Shadow Band

Shadow Band derives its name from an optical effect visible during solar eclipses, yet the ensemble’s 21st-century neo-psychedelia draws equally on British and American sources, producing a post-Zombies haze of guitars, vintage keyboards, tambourines, pan flutes, and lingering smoke. At its core stands New Jersey-born songwriter Mike Bruno, previously the driving force behind the Black Magic Family Band collective, whose early-2010s output appeared on self-released albums. After Bruno moved to Philadelphia, a stable lineup coalesced and adopted the Shadow Band moniker. The roster featured multi-instrumentalist Sean Yenchick, bassist James Christy, drummer Matt Marchesano, frequent Weyes Blood associate Jacob Brunner, and, later, Michigan natives Morgan Morel and Jules Nehring. Several four-track cassette sessions preceded an attempt to record a proper-studio album, but the project was scrapped within days after consultation with their label. The home-recorded debut LP, Wilderness of Love, ultimately appeared on Mexican Summer in February 2017.