CASIO GHOST - POSTMODERN BLUES
Casio Ghost is a promising band based in Salt Lake City, Utah consisting of Tanner Waite, Ethan Christensen, Jaren Snelson, and Oliver Wheatley. They have described their sound as “psychedelic surf rock” that combines modern garage elements along with experimental styles of the past and at just 164 monthly listeners on Spotify, the group has released their first longplay record titled Postmodern Blues.
From the first track (“Bullet”) to the last (“Devil In The Details”), it’s like you’re dragged to another time. One minute, you’re sitting in 2023 with your earbuds in and the next, you’re standing in the middle of a beach dive in 1968. They effortlessly combine the happy-go-lucky nature of The Beach Boys and the elevated musicianship of The Doors into one fresh style that should be topping charts everywhere rather than just sitting on the top of my very own playlists.
As a self-proclaimed bass lover, I feel it’s always of utmost importance to shed light on the vast talent bassists possess because in the industry, that funky rhythm is almost always overlooked. Within Casio Ghost, bassist Ethan Christensen truly validates the friendly flow of their music. His bass lines are extremely prominent, especially in tracks such as The Stranger and that invigorating factor sets the band apart from their respective competitors on top of keeping the groove alive.
Besides Christensen on bass, the other instrumental aspects of the four piece are just as uplifting from a sound standpoint. The keyboard style is like a surf-ified Ray Manzarek meanwhile the guitar is a Christopher Vanderkooy - George Harrison lovechild and you can’t disregard those drums.
From a percussive view, drummer Jared Snelson is a force of all kinds. His style is that of an indescribable strength but once you listen; you will just get it. A song in particular off of Postmodern Blues that really checked all the boxes for me was Five Years. It perfectly encapsulated the atmosphere this band is going for and that guitar drives it home.
It’s not often when a singular aspect of a piece makes or breaks the song; songs are a plethora of artistic components that meld together to become what it is, after all. But in Five Years’s case, that six string really steers the entire work more reminiscent of a classic rock track than anything else. As a tiny independent band, Casio Ghost is still only playing gigs in and around Salt Lake City where they reside but it’s with hopeful certainty that they can spread out to farther states and nations with time as their fanbase blooms. After Sunday’s release of Postmodern Blues, Casio Ghost will go on to play with The Mellons at Urban Lounge in Salt Lake City on July 28th.
To listen to Casio Ghost’s newest longplay (which is immensely encouraged), visit their Spotify page.
For updates, content, and other band information, follow their official Instagram @Casio.Ghost.Music