Jeffrey Alexander performing at Milwaukee Psych Fest, photo by Megan Menzer, right click for hi-res
#BIO
#MUSIC
#INTERVIEWS + FEATURES
#REVIEWS
#PRESS PHOTOS
#CONTACT
BIO
Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders takes the freaked improvisation of Alexander’s long-running instrumental band - DWLVS / Dire Wolves - into the world of song. Heady songwriting,
ethereal jazz and krauty blues stomps are all featured. The Lidders include members of Elkhorn and Bardo Pond and are currently based in Philadelphia PA.”Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders is a refreshing take on familiar sounds. There are clear references to the hazy, glazey Crazy Horse days of Neil Young, as well as nods to the stylings of bands like the Meat Puppets and Dinosaur Jr. Alexander’s penchant for heady songwriting is pervasive yet subtle, a welcome shift that creates the kind of space necessary for the instrumentation to take focus and seep deep into the brain.” - Mike Mannix, Psych Out! WXNA, Nashville
Alexander has been frittering around the edges of the psychedelic underground for several decades, having played in a host of groups like Jackie-O Motherfucker, The Iditarod, and Black Forest/Black Sea. He has also been an arts venue programming director, booking agent, record label owner, FM radio disc jockey, tour manager, espresso bar cafe owner, and curator of several international music festivals such as Terrastock. He has worked in arts museums from Baltimore to Providence to Pittsburgh to San Francisco. Jeffrey also followed the Grateful Dead as a taper, coast to coast, for most of the 1980s.
His new group, The Heavy Lidders, distills many of these disparate interests into a vibrant balmy stew. Recent recordings have featured a slew of special musical guests including Marissa Nadler, Geologist/Animal Collective, Isaiah Collier, Kate Wright/Movietone, PG Six, Rosali Middleman, Chris Forsyth, and Jeff Tobias/Sunwatchers + Modern Nature. As well as artwork from Allison Filice, Brian Chippendale, Jake Blanchard and Spencer Hicks. Heavy Lidders have performed at several festivals including multiple appearances at both Deep In The Valley and Milwaukee Psych Fest.
"Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders return to Deep In The Valley! Bending psychedelics and space rock into new dimensions, the band evokes Träd, Gräs & Stenar launched into the cosmos." - Andy French, Raven Sings The Blues
Check out this live bootleg recording of Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders jamming Dark Star with three members of Sunburned Hand Of The Man on 8 August 2024
”And why the hell not? Keep that freak flag flyin’, fellas!” - JR Moores, The Quietus
MUSIC
YOUTUBE Playlist: a selected mix of album tracks and LIVE snippets
Spotify: link
Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders: Spacious Minds
2xLP vinyl issue on Cardinal Fuzz (UK) and Centripetal Force (USA) - October 2024 !
Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders: Planet Lidders
Brand new album! Cassette/Digital issue on Worried Songs (UK) and vinyl LP on Pome Pome Tones (USA) - September 2024 !
New Earth Seed - link, LP release on Arrowhawk Records, distributed by Redeye Worldwide
Appeared on a whole mess of BEST-OF year end lists including Raven Sings The Blues, New Commute, Merry Go Round,
Record Crates United, Third Eye Psych, Timemazine and more
Spacioius Minds - link, cassette release on Arrowhawk Records
Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders - link, LP release on Arrowhawk Records
On a bunch of BEST-OF-YEAR lists including Aquarium Drunkard, Raven Sings The Blues, John Mulvey/MOJO editor, New Commute,
Record Crates United, Petal Motel, and many others
Elixor Of Life - link, LP release on Cardinal Fuzz in UK/EU and Centripetal Force in US
INTERVIEWS + FEATURES
Jeffrey Alexander interview in UNCUT - link
LAGNIAPPE SESSION for Aquarium Drunkard - link
Heads Lifestyle interview and mixtape - link
Jeffrey Alexander round-up on NTS radio, hosted by Geologist (Animal Collective) - link
Merry Go Round Magazine interview - link
30 minute Heavy Lidders live video and interview on Aquarium Drunkard - link
Jeffrey Alexander interview in Self Portrait Gospel - link
Heavy Lidders feature in Relix Magazine - link
Jeffrey Alexander primer in Record Crates United - link
Heavy Lidders live review + bootleg recording from Raven Sings The Blues' Deep In The Valley Festival, NYC Taper - link
selfie in my 1987 Westfalia campervan, photo by Jeffrey Alexander, right click for hi-res
REVIEWS
“Immaculate sounding new psychedelia“ (Maggot Brain)
“It’s Coltranian in both the Alice and John senses of the term“ (The Quietus)
"Flanked by members of Elkhorn and Sunwatchers, Jeffrey Alexander vibes-assisted swooners, freak out jams, and a long, exceedingly far out reading of CSNY's "Almost Cut My Hair." Alexander has been at it for decades with Dire Wolves, and while this LP drifts into similar zones, it's always nice to hear Alexander stretch out and let it flow. A heady one to play as the summer wears on." (Aquarium Drunkard, Best of 2024)
"The record finds the band expanding, collaborating, and coalescing their sound. Folk and fury play out over the rest of the album, with Drew bringing some Vibraphone action and the set capping off with a massive cover of “Almost Cut My Hair,” giving an elevated air to the CSNY classic." (Raven Sings The Blues, Best of 2024)
“Unquestionably one of the all time best records in the Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders discography. This is the kind of transportive sonic alchemy that can check off all of the right boxes for acid rock fans everywhere. Don’t miss out.” (Record Crates United)
“Alexander succeeds in capturing the post-psych grandeur that he’s aiming for while also creating one of his headiest offerings yet” (Raven Sings The Blues)
“Psych lifer in a bloozy Americana mode. The whole thing hangs loose like a frayed rope tied to a river tube… essentially, a choogler’s dream.” (Viking’s Choice / NPR Music)
“Plug in and space your face” (Aquarium Drunkard)
“Relocated from San Francisco to Philadelphia – and hooking up with fellow travellers like Elkhorn, Marissa Nadler and Pat Gubler – hasn’t radically changed Alexander’s MO: mostly, he still favours strung-out guitar jams that evoke Crazy Horse or Dinosaur Jr at their most languid and frazzled. But there’s greater songcraft, economy and relative polish here.“ (MOJO)
“A longtime citizen of the New Weird America, Jeffrey Alexander has gathered an impressive cast of underground collaborators for his new Heavy Lidders project. More heady than heavy, but that’s no complaint.“ (Uncut)
“Playing with a ridiculously talented band of guys-you-should-know, including some great special guests, Alexander finds a sweet stoner motherlode.” (Jambase)
“One listen of Jeffrey Alexander and the Heavy Lidders self-titled new joint on Arrowhawk and I am swimming in a sea of psychedelic gold.” (Foxy Digitalis)
“These are languid, spectral grooves, anchored in folk and blues but allowed to spin off into the distance.” (Dusted)
“With the Lidders, Jeffrey’s brought together a potent, joyous, contemplative record that slides high on the list of highlights.” (Raven Sings The Blues)
“By the time it’s over, you might be wondering why no one bothered to fit your armchair with a seatbelt.” (Essential New Music, Magnet Magazine)
PRESS PHOTOS
photos by Christopher Bruno, right click for hi-res
photos by Jesse Sheppard, right click for hi-res
photo by Jeffrey Alexander, right click for hi-res
CONTACT
email for direct WhatsApp phone number
Alyssa DeHayes, Arrowhawk Records label owner
JeffreyAlexanderLovesYou.com
JeffreyAlexander.Bandcamp.com