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Following the release of their sophomore album, Fantasy Now!, Detroit's garage-psych trio Shadow Show returns today with a new double A-side 7" Baby Yaga / Spy Balloon (Rogue Records). While both tracks journey around bombastic grooves and treasured psych-pop impulses, the new single emphasizes the group's utilization of the studio as an instrument with inclusions of synthesizers, tape delays, and other various overdubs to their harmonious wall of sound. To dive deeper, we caught up with the band to hear what exactly inspired the new single, their thoughts looking back on their previous album, and where their kaleidoscopic magic will take them next.
What were some of the highlights opening for Bikini Kill back in August?
Shadow Show: There were so many! Having the opportunity to play to such a diverse, multigenerational audience felt very good. Also, meeting a plethora of young girls who told us they wanted to be in a band after seeing us was a dream come true! To be a figure in their lives that makes them feel like their dreams are possible is the biggest privilege. And of course, having stage hands was pretty awesome [laughs].
Just a couple months before that, you supported Brazilian psych rock legends Os Mutantes. What was that experience like?
It was very special to play with such legends who sound just as tight today as they did 50 years ago. We loved getting to know them and it's still crazy thinking about it!
Aside from the shows, what have you all been up to since the release of your latest LP Fantasy Now!?
Honestly, we never stop working. After the release and extensive touring we did earlier this year, we've been preparing for the release of "Baba Yaga" / "Spy Balloon," and writing new music for the next one.
What are your thoughts now finally having that LP out and what it was like putting it all together?
It feels incredibly rewarding to have the songs we worked on for such a long time be out in the world in physical form. It was a lot of hard work that required a great deal of patience and perseverance to make it happen, and we're especially grateful to have Little Cloud Records, Stolen Body Records, and Water Room Records to thank for that.
What insight can you share about your new double A-side 45 "Baby Yaga" / "Spy Balloon" and the story behind both tracks?
Both singles were written and recorded at the same time last year, and always meant to be paired as a unit. Despite both new songs have different sonic influences, they share the same spirit and revolve around themes of obsession, hysteria, and the allure and mysticism of The Unknown. The narrative of "Baba Yaga" was directly inspired by the Italian giallo film of its namesake by Corrado Farina. "Spy Balloon" was written during the spy balloon hysteria in American media last year. Together, they showcase our flexibility as a band, and that's why we chose to represent them equally as a double a-side. That, and because "The Beatles did it."
What was it like making the new single's very Jodorowsky music video?
It was an unforgettable adventure in and of itself. For the "Spy Balloon" portion, we drove four hours north to the Sleeping Bear Dunes in the middle of the night to beat the sunrise and mid-July heat to film with our director Cooper Arent and his assistant Tommy Barnes. A few weeks later, we filmed the "Baba Yaga" portion on the hottest and muggiest day of the summer, and barely survived mosquito assaults. Chaos follows us wherever we go, and yet we still manage to have an unforgettable time.
Are these two songs linked in any way to last year's "Radiant Hue" or the next LP?
Although stand-alone singles, they definitely show the direction we're moving in. As for where we'll land, "We may find answers in an infinity of stars in an expanding ocean."
What was it like utilizing the studio as an instrument with the addition of synthesizers, tape delays, and various overdubs?
Experimenting with those elements added a lot of uniqueness and charm to the recordings. We're grateful to have access to the seemingly infinite amount of bells and whistles at High Bias Recordings in Detroit. Since we are not limited to just three instruments while recording as we are during live performances, we can take on new roles and approaches. This process also lent us the opportunity to include the musical additions of Cam Frank, Kelly Jean Caldwell, and John (Hentch) Szymanski.
Aside from the new single, what are some future plans for Shadow Show?
After our East Coast tour with Mildlife, we'll be hunkering down and writing, demoing, and recording for our next release.
Thank you for your time. Any advice or last words you'd like to share with our readers?
When in doubt, BLAST!
Baba Yaga / Spy Balloon is out now on Rogue Records.