The People's Temple

Since 2007 The Peoples Temple, a Michigan rock‘n’roll band, has consistently released acclaimed LPs and 7-inches on a number of indie labels, including a single on Jack White’s Third Man Records. The four piece outfit, made up of two sets of brothers, is currently touring in support of its new album “Musical Garden,” the band’s third full-length on HoZac Records. The LP/CD is a collection of random tracks recorded over the previous year and a half. Here’s what Pitchfork said about the new “Musical Garden” LP: “Those Lansing boys in the People's Temple have become a reliable staple in the garage-pop landscape. On their third album, they're still ripping and stomping as well they were on ‘Sons of Stone’ and ‘More for the Masses’ … Their finest work comes on “I Don't Mind,” where they let their vocals echo and ring with minimal backing—just the ethereal, distant sound of what might be a tape machine. Of course, they're also ready to turn up the power, which they do exceedingly well on the appropriately titled “Fast Thrills.” Thus far, they’re three for three and show no signs of letting up.” - Evan Minsker. The Lansing-based unit is made up of two sets of brother, Alex Szegedy (lead guitar) and George Szegedy (drums), and Spencer Young (bass/vocals) and William Young (guitar/vocals) - all share songwriting duties. Christopher Minarik (guitar) is a new addition to the band. The band of 20-somethings has spent ample time not only self-producing all of their recordings, but also touring the country, playing festivals and rock clubs across the map. The Peoples Temple’s debut full-length was 2011’s “Sons of Stone.” Respected UK music journalist John Mulvey, editor at UNCUT Magazine, said, “Off the top of my head, it feels like the garage record I’ve most enjoyed since the last Fresh & Onlys and, especially, Ty Segall’s ‘Melted’” – adding, “The Peoples Temple maintain a peculiar and effective balance between incredible diligence, in their recreation of an antique ‘60s sound, and ramshackle spontaneity … There are stringy, uncanny echoes of early Love here, too, and, in some of the lysergic twanging lead guitar, surely accidental ones to the first Blur album.” The Peoples Temple received praise from Pitchfork Media in May 2011 for the band’s debut record, the “Sons of Stone” LP. Pitchfork noted the album’s “MC5-style proto-punk,” but also noted “this is a juiced-up, manic, genuinely fun rock'n'roll record powered more by the urgency of its forebears than any specific sonic similarities.” The LA Times wrote, “The album evokes the good-natured snarl and straightforward rock 'n’ roll approach of disgruntled teen bands on classic '60s garage comps … without being precious or overly retro about it.” In June 2011 NME wrote of the brothers, “This’ll probably put a huge section of you off, I'm sure, but you'd imagine Noel Gallagher would probably love the Michigan-based band. All the hallmarks are there – a nascent obsession with all the Nuggets comps, loads of analogue-y, weird sounding guitars, more than a mere shake of a maraca, and a musical interface that's part-Stooges, part-Love, part-Rolling Stones, part-13th Floor Elevators.” Of course, he added, “Bands like this are ten-a-penny, but The Peoples Temple's album 'Sons Of Stone' just seems to have something with a little more ... bite about it than its contemporaries.” The guys released their sophomore album, “More for the Masses,” in November 2012. Pitchfork noted about the follow-up disc: “Previously, their jams have been bright-sounding psych affairs – see their triumphant hook from ‘Sons of Stone’-- but with ‘Restless’, they start messing with shoegaze.”