three years may be a rather long time to wait before releasing a full length record but time has certainly been a blessing here, making sure that Rainer was the absolute best record it possibly could be. Each track memorable and endearing in its own way while also seeming very at home alongside the others. Rainer is an exercise in patience being its own reward, made all the better by the band coming into their own from just playing together. If three years time is what we need for a peak performance inspired record than I might not be so disappointed if Secret Mountains take another 3 years before offering up a follow up. Until then, Rainer is a more than exceptional placeholder. - All Around Sound

Baltimore's Secret Mountains deal in the kinds of dreams that stick to your skin all day long. Dewy and wistful, their new single "High Horses" dives into deep, foggy woodland. Its accompanying video, directed by Brian Papish, casts a careful eye on the natural world, absorbing the motion, texture and detail that all too often just slides by our car windows. If this clip doesn't strike a hunger for earth, water, and campfire into you, you've been boxed up in the city too long. - earmilk.com

A band that's sound begins beyond the pavement and beyond the brook to some place secret.

In preparation of Secret Mountains' earthen pyschedelia, the band guides us into the wilderness as foosteps crunch on fallen leaves and the distant woosh of a highway is silenced by the babble of a brook; only then are we aptly prepared to hear Secret Mountains' Rainer LP.

Recorded at Chris and Mickey Freeland's Beat Babies Studio outside of Baltimore, the Rainer LP wastes little time swapping the sneakers out for mountain boots and leaving the cellphone at home, in favor of exploring the terrain beyond the end of the pavement. While Secret Mountains's debut is a powerful excursion through heavy, heady jams that rise, fall, and give way to bright pasteurs, Kelly Laughlin's vocals always climb to the vista of the band's mountainous sound. Secret Mountains is a six-piece that values its 12 arms and 12 legs with every twisting pysche-out and roaring crescendo, but there's one voice bravely cantillating above the caterwaul.

Secret Mountains' Rainer LP is out now on Friends Records. - Impose Magazine

The relatively quick evolution of the Baltimore indie-rock six-piece Secret Mountains has felt swift and well-guided.

The band began as a solo singer-songwriter project for guitarist Jeffrey Silverstein in 2008, and became an avant-folk duo when Silverstein met singer Kelly Laughlin while waiting for the light rail. A year later, Secret Mountains ballooned to six players. Since then, they've recorded EPs and played hundreds of shows, all while developing a distinct sound and voice.

"Rainer," the sextet's debut full-length album, is the group's most accomplished record yet. At only seven songs, "Rainer" makes for a surprisingly dense listen. It's also challenging -- stop paying attention and the lush psychedelia melds with Laughlin's alto, resulting in a sound that washes over rather than engages or intrigues.

But given full attention, "Rainer" rewards listeners with moody, slow-building songs that accelerate without notice. The unpredictable direction has aimless moments ("Golden Blue," which finds Laughlin pushing her voice upward with mixed results), but for the most part, the twists invigorate the project before things get too stagnant.

Secret Mountains is at its best -- subtle, longing and even sexy -- midway through the 43-minute album. The potent trio of "Coasting," "Make Love Stay" and "High Horse" finds the band relishing quieter, less-aggressive moments.

"Make Love Stay," the closest the act gets to a ballad, allows Laughlin's delicate vocals to shine without pretension. At the same time, the nimble interplay between the two guitarists becomes the highlight of the record's best song.

Laughlin is the X-factor here. At times, her penchant to overextend notes can distract a listener, especially the type that enjoys parsing lyrics. (Good luck.) But her voice, which never demands the spotlight, can add texture and greater meaning.

On "High Horse," Laughlin effortlessly turns a beautiful phrase ("Caught yourself laughing while death called your name") into a complicated image of mortality, humor and self-awareness. It's moments like this when Secret Mountains reminds listeners the challenge is worth it. -- Wesley Case - The Baltimore Sun

After nearly four years as a band, this week sees the release of the debut full-length from Baltimore six-piece Secret Mountains. The entire album can be streamed below. Rainer is a dynamic seven-track collection of carefully crafted dream-pop, informed by the group’s collective interests in psychedelia, soul, pop, and noise. Spacious and full of subtleties, the record has been in the works for nearly two years, following a string of singles and two EPs, 2009’s Kaddish and 2010’s Rejoice .

“Lots of older ideas and bits of songs were revisited and reworked to the versions that are now on the record,” says guitarist Jeffrey Silverstein. “Other songs came together naturally, frequently starting with a repeated sound, phrase, or melody, and kind of pummeled into our brains until we were ready to move to the next idea.”

The most gorgeous track here is “High Horse”, a slow-building, enveloping song full of highs and lows, showcasing singer Kelly Laughlin’s mesmerizing vox. It was first recorded via Weathervane Music’s Shaking Through series. (Watch that video below, too.) “Golden Blue” is an explosive guitar- and bass-driven psych-rock track; “Coasting” is more ethereal, backed by primitive percussion.

