The band’s new EP, The Midnight Fires, distills the band’s infectious trademark intensity in a collection of songs about fleeting moments and experiences. The Boston Phoenix says “STATIC OF THE GODS have built a reputation on electronic guitar pop that bakes warmly in a haze of shoegaze and post-rock. If their sound were a color, it’d be a bright-but-dense green — a vivid dream-pop forest of tall, lush melodies and weightless sonic oxygen. The first 100 or so seconds of “Hauntings,” off the upcoming The Midnight Fires EP, sways through those trees with an early-’90s Seattle breeze before heartbreak gives way to a gentle avalanche of ache and subtle power pop. The track climaxes in a Pixies-ian flutter over Jen Johnson’s reverb-glow guitar work before retracing its early-’90s roots.” Starting May 24, the EP will be available for free download at staticofthegods.bandcamp.com while the band works on a follow up full-length album to be released in Fall 2011.
Their 2010 release, Knowledge Machine, introduced Static of the Gods as “an artistic band that has a lot of prowess, a lot of hunger…melancholy harmonies, it is music that ventures into the unknown.” SF Station’s Jeff Kingsbury named it one of the five best albums of the year, alongside records by The Black Keys and Girl Talk. Static of the Gods has also earned a reputation for a powerful and magnetic live show during several U.S. tours and recent performances at SXSW, NXNE, and the KahBANG! music festival. “The entire set was ambient, beautiful and tightly played and I was simply beyond impressed,” wrote PopWreckoning. Ryan’s Smashing Life says “…if this band’s stage prowess and live sound are any indication, this new Static of the Gods album will be a must-have. THIS is a great band.”
Static of the Gods is Jen Johnson (vocals, guitar, keys), Ben Voskeritchian (bass, guitar, keys, vocals), and Mike Latulippe (drums, programming).
CONTACT:
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press and booking:
ben@owlandagency.com
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SF STATION | Read the whole review…
Rating: 4 stars out of 5.
“A computer might be able to bring up facts, bits of knowledge as fast as a human, but will it ever be able to experience the range of feelings like love, forgiveness, longing and hope? In today’s technological world where the blending of humans and machines are becoming more prevalent, Static of the Gods release their second album, Knowledge Machine, hoping to portray the human experience in 11 tracks that your computer will never understand…The maturity of the lyrics display that while looking outside themselves they found themselves. An expansive and melodic sound only further justifies the brilliant songwriting…The vocals and guitar on “True North” is just one of several transformative pieces that render this musical journey extraordinary. It’s an impressive last song that musically builds to an aurally golden crescendo. It feels like the first step after all you lived through has shaped your being, and everything out there is possible and you are ready to go get it. Static of the Gods heads in a magnetic and genuine direction, “where the sun shines all the time.”
METRO SPIRIT | Read the whole review…
“…the Boston-based three piece fills all eleven tracks on “Knowledge Machine” with a ton of raw feeling. This is what makes this record so marvelous and stand-alone.With a combination of haunting vocals, personal yet relevant lyrics, and a moody indie-electronic sound, Static of the Gods create a vision of the soul with “Knowledge Machine” that anyone can relate to and feel touch their lives. And while a ‘knowledge machine’ is actually a computer, it is also very much the human mind that composed these powerful songs.”
THE WEEKLY DIG | Read the whole review…
“Knowledge Machine is the second full-length from Static of the Gods, a band that juxtaposes the bombast and grandeur of post-rock with the wistful singing of Jen Johnson. The combination fearlessly works. In “White Flag” Johnson glides through registers, delivering a powerful chorus as a mix of driving bass and distorted guitars burn underneath… ”True North,” [is] a triumphant song with a trill that swirls around Johnson’s voice. It’s a satisfying end to an album that soars.”
STUFF MAGAZINE | Read the whole article…
“…the electrifying band takes to the stage with songs from their latest album, Knowledge Machine. Static of the Gods combine keyboard and guitar work into a single wall of sound, one that slams with infectious intensity (while connoting a hint of melancholic mournfulness) like solid indie rock should.”
BLOG CRITICS | Read the whole review…
“The third release from the Static of the Gods has the trio of Jen Johnson, Ben Voskeritchian, and Mike Latulippe venturing down a path that sounds a lot like the way the Sheila Divine was heading…“Talk You Down” wonderfully coalesces into an exciting ending while dually combining as a pop song as well as a charge-induced rock song. It reminds me of something Doves might do.”
ILLINOIS ENTERTAINER |
“If you ever wondered what Interpol would sound like if it listened to The Cure and Velocity Girl instead of Joy Division (and had a femme fatale at the mic), then check out Static Of The Gods. Jen Johnson’s voice is a bit too shrill to be considered “pretty,” but her tone and inflection are perfect foils for the buzzing guitar and sugary keys.”
CAMPUS CIRLE | Read the whole review…
AID & ABET | Read the whole review…
“Lay down in splendor, indeed. The folks have that fuzzy, intricate pop sound of the late 80s New Zealand craze. More Straitjacket Fits than the Chills. Add in Jen Johnson’s sharp (but not shrill) vocals, and you’ve got something tasty, indeed. These songs don’t move quickly, but they move just right.”
ROOM THIRTEEN UK | Read the whole review…
“One-hell of an album from the “next big thing” that female-fronted has to offer the world of rock. A static, captivating and entirely thrilling album. A penetrative sound, an incredible balance between instruments and voice and a sense of something new, awe-inspiring and exciting. Prepare to be electrified by this band and their brand of ecstatic, pulsating rock music.”
GLIDE MAGAZINE | Read the whole review…
“…there’s some Siouxsie vibe and Radiohead lyricism in there along with some deathly melodies that could have come from the first Cult album.”
Static of the Gods is:
Jen Johnson
Ben Voskeritchian
Mike Latulippe