The Peacers

After the 2013 dissolution of his garage band the Sic Alps, Mike Donovan assembled the Peacers to channel psychedelic sonic exploration alongside lo-fi pop and traces of garage punk abrasion. Retaining a taste for memorable hooks and rough-edged guitars, the group layers those elements in the studio, yielding tracks that remain melodic and approachable even amid their abrasive delivery. Their 2015 self-titled debut album presented a splintered yet appealing approach that felt relaxed, whereas 2021’s Blexxed Rec tightened the arrangements and heightened the drive while retaining the band’s unruly character.

Donovan first explored solo work with guitarist Eric Park before forming the new project. Its earliest configuration featured Wendy Farina on drums and enlisted Ty Segall in the dual role of producer and multi-instrumentalist; when Donovan’s personal relationship with Farina ended, former Oh Sees drummer Mike Shoun stepped in. As Donovan later remarked in an interview, “[Farina] wanted to take time to concentrate on not being my girlfriend.” Donovan, Shoun, and Segall recorded the Peacers’ self-titled debut, issued by Drag City Records in July 2015. The band shared bills with Elisa Ambrogio and performed regularly throughout the San Francisco Bay Area until Segall exited in 2016. Donovan then expanded the lineup into a quartet by recruiting Shayde Sartin and Bo Moore, and in June 2017 the revised group released its second Drag City album, Introducing the Crimsmen. The same personnel returned for 2021’s Blexxed Rec, a more forceful and emphatic collection that advanced the band’s melodic strengths while preserving its dense, noisy textures.