Psychic Ills: Inner Journey Out

Psychic Ills’ fifth studio album, Inner Journey Out, celebrates its tenth anniversary. Originally released in 2016 as the band’s first album since One Track Mind (2013), Inner Journey Out stands as the culmination of an odyssey of three years of writing, traversing the psych-rock landscape Psychic Ills carved throughout their career while taking inspired pilgrimages into country, blues, gospel, and jazz.

Inner Journey Out started out the way many Ills records have: with frontman Tres Warren’s demos. Like all of their records, Elizabeth Hart’s bass is the glue that holds everything together. A cadre of musicians and vocalists — including Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval, who duets on lead single “I Don’t Mind” — join in on the journey. This is also the first record to feature touring keyboard player Brent Cordero, his Farfisa and Wurlitzer work is a staple throughout. These musicians build the frame on which Warren lays his hazy guitar and vocals. An endless array of friends and guests join the proceedings to provide pedal steel guitar, horns, strings, and backing vocals, which culminate in a career-defining moment for the Ills.

Thematically, Inner Journey Out is a detailed exploration of the interior and the exterior, and the pathway between the two. The focused songwriting makes the stylistic departures fit seamlessly within the band’s dexterous ethos. The rousing gospel psychedelia of “Another Change” and “Baby,” and the far-out free jazz exploration “Ra Wah Wah” help shape Inner Journey Out into a multi-faceted, full album experience. All expanse aside, it’s the most personal Psychic Ills album, too, hinting tantalizingly at love and loss but denying the listener resolution — asking questions, but never answering; seeking, but never fully concluding. File next to other drop-out symphonies like Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space by Spiritualized, Pacific Ocean Blue by Dennis Wilson, and Born to Be With You by Dion, and let your journey begin.