Paranoid Cat Pts1-3

New Pharmacist Boogie

What Is Now is a new Philadelphia-based project from BASIC/Solar Motel Band founder Chris Forsyth featuring members of Bark Culture, Florry, and the Daniel Villareal Trio.

Chris Forsyth: guitar
John Moran: double bass
Joey Sullivan: drums

Recorded live @ 48 Record Bar, Philadelphia 10/9/2025

Whiplashed

Dreams is a reissue of Chris Forsyth's second solo album. In 2009 Forsyth pressed up 100 LPs for a European tour and created quite an uproar of approval by the heads who managed to score a copy. Now available again, Dreams rightfully shows Forsyth at the creme of American guitarists who blend masterful skill of country/blues with sometimes violent aggression or mind-bending arrangements.

Dreams was recorded and mixed between 2007 and 2009 and catches Forsyth in the studio layering acoustic and electric guitars and organ with contributions from his guests, creating four pieces which are full of the raw power and intuitive delicacy that characterizes his live shows still. Dreams crosses free-wheeling minimalist rock balladry and anarcho- improv surrealism with a fearless approach to beauty in a deeply psychedelic landscape. It features contributions from his Peeesseye bandmates Jaime Fennelly (synth on one track) and Fritz Welch (drums and vocals on another) as well as the soaring trumpet work of Nate Wooley and organ, saxophone, and snare drum overdubs by another longtime collaborator of Forsyth's in Phantom Limb & Bison, Shawn Edward Hansen. This is Forsyth's second solo record, preceding Paranoid Cat, which was released by Family Vineyard earlier in 2011.

1 Soft History

2 String Haters

Chris Forsyth & the Solar Motel Band are making entire shows available for free download at soundcloud.com/solar-motel-band.  Shows will be up for a limited time and then replaced by a new show.  This Boston Street Lullaby is from 6/6/13 @ Ortlieb's, Philadelphia.

Boston Street Lullaby (Solar Motel Band live)

"An erudite and farsighted guitar stylist, mapping a path that's hip and scholarly in equal measure" - Wire Magazine.