Kula Shaker
One of the more distinctive bands to emerge from the brit-pop era, Kula Shaker revives the swirling, guitar-heavy sounds of late-'60s psychedelia with Indian-infused mysticism and an overpowering alt-rock rush. Buoyed by the single "Tattva," the group's debut album K, released in 1996, rocketed to the top of the British charts. They hit the U.K. Top Ten again with 1999's Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts, but soon parted ways. Reuniting in 2006, they returned to the U.K. charts with 2007's Strangefolk and 2010's Pilgrims Progress; albums that found them balancing the swagger of their early work with a deepening musical and lyrical maturity. In 2016, they marked their 15th anniversary with K 2.0, cracking the Top 40 of the U.K. Albums chart. An ambitious double-LP, First Congregational Church of Eternal Love and Free Hugs arrived in 2022, followed by 2024's Natural Magick, the latter of which featured the band's original line-up.
Led by vocalist/guitarist Crispian Mills, Kula Shaker were initially a psychedelic quartet called the Kays, which formed in 1993. In addition to Mills, the Kays featured his teenage friend Alonza Bevan. The two had previously played together in a band named Objects of Desire, and during that time they also ran a psychedelic nightclub in the back of an ice rink. Following the dissolution of Objects of Desire, Mills made a spiritual pilgrimage to India, and upon returning he formed the Kays with bassist Bevan, drummer Paul Winter-Hart, and vocalist Saul Dimont. Within a year, Dimont had left and organist Jay Darlington, who'd played in several mod revival bands, joined the line-up. After spending two years touring and recording and releasing two EPs on Gut Reaction Records, the group had not made any headway. According to Mills, the band changed its name and direction in the spring of 1995, when he had an epiphany that they should be called Kula Shaker after a ninth century emperor and pursue a more spiritual direction. For the next three months, they performed as Kula Shaker, and they quickly received a record contract with Columbia, which was eager to sign another band that had the multi-platinum crossover appeal of Oasis.
"Grateful When You're Dead," Kula Shaker's debut single, was released in the spring of 1996 to moderate success, but it was the follow-up single, "Tattva," that established the band. Peaking at number four on the charts, "Tattva" had a chorus that was adapted from an ancient Sanskrit text and a colorful organ and guitar riff, which essentially encapsulated the band's sound. The single also set the stage for the band's debut, K, which appeared in September of 1996. Upon its release, K entered the charts at number one, becoming the fastest-selling British debut album since Oasis' Definitely Maybe. The effort received generally enthusiastic reviews and the band continued to gain momentum. This eventually translated to a strong word of mouth in America where "Tattva" became a Top Ten modern rock hit in late 1996.
The group's sophomore album, Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts, followed in 1999 and found them infusing their '60s-style mysticism and Beatles-like psychedelia with a more modern, progressive rock energy. Despite Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts cracking the Top Ten charts, Kula Shaker ended up parting ways that same year. Mills worked on solo material that never fully emerged and eventually formed the trio the Jeevas with former Straw members Andy Nixon and Dan McKinna. The group released two albums and toured. As for the other Kula Shakers, bassist Bevan joined guitarist Johnny Marr & the Healers while keyboardist Darlington joined Oasis. Drummer Winter-Hart joined the band Thirteen:13 and played with various other groups, including Aqualung.
Around 2004, a charity album that Mills was producing for a school in California brought about a brief Kula Shaker reunion of sorts, with the band (minus Darlington, who declined) contributing one song to the project. In 2006, Kula Shaker announced they were officially reuniting, this time with new keyboardist Harry Broadbent. After a comeback tour, Kula Shaker released their third full-length studio album, Strangefolk, in 2007. The band began work on its fourth album in 2008; however, label issues stalled the proceedings and delayed the release of Pilgrims Progress until 2010. One year later, the band celebrated K's 15-year anniversary by releasing a multi-disc CD/DVD version of the album, titled K-15. Kula Shaker continued their retro vibe in 2016 with K 2.0, their fifth studio album, which landed in the Top 40 of the U.K. Albums chart. An ambitious double-LP, First Congregational Church of Eternal Love and Free Hugs, arrived in June 2022. In 2024, they released Natural Magick, which marked the return of keyboardist Jay Darlington, making it the band's first album to feature the original line-up since 1999's Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts.
© Matt Collar & Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
Artistas semelhantes
Discografia
20 álbum(ns) • Ordenado por Mais vendidos
-
Natural Magick
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strange F.O.L.K. LLP em 26/01/2024
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
K (Plus Bonus Tracks - 2011 Remastered)
Rock - Lançado por Strange F.O.L.K. LLP em 16/09/1996
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts
Rock - Lançado por Strange F.O.L.K. LLP em 26/01/1999
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rational Man / Bringing it Back Home
Rock - Lançado por Strange F.O.L.K. LLP em 13/04/2024
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Indian Record Player
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strange F.O.L.K. LLP em 13/10/2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Strangefolk
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 20/08/2007
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
1st Congregational Church of Eternal Love (And Free Hugs)
Rock - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 10/06/2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kollected - The Best of Kula Shaker
Rock - Lançado por Strange F.O.L.K. LLP em 16/12/2002
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
K 2.0
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 12/02/2016
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Revenge Of The King
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Alvar Music em 31/03/2006
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
K
Rock - Lançado por Strange F.O.L.K. LLP em 10/06/1996
A discografia ideal da QobuzQualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pilgrims Progress
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 28/06/2010
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Natural Magick
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strange F.O.L.K. LLP em 05/01/2024
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kula Christmas Wrap Up EP
Christmas Music - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 21/12/2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cherry Plum Tree (Farewell Beautiful Dreamer) ((Radio Edit))
Rock - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 29/07/2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Gimme Some Truth
Rock - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 04/11/2022
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Once and Future King
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 03/05/2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
2 STYX
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 05/08/2016
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let Love Be (with U)
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por Strangefolk Records em 19/08/2016
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo