1. Iovi:
2. Sorrow Abides:
Two tracks from an as-yet unreleased debut ep by Trees Inside Out – slated to drop in July of this year and pre-sales begin on May 15.
I have often been accused of spending way too much time combing the streams and concert recordings by new bands coming out of Europe to include on these posts – doing it to the exclusion of what’s going on in my very own backyard, in this case, West Coast America.
Truths to tell, it’s always been my impression that American bands have an easier time getting noticed on the local level than a band some 5,000 miles away – and as long as I have this forum here, might as well give ’em a hand.
But I’m afraid I have been depriving myself (and you) the opportunities to sample a LOT of good and worthwhile music that’s been popping up of late that’s coming out of L.A., San Francisco, New York, Denver and all parts east and west.
One of those bands which caught my ear and didn’t let go of it is this relatively new gathering of musical souls going by the name Trees Inside Out.
Trees Inside Out is the brainchild of Myshel Prasad and Roger Green and named after and inspired by the work of contemporary Philosopher Timothy Morton . The collaboration evolved beginning in 2021 with an exchange ideas and influences and letting Muses take their course. The end result is a collection of six songs and a debut ep that is nothing short of mesmerizing.
Green is a former guitarist with local Denver band The Czars along with collaborations with Laird Hunt, Eleni Sikelianos, and Anne Waldman along with many others others as well as embarking on a solo career which netted his well received debut album Enter As You Leave in 2022.
Prasad, also no stranger to the L.A. Independent scene, being the singer/songwriter for Space Team Electra and having established an impressive list of collaborations herself, as well as producing credits and a host of compositions for other artists as well as film, has a lot on her plate.
So, you’d think with all this activity there wouldn’t be much time to spend putting together a group effort – but that goes to show you Muses work in mysterious ways.
In addition to Roger Green and Myshel Prasad, Trees Inside Out also features the efforts of guitarists Sean Eden and Todd Ayers, and percussionists Lee Wall and Kit Peltzel.
One of the things about collaborations is praying to whoever listens and pulls rabbits out of hats, that everyone is on the same page – workers among workers who also drop gems along the way. It’s one of the elements that makes this debut ep so special – everybody involved brings a point of view that blends seamlessly with the end result. Teamwork – when it works the universe is in perfect synchronicity and it is, as my buddies in New Orleans say “a most splendid Roux”.
So what’s the plan? Is it just this ep? No gigs? Cast a spell and pull a vanishing act? Thankfully, no – according to Myshel there’s an album in the works and, fingers crossed, a tour or at least a pile of gigs at various venues with the full band leaning towards an eye to head East, across the Atlantic to maybe the UK and Continental Europe. I can feel the fans starting up.
But for now it’s hitting the play buttons and diving into this two song sample (1. Iovi and 2. Sorrow Abides) by a band that gives me lots of hope that all is not lost, there’s still much to be said and listened to – much to stir and soothe. A lot to be grateful for.
Dive in – check them out – go to their website – follow their progress – wish them well – buy their music.
It’s the least we can do.
Watch this space.
