‘Volume 1’ by Supplemental Pills | Album Premiere
Exclusive album premiere of ‘Volume 1’ by Portland, Oregon-based drone-psych-rock band Supplemental Pills, out April 8th via In Music We Trust Records.
What started out as friends getting together and jamming at a recording studio during quarantine turned into one of the Northwest’s heavier, unrestrained, psychedelic offerings.
At the start of the pandemic, Deer Lodge Studios’ owner/engineer/producer Ezra Meredith’s longtime project, the psych-folk act Hearts of Oak, decided to put the brakes on the band in the name of quarantining. But, with music in his veins and a studio at his disposal, he eventually brought together a new quartet featuring his brother, guitarist/pedal steel player Joel Meredith, Hearts of Oak’s bassist/synth player Aron Christensen, and drummer/backing vocalist Mark Folkrod.
As they watched the world descend into madness, their regular Monday night sessions turned into something they jokingly referred to as “Recording Club”. They’d get together in the studio, spark up a few and improvise for hours on end. Later on, they’d go back through the recordings, pick out their favorite ideas and then build them out as complete songs. From there, they whittled it all down to seven distinct songs. ‘Volume 1’ was born.
“The album is a collection of songs we built out of nothing,” says Ezra. “We are like-minded friends that got together at my studio and jammed on some musical ideas, in a very collaborative effort, with no plans to release anything or to become an active band.”
‘Volume 1’ had different plans. After completing the record and really digging their newly-crafted sound, the group decided to name themselves Supplemental Pills and pursue playing out as a live band. “Each lyric paints a beautiful picture and has its own rhythm; each song has its own highlight and reveals itself with repeated listens,” adds Meredith. When asked how he feels the album fits into the musical landscape of today, Meredith is quick to quip, “It doesn’t.” That doesn’t mean the band isn’t excited about its April 4th release. Quite the contrary. Coming out exactly how they heard it in their heads once they committed to making an album, the band was pleased with the result and wanted to enthusiastically share it. However, they’re not trying to fit in or contend with any genre. Even calling them psychedelic-drone-rock is a stretch, as the band feels they’re just a band, “on the outside, not looking in,” as Meredith puts it. A powerful forty-seven minute collection of pounding drums, driving bass, and layer upon layer of droning guitars, the seven songs on ‘Volume 1’ take you on a psychedelic journey of loud, powerfully undulating grooves that hit you as hard in the chest as they do the mind.
Asked what the band plans to do once this record is out, Meredith simply says, “make another album.” Supplemental Pills are currently in the studio finishing up their second record, but are excited to see ‘Volume 1’ get released and to bring their hallucinogenic live experience to audiences willing to turn off their minds, relax and float downstream.
Supplemental Pills Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp
I love how this just reaks of the most saddest rainy northwest days that we just could never escape. Music was the only thing to set us free. I think this is a masterpiece stabbing at my heart endlessly. I love it. Aron Christensen will always be remembered through this sound and that is a blessing in of itself. Thank you for brining this to all of us.