The Special Pillow

The Special Pillow functions chiefly as a showcase for the haunting compositions of singer and bassist Dan Cuddy, even though this Hoboken-based neo-psychedelic dream pop collective has drawn in several prominent figures from the local pop community. Core membership has long centered on Cuddy alongside drummer and producer Peter Walsh—another ex-Hypnolovewheel alumnus—and violinist Laura Gentile, formerly of Splendora, while the band’s first album, Ancient History, captured additional contributions from Yo La Tengo’s James McNew on guitar and Splendora’s Cindy Brolsma on cello during its 1994 recording sessions, though the LP itself did not appear until 1997. McNew and Brolsma subsequently departed, yielding their respective roles to Carey Burtt and Tim Harris.