BIG BLOOD - The Grove

"Vinylization of what was something like the sixth release by Big Blood, originally issued on cassette and CDR in the year 2008. At the time, Big Blood was still a quartet comprised of two flesh and blood humans, along with their two spirit animals, and the sound here maintains some of the acid-folk-witchiness (ala Comus or early Spires That in the Sunset Rise) that marked the band's pre-Quinnisa era. Recorded at Big Blood's South Portland Maine headquarters during the winter of 2007, the instrumentation is largely acoustic (or at least acoustic sounding) apart from the album's closer, 'Low Gravity Blues,' which is built around a big electric slide riff from frequent guest, Nixsa Polosa. But the blaring guitar and harmonica on that track are more than balanced by the weird-yet-delicate approach to most of the other tunes. Even when tracks get stacked up, the effect is akin to a Dionysian fire pit party you might attend at some super enlightened youth camp. Acoustic guitars lay down thi