The Key Studio Sessions: Light Heat

All photos by Abi Reimold | www.abireimoldphoto.com

Philly psychedelic rock outfit Light Heat popped up unexpectedly last summer, but they certainly didn’t come out of nowhere. Frontman and songwriter Quentin Stoltzfus is a longtime player in the local scene (and beyond); his knockout band Mazarin released a string of stellar albums in the early 00s, and before that he was in the dreamy 90s outfit Azusa Plane – back when “Psychedelphia” was the buzzword du jour. Stoltzfus is well-traveled in the musical world, and it was a thrill to have him in our studio recording a Key Session of all-new songs that hold up so strongly to his past work. It was equally a thrill to work with the players he brought along – in addition to longtime collaborators Mickey Walker and Drew Mills (formerly of Blood Feathers), this lineup of Light Heat included Peter Bauer (of The Walkmen) and Skyler Skjelset (of Fleet Foxes). The band’s self-titled album is out next Tuesday on Brooklyn label Ribbon Music – and is streaming now via The New York Times – and it opens a sold-out show with Tame Impala at The Electric Factory tonight, then headlines an album release party presented by Philebrity at AKA Music next Tuesday, June 25th.