Appropriately, Rainer is out via local label Friends Records, who have released music by some of Baltimore’s most interesting artists: Soft Cat, Future Islands, Moss Of Aura, Co La, Height With Friends, Lands And Peoples, and more.

“There is definitely a ton of crossover amongst projects/bands in Baltimore, which is always really amazing to witness,” said Silverstein. “The longer you are part of it, the more you realize how powerful it is. It’s what can be attributed to us feeling comfortable and supported to create the music that we wanted to make. Baltimore has been kind to us in a million ways.”

For those on the East Coast, the band celebrates the record with two release shows: one in Baltimore on Thursday at the Bell Foundry, and a second on Saturday March 2 at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn with Andrew Cedermark. - stereogum.com

Secret Mountains ignited the show before Mt. Eerie. These other, Secret-and-not-eerie Mountains brought a jazz-and-rock persuasion style of songs, the band's sound also electronically seasoned by a pinch of shoegaze. A six-member, Baltimore-based band, Secret Mountains brought a touch of postmodern rock as well. They used slow and deliberate drums, long-strung guitar parts and ethereal electrical sounds that washed over the spaces between instrumentation. Their singer and frontwoman, Kelly Laughlin, delivered an understated performance. She spoke little and usually jammed to the band on sleighbells and a tambourine, awash with sound. She was occasionally and unfortunately washed out by the sound levels of her bandmates, but her strong, clear voice rang through most of the time. And it was just that, a strong clear voice. It was refreshingly not a Cat Power or Feist sound-a-like, although Laughlin has a similar range and tone, alternatively sweetly singing and belting her lyrics. Each member was deferential to their own parts, steeped and fascinated by their instruments, a kind of focus that intertwined in a strong jazz-and-twee-and-alternative-rock fusion, giving us the slow-rocking jump start the night needed. - Brightest Young Things

Baltimore band Secret Mountains were the subject of Weathervane Music’s latest Shaking Through episode. Tasked with writing a complete song in two days, the dreamy folk six-piece came up with the beautifully meaningful “High Horses”. You can download it for free below, and watch the episode here. - WXPN's The Key

Last week Baltimore’s Secret Mountains unveiled their experience participating in Shaking Through, an intense 2 day recording project that is documented with video and sound (having past contributors such as Twin Sister, Sharon Van Etten, Reading Rainbow, A Classic Education, Snowmine, and more). The song they recorded, “High Horse”, was born out of loss as well as friendship. Jeff (guitar, vocals) elaborates:

Lyrically, the song means a lot to both Kelly and I. It came from a place where we were both going through losing someone that we really cared about and we were trying to figure out the best way to be there for each other.

And about the recording session:

Everything felt right because there was enough time for experimentation, but also because everything went smoothly. I don’t think we’ve worked in such an active recording environment before. It helped the mood and helped us progress.

Read more about the band, the song, and the session over at the Shaking Through website. - Portals

It’s no secret that I’ve been loving Secret Mountains for a long time. It’s also no secret that I love me some cheesy puns! In all sonically kick-ass seriousness, the Baltimore band stopped by Shaking Through in Philly to record a new track titled “High Horse” that can be found on their forthcoming LP. “High Horse” is a brooding, beautiful track that’s as much as about frustration as it is feeling your way through tough times that can numb your senses. It’s a slow burn that won’t pop melodies into your head like confetti on New Year’s but will tug at your emotions like being alone on the same perennial stroke of midnight.

Secret Mountains – High Horse

Wanna know what the song is about? See how it was made in two days? Go behind the scenes with beautiful HD footage? Procrastinate during your day job? Click the link below to watch the Shaking Through session! - I Guess I'm Floating

It’s no secret that I’ve been loving Secret Mountains for a long time. It’s also no secret that I love me some cheesy puns! In all sonically kick-ass seriousness, the Baltimore band stopped by Shaking Through in Philly to record a new track titled “High Horse” that can be found on their forthcoming LP. “High Horse” is a brooding, beautiful track that’s as much as about frustration as it is feeling your way through tough times that can numb your senses. It’s a slow burn that won’t pop melodies into your head like confetti on New Year’s but will tug at your emotions like being alone on the same perennial stroke of midnight.

Secret Mountains – High Horse

Wanna know what the song is about? See how it was made in two days? Go behind the scenes with beautiful HD footage? Procrastinate during your day job? Click the link below to watch the Shaking Through session! - I Guess I'm Floating

For the last couple of years now, the Scapescape festival has given the people of Baltimore the opportunity to experience some of the best bands the city has produced, and this year was no exception. With a line up of more than 75 bands that included acts such as Wye Oak, Celebration, and Mikrokingdom, this year’s installment proved as exciting as ever. Secret Mountains helped to lead things off right with a headlining performance at the Windup Space on the opening night of the festival.

The band followed up that explosive set with an appearance at The Independent Weekly’s annual Hopscotch festival in Raleigh, NC.

