Psychic Ills are psychedelic preachers from New York who are worshiping at the altar of such deities as Velvet Underground, Spacemen 3 and Jesus & Mary Chain. So far the band produced a number of singles and two full-lengths, both of which came out on Social Registry label.
Formed in 2002, the band consists of guitarist/keyboardist Tom Gluibizzi, vocalist Tres Warren, bassist Elizabeth Hart and drummer Brian Tamborello. Their debut singles appeared on the band’s own label Mental Violence and eventually they signed with Social Registry, which compiled the band’s singles on a CD called “Early Violence”.
PI’s debut full-length “Dins” came out on Social Registry in February of 2006. All Music Guide pointed out that the album’s “silvery, slithering melodic fabric has no seam” and “everything lies down together in a psychedelic rock & roll orgy of acid-guzzled, dark-thrummed bliss.”
Stylus Magazine review concluded that “Thoughtful trimming leaves Dins with a litter of minor glories, but an understanding that few kids in the retro-rock playpen have nowadays (and something that bodes well for the band’s future): you don’t have to be your parents to make them happy.”
The band’s second album – “Mirror Eye” – arrived in 2008. Pitchfork gave the album the rating of 1.4 points (out of 10) and concluded that “Mirror Eye plays like a meandering, impromptu practice session recorded just for kicks. It seems designed only to please its creators and the band wastes no time pushing listeners away”.
All Music Guide was much kinder as they pronounced that the album’s “fever dream-like intensity is more than compelling in its own right, and feels as subtle and natural as a shadow or a reflection.”
Outside of Psychic Ills, band member Elizabeth Hart is also involved in another project called Effi Briest, which so far released a number of singles on Loog and Skinny Wolves labels.
Band members:
Elizabeth Hart (Effi Briest)
Tom Gluibizzi
Brian Tamborello
Tres Warren
Discography:
Dins CD / LP (Social Registry, 2005)
Early Violence CD (Social Registry, 2006)
Mirror Eye CD (Social Registry, 2008)
Killers / Vice 7″ (Mental Violence, unknown year)