View The Golden Hands Before God Conducts Incredible Magic Band & The Spirits's EPKPRESS REVIEWS FOR "HERE""...like the beautiful, bubbling love child of The Besnard Lakes and Black Mountain...given their knack for seducing you into what can only be described as a golden brothel iced with opium clouds and decorated with meandering vines, I'd say they're one of the most talented Eastern Canadian bands I've heard in a long time." The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton, Alberta
"The band draws upon a diverse range of sounds which include the psychedelic drone of bands like Spacemen 3 which is then combined with the pop sensibilities of bands like Jesus and Mary Chain, Mazzy Star and Darker Day-era Connels." BrooklynRocks.com, Brooklyn, New York
"4 out of 5 stars...its seven tracks chug along through the same pleasantly retro landscape in which the High Dials and Black Mountain have staked their claim. Songs like “The Ladder” and “Girl Half My Age” ebb and flow under woozy harmony vocals, with enough menace to suggest that this Windsor-bred, Montreal-based five-piece could kick up a real fuss on stage." Eye Weekly, Toronto, Ontario
"I was feeling bleak on the music-for-psychedelic-outlaws front after shitting all over the last six combined Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre albums and finding only temporary comfort in Dead Meadow, The Black Angels and BRMC. The mind-meltingly named The Golden Hand Before God Conducts Incredible Magic Band & The Spirits from Windsor, Ont. have given me some small bit of skulls-flashing-in-technicolour hope, though...Here is proof all is not lost for the mop-top 'n' jean jacket crowd." Chart Attack Magazine, Canada
"5 out of 5 stars...Hypnotic, enigmatic, suspenseful -- this is rock music that evokes sensations like a film or a novel...It's only a matter of time before these guys are critical darlings on a wider level. " The Windsor Star, Windsor, Ontario
"(Here) floats by in a narcotic haze, with swirling guitars and layered vocals creating a druggy atmosphere...from the moment I first heard them back in December, I had a feeling they'd be great, and now that they have an album out, they've completely lived up to those expectations. For anyone who hasn't yet heard about The Golden Hands Before God..., all I can say is that you're in for a treat." iheartmusic.net, Ottawa, Ontario
"The seven tracks on Here figuratively begin on a mountaintop and gleefully take their time getting to the bottom. GHBG sounds like The Smithereens emulating The Pixies, or The Black Angels having fun instead of brooding...But Here is more than psychedelia and garage rock, it’s sheer power and personage. Here rumbles like a gentle giant in a china store. It doesn’t mean to be so forceful; it’s just damned pretty in that way." Bootleg The Magazine, Wilmington, North Carolina
"It isn’t going to be long now before the Golden Hands Before God are the next big thing in the Canadian music industry...this is the best piece of music I’ve heard this year...9.3 out of 10" TwoWayMonologues.com, Toronto, Ontario
PRESS REVIEWS FOR THE LIVE SHOW"The basic thing that makes The Golden Hands Before God such a great act is their clear passion to play the music. It's like a musical party on stage, and everyone in the room is partying vicariously through their psychedelic-rock euphoria. But then, as the band gets deeper into the set list, the line between spectator and performer blurs until everyone in the room is singing along and it ends with everyone being a part of it all." Pete Nema, reviewing NXNE performance, PeteNema.com, Toronto, ON (June 21, 2008)
"...the set of the festival for me...GHBG owned that room - everywhere I looked people were dancing, banging their head, shouting to their friends about how awesome what was going on was. And the band knew it - they channeled all that energy and fired it back at us in the crowd ten-fold...perhaps my favourite rock moment in my life to date." Dan Wolovick reviewing NXNE performance, Two Way Monologues, Toronto, ON (June 15, 2008)
"You get caught up in the head nod state that bands like Mazzy Star and BJM do so well. They play the type of songs that leave your feet cemented to the floor, eyes closed just soaking it all in as you explore your subconscious. The subtle textures of acoustic, electric and percussion weave around each other, and from the country-tinged acoustic that starts Interlude to the slow burning build and shimmering textures, not a note seems wasted or out of place." HeroHill.com (Mar. 7, 2008)