With their debut full-length, Rainer, nearing completion and slated for a winter release, we are very excited to have the band as a part of the latest installment of our AON Presents live series, sharing the stage with Mount Eerie at U Street Music Hall.

Impose magazine just posted some great photos from Secret Mountains’ recent performance at Windup Space, and above we have a clip of the band performing “Make Love Stay” to close out their set.



AON Presents: Mount Eerie with Secret Mountains & Sean Peoples, September 18th at U Street Music Hall -get advance tickets available today!
- All Our Noise

A new song typically undergoes the Secret Mountains regiment of recording: meticulousness. "Our songs take on new forms anywhere between five and ten times before we're content and happy enough to go into the studio," Jeff (Guitar) admits. "We're learning to be okay with that."
Shaking Through, on the other hand, is about making decisions quickly. Time is of the essence and there's no chance to turn parts over in one's mind. But any nerves that the band had were quelled quickly. "I think this is the most active recording environment we've ever been a part of," says Jeff. "For me personally, the biggest thing was not over thinking and just trusting your ideas. You know, letting things happen naturally."

In coming together as a six-piece, the band has had to learn sacrifice and understanding. Started by Jeff (guitar, vocals) & Kelly (vocals), the band soon added Chris (drums), Jake (keys), Corey (guitar), and Alex (bass) to the mix. "Each band member is, at this point, irreplaceable," says Jeff. "we've had to learn how to have restraint and find out what works best for the song rather than our own personal preferences." "I think with six of us we've had to learn how to not only respect each other's boundaries but respect what's necessary for the song," adds Kelly. That respect and trust they have learned through songwriting is on display with "High Horse." Born from tragic personal experiences that Jeff and Kelly shared, the band worked through their situations together rather than dealing with it alone. - Shaking Through

We swung by Johnny Brenda’s this past Saturday for the sweet bill with Hop Along, Secret Mountains and DRGN KING. There were a lot of familiar faces from the local music community gettin’ down. DRGN KING came at us with some heavy guitar riffs courtesy of leading man Dominic Angelella, which were also intertwined with his anthemic pop hooks. The big surprise of the evening was Brendan Mulvihill’s hidden talent on the electric guitar. We already knew that he could tear it up on the mandolin, but his guitar and keyboard work fit quite naturally for his first outing with the band. Baltimore’s Secret Mountains rolled into town requesting the lights be dim to set the mood for their dark, psychedelic rock with plenty of grooves reminiscent of Portishead. Lead vocalist Kelly Laughlin’s powerful wails teetered back and forth between art-rock and radio-friendly pop vocals. Hop Along closed out the evening with a rollicking set that got the entranced audience moving. Frances Quinlan’s rambunctious yet achy vocals and unique, storytelling lyrics were the standouts of the performance that had the crowd cheering for more. You can check out our pics from the evening HERE. - The Deli Magazine

Winter Sessions is a new cassette from Baltimore’s Secret Mountains, the result of a weekend up in Brooklyn recording with Brian Pugh at Converse‘s Rubber Tracks studio.



“Make Love Stay” is the centerpiece of the twenty minute tape, and it’s a heavy, dark, and deeply emotive soul-gaze romp. Kelly Laughlin’s vocals remain a powerful force, but here she manages to transcend a more gentle and hypnotic nature. She pulls off a tender delivery without losing her dominance, the latter of which comes in handy towards the end of the track where walls of guitar and sound meet a rage of drums – all compliments of Jeffrey Silverstein, Chris Muccioli, Cory Lawrence and Jake Winstanley.

The band is currently working in the studio with Chris Freeland, who has recorded the likes of Wye Oak, Lower Dens, Oxes and more at his Beat Babies studio. Secret Mountains will release their debut LP later this year, details are TBD.

Download Winter Sessions for free right here, or get it from the band on their tour to SXSW, which kicks off tonight in Baltimore.

MARCH 8 : BALTIMORE @ OTTOBAR
MARCH 9 : CHARLOTESVILLE, VA @ TEA BAZAAR
MARCH 10 : SAVANNAH, GA @ SAVANNAH STOPOVER FESTIVAL
MARCH 11 : GAINESVILLE, FL @ THE CHURCH OF HOLY COLORS
MARCH 12 : NEW ORLEANS, LA @ THE SAINT
MARCH 13: SXSW - SWEET TEAM PUMPKIN PIE SHOWCASE
MARCH 13 : SXSW - BIRDDOGPROMO SHOWCASE
MARCH 14: SXSW - PAU WAU RECORDS SHOWCASE
MARCH 14: SXSW - THE LOFT (OFFICIAL SHOWCASE)
MARCH 15: SXSW - PORTALS SHOWCASE
MARCH 15: SXSW - HOUSE OF COMMONS
MARCH 15: SXSW - 1408 CONCORDIA



Posted on March 08, 2012. More on: secret mountains, baltimore, friends records, rubber tracks, sxsw



