Focal Point : Pylon

This month (September) Psychic Tuesday focuses on the intensely unique sound of Pylon. I first heard about Pylon when I saw a documentary called "Athens GA Inside Out" which is about the thriving music scene that took place in the 1980's. I knew about the main Athens bands which were The B52s and R.E.M., but there were also the eye-opening experience of seeing and hearing other phenomenal Athens bands like Love Tractor and of course ... Pylon (guitarist Randy Bewley, bassist Michael Lachowski, drummer Curtis Crowe and singer Vanessa Briscoe).


The very next day after seeing the documentary, I went out and found their 1st album, which is called "Gyrate". It pretty much blew me away. I remember it was a hot Summer's day and my mom told me to mow the lawn. I listened to Pylon on headphones the whole time I cut the grass and afterwards I just listened to the album continuously for days on end. The music was simple, yet powerfully energetic and both the lead singer's voice and unusual song lyrics had me totally hooked.


The band's sound is actually pretty difficult to describe. You can read a biography of Pylon HERE and here's a decent write-up I found on their myspace page:

To describe Pylon as ahead of their time is somewhat misleading, because it implies that there was ever a moment when music finally caught up with them. The architects of a sound unlike any of their Athens, Georgia contemporaries and the inspiration for numerous post-punk imitators, Pylon still sounds unlike anything before or since. The B-52s and R.E.M. have both gone on record as stating that Pylon are one of the country's best bands. That's a remarkable legacy for a group that formed more than thirty years ago with the sole intention of playing one show, getting a review in the now defunct New York Rocker, and self-imploding. 


Also, HERE is an excellent interview from 2007 by Bradford Cox (Deerhunter, Atlas Sound) ... Read the whole blog entry RIGHT HERE.

And Roy Burns posted this great article about the band RIGHT HERE. Thanks, Roy!


and now ... prepare your eager ears for the one and only

P    Y    L    O    N

You can download the mix HERE.

The track list is HERE.

There are not many Pylon videos at all.
Here are the best 3 that I found.

"Recent Title" live

"Danger" live

"Beep"

"Sloganistic"

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 >>>>>>>VIDEOS ARE NOW<<<<<<<

This new Van She video really makes me wanna go to Jamaica!

Look! A very diver-filled video by The Presets

An oldie but goodie by Of Montreal ...
And no, I don't like Outback Steakhouse! haha

>>>Dessert time is nigh!<<<

Here's a pretty funny Lowe Mill newsletter by Dustin Timbrook ...

And here's some wonderful kitty mania that Elise sent me ... thanky, E!