Moonrises is the brainchild of Plastic Crimewave (a.k.a. Steve Krakow), Libby Ramer and Ben Billington. Their tremendous sophomore album "Frozen Altars" absolutely destroys the competition in the ring of avant-psychedelic bands. Wrap your bad-trip damaged brain around an album that continues to reinvent and expand with every rotation. Experience intense flashbacks of 1960's British pysch and 70's krautrock. Envision the sounds of the Soft Machine, the Dead C. and This Heat trapped in a droned-out noise chamber. Tiny Mix Tapes calls them "the newest addition to Chicago's vibrant psych scene, and they take you way beyond your average wanna-be psych band. Some of the best psych music you will hear, yep (Moonrises) will pretty much amaze you. " Don't hesitate, you will want to be the one telling your friends to take this trip." "Most psych bands build massive walls of guitar, but the focal point of Chicago trio Moonrises is organist Libby Ramer, whose whimsical leads owe as much to prog superstars Keith Emerson and Tony Banks as they do to blues-rock icons Ray Manzarek and Jon Lord. Ramer's position in Moonrises' spotlight is especially remarkable because the band's other two members are both highly visible guys-about-town: Plastic Crimewave, aka Steve Krakow, fills the few gaps in the dense swirl of organ with his freak-out guitar squall, and Ben Billington of Tiger Hatchery and Quicksails provides the jumpy drumming. Between the sprawling arrangements and the trapped-in-a-well vocals (by Krakow and Ramer), their songs are easy to get lost in-they're like soundtracks to traveling deep into a forest or to the bottom of the ocean." "Frozen Altars sees the band streamlining what they created on last year's self-titled full length; it's got a brighter recording, smoother drumming, and a stronger emphasis on vocal and organ melodies than before. The fresh take on the band's meandering, proggy compositions results in a fantastic record highlighting each member's musical abilities, which fall into balance this time around. Ramer's Keith Emerson worship still lies at the forefront, but Billington is more dynamic than ever and Krakow's guitar work is expressive and controlled." -Chicago Reader