"The GHBG play the type of '60's classic rock inspired music that a band like Black Mountain should play, but to me, they seem devoid of any type of soul. If this review of a December show in TO is any indication, the GHBG play like they mean it. If I'm to draw a sports analogy, Black Mountain is Gilbert Arenas. Arenas is great, good stats, a lot of attention, but is never going to win a title, not a real winner. The GHBG are like UCLA Freshman Kevin Love, coming out of a good school, great intangibles, looks good, but somebody has got to put him into the right system and give him a chance." Rob Schmidt, London, ON: Burgeoning Metropolis, London, ON (Mar. 6, 2008)
"In fact, if I'm being honest, I'm more excited about the debut EP from The Golden Hands Before God... than I am about a few of those bands (Wolf Parade, Amos The Transparent, Entire Cities, Rural Alberta Advantage, D'Urbervilles, Constantines,...)...listening to 'Interlude', I can hear echoes of a band like Young Galaxy -- which, in my opinion, is a pretty good thing. I'm not sure when the EP is out, but I've been visiting their site for updates...at a rate far higher than normal." Matthew Pollesel, iheartmusic.net , Ottawa, ON (Jan. 2, 2008)
"The Golden Hands Before God… is one of the most riveting bands out there. Their music is indefinable, and I mean that with the best of intentions. They don’t tie themselves down to genres; they experiment with a gamut of different styles that make their sound one-of-a-kind." Kristen Tignanelli, Real Detroit Weekly, Detroit, MI (Dec. 11, 2007)
"This heavily bearded sextet blasted through a set of powerful psych-pop that made more than a few eyebrows raise, and likely melted a few faces as well. I realize I have a bad habit of comparing bands to Brian Jonestown Massacre, but I guess the reason for that is simply the fact that I'm always looking for a local band that provides that hammering 60's revitalization vibe with the same amount of pomp and attitude. Well, lo and behold, GHBG have nailed it! As soon as they started up, I knew I was in for something special. The synergy in the air and between the band members was compelling to say the least and there was enough variety in their sound to keep things interesting without ever alienating the audience."It's Not The Band I Hate, It's Their Fans Music Blogsite, Toronto (Dec. 2, 2007)
"The Golden Hands Before God essentially burned a hole in the galvanic skin response meter I travel with and basically had the place on its knees and me believing in God again." Mr. Fingers, Matrix Magazine, Montreal (August 7/07)
"If I were to choose a band that captures the spirit of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, (The Golden Hands Before God...) are at the top. Neo psychedelic grooves, infused with space cowboy twang and glazy-eyed mysticism. Playing more TO shows will make me forget about Anton and company. Definitely one of the better sets I've seen at The Boat this year." Lonely Vagabond, notorious Toronto scenester, moderator/Official Brian Jonestown Massacre Website Forum (July 1/07)
The Golden Hands Before God... has proudly shared the stage with:
The Besnard Lakes (Montreal, PQ), Young Galaxy (Montreal, PQ), The Inbreds (Kingston, ON), Bionic (Montreal, PQ), The High Dials (Montreal, PQ), Vancougar (Vancouver, BC), Spiral Beach (Toronto, ON), The Rural Alberta Advantage (Toronto, ON), The High Strung (Detroit, MI), Amos The Transparent (Ottawa, ON), The Golden Dogs (Toronto, ON), HotKid (Cambridge, ON), Matt Boyer (of Sun Kil Moon) (Denver, CO), Mahogany Frog (Winnipeg, MB), Rebekah Higgs (Halifax, NS), The Mark Inside (Toronto, ON), Jason Kent (Montreal, PQ), Lindy (Toronto, ON), Wax Mannequin (Hamilton, ON), Square Root of Margaret (Chatham, ON), Young Rival (Hamilton, ON), Twilight Hotel (Winnipeg, MB), The Easy Targets (Toronto, ON), The Speaking Tongues (Toronto, ON), The Harold Wartooth (Toronto, ON), The Unsettlers (Montreal, QC), The Key Witness (Toronto, ON), Colin Munroe (Toronto, ON), The Locusts Have No King (Windsor, ON), Mittenstrings (Montreal, PQ), The Hung Jury (Windsor, ON), James McKenty & The Spades (Peterborough, ON), Perilelle (Windsor, ON), The Rest (Hamilton, ON), Shelby Lamb (Toronto, ON), Two For The Cascade (Windsor, ON), LLIONS (Toronto, ON), The City Above (Ottawa, ON), Michou (Windsor, ON), Luz Atomica (Toronto, ON), The Love Machine (Ottawa, ON).
