What lies at the intersection of Psychedelia and Folk music? How can the land speak through us? These are some of the questions that Betty Benedeadly & Braden Guess (who also plays in the band Sheverb with Betty) sought to answer on their month-long journey into the Joshua Tree desert. Their reply took the form of a 7 song instrumental LP that invites the listener into old-time, foot-stompin’ pickin’ circles, as well as that wide-open, ambient country air, all while maintaining their signature cinematic sound.
Recorded May 2022 at the Institute of Mentalphysics in Joshua Tree, CA during a month-long residency at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center in partnership with Whole Arts and the Joshua Tree Folk School.
Part sonic exploration, part time capsule, this soon-to-be-released album features the local musicians that Benedeadly & Guess befriended over the course of their time in Joshua Tree, including Janie Cowan on upright bass, Victoria Williams on guzheng, and Ron Therrio on lap steel guitar. Layed in the organic textures of percussion tracks, you’ll also hear crystals gathered near the Giant Rock and bones found while hiking. On the final track, you’ll hear original audio of Institute founder, Ding Le Mei preaching Mentalphysics, his signature combination of affirmations, visualizations and breathwork, as learned from Tibetan monks in the 1920s.
Genres: psych folk, spaghetti western, ambient country
Purchase the album on Bandcamp: https://bettybenedeadly.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-institute-of-mentalphysics
Tracklist:
1. Dust Storm Dance 03:57
2. Sand In My Boot 04:26
3. Fading Painted Sky 04:28
4. Mojave Mystic 03:47
5. Lullaby to the Stars 04:34
6. Primordial Rhythms 05:11
7. Invocation of the Ancient Desert 06:39
Lineup:
Betty Benedeadly / Producer, writer, arranger; Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, jaw harp, wooden frog
Braden Guess / Producer, writer, arranger; Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric bass, banjo, mandolin, dobro, synthesizers, conga, percussion, bones, crystals
Featuring guest musicians:
Janie Cowan / Upright bass
Victoria Williams / Guzheng
Ron Therrio / Lap steel guitar