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WHY THEM: The beginning of the Secret Mountains' Rejoice EP plays like a slow slip into a drug: calm feedback flits between channels, little makes sense as leads coalesce and fade in fleeting moments of cosmic grandeur — but then it begins to normalize. The patchwork finds a frame, the stray bits of guitar congeal under the smooth croon of vocalist Kelly Laughlin. She enters from the ether and leads the remaining six minutes of the song to peaking lucidity, which we find in fuzzed-out guitar heroics and as she trades in a coma-like sleep in favor of the resulting "Rejoice!" Secret Mountains' records make reference to a type of religious absolution, which is possibly found in the exorcistic quality of their lengthier instrumental bits. They borrow as much from the bombast of the Heartless Bastards as they do the drone-jam of Dead Meadow, yet they achieve a middle ground that is entirely their own. And — in the scale of weird — pretty damn Maryland.

ALSO CONSIDERED: Future Islands — On "Tin Man," Future Islands establish a weird meeting ground between Tom Waits and TV on the Radio. - The Boston Phoenix

WHY THEM: The beginning of the Secret Mountains' Rejoice EP plays like a slow slip into a drug: calm feedback flits between channels, little makes sense as leads coalesce and fade in fleeting moments of cosmic grandeur — but then it begins to normalize. The patchwork finds a frame, the stray bits of guitar congeal under the smooth croon of vocalist Kelly Laughlin. She enters from the ether and leads the remaining six minutes of the song to peaking lucidity, which we find in fuzzed-out guitar heroics and as she trades in a coma-like sleep in favor of the resulting "Rejoice!" Secret Mountains' records make reference to a type of religious absolution, which is possibly found in the exorcistic quality of their lengthier instrumental bits. They borrow as much from the bombast of the Heartless Bastards as they do the drone-jam of Dead Meadow, yet they achieve a middle ground that is entirely their own. And — in the scale of weird — pretty damn Maryland.

ALSO CONSIDERED: Future Islands — On "Tin Man," Future Islands establish a weird meeting ground between Tom Waits and TV on the Radio. - The Boston Phoenix

Spaceage sextet Secret Mountains are poised to carry the Baltimore indie torch lit by Animal Collective, Dan Deacon and Beach House if their own “Rejoice” is any indication. The influences are obvious: some Mercury Rev dreampsych here, a bit of Spaceman 3 feedback there. But the secret behind Secret Mountains lies within Kelly Laughlin’s powerfully sheen vocals. Where most shoegazer vocalists hide behind walls of guitar swells, Laughlin’s front and center, taking control and rejoicing in immediacy.

Look for Secret Mountains’ full-length out later this year. ‘Til then, check out the Rejoice EP on Friends Records. - MTV Hive

Secret Mountains closed out its Thursday night show at Cake Shop with a furious squall. Beginning with the dry, desert ache of “Kaddish” and swelling into “Gate/Gate/Paragate,” the band built the rush one piece at a time — lonely, aerated guitar; firm bass; jangling tambourine; keyboards adding thickness; and a second guitar, more frenzied than the first, slashing through everything else, abrasive and urgent.

Lost in the storm was Kelly Laughlin’s tart, sweet yelp, which had been a calming force for this Baltimore band throughout its short set. For the most part, Ms. Laughlin is a negotiator in this band’s songs, a slightly faded center of attention delivering steady affirmations, while around her things get digressive.

In addition to Ms. Laughlin, Secret Mountains includes Cory Lawrence and Jeffrey Lewis Silverstein on guitar, Alex Jones on bass, Jake Winstanley on keyboards, and Christopher Muccioli on drums. On a pair of thoughtful EPs from last year — “Kaddish” (Fall) and “Rejoice” (Friends) — Secret Mountains nailed an emergent blend of psychedelic-minded rock and earthy soul. The songs were stark but loaded with feeling, a combination of Ms. Laughlin’s certainty and the band’s careful sense of when to deploy each of its tactics.

Onstage, the lines weren’t so clear-cut. There was a lovely decaying quality to Ms. Laughlin’s singing, in which she would hold notes for length, but not power. Behind her the rest of the band worked through different styles: enthusiastic psychedelia, mopey shoe-gaze rock, hints of melancholy country, the occasional prog-rock progression, pacing that recalled trip-hop, and more.

Often Mr. Muccioli drove the agenda, with limber but forceful playing that was sometimes funereal and sometimes militaristic. It was the anchor for the rest of the band, which in parts of this show was generating a lot of sound at cross-purposes, overwhelming the small room.

The closing rumble avoided that fate, though. And in the best parts of this show, Secret Mountains didn’t even need to roar that loudly: just the sum of its parts was enough. - New York Times

I am in the midst of SXSW post-a-poolza, bulk editing photos and uploading galleries so fast carpal tunnel syndrome is now only a symptom for these hands. Between a new job, moving to Brooklyn last week, and struggling to find a decent Wi-Fi connection.. my posting abilities have been nearly non-existent. Hats off to Connor who, even when battling a post-SXSW flu last week, has been nothing short of a clockwork fountain of musical youth. One of my favorite bands of SXSW, Secret Mountains, have a brand new track waiting to burrow into your brain.

