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ost young bands in Athens play
too often. They gig out as much
as they can, and why not? They're
excited. But then, before a dedicated audi
ence develops, crowds get tired of 'em, club
employees get tired of 'em, even their friends
get tired of 'em, or people just take for
granted that they can see the band next week,
so why go to a show this week? Hank Sullivant
never made that mistake with Kuroma.
When he left his position as bassist for The
Whigs about five years ago, he didn't make a
big announcement, didn't have a grand intro
duction for his new band and didn't gig relent
lessly. In fact, Kuroma surfaced so infrequently
and still does (or doesn't) that it at first
seemed like some one-off side project, some
thing tossed off. But while Sullivant wasn't
hogging stages or pounding the pavement, he
was doing something else: working, record
ing, writing. Putting together the impressive
album Paris, playing a handful of shows a year
and then heading back into the studio.
In late 2009, he and his band finished
recording the album Psychopomp, a col
lection of strong-hearted, rewardingly pop
songs tinged with psychedelic flourishes.
Airy, like on "Timmy Tambourine." Dense,
like on "Psychic Wandering." Moody, sincere,
compelling, like on "Running People." He put
the traces up on the band’s website in 2010,
played a few shows, toured a bit, and there
you go. A year later. Psychopomp's being
issued on vinyl, and Sullivant's playing a show
this week at the Georgia Theatre to com
memorate that release, as well as to get back
into a live setting. Though it was released in
MP3 format via Amazon and iTunes, "it's the
first time it's been out in any kind of physi
cal form, and there was never any real sort of
announcement," he says.
"One of the production objectives of
Psychopomp was to make it sound expensive,
like a 70s and '80s album, sort of from that
golden era of luxurious and weird studio
albums," he says. "We got into some great
situations, musically, but, honestly, it was a
really difficult process, and I'm still in debt.
Of course, none of that matters because the
album is exactly like I want it. I like it. And
I think that's part of why I want to get it out
before I move on to the next thing."
Psychopomp is getting its vinyl release
via the L.A./Athens-based label Holy Owned
Subsidiary. Jay Steele and Drew Vandenburg
founded the label, and Sullivant says they
contacted him with an interest in pressing
Psychopomp onto wax. "I didn't really have
the means to print any," he says, "and when
Drew and Jay asked me, I thought it was a
good idea."
Sullivant funded the recording of
Psychopomp on his own, which was satisfying
but difficult. "I'm definitely glad I was able to
make this album on my own, but it was really
difficult to finish and make due to budget and
logistics. All that would be so much easier
with just a little bit of [label] support. The
way that labels do business might change, but
what won't change is the fact that bands need
help to tour and make albums."
Kuroma and the Georgia Theatre have
always had a solid relationship, testament to
the band's talent and promise. There aren't
many acts that get to take over the venue
and program the entire night, though that's
been a regular happening in the ongoing
Kuroma-Theatre dance. About three years ago,
for instance, Sullivant set up an ambitious
Kuroma-only show, overflowing with handbills,
light projection, digitally produced graphic
art and other multimedia accouterments. This
week's act isn't quite as ambitious as that
spectacle was, but Sullivant had a hand in
every aspect, nonetheless. "It's another situa
tion where the Theatre let me put together the
bill, take what production ideas I wanted to
do for the show and do them," he says.
Beyond this week's show, Sullivant is keep
ing busy, even though Kuroma has few gigs
on the horizon. A new album of tunes is writ
ten and ready to be recorded, and Sullivant
has also teamed up with guitarist James
Richardson on a new project. Sullivant and
Richardson played in MGMT's touring band and
went to summer camp together as kids.
"It doesn't have a name right now, but
we're going to record it next month," says
Sullivant. He's also spending time in the stu
dio working as a producer, and has recently
turned knobs for Colour Revolt, Gift Horse and
Thayer Sarrano.
Says Sullivant, "It's satisfying because you
get to be in a studio creatively thinking about
sonic details. It's also really fun and interest
ing to get inside the dynamic of a band, com
ing in as an outsider. I like it."
Chris Hassiotis
(~~~—i—. .
WHO: Kuroma, Thayer Sarrano, §p§^
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WHERE: Seorgia Theatre
WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 25,9 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $8
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AUGUST 24, 2011 • FLAGP0LE.COM 17
