Philadelphia's Photon Band first surfaced in 1996 with the Darla Records album 747 (Don't Worry), introducing a distinctive strain of indie rock laced with psychedelic hues. Art Difuria, previously a member of the Lilys, fronted the group, which also featured drummer Simon Nagle plus bassists Gary Plowman and Jeff Tanner. No further releases appeared until the limited-edition collection All Young in the Soul arrived in 1999, yet the following year brought Oh the Sweet, Sweet Changes, an album that found the band exploring rock rooted in 1960s traditions. Also in 2000 they issued Our Own ESP Driven Scene Singles, a full hour of singles, compilation cuts, and unreleased material spanning 1995 to 2000 that underscored the outfit's consistent productivity. That collection highlighted multiple facets of their sound, among them tracks marked by bold experimentation. Shortly afterward came the limited-edition mini-LP Alone on the Moon, which presented three newly recorded, high-energy Photon Band songs across 36 minutes and made prominent use of tremolo to deliver a forceful overall impact. Darla Records again served as home for the whimsical 2002 release It's a Lonely Planet. Six years after that the group returned with Back Down to Earth, issued on Empyrean Records.