This Baltimore band is a throwback to the days of emotional rock n’ roll; a time when flimsy plastic parts, colorful buttons, and spinning knobs were only used for decoration and not the tabletop of carnival noises they often produce today. A vibrating snare, sharp guitar, heavy bass, and a powerful set of female vocals drive this organic ballad into the depths of a psychedelic outer space. Well-placed feedback lingers long enough to tease your ears, while gently plucked guitar licks and eerily tracked vocals add a layer of mystique to their music unvarnished by the conveniences of modern day recording shortcuts.

I’m really loving Secret Mountains and, at this point, there is little else I can say to convince you that this group of young musicians form one hell of an excellent band. - I Guess I'm Floating

“I should blame the haze/ for the way my mind behaves/ you cease to believe/ that I’m in a Southern daze,” sings Kelly Laughlin on “Weepy Little Fingers,” a release that comes almost immediately after the folk trippers’ records Rejoice found its way to the world, and that’s set to be on Friends Records’ upcoming compilation. So, haze, daze, Southern—check, check, and check on “Weepy Little Fingers,” the latter if only because it reminds you a bit of Blue Ridge jam music in its rather in-your-face grooviness (if not quite swing) married to chime-y guitar riff and lyrics more as vehicle for a lovely honied voice than content. The song’s feet are way more on the ground than that though, and when Secret Mountains bring on the big shreddy psych climaxes, it’s another thing entirely, a take on the kind of folk-pop Arbouretum has been mining for a good while now, but with an eye way more firmly on sheer prettiness.

Maybe Secret Mountains are a new thing for you and while you’re investigating further, stop off at the sextet’s web page, where there’s currently a most excellent sound/video interactive piece: a grid of YouTube clips of band members playing this or that all set in the same key. Your task is to arrange it into song as you see fit. It works very well.

Secret Mountains play with outer minds and Lands and Peoples March 23 at the Windup Space. For more information visit secret-mountains.com. - Baltimore City Paper

Stick with "Rejoice" for only the first two and a half minutes or so, and Baltimore's Secret Mountains sound like any another band getting by on a familiar style of earthen, acid-eaten psych. The feel is hymn-like and meditative, with its amorphous swirl of feedback dipped guitars, mounting storm drum fills, and strange inflections of English folk. It's all pretty recognizable, save for the smoldering female vocal that stands out front. That's Kelly Laughlin, and she's a hell of a presence indeed. It's odd considering how subtle her delivery is. The band gives her more than enough space to go for a full-on Grace Slick-- Laughlin certainly seems capable-- but she seems to recognize the power of simplicity. As the song unfolds, it becomes clear that Secret Mountains boast more than a dynamic frontwoman, breaking into "a joyful noise" [Laughlin's phrasing], heavily steeped in jangle-pop and an anthemic, twee-like sprightliness. - Pitchfork

J. Cole: "Home for the Holidays"

The Next Big Thing contemplates dropping out of college and signing with Jay-Z on the maybe-best track off his new, hype-justifying "Friday Night Lights" mix tape, downloadable in full at the link.

Secret Mountains: "Rejoice"

Baltimore's latest heirs to Animal Collective follow up the strange, beloved "Kaddish" with this irresistible psych-pop track, now in handy video form.

Laura Marling: "The Needle and the Damage Done" (Neil Young cover)

The British folkie teams with producer Jack White on this spartan, dead-on cover of Young's "Harvest" standard.

Girls: "Thee Oh So Protective One"

With its horns and vaguely flamenco-y guitars, this cut from Girls' upcoming EP "Broken Dreams Club" may be the closest the band ever gets to mid-'70s Springsteen.

jj: "Let Them"

The delicate Swedes' fondness for giving hip-hop joints (in this instance, T.I.'s "Let 'Em Talk") ethereal, cuss-heavy makeovers never gets old. With a B-side which, as is their wont, summons Lil Wayne. - Washington Post

Baltimore-based psych-rock outfit Secret Mountains have a new cassette release, Rejoice, dropping in a few weeks courtesy of Friends Records (don't worry, it'll be available digitally too). Here's the expansive, driving six-minute title track for you to feast your ears on. Plug in that lava lamp, dude. - Pitchfork.com

