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Cactus Flowers | Interview | Exclusive Premiere of ‘Razor Blade’

February 24, 2021

Cactus Flowers | Interview | Exclusive Premiere of ‘Razor Blade’

Houston psych trio Cactus Flowers return with new EP. Stream new single ‘Razor Blade’ with It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine.


‘Solace’, the new EP by Cactus Flowers will be released on 12th March through the band’s own label, People.Parties.Places. The band will be playing a show in Austin on 7th March at The Far-Out Lounge, along with a live streamed show in Houston on 18th March at Wonky Power. Their new single ‘Razor Blade’ will be officially released on Friday 5th March, but you can stream it exclusively right now!

Formed in 2014 by guitarist/songwriter Jessica Murillo; drummer Mark Carcamo and bassist Chris Dunaway, there’s no question that Cactus Flowers’s star has been in the ascension for quite some time. Since the release of their beguiling debut album ‘Incantations’ in 2019, the Houstonians have continued to conjure, inspire and craft an irresistible identity around lush cadences, pedal soaked riffs, and Murillo’s impassioned vocals. This March, the trio returns to the fold with their stunning new four-song EP, ‘Solace’. The band holed up with producer John Griffin (Wild Moccasins, The Ton Tons, Television Personalities) to capture a heavier, more compound style of psych, lyrical gallantry, and hard rock strut.

“Our new EP is an extension of ‘Incantations’ in as much as those songs were written in hope of conjuring a feeling or emotion,” explains Murillo. “’Solace’ was written to provide comfort or consolation through story-telling and melodies. Matchmaking lush fuzz tones with tales of angst and far out fantasies, we want it to be your next favourite soundtrack on good or bad days.”

Mastered by Heba Kadry (Battles, Blonde Redhead, Slowdive), featuring striking artwork by Jaime Zuverza (Sugar Candy Mountain, Golden Dawn Arkestra) and with Baby Birds/Funeral Horse’s Paul Chavez taking over from Dunaway on live duties, Solace is an incredibly impressive chapter in the band’s ongoing voyage.

“I hope my music can inspire an emotion, invoke a feeling, or even create a space for reflection.”

Interview with Jessica A.M.

Cactus Flowers is active for about five years now. Would you like to talk a bit about your background and previous musical experience?

I started playing guitar when I was thirteen, but it wasn’t until I went to college that I started playing electric guitar and collaborating with other musicians. After graduation, I moved to Los Angeles to work in the music industry and after a few years I decided to move back to Houston Texas to pursue my own musical career.

You’re hailing from Houston, Texas. Are you influenced by native psychedelic rock bands from the sixties?

Of course! I’m always listening to music from various eras of the psychedelic scene to draw inspiration when writing. 13th Floor Elevators, The Moving Sidewalks moving into the ZZ Top fuzz riffs, and more recently some great recommendations from my drummer Mark Carcamo: Sam Gopal, which featured Lemmy from Motörhead on vocals, and Index.

What else influenced you?

I went to college in Northern California, so The Entrance Band and Sleepy Sun were huge influences, as well as The Black Angels in Austin and the entire scene they were beginning to create with Austin Psych Fest – Levitation. Also, female fronted rock bands like Cold Blood, The Duke Spirit, and of course Janis Joplin continue to be big influences.

‘Solace’; is the new EP released by People.Parties.Places. Can you share some further details how it was recorded?

We recorded ‘Solace’ EP in over a week in January 2020 with our producer John Griffin, who also worked on our first album ‘Incantations’. Traditionally, we do a few live takes as a band, select the best one, and then do individual overdubs as needed.

“Song writing always comes from an emotion I’m feeling”

How would you compare it to ‘Incantations’; from 2019? Do you think your sound evolved?

Definitely. I think on ‘Solace’ EP I was more comfortable in writing fuzz heavy riffs, where ‘Incantations’ was layered more with effects. And with trusting John Griffin with production, we were able to create more straightforward rock songs.

 

How do you usually approach music making?

I go between writing lyrics and creating sound structures, and vice versa. Song writing always comes from an emotion I’m feeling, an expression I wish I could communicate, or a complete fantasyland through storytelling. Sometimes it starts with humming, sometimes it starts with a poem, and other times it’s just a riff in my head. But always, the outcome is always a therapeutic release and a time capsule for that moment or period in my life.

Is there a certain concept behind your music?

As ‘Incantations’ and ‘Solace’ are so aptly named; I hope my music can inspire an emotion, invoke a feeling, or even create a space for reflection. Music is therapy, and as writing and creating has helped me get along in this world, I hope it can do the same for others too.

Do you often play live? Who are some of your personal favourite bands that you’ve had a chance to play with over the past few years?

My favourite show that the band has played was probably opening for Olivia Jean (Third Man Records) with local band Bug Bites as support. It was a great turnout and it felt amazing to play with other talented women. It was a total girl rock moment. And then there are so many bands we’ve met and befriended along the way. Psychotic Reaction, Mister Earthbound and Sibyll, and India Tigers in Texas to name a few.

As a musician, how are you dealing with the pandemic? What are some of your predictions? Do you think we will enjoy live music even more when things will “normalize” or will live streaming take over?

The first two months I couldn’t even pick up my guitar because I was so devastated. We had released ‘Incantations’ in December of 2019, so the next year had already been set up with two tours, SXSW shows, and a music festival booking which all were cancelled. Knowing that we had ‘Solace’ EP in the works, I decided to just spend the extra time focusing on the release, getting physicals together, and it lent to be a welcome distraction. I can only hope when live music fully comes back that it will have a great surge, but only time will tell and it’s up to the true music lovers to make that happen.

Are you involved in any other bands or do you have any active side-projects going on at this point?

Nothing official at this point, but I do enjoy writing for various different genres, so you never know what might be coming down the line!

Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new latelyyou would like to recommend to our readers?

Favorites:
Tamaryn – ‘The Waves’
The Entrance Band – ‘The Entrance Band’
Cold Blood – ‘Let Me Down Easy’

New Finds:
Sam Gopal – ‘Escalator’
Holy Wave – ‘Interloper’
Miynt – ‘Ep. No 1’

Thank you. Last word is yours.

Hope y’all enjoy the new ‘Solace’ EP and that we can meet and rock out again one day soon! Love & light. Jessica A.M.

Klemen Breznikar

Pre-order ‘Solace’ by Cactus Flowers | Cassette Tape / 10” Vinyl / Digital here!


Cactus Flowers Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp

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