experimental aircraft, “ghost train”

Experimental Aircraft are four Texans who play mighty, mighty dream-pop. Big open chords with limitless expanse, songs that sprawl like an unwanted squatter, haze upon haze upon haze, and somewhere beneath that gauze, a sliver of a melody, a hint of promise. Or some such thing. I came upon their song “Ghost Train” while looking for Spoon YouTube clips last week, and it’s been a constant presence ever since. Joe says it sounds like first-wave post-punk, I say My Bloody Valentine/Sonic Youth/Smashing Pumpkins or, more recently, that whole Silversun Pickups/Sea Wolf school of LA rock.

“Ghost Train” comes from the band’s self-titled debut album, which came out back in 2000. They have only put out one record since (also on eMusic, but I haven’t snagged it yet), and apparently a new one is due this year. They come from Austin, started up about ten years ago and play around Texas a lot. I asked a buddy of mine who knows a lot about the Austin scene what the deal with them was, and he basically said: “Great live band. Never heard the records. Shame they broke up.” Only it turns out they didn’t.

I still haven’t given the rest of the album a proper shake, but “Ghost Train” gets a big thumbs up from me, and based on a spin or two, I’m gonna call it that the rest of the record will get one, too. Here’s a clip of the song:

And here’s some more footage:

Early clip from 1999

Clip from SXSW this past March