Recorded with Chris Coady (Beach House, Future Islands), in New York, The Entrance Band’s frontman has decidedly deviated from his usual west coast psychedelic sound for his upcoming solo LP, ‘Ophelia Slowly.’ You can almost hear the rain beating down on the city sidewalks, everything tinted in black and white, (and you actually do hear the rain on closing track, "City in the Rain"). Loneliness, heartache, and the dark struggles inside his soul, seem to be the major themes. Sparse and stark, the arrangements feature electronic beats, jangly guitars and Blakeslee’s voice front and center. There’s an earnest desperation driving each song forward; his internal entanglements wrestling each other as he sings through the pain. "Kneel and Pray" is a definite standout. Filled with spiritual references, this album certainly feels like a personal exorcism of sorts. Guy Blakeslee is currently touring in support of Linda Perhacs and Robert Francis, with an album release date of June 10 on Everloving Records. – Jacqueline Caruso