The Golden Hands Before God... has played on the stages of:
Halifax Pop Explosion 2008 (Halifax, NS)
Pop Montreal 2008 (Montreal, PQ)
NXNE 2008 (Toronto, ON)
NCRC (National Campus & Community Radio Conference) 2008 (Windsor, ON)
The Horseshoe Tavern (Toronto, ON)
The Barfly (Montreal, QC)
The Drake Hotel (Toronto, ON)
Rancho Relaxo (Toronto, ON)
The Silver Dollar Room (Toronto, ON)
The Marquee (Halifax, NS)
Phog Lounge (Windsor, ON)
The Avalon Front (Windsor, ON)
Call The Office (London, ON)
Zaphod Beebelebrox's (Ottawa, ON)
The Casbah (Hamilton, ON)
L'Escogriffe (Montreal, PQ)
The Cameron House (Toronto, ON)
The Boat (Toronto, ON)
O Patro Vys (Montreal, PQ)
Maverick's (Ottawa, ON)
The London Music Club (London, ON)
The Savannah Room (Toronto, ON)
The Room (Windsor, ON)
The Dominion House (Windsor, ON)
The P.A. Music Festival 2006 (Windsor, ON)
The P.A. Music Festival 2007 (Windsor, ON)
The Harvesting The FAM Festival (Windsor, ON)
Live at The Marquee Club, Halifax, NS (Photo: Scott Blackburn)THE GOLDEN HANDS BEFORE GOD CONDUCTS INCREDIBLE MAGIC BAND & THE SPIRITS
Pop Echo Recording Artists The Golden Hands Before God Conducts Incredible Magic Band & The Spirits is a band that is hard to define - on one hand, they are a throwback to the 60's psychedelia and garage rock band scenes, but on the others, they are also early 90's shoegazer with a hint of modern approach.
But live they are an entirely different beast, combining pure rock and roll savagery with the beautiful melody of song.
Live at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON (Photo: Pete Nema)
Their debut album, "Here", was recorded in Montreal at Breakglass Studios (The Besnard Lakes, Young Galaxy, Malajube, Patrick Watson, Wolf Parade, etc.). "Here" was produced, mixed and engineered by Jace Lasek (The Besnard Lakes, Young Galaxy, Patrick Watson) and David Wm. Smith and was mastered by Harris Newman (A Silver Mt. Zion, We Are Wolves, Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes) at Grey Market Mastering. It's available on CD and 12" Vinyl in Canada NOW on September 16th in the U.S..
They spent the first year honing their sound and live performance, landing opening slots with such bands as The Besnard Lakes, Young Galaxy, The High Dials, The High Strung, Bionic, Mahogany Frog, The Mark Inside, The Ride Theory, Twilight Hotel and Wax Mannequin in their hometown of Windsor, Ontario, as well as playing critically acclaimed shows in Toronto and Montreal. They've also taken part in the first two P.A. Music Festivals in Windsor, Ontario and opened the outdoor stage at the University of Windsor's Harvesting The FAM Festival.
2008 has proven to be a great year for The Golden Hands Before God. After spending much of the year recording in Montreal, this Windsor, Ontario bred outfit decided to make the move and relocated to Montreal in the end of summer. 2008 has also been kind on festival exposure as they were selected to play North By Northeast (NXNE) in Toronto, Ontario, Pop Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, Halifax Pop Explosion (HPX) in Halifax, Nova Scotia and the NCRC Convention in Windsor, Ontario.
