The Third Eye

Many of us know the history of early psychedelia, like in the late Sixties. So, my idea has been to start a “Crate Digging” series on Patreon to dig deeper into more recent history: weird bands like Black Moth Super Rainbow, who were active in the 2000s and 2010s but have since faded from the psychedelic scene. You can see other Crate Digging posts on The Third Eye Patreon page, but I wanted to post this and other occasional entries here on the blog.

It doesn’t get much stranger than Black Moth Super Rainbow (occasionally abbreviated as BMSR) when you’re talking about weird bands. They’re a psych electronic indie rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, primarily a solo project created by Tomas Fec, also known as Tobacco.

Fec writes, records, and produces the work of BMSR independently, and live performances included the synth players The Seven Fields of Aphelion and Pony Diver, drummer Iffernaut, and bassist STV SLV. The fact that we don’t know the actual names of the live performers adds to the mystique. Former band members included keyboardist Father Hummingbirds and Power Pill Fist on bass.

Fec’s vocals on the project’s albums are altered via a vocoder, adding to the trippy feel. BMSR’s distinctive sound is similar to The Flaming Lips and is characterized by analog electronic instruments, as well. The album from them I’ve been listening to lately is 2007’s Dandelion Gum, which had an insert that described the band like this: 

“Deep in the woods of western Pennsylvania, vocoders hum amongst the flowers, and synths bubble under the leaf-strewn ground while flutes whistle in the wind and beats bounce to the soft drizzle of warm acid rain. As the sun peeks out from between the clouds, the organic aural concoction of Black Moth Super Rainbow starts to glisten above the trees.”

Dandelion Gum comprises 16 tracks with a run time of about 43 minutes, all super weird but still accessible and pop-friendly. “Forever Heavy” is one of the more popular tracks, with disorienting synth that the band is known for. “Jump Into My Mouth and Breathe the Stardust” veers into psych-folk territory with the inclusion of acoustic guitar, but it still includes plenty of trippy electronic sounds. “Sun Lips” has an almost Beatles-like melody, but Tobacco descends far deeper into the psychedelic haze than Lennon or McCartney ever did. “Rollerdisco” is an apt title with an up-tempo, danceable beat. “Neon Syrup for the Cemetery Sisters” is notable, if only for the track title.

Tobacco has released plenty of solo works, but while he uses the same core instruments, his solo albums are even more experimental and abrasive, featuring songs that some say are “sonically mutilated.” Tobacco’s live performances are also more stripped down with less live instrumentation.

BMSR has been quiet lately, with its last full-length album coming in 2018 (Panic Blooms). The mastermind behind the project – Tobacco – is staying busy with his solo projects, though. He’s released a slew of new albums in recent years, including 2023’s High on Life, Vol. 1.

If you like trippy, electronic indie-psych like Animal Collective and The Flaming Lips, you may enjoy Black Moth Super Rainbow. I hadn’t heard of them until recently, and I’ve been enjoying Dandelion Gum, as it’s just experimental enough to pique my interest while also chill enough to play in the background.

Check out BMSR’s Dandelion Gum on Bandcamp here.

Read more Crate Digging posts on The Third Eye Patreon page.

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