Altars is the new single from South Carolina outfit Brother Oliver taken from their upcoming album Well, Hell released on August 30th. They tell us that musically, it is one of the simplest offerings on the album and that’s maybe part of its appeal – this sounds like they’re exploring, a glorious psych-folk jam. Massively chilled, you can see why they’ve ended up supporting the likes of the Steve Miller Band, Father John Misty, Drake Bell, Old Sea Brigade, Matthew Logan Vasquez, SUSTO and more. Like a cross between The Grateful Dead and Garcia Peoples.
Andrew Oliver (guitarist/vocalist/songwriter) of Brother Oliver:
“Altars was birthed and written around the heavily distorted / wah pedal leads Stephen played on the electric mandolin. It’s one of the most simple songs on the album as far as chords and song structure, but it feels like one of the most powerful for us to play.
“Lyrically, I wrote from the perspective of being painfully present. Damaging our ears at shows and literally making love to our phones, being the perfect example. The verses exemplify a darker perspective while the chorus brings out the more poetic, beautiful side of that coin. The idea is that we sacrifice tomorrow on the altar of today — and sometimes that’s okay.”
Photo Credit: Sarah Marie Marko