Formed just over a year ago by guitarist Ross Dolan, vocalist Laura Dolan, Nick Vogelpohl (bass) and Nate Wagner (drums) Electric Citizen have had a busy year turning heads and ears onto their dark and esoteric style of haunting and unhallowed ’60s West Coast rock, and decidedly British-influenced heavy psychedelia.
Like records by similarly late 60s/early ’70s-possessed anti-modernists Blood Ceremony, Wolf People and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, their debut album “Sateen” provides a blueprint for long term appreciation. Recorded and produced by fellow Grammy Winning Ohioan and local stalwart Brian Olive (The Greenhornes, Soledad Brothers) the album draws on sounds synonymous with the roots of early ’70s proto-metal from groups such as Sir Lord Baltimore, Pentagram, and the daemonic spirit of Amon Düül. Not to mention the comparisons it draws with the rock ‘n’ roll ceremony of forgotten acts like Frumpy and Shocking Blue when held up against the spellbinding light of high priestess Laura Dolan’s enigmatic voice and live presence.
From the cloudy and mystical swirl of ‘Hawk Nightingale’ to the shades of folk metal on ‘Shallow Water’, Electric Citizen pitch scholarly interpretations of the old guard in new and electrifying ways and not always from the vaults of forgotten masters. Take new single ‘Light Years Beyond’ with it’s swirling and ferocious concoction of guitars and drums or ‘Magnetic Man’ with its unabashed nod to Heart and classic Black Sabbath. Just a handful of many songs here that showcases just how good the band is at dropping sonic needles into the grooves of records that all serious rock ’n’ roll lovers hold dear.
Electric Citizen have toured with Fu Manchu, The Budos Band and Wolfmother and have supported act such as Joan Jett, The Cult, The Sword, Rival Sons, Dead Meadow, Foxy Shazam, and Buffalo Killers. The artwork for their debut album, which was released July 1, 2014 on Riding Easy Records, was created by acclaimed artist Neil Krug who has worked with The Horrors, Lana Del Ray and Boards Of Canada.
Electric Citizen has been featured on VICE’s Noisey, Premier Guitar, Classic Rock Magazine, MetalHammer, Thrasher, Roadburn, CVLT Nation, Decibel Magazine, Trasworld Skateboarding, ArtRocker Magazine, AtlSounds, and more.