Here's one vote for Secret Mountains being indie-Baltimore's current most likely to succeed act. The five-piece, formed from the ashes of local ensemble the Owls Go, has created the sort of rapturous, deeply considered debut that shows a group of musicians out-of-the-gate ablaze--analogous to Wye Oak/Monarch's If Children. Somewhat a product, it feels, of the freak-folk implosion and its Animal Collective aftermath--e.g., weird folk-based music finding its mooring and turning visceral and even catchy--the laconic yet expansive Kaddish lopes along in sampled nature sounds and assorted atmospheric oddness, rolling and wistful guitar melodies, drowsy tempos, and languid and lovely vocals from Kelly Laughlin that build into stunning multi-part harmonies. Kaddish is, in short, irresistible. Its climaxes feel like they could tear a hole in the sky, and its meditations could sooth the damned. The heavy stomp and gracefully bent guitar notes of closer "I Have Been Awake" preface an absolute earthquake of a climax, trailing off in a last few measures of hush. Yet nothing of all these shifting dynamics feel rushed or forced, rather more like a mountain stream turned waterfall under gravity. Impressive, to say the least. - Baltimore City Paper

Baltimore’s Secret Mountains came to me by way of hypem, like a lot of other serendipitous hypem moments I immediately took notice, and (double score) felt a certain kinship to their name. Mountains, yes- our magazine. There is something stoic and soothing about mountains. I love them so much so that I’ll be taking a trip up the coast, passing through Big Sur and other postcard- worthy destinations this very evening. And likely listening to Secret Mountains as I make my way. I need to see a redwood before I die.

Their EP Kaddish came out last August, and it’s got all the soothing qualities of Fleet Foxes, female vocals that remind me of Mountain Man [hmm..] or Jessica Lea Mayfield. The echo of voices that sing together on the track ‘Gate/Gate/Paragate’ builds beautiful deep inside the rumblings and choas of instrumentals. This is music that will lull you to sleep in the most perfectly hypnotizing way. You can grab the EP HERE for free. - Friends with Both Arms

Baltimore’s Secret Mountains came to me by way of hypem, like a lot of other serendipitous hypem moments I immediately took notice, and (double score) felt a certain kinship to their name. Mountains, yes- our magazine. There is something stoic and soothing about mountains. I love them so much so that I’ll be taking a trip up the coast, passing through Big Sur and other postcard- worthy destinations this very evening. And likely listening to Secret Mountains as I make my way. I need to see a redwood before I die.

Their EP Kaddish came out last August, and it’s got all the soothing qualities of Fleet Foxes, female vocals that remind me of Mountain Man [hmm..] or Jessica Lea Mayfield. The echo of voices that sing together on the track ‘Gate/Gate/Paragate’ builds beautiful deep inside the rumblings and choas of instrumentals. This is music that will lull you to sleep in the most perfectly hypnotizing way. You can grab the EP HERE for free. - Friends with Both Arms

Listening to Kaddish, the debut EP of Baltimore-based Secret Mountains, will cause you to breath a bit deeper, move a bit slower, listener a bit closer. The gradual crescendo of ocean waves and bird chirps in the title-track opener sets the mood for what’s to come—pensive nostalgia and a breath of fresh air.



The band seems to take elements from many disparate types of music, combining and layering them in a way that doesn’t sit within the confines of any one genre. One moment there are reverb-washed guitars and gentle croons, the next the voices have multiplied into a chorus and the guitars are squealing with distortion.

However, despite this seeming lack of conformity, the resulting sound is never out of place. The album as a whole flows seamlessly and intuitively from one track to the next, giving it the sort of cohesion not often found in a debut EP. And after listening to Kaddish, believe me, you’ll have to remind yourself that it’s their debut.

As a bonus, here is Rapdragons' version of "Growing Season", sampling the Secret Mountains track, and taken from our podcast session with them at the Copycat. - Bmore Musically Informed

By Michael Byrne
PUBLISHED: AUGUST 18, 2010
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In just two years of existence, Baltimore’s Secret Mountains have gone from a solo singer/songwriter project to a folk duo to a sprawling six-piece psych-folk mini-orchestra. And in two short EP releases, last year’s Kaddish and this month’s Rejoice—with barely enough songs for a full album combined—the band has transitioned even more from pretty yet morose death-folk to shimmering, joyous, expansive psychedelia. The comforting feat is that all the while it has remained remarkably the same band, holding fast to a sonic plain it staked out at the very beginning.

And knowing who you are is harder than it sounds. (See: MGMT or any number of bloggy bands that get really big really quickly and immediately morph into something else for the sake of being even more crowd-friendly.) The seed of Secret Mountains is young songwriter Jeffrey Silverstein, who began writing the music that would grow into the full band as a freshman in college. “I played three, maybe five shows, under [the name] the Owls Go,” he explains over beers at a Charles Village bar. “The first show was at the Frisby House. There were, like, 80 to 100 kids there and I was just freaked out.

“I really wanted a female vocalist and I met Kelly [Laughlin] one day, actually on the light rail going down to work,” he continues. “We just started talking about bands we’re into. She sent me a really rough demo—and I thought her voice was beautiful.”

From there the band progressed as only the two of them, still known as the Owls Go, for about a year and a half. “It was fun and easy,” Silverstein says.