Live at Rancho Relaxo, Toronto, ON (Photo: Jenny Charlton)
Songs from "Here" have been in heavy rotation on stations like CBC Radio 3 and on Nardwuar The Human Serviette's radio show on CITR 101.9 in Vancouver, not to mention college radio stations across Canada and the U.S.
Here is getting great airplay across Canada and beyond on many Campus & Community Radio Stations.
Highest Chart Positions for Here
"Here" has been doing extremely well across the board on Canadian Campus & Community Radio - here's a look at where it's charted...keep those requests a coming and thanks to all who has helped!
Highest Chart Positions for Here
34 - Earshot! National Campus & Community Charts (Canada) (debuted at 34, July 29, 2008)
38 - Chart Magazine (Canada) National College Radio Charts (debuted at 38, August 1, 2008)
1 - CJAM 91.5 - Windsor, ON (debuted at 1, July 22, 2008)
1 - CKXU 88.3 - Lethbridge, AB (debuted at 1, July 15, 2008)
3 - CFBX 92.5 - Kamloops, BC (debuted at 3, September 2, 2008)
4 - CJSR 88.5 - Edmonton, AB (debuted at 17, July 29, 2008)
4 - CJLY 93.5 - Nelson, BC (debuted at 4, September 23, 2008)
5 - CFBU 103.7 - St. Catharines, ON (debuted at 13, July 15, 2008)
5 - CFMH 107.3 - Saint John, NB (debuted at 8, October 28, 2008)
10 - CFCR 90.5 - Saskatoon, SK (debuted at 25, July 8, 2008)
19 - CHUO 89.1 - Ottawa, ON (debuted at 19, September 16, 2008)
20 - CJUM 101.5 - Winnipeg, MB (debuted at 25, August 5, 2008)
23 - CHSR 97.9 - Fredericton, NB (debuted at 23, August 1, 2008)
25 - CITR 101.9 - Vancouver, BC (debuted at 25, July 22, 2008)
29 - CJSW 90.9 - Calgary, AB (debuted at 32, July 8, 2008)
FOR BOOKING INFO
Contact Jamie Greer at greerkind (at) yahoo.ca
"Communist Party", Live at HALIFAX POP EXPLOSION 2008, The Marquee Club, October 22, 2008 (courtesy HeroHill.com)"Interlude" (snippet), Live at THE HORSESHOE TAVERN, Toronto, ON, November 11, 2008 (courtesy Tim McCready)"Girl Half My Age", Live at THE AVALON FRONT, Windsor, ON, July 4, 2007 (Courtesy Jen Dinchik) BUY THE CD or LP NOW
Click on the banner below to check out the website of our good friend, local artist Stephen "Earl" Nilsson, the man who created our Golden Hands artwork and gig posters.
COVER FEATURE in AUGUST 2008 ISSUE OF WAMM MAGAZINE (Windsor, ON)
The Rivoli better get ready, because tonight VEDETTE, Canary Mine and Little Foot Long Foot are coming to party, and bringing all of their party people. Each act is super-pumped to bring you their best set EVER, and we can't wait to see you there! If you miss out, then you'll be one of those sucky "I missed out people", and someone will play a sad, farty old tuba song in your honour... Don't be like that. This one's definitely gonna be a party, and you won't believe what's in store for you. So c'mon by the Rivoli tonight! 334 Queen Street West (which is basically at Queen & Spadina.)
Hi there) Thanks for being our friend! Download for free our new EP "Starring" - 1 song from it will be on FREAK drama soundtrack Welcome to our page!)) Cheers from Ukraine
Hey The Golden Hands Before God..., we hope you can make it out The Magic Bag, Friday June 12th. As it will be our most wonderful show of the summer and it sure would be swell if you could have a frothy beverage with us :-)