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The Asteroid No. 4 are from Philadelphia and began in the late 1990's with a series of singles, compilations and a debut full length dubbed "Introducing the Asteroid No.4". The album was compared to all things psychedelic from Pink Floyd to early Verve. In 2000, the band began experimenting with a stripped down aesthetic. They explored abandoning what was best associated with their sound, effected guitars.
Looking to the mid-60's folkrock and British Invasion artists for inspiration, they created the "Apple Street" EP. After touring with fellow Philadelphians, the Lilys, they enlisted the greatest retro-revivalist in the land. Kurt Healsey produced the EP and it's corresponding full length, "King Richard's Collectibles", on the then recently signed to, Rainbow Quartz label from New York. A
fter several national jaunts in '02-'04, including tours with the BrianJonestownMassacre and the Sights that stretched to the West Coast and Canada, the A4 yearned to continue their quest towards the roots of what influences the music they love, psychedelia. They went on to release the late 60's-early 70's countryrock tinged "Honeyspot" on Turquoise Mountain, an imprint specifically created by RaibowQuartz's Jim McGary as a home to the band's rootsy, Gram Parsons(Cosmic American Music) obsessed excursion.
Now, a few years on, the band celebrates their 10th year in existence with a new record. "An Amazing Dream", again backed by RQTZ, is slated to be released in early summer, 2006. It promises to evoke all of the group's previous recordings, specifically the psychedelic and spacerock ambitions they are best known for. This is number 4 for the number 4 and agian, a new course. Only this time it's slightly more familiar .
The Asteroid #4 Myspace
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CMJ New Music Report Issue: 638
"Philadelphia psych-rock unit Asteroid Number Four's Apple Street is a one-two punch of fuzzy garage rock and dream-pop harmony...the songs ehibit the band's weakness for epic lyricism and enchantingly fairytale-like embellishments. Yes, that is a flute on "Poor Man's Falls." |
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Philadelphia Weekly
Stumbling bleary-eyed from a bedroom glowing black-light violet and reeking of sandalwood and cannabis, Asteroid No.4 blink twice, stretch and fall forward into the past. King Richard's Collectibles marks a new morning for the Philadelphia psych outfit, filthy riffs and echo-drenched White Rabbit vocals declaring them equal partners with the likes of the Kinks and the Who. But rather than trying to pass off some half-assed New Mod reinvention, Asteroid simply cops the original wholesale, pulling a re-creation so stunning the disc's copyright date becomes just as much verification as technicality. "Apple Street" rockets up on the back of a relentless three-pitch riff, "Gotta Find A Better Way" is all sunshine and skyward leaps, bounding rhythms and a jubilant chorus. They cross-breed old Guided by Voices with the Apples in Stereo on "Thank You R.E.A." and get stuck inside of Mobile with the "Mercenary Man," a dead-on Al Kooper organ bleating out between a Byrdsian jangle. As with any young rock act, Asteroid has ample space for improvement. It might serve them well to concentrate less on psychedelia and more on solid structure (the lethargic, meandering "Little Flower" being the most egregious example). But these are mere trifles, and when all is said and done, the kids are--well, you know. |
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Philadelphia Weekly
“...One must admire their cocksure sense of psychedelic adventure....The Asteroid #4 are a cocky bunch.” |
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Groovelingo.com
”...Modern, but retro... Sometimes spacey, sometimes garage sounding... definitely distortion. Definitely mod haircuts and slide shows in the background... Groovy... “ |
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Splendidezine.com
“...With sha-la-la guitar chords keeping in time with The Kinks, deep male vocals ala Paul Marsh of The Mighty Lemon Drops and smidgens of The Who and Nick Drake..The Asteroid #4 take a step back to the 60's, while keeping intact the 90's sensibility that has been lacking in recent rock and roll releases.... If this is any indication of what's to come from their upcoming album...keep your eyes on these boys -- they're certainly headed towards stardom.” |
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Tidalwavemag.com
“...The collective puts out some of the best modern pop music...This quartet revives the spirit of early Who, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and the Kinks...Lead singer, Scott Vitt’s vocals are strong and incredibly solid out in front on the verse...“King Richard” has a psychedelic vibe with the melody rising and falling like 1967....The guitars are crunchy with psychedelic sensibilities. Utilizing solid bass guitar lines, and drumming reminiscent of Keith Moon.” |
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