But they both wanted to play with other people. “We couldn’t stand sitting down at a show anymore,” Silverstein says. The pair then met drummer Chris Muccioli, free after the demise of a Harford County hardcore band he’d been playing with. And then came guitarist Cory Lawrence, keyboardist and general “sound maker” Jake Winstanley, and, eventually, bassist Alex Jones. Rather quickly, the band had shot from a sit-down, quiet folk duo to a burgeoning sextet. And the songs had to grow too.

“It was a lot of taking the songs that were singer/songwriter and developing them a bit, into the full band [arrangement],” Muccioli says. “That was the real evolution. A lot of jamming on parts. Just playing and seeing what feels right.”

“It used to be a little more difficult,” Silverstein adds. “It’s gotten way easier at this point. At first, it was a challenge: How can we make this work and not necessarily kill the singer/songwriter vibe, but [still] progress?”

In August 2009, Secret Mountains released Kaddish, a strikingly pretty, somber folk record recorded in Muccioli’s basement over four days. In much the same way the folk-pop band Vetiver does, the six-piece excelled at making a modern folk record powerful with a comparatively simple palette of sounds and ideas by sheer force of excellent songwriting and, well, Laughlin’s indeed beautiful voice. The record dips ever so slightly into post-Animal Collective arty-folk weirdness, but the point and poignancy isn’t lost. The end result is irresistible.

“On Kaddish, I think I was focused on death for a little while,” Silverstein says about the lyrics. “I had a sick grandmother. Letting go would, I guess, be [the idea].

“But the thing is I went from that, getting past some of that stuff, and the new EP is called Rejoice,” he continues. “I think my head was in a really specific place when I wrote those songs for Kaddish. Now they encompass a lot more.”

Lyrically, yes: “I wake in the morning, and make a joyous noise” goes “Rejoice,” among a good amount of similar minded things you probably don’t want to hear on a really bad day. But, just as important, the music has grown up and out as well, leaving that singer/songwriter core not much more than a ghost. That title track rises in a swirling current of distended sound, mingling and meeting and eventually coming together in several minutes of dreampop-qua-folk sublimity—think Jackie-O Motherfucker covering Beach House but twice as lovely.

Secret Mountains swear that, yes, there will eventually be a full album (hopefully including their delicious cover of Smokey Robinson’s “I Second That Emotion”). “It’s always somewhere in the back of our minds that a label could pick us up,” Silverstein says. “And that’s a nice thought, but beyond that we’re just happy to be doing it. The fact that I can just look forward to just, like, a band practice with this much joy is really important.”

“We just want to be something that’s enjoyable to listen to, something just pleasant,” Muccioli adds. “We don’t have any crazy message to our music. Just something joyful to listen to.” - Baltimore City Paper

By Michael Byrne
PUBLISHED: AUGUST 18, 2010
Email
Twitter
Facebook
MySpace
Stumble
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In just two years of existence, Baltimore’s Secret Mountains have gone from a solo singer/songwriter project to a folk duo to a sprawling six-piece psych-folk mini-orchestra. And in two short EP releases, last year’s Kaddish and this month’s Rejoice—with barely enough songs for a full album combined—the band has transitioned even more from pretty yet morose death-folk to shimmering, joyous, expansive psychedelia. The comforting feat is that all the while it has remained remarkably the same band, holding fast to a sonic plain it staked out at the very beginning.

And knowing who you are is harder than it sounds. (See: MGMT or any number of bloggy bands that get really big really quickly and immediately morph into something else for the sake of being even more crowd-friendly.) The seed of Secret Mountains is young songwriter Jeffrey Silverstein, who began writing the music that would grow into the full band as a freshman in college. “I played three, maybe five shows, under [the name] the Owls Go,” he explains over beers at a Charles Village bar. “The first show was at the Frisby House. There were, like, 80 to 100 kids there and I was just freaked out.

“I really wanted a female vocalist and I met Kelly [Laughlin] one day, actually on the light rail going down to work,” he continues. “We just started talking about bands we’re into. She sent me a really rough demo—and I thought her voice was beautiful.”

From there the band progressed as only the two of them, still known as the Owls Go, for about a year and a half. “It was fun and easy,” Silverstein says.

But they both wanted to play with other people. “We couldn’t stand sitting down at a show anymore,” Silverstein says. The pair then met drummer Chris Muccioli, free after the demise of a Harford County hardcore band he’d been playing with. And then came guitarist Cory Lawrence, keyboardist and general “sound maker” Jake Winstanley, and, eventually, bassist Alex Jones. Rather quickly, the band had shot from a sit-down, quiet folk duo to a burgeoning sextet. And the songs had to grow too.

“It was a lot of taking the songs that were singer/songwriter and developing them a bit, into the full band [arrangement],” Muccioli says. “That was the real evolution. A lot of jamming on parts. Just playing and seeing what feels right.”

“It used to be a little more difficult,” Silverstein adds. “It’s gotten way easier at this point. At first, it was a challenge: How can we make this work and not necessarily kill the singer/songwriter vibe, but [still] progress?”

