Formed in Philadelphia during the COVID days of fall 2021, Bitter Wish is a psychedelic power trio comprising guitarist John Comune, bassist Clint Takeda (Bardo Pond/Double Wig) and percussionist Scott Verrastro (Kohoutek/Heavy Lidders).
While the band doesn't stray far from its Bardo Pond and Kohoutek roots, they incorporate more repetition and minimalism into their fuzzy vibe.
Freeform psych - the children of Fire Music parents secretly raised on Sabbath…
Candle Finger, Bitter Wish’s debut full-length, is comprised of two side-long jammers. Both sides are untitled, with side A starting out with nearly 10 minutes of psychedelic bass swells, light percussion, and soloing guitar, guiding the listener down the tunnel, just in time for the proverbial freight-train heading their way. It eventually builds into a faster-than-mid tempo scorcher, with heavily phaser-drenched bass, steady drumming with just the right number of fills, and that soloing guitar, still leading the listener on through to the other side of the mountain pass, before chilling things out before its time to flip the record.
On the other hand, side B puts it right out there. Right off the bat, this is a thick, heavy, and plodding slab of awesomeness. Destroying everything in its path, before taking a slight breath for a bit, and then cranking up the speed to a manic frenzy. The last 5 or so minutes are spent winding things down, encouraging the listener to flip the record and start things all over again.
Recorded live at Main Drag Music in Brooklyn NY, in July 2023. Mastered by James Plotkin.
