Espers

How does one introduce a band like Espers?

Their music is a secret, haunted folk, with harmonies delicate and precise. Some of our favorites from what music they've graciously shared with the world are Rosemary Lane, and Black Is the Color, but also not to be missed is their wonderful interpretation of Blue Öyster Cult's Flaming Telepaths. It's so perfectly nestled within the metaphorical branches of their album, The Weed Tree, that you wouldn't be alone in thinking that they deserve to be credited as the original authors.

Often described as psychedelic folk, Espers is possibly the most aptly named musical endeavor we've encountered. It's both a whisper and a vapor, ethereal in the sense that while listening, it's easy to imagine oneself whisked away to the land of fae, sitting in a faery ring, among leaf-dappled sunlight when a song faintly comes to one's attention, growing louder, but always remaining cloaked in a bit of mist and shadow that serve to keep the fae-folk players hidden just out of view. That a recording exists to remind you that it wasn't all a dream it is their enduring gift to us.

The members have moved on to other projects, with singer Meg Baird currently playing drums and singing lead vocals for Sub Pop group, Heron Oblivion, which she co-founded. Singer-songwriter Greg Weeks has his own project, about which we're still learning, whose music can be found on Bandcamp. Member Brooke Sietinsons has also contributed to The Valerie Project, which is comprised of members of Espers and Fern Knight.

The Valerie Project Bandcamp site describes their music as an effort to, "...combine their powers on the first project in a series of alternate film scores. Here they've re-scored Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, a 1970 Czech new-wave film, with all manner of wondrous instrumentation," not least being the crunchy cello and elven harp tones audible in their introductory track, presently the only one that allows a free, quick listen. 

All we can say in closing is that while we lament that Espers doesn't appear to be an active project at this time, the composite players' current projects reveal the depths of each of their musical wells, and we can console ourselves with what outgrowths have come from dividing such a fertile specimen. Please enjoy.