Heron Oblivion

Based in San Francisco, Heron Oblivion are a psych-folk quartet with strong ties to the Philadelphia underground music scene, as their singer and drummer, Meg Baird, was in several bands including Espers and Watery Love, in addition to releasing solo albums on Drag City. The other members of the group are mainstays of the West Coast psychedelic and indie rock scenes -- guitarist Noel von Harmonson and bassist Ethan Miller were both members of Comets on Fire, von Harmonson was in Sic Alps and Six Organs of Admittance, and Miller formed Howlin' Rain and Feral Ohms. The group's other guitarist, Charlie Saufley, was a member of Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound before working with Baird and Six Organs. The four musicians bonded in 2013 over mutual influences ranging from Neil Young & Crazy Horse to British folk-rock groups like Fairport Convention to Japanese psychedelic noise rock bands such as High Rise. Using those sounds as a reference point, the group constructs sprawling, pastoral, and sometimes chaotic psych jams grounded by Baird's sweet, birdlike singing. Heron Oblivion's first concert was in April of 2014 as the support band for the War on Drugs; later, they toured with Kurt Vile and Cass McCombs. Sub Pop signed the band in 2015, and their self-titled debut album arrived in March of 2016. The Chapel, recorded live in San Francisco, was self-released in late 2017.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo