Bone Apple Tea - “Spirit Released”
“Spirit Released,” by Bone Apple Tea, is a must-listen for fans of the psychedelic period of The Beatles. With its enchanting acoustic finger-picking style, the song creates a dreamy atmosphere that evokes the feel of classic songs, such as “Dear Prudence,” while the vocal makes me think of Canned Heat's “Going Up the Country.”
The warping effect adds to the psychedelic vibe of the song and gives it a unique lo-fi feel. The tape warping is quite aggressive, but there is none of that residual hiss from the format. The unusual recorder-like sounds add an extra layer of depth to the song and make me think of The Beatles’ “What’s the New Mary Jane.” The sounds are not as messed up as on The Beatles song, but the mood is definitely stoned. The minimal electric guitar work is a perfect complement to the song and brings to mind the classic sounds of the 1960s. The short, fizzy solo is a nice touch.
The lyrics, inspired by the loss of one of the songwriter’s mother, give the song a personal touch and a deeper meaning. “Spirit Released” is a delightful trip to the era of black and white TV sets and lava lamps. I like this one a lot.
John, from Bone Apple Tea, adds: “This is track 10 of the album we just put out on Monday. “Spirit Released” was the second song we put together– the track was actually just an off the cuff take I did with guitar and vocals on one mic, and then I sent that to Miles who added the drums that night, and we were like oooo kay we have something here! As mentioned, this song is about my mom who passed away a few years ago, and that longer outro I like to envision as the spirit leaving the body. Juan helped with some guitars and background vocals.”