In August 2009, Secret Mountains released Kaddish, a strikingly pretty, somber folk record recorded in Muccioli’s basement over four days. In much the same way the folk-pop band Vetiver does, the six-piece excelled at making a modern folk record powerful with a comparatively simple palette of sounds and ideas by sheer force of excellent songwriting and, well, Laughlin’s indeed beautiful voice. The record dips ever so slightly into post-Animal Collective arty-folk weirdness, but the point and poignancy isn’t lost. The end result is irresistible.

“On Kaddish, I think I was focused on death for a little while,” Silverstein says about the lyrics. “I had a sick grandmother. Letting go would, I guess, be [the idea].

“But the thing is I went from that, getting past some of that stuff, and the new EP is called Rejoice,” he continues. “I think my head was in a really specific place when I wrote those songs for Kaddish. Now they encompass a lot more.”

Lyrically, yes: “I wake in the morning, and make a joyous noise” goes “Rejoice,” among a good amount of similar minded things you probably don’t want to hear on a really bad day. But, just as important, the music has grown up and out as well, leaving that singer/songwriter core not much more than a ghost. That title track rises in a swirling current of distended sound, mingling and meeting and eventually coming together in several minutes of dreampop-qua-folk sublimity—think Jackie-O Motherfucker covering Beach House but twice as lovely.

Secret Mountains swear that, yes, there will eventually be a full album (hopefully including their delicious cover of Smokey Robinson’s “I Second That Emotion”). “It’s always somewhere in the back of our minds that a label could pick us up,” Silverstein says. “And that’s a nice thought, but beyond that we’re just happy to be doing it. The fact that I can just look forward to just, like, a band practice with this much joy is really important.”

“We just want to be something that’s enjoyable to listen to, something just pleasant,” Muccioli adds. “We don’t have any crazy message to our music. Just something joyful to listen to.” - Baltimore City Paper

The first eight minutes of Secret Mountains’ Kaddish EP are nothing short of breathtaking. You’ll find gorgeous crescendos shimmering on both opening tracks, “Kaddish” and “Gate/Gate/Paragate,” two undeniably Baltimorean songs operating on an EP that plays more like a dream than it does music. Like Beach House and Wye Oak before them, Secret Mountains replicate a peculiar brand of euphoria, one that strikes more closely at the vein of beauty and is in touch with pure, unadulterated splendor. What we have on our hands today is a pretty damn promising debut.

At it’s best, Kaddish is a powerful narcotic; Secret Mountains’ straightforward instrumentation raises the heavens with a blunt echo, their listeners need do little to follow suit. Kaddish’s masterwork, “Gate/Gate/Paragate” resides in this state as a force of nature, it works fundamentally around an earthy chic-beat and a progression rooted in old folk. The notes have a way of testing your confidence: each count becomes a new leap of faith, falling into place like a snowflake on a bed of winter dust.

“I Have Been Awake” is Kaddish’s easy anthem, lyrics somehow mightier than the bony post-primal percussion point up the track’s attention, “I have been awake today. What have I done? What have I done?” It’s about reconciling self-knowledge and human nature, personal right, social wrong, the various cycles of life. Heavy stuff. These themes aren’t merely skimmed throughout the remainder of Kaddish either. In fact, most of the subject matter eagerly sisters with virtuous artistic abstraction. Gladly, and surprisingly, Secret Mountains have found an amiable middle ground between overzealous conceptual wankery and transparent secularism. The polished production reflects a similar position, intuitively revealing their stargazing eye sockets equally as well as their soles, planted comfortably in the soil.

What’s really impressive is that, for a home-cooked gem, Kaddish is sequenced immaculately. Sure, you’ve got the occasional mistake littered about on the flooring (which only adds to how deeply personal the EP is), but for something so homemade to sound this unified is quite simply uncalled for. Each piece moves seamlessly into the next devoid of the slightest friction; Kaddish never loses momentum between songs or within. Never. And that alone is worth being proud of. - Aural States - Nolan Conaway |

Much like recently loved Italian act Dumbo Gets Mad, Baltimore based Secret Mountains create haunting psychedelic rock timeless in composition but most comfortable in an era since passed. The group have a new EP releasing via Friends Records this Fall that’ll be a limited run of 100 cassette tapes. The new EP, titled Rejoice, combines spacey guitars and haunting female vocals with an Americana background containing traces of banjo and even slide guitar. I’m not quite sure how it all works as well it does but I’ll be damned if lead track “Rejoice” doesn’t rock you silly.

Lead singer Kelly Laughlin has a beautiful voice she utilizes in different ways on each track, “Rejoice” is a moody rock number switching tempo and temperament as the song progresses. After the jump you can watch a live video of Secret Mountains recording “Dead Sea”, a song that shows the band’s softer side and affinity for Americana flare. - I Guess I'm Floating