myspace.com/thefreshonlys
When the Fresh and Onlys took the stage at Austin Psych Fest Saturday (April 30), they were playing with one man down -- guitarist Wymond Miles had to sit out the last few dates of the San Francisco foursome's now-completed U.S. tour.
"He got some bad news from back home," frontman Tim Cohen explained to Spinner. "It changed things quite a bit."
The band still sounded clean and focused as a trio, though Miles' more earnest stage presence (compared to Cohen's mystic, eyes-to-the-sky approach) was clearly missed. After a few songs, Crocodiles keyboardist Robin Eisenberg pitched in, adding vocals and more texture. Then came Crocodiles guitarist Charles Rowell, making for a downright epic, five-piece Fresh and Onlys line-up, highlighting its poppier, more wall-of-sound side.
"It was pretty inspiring to have them to step up," says Cohen. "We played a few shows with them several months ago, and they've done this whole tour with us. They're really great friends of ours now, and they volunteered to learn some parts. We had no rehearsal, just two shows [before Psych Fest]: Birmingham, Alabama and New Orleans."
Cohen then returned the favor for the final song of the Crocodiles' Psych Fest set. Miles will rejoin the Fresh and Onlys next week on its European tour, which starts in Leeds May 9. The band is promoting its 'Secret Walls' EP, which came out April 26 on Sacred Bones.
"It's way different than anything we've done," says Cohen. "It's kind of sprawling, with a lot of space in it. Very different compositions. A lot of long guitar
