Custard Flux: two shows in Chicago

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux are playing two shows in Chicago: the Liars Club on August 6 and Underground Lounge August 15. Expect lots of songs from their latest album Enter Xenon: "Curvey is always up for a challenge, for himself, his band mates and his listeners. Why take the easy route as the unchartered waters are beckoning? Yes, there is some Pink Floyd in there, some Porcupine Tree, but followers of the underground can pick his band out of any line-up within seconds. The kaleidoscopic twirling sound on the twin guitars, the smart use of progressive psych-rock go-to instrument the Mellotron, plus the subtle interaction of the bass and drums, all work together for a sonic experience that is dreamy, uplifting, and captivating."

Update: The Liars Club is not happening.

Custard Flux: show @ Underground Lounge in Chicago

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux are playing at the Underground Lounge in Chicago on August 15. Expect lots of songs from their latest album Enter Xenon: "Curvey is always up for a challenge, for himself, his band mates and his listeners. Why take the easy route as the unchartered waters are beckoning? Yes, there is some Pink Floyd in there, some Porcupine Tree, but followers of the underground can pick his band out of any line-up within seconds. The kaleidoscopic twirling sound on the twin guitars, the smart use of progressive psych-rock go-to instrument the Mellotron, plus the subtle interaction of the bass and drums, all work together for a sonic experience that is dreamy, uplifting, and captivating."

» custardflux.bandcamp.com

HCTF review of Enter Xenon

HCTF's best of 2025 (5-1)

• 20-16
• |
• 15-11
• |
• 10-6
• |
• 5-1

» Best of playlist

» Listen here

HCTF's annual list of the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come. As per usual many genres are represented. Here Comes The Flood covers a lot of ground and it shows in this eclectic, final tally. Caveat: only albums that got a review are in these listings. I listen to a lot more music than I have time to write about.

Today: final countdown from number 5 to 1.

Please shop at your local record store. Most of the stores have a pretty good website where you can order your stuff. It might even be cheaper than the big ones on the 'net. The folks who work there know their stuff and can recommend artists you might like.

Buy directly from the artist, attend live shows and stop by the merch table. And be sure to tell your friends about that great new act you discovered. Word-of-mouth can't be beat as the prime source to discover new music. Algorithms always play it safe, which is fucking boring.

Custard Flux: show in Chicago

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux are playing at the Montrose Saloon in Chicago on December 28. Expect lots of songs from their latest album Enter Xenon: "Curvey is always up for a challenge, for himself, his band mates and his listeners. Why take the easy route as the unchartered waters are beckoning? Yes, there is some Pink Floyd in there, some Porcupine Tree, but followers of the underground can pick his band out of any line-up within seconds. The kaleidoscopic twirling sound on the twin guitars, the smart use of progressive psych-rock go-to instrument the Mellotron, plus the subtle interaction of the bass and drums, all work together for a sonic experience that is dreamy, uplifting, and captivating."

» custardflux.bandcamp.com

HCTF review of Enter Xenon

Custard Flux: "The Floating Chamber" video

It’s Psychedelic Baby! has the premiere for the new Custard Flux video for The Floating Chamber, the sprawling epic from their latest album Enter Xenon: "Curvey is always up for a challenge, for himself, his band mates and his listeners. Why take the easy route as the unchartered waters are beckoning? Yes, there is some Pink Floyd in there, some Porcupine Tree, but followers of the underground can pick his band out of any line-up within seconds. The kaleidoscopic twirling sound on the twin guitars, the smart use of progressive psych-rock go-to instrument the Mellotron, plus the subtle interaction of the bass and drums, all work together for a sonic experience that is dreamy, uplifting, and captivating."

The clip was made by painter and digital artist Shane Swank.

» custardflux.bandcamp.com

HCTF review of Enter Xenon

Custard Flux: Enter Xenon

3

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux have built up quite a catalogue since the release of their debut album Echo in 2018. Led by Gregory Curvey the band started out as an all acoustic psychedelic prog project, with a growing role for electric instruments with the release of the subsequent albums. Their latest is called Enter Xenon, a return to Sci-Fi influenced songs about love and relationships, after the political Einsteinium Delirium. Some of the latter environmental themes made their way into this album once again, but in a metaphorical sense mostly this time.

