The Wyld Olde Souls

Bio:

Here are some of the things nice people have said about us:

"Not since the days when Donovan told tales of Sunshine Supermen has this kind of music been presented in such a spectacular manner. While many psychedelic/folk acts could usually muster one or two decent songs per album, The Wyld Olde Souls’ “Ensoulment” is 14 tracks of well-crafted and crisply produced ataractic goodness. "Ensoulment” possesses the pacing of a great rock record, but with fresh instrumentation that never leaves the listener fatigued. From a vocal standpoint, the Wyld Olde Souls are truly blessed. Along with the full, rich delivery of lead vocalist Ivy Vale, every member of the band (minus Budhaker) is a gifted singer in his or her own right. The ocean of harmonies propels tracks, such as “Wyld Maiden” and “Anything,” into Crosby, Stills and Nash proportions." -kinston.com (5 out of 5 stars) "This band's sound, reminiscent of sixties folk music, has produced folk majesties such as the song "Anything." The lyrics, vocals and music on this album are all at such a high level; why the band waited so long to release a second album is beyond me." -Muzikreviews.com (5 out of 5 stars) "The Wyld Olde Souls are perhaps NYC’s best-kept secret. The band’s lyrics are often romantic and whimsical, offering a welcome respite from the angst and anger in much of today’s pop music, while the lush, layered instrumentation on the album – which includes flute, orchestral strings and mellotron – solidifies The Wyld Olde Souls as a band that expertly takes the act of homage into the realm of a truly unique, original sound." - TheWorleyGig.com "A very mellow psych folk sound, an easy on the ear Jefferson Airplane, Joan Baez, Fairport Convention, Crosby Stills and Nash of a band for those sunny, mellow, laid-back harmonised moments. They do it all with a very easy, very full-bodied, lush sense of refined style." - Organ Magazine (UK) "One of the most outstanding releases coming out of the coffee house circuit is the debut EP "Poems from the Astral Plane" by the Wyld Olde Souls who combine Celtic fairytale atmospheres, '60's folk psychedelia and exotic instrumentation (sitar, tablas, balalaika, tamboura, etc.) into 6 fragile but delightful folk songs, right out of Lewis Carroll's fantasy world. If this is a forerunner of a full-length album release we're in for a real folk MONSTER!" -Crohinga Well, Belgium

"If Contemporary Renaissance was a category, that is where you would find Wyld Olde Souls. The female harmonies and plucked string performances, along with some heavy, ancient war drum percussion, create a mystic and magical folk sound. The vocals reminded me a bit of the Murmurs, for those who are familiar with their music. True to their CD Title, it seems these Olde Souls are operating on an Astral Plane, and the results are a treat." - Just Plain Folks, USA

"New York's Wyld Olde Souls appear to have drifted in from a similar astral plane to our old friends Mary Jane: haunting ethereal mystical folk music led by female chant-song as atmospheric as a moth caught under a flickering gaslight on a stormy night and simply resonating with psychedelic Celtic harmony. 12-string guitars, flutes, bells, windchimes, mandolin, and tamboura accompany the medieval imagery: the strongest cut's a cover ('The Sun God'), but the band, who count three members of the Grip Weeds amongst their number, are more than capable of turning out some pretty fair melodies themselves as 'The Tower' and the opening 'Arrival', (very Steeleye Span, that one), amply demonstrate." - The Ptolemaic Terrascope, UK

"This record has strong images, some scary percussion, and sounds that range from whispers to windchimes. It's good to see that someone is still exploring folk and psychedelia and doing it so well." - Tom Rapp, Pearls Before Swine

"Their songs are some peaceful poems, a wind of feelings that give to the air the perfume of old centuries." - Zoopa Loop, France

"Delicious vocal harmonies assisting fresh folk melodies. Breezes of intense medieval spirituality and psychedelic threads woven with the exotic fibers of ancient popular instruments, a potion gently stirred by expert female hands and infused into the six songs of a very particular mini-album, which comes from New York but has a definite scent of England." - Rockarilla, Italy

"THE WYLD OLDE SOULS would come under the category of Celtic folk/psych, but then again, I try to shy away from categories, as they are so restrictive and rarely descriptive. This group is the kind who rule because they defy such pigeonholing by the mere depth of what they do. To me, one of the most striking things a band can do is to create an atmosphere and transport the willing listener to a place far from the physical space they're in. THE WYLD OLDE SOULS do this on this 6-song, nearly 25 min private release. Their use of folk and rock instruments can't be denied, but that's where the typical is left behind. It's left far in the background as you're lifted into a wonderful realm of the ethereal, the music and sincere Pagan lyrics opening up vistas of ancient sunlight, woodlands and calming nature. Most beautiful and powerful is the concluding trilogy of "The Tower," "The Oracle" and "The Sun God," bringing a heightening to not only one's senses of hearing, but all the others as well in a rich serenade of transcendence." - Chaos Realm, Germany

Member Since:

January 16, 2008

Members:

Ivy Vale, Rick Reil, Melissa Davis, Kristin Pinell, Naren Budhakar.....

Influences:

Pentangle, Jefferson Airplane, Fairport Convention, Queen, Beatles, Donovan, Loreena McKennitt, Anonymous 4, polyphonic medieval chants, Ravi Shankar, Tim Buckley, Mellow Candle, Trees, Kaleidoscope (UK), David Crosby, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Nick Drake, Mellow Candle, Dusty Springfield, All About Eve, Red Chair Fadeaway, Renaissance, Incredible String Band, Arthur Lee & Love, Moby Grape, The Youngbloods, Pearls Before Swine, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, Fairfield Parlour, Elton John, countless obscure '60s psychedelic & garage bands, UK folk psych 60s & 70s, 12th century courtly love songs, traditional Japanese koto music, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, CSNY, Vince Martin & Fred Neil, Trance Planet, The Wicker Man, Harold and Maude, Groucho Marx, Alan Watts, Plato, Socrates, Paramahansa Yogananda, art nouveau, the Victorian era, the pre-Raphaelites, the Universe. Peacock feathers, full moons, The Mighty Boosh, the ocean, everyone in velvet, Japanese woodblocks, hand fans, silver, antique lingerie, Big Sur, waterlillies, the Geisha, high tea, Shakespearean theater, hand drums, belly dancers, ragas, stained glass windows, castles, ice cream.

Sounds Like:

Psychedelic folk meets 12th century courtly love songs in a forest made of peacock feathers, velvet and innuendo.....

Record Label:

My Generation Productions