The Curious Mystery

Wednesday, August 6th

For those of you who were wondering about The Curious Mystery signing to K Records, it’s officially confirmed, even if they don’t have a band page on the K Records site yet: the Curious Mystery’s first record (not counting their demo, since some of the songs from the demo will be on the K Records LP) will come out sometime in January on the Olympia label. If you haven’t heard this band before, consider Ravi Shankar coupled with a bluegrass band that is fronted by a vocalist-and-guitarist, Nicolas Gonzalez, who also makes and plays his own hybrid instruments, and Shana Cleveland, another vocalist with a silky Chan Marshall-esque voice who also happens to play guitar, melodica, autoharp and banjo. In a matter of measures, The Curious Mystery traverses oceans and nations with its intoxicating psychedelia, and it’s the kind of trip that doesn’t require a plane ticket or a couple tabs of acid to be completely engrossing. Nicolas informed me that the homemade instruments are going out of vogue somewhat now that the band’s line-up is more solidified. But there is, he says, something called a “steel basket.” “It’s like a metal gourd with steel spokes sticking out of it,” Nicolas says, “but I put a contact mic on and I play it with a bow and effects pedals. It sounds kinda like a theremin.”

Wed., Aug. 6, 9:30 p.m., 2008