THE WHITE STAG

There is a time in your life when My Pretty Pony porn just doesn't cut it any more and the it's time to move on to the real hardcore arenas. So where does one go? Well the next logical step beyond is UNICORN PORN of course. An urban street lingo phrase meaning "sheet that ain't never gonna happen." Well, they didn't know about this band because happen it did. THE WHITE STAG is the product of a four year period of writing and recording and features two keyboardists (Matt Assel and Kristen Scheitler), Nate Larson on drums and Vanderveldt on guitars and anything else.

UNICORN PORN began much like Steven Wilson's band Porcupine Tree. It was all supposed to be a joke which is the passion of guitarist Nick Vanderveldt, it began in Olympia, WA and moved on to St Louis, MO. The band over the years has been under his sole control and has had a revolving door policy which means many a musician has come and gone. This is a jam band all the way around but what a pleasant array of sounds that emerge and despite parts lasting healthy segments of time i personally don't get tired of any of them.

This is psychedelic to the max but there are some serious rockin' segments as well, complex drum and guitar interactions lots of repetitive post-rock type meanderings that add subtle embellishments that keep the listener entertained. Tribal drumming and ambient effects that drift in and out of tune with the guitars is truly hypnotic. The music on this one is simply constructed but the improvisation behind it is fairly complex which reminds me of the best of classic jazz sessions in a space rock context. Great stuff and a splendid example of contemporary space rock that doesn't resort to blatant Pink Floyd ripoffs.