Curvey is always up for a challenge, for himself, his band mates and his listeners. Why take the easy route as the unchartered waters are beckoning? Yes, there is some Pink Floyd in there, some Porcupine Tree, but followers of the underground can pick his band out of any line-up within seconds. The kaleidoscopic twirling sound on the twin guitars, the smart use of progressive psych-rock go-to instrument the Mellotron, plus the subtle interaction of the bass and drums, all work together for a sonic experience that is dreamy, uplifting, and captivating.

Custard Flux: tour dates

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux will be opening for Gong in Portland and Eugene. They go out on their own too, promoting their new album Enter Xenon, due for release on June 1.

Custard Flux: Icy Tranquility

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux don't do love songs often, but their new single Icy Tranquility can be labeled as such, as frontman Curvey describes getting in from the cold to be greeted by a woman handing him a couple of serious beverages to feel warm again. Nice weaving and call-and-response with his fellow guitarist Vito Greco, portraying the chilly winds.

Custard Flux: Enter Xenon

Frontman Curvey of Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux goes out on his own with Enter Xenon, a dreamy ambient excursion created with his trusty Mellotron and tape loops. It might have gone a lot longer, but maybe that's because he is taking into account that he might run into trouble - time constraints - with a future release on vinyl of the new album, nevermind it being the title track.

Custard Flux: Winter

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux channel the darker side of early Peter Gabriel on their new single Winter, picturing the predicament of a group of people stuck in the middle of nowhere. Their provisions are in order, but fuel is becoming an issue. Frontman Curvey leads his band members constructing a wall of sound, with Mellotron flourishes acting as handle bars, enabling them to scale their handiwork.

Custard Flux: "Equinox" & "Right Now Here In Time" live @ Reggies in Chicago

On October 17, 2024 psychedelic rock band Custard Flux opened for Jane Getter @ Reggies in Chicago, IL. The club folks caught the last two songs from their set, Equinox and Right Now Here In Time, on video with multiple cameras. Both tracks are from their latest studio album Einsteinium Delirium.

» custardflux.bandcamp.com

HCTF review of Einsteinium Delirium.

HCTF's best of 2024 (15-11)

• 20-16
• |
• 15-11
• |
• 10-6
• |
• 5-1

» Best of playlist

» Listen here

HCTF's annual list of the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come. As per usual many genres are represented. Here Comes The Flood covers a lot of ground and it shows in this eclectic, final tally.

Today: countdown from number 15 to 11.

Please shop at your local record store. Most of the stores have a pretty good website where you can order your stuff. It might even be cheaper than the big ones on the 'net. The folks who work there know their stuff and can recommend artists you might like.

Buy directly from the artist, attend live shows and stop by the merch table. And be sure to tell your friends about that great new act you discovered. Word-of-mouth can't be beat as the prime source to discover new music.

Custard Flux: Live at the 20th Dream of Dr Sardonicus Festival

Detroit's finest psychedelic rock band Custard Flux is an undergroung favourite in the UK, so it is no wonder that they flew over the big pond to play a couple of shows. Live at the 20th Dream of Dr Sardonicus Festival captures them in full flight during their set at the Cellar Bar in Cardigan, Wales on August 3rd.

Originally started as an all acoustic project by Gregory Curvey the band transformed into plugged in band exploring the outer limits of psychedelia. Their show focused heavily on the material from their latest studio album, Einsteinium Delirium. The human hubris of messing with the most powerful and therefore probably fatal possibilities of nuclear arms gets another layer of urgency, as the band stretched out and found new ways to channel the imminent danger. Take note of Andy Thompson's ability to make his Mellotron purr with delight and scream in anger.

