There's a video on YouTube of Wand playing "Blue Cloud" live in Paris in November of last year. It launches into an ever-progressing, full on psychedelic freakout, before regaining composure and launching into a melodic uprising of vocals and tame guitar plucking, before it abruptly ends. It was an ending that left you wanting more. Like the damn thing was cut short, even though you knew there was more to share.
Thankfully, the Los Angeles five-piece built onto that initial super-charged demo — slightly rearranging the structure of the song, and extending it to nearly 8-minutes, but ultimately maintaining that same variety of moods throughout the song that manage to sound both instinctive and considered.
We happily stumble across that original psychedelic freakout from the live performance at around 5:15; it's a ravenous 2-minute ender that send "Blue Cloud" soaring and undoubtedly reflective of the band's ravenous character.
Listen to the new track below, and look for the Wand's new album Plum, out September 22nd on Drag City.