Custard Flux: "Equinox" video

Psychedelic rockers Custard Flux have unveiled a video for Equinox, a track from their new album Einsteinium Delirium: "Named after the unstable element that was discovered after the first hydrogen bomb explosion, the album is a warning that the world could go up in flames if the dreaded nuclear option is no longer an option, but a reality. Yes, that sounds pretty dark and pessimistic, and like Oppenheimer, the architect of the atomic bomb, [bandleader] Curvey turned to Hinduism to find an answer to get away from the prospect of total annihilation". The clip was made by Shane Swank.

Custard Flux: Einsteinium Delirium

BEST OF 2024
11
HCTF

Psychedelic rockers Custard Flux have plugged in for Einsteinium Delirium, ditching the mainly acoustic approach that they used on their previous albums. Soundwise it is a continuation of the band building a sonic wall for main man, lead guitarist and singer Gregory Curvey to scale and use as a vantage point.

Named after the unstable element that was discovered after the first hydrogen bomb explosion, the album is a warning that the world could go up in flames if the dreaded nuclear option is no longer an option, but a reality. Yes, that sounds pretty dark and pessimistic, and like Oppenheimer, the architect of the atomic bomb, Curvey turned to Hinduism to find an answer to get away from the prospect of total annihilation. Power hungry leaders don't care about the long term consequences. They want to win at all costs, even if that means that everybody loses. Back in the day they had the means to lay waste to their immediate surroundings, which was bad enough. Nowadays, the stakes are far more higher.

Custard Flux: tour dates

Before Chicago based neo-psychedelic rockers Custard Flux cross the ocean to play in the UK to tie in with the release of their new album Einsteinium Delirium (out on June 7th on Friends Of The Fish - a subsidiary of Fruits de Mer Records), they have two Stateside shows lined up. Changes are that they will be roadtesting some of the new material. The album's lead single Right Now Here In Time will surely be part of the setlist.

Custard Flux: "Right Now Here In Time" video

Gregory Curvey has posted an animated video for Right Now Here In Time, the lead single from Einsteinium Delirium, the new album by his Custard Flux project. It's an in-your-face neo-psychedelic rocker that combines the best bits from the late Sixties and early Seventies.

Einsteinium Delirium will be released on June 7th on Friends Of The Fish (a subsidiary of Fruits de Mer Records).

Custard Flux: show in London

Chicago finest underground psychedelic rock band Custard Flux have confirmed a show in London on August 1 at Half Moon. Singer and multi-instrumentalist Gregory Curvey will lead the band to the songs of his latest album Phosphorus: "As a composer, he allows the tracks to take their time, going through sonic hills and valleys using tension and release. This immersive music will be embraced by fans of King Crimson and Weather Report. Taking it all in one session is the way to go to fully appreciate the textures, but taking a little pause after each side on the first try doesn't hurt. Curvey is still growing as a musician, taking more risks as he moves forward, but he is already leaving most of the competition far behind".

Custard Flux: Live in Chicago

Psychedelic rock band Custard Flux played a half hour set at the Montrose Saloon in Chicago on April 21, the opening night of the International Pop Overthrow Festival. The tracks were recorded on a Tascam DR-07mkII, making it warts-and-all document of a band performing in a small room and having a ball..

Taking into account that this was drummer's Nick Pruett first live outing and Brian Arvo stepping in as a last minute replacement for Timothy Prettyman, Live In Chicago is suprisingly tight, with band leader Gregory Curvey and Vito Greco locking into a groove with their guitars.

Custard Flux: two live shows

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Gregory Curvey will be performing two shows with his psychedelic Custard Flux project. A rare change to see him in the flesh and hear him perform material from his latest album Phosphorus: "As a composer, he allows the tracks to take their time, going through sonic hills and valleys using tension and release. This immersive music will be embraced by fans of King Crimson and Weather Report. Taking it all in one session is the way to go to fully appreciate the textures, but taking a little pause after each side on the first try doesn't hurt. Curvey is still growing as a musician, taking more risks as he moves forward, but he is already leaving most of the competition far behind".

Live dates:

• 04/21 Chicago IL @ Montrose Saloon (as part of the IPO Festival - 8:15pm)
• 04/22 Evanston IL @ Vintage Vinyl (Record Store Day - 12:00pm)

» custardflux.bandcamp.com

HCTF review of Phosphorus.