HELLO. WE'RE A BAND FROM CONNECTICUT. WE MAKE MUSIC.
NEW EP
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OUT NOW
MANDALA DAMSEL IN DEFENSE RELEASE SHOW NEW BRITAIN RECAP
TOUR 2019
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​August 10th-Space Ballroom (Hamden, CT) w/ The Regrettes
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August 23rd-The Headquarters *Record Release Show* (New Britain, CT)
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August 29th-Muchmore's (Brooklyn, NY)
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August 30th-State Park w/ The Happy Fits & Shoobies (New Brunswick, NJ)
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September 7th-State Park *Back To School Bash* (New Brunswick, NJ)
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September 14th-Tyler's Rooftop (Brooklyn, NY)
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September 20th-Northern Vermont University (Lyndon, VT)
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September 21st-The Headquarters *Chris Desiderios Homecoming Gig* (New Britain, CT)
September 27th-Live UCONN Whus Radio Session (Storrs, CT)
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September 27th-The Apollo (Storrs, CT)
September 28th-Congress House (Fitchburg, MA)
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October 5th-The Acoustic (Bridgeport, CT)
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October 11th-The Barbary (Philadelphia, PA)
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October 12th-The Cave (Philadelphia, PA)
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October 18th-NEBCO (Woodbridge, CT)
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October 19th-The Well w/ The Vaughns (Brooklyn, NY)
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WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Oh, where has the guitar solo gone? I mean one that really rips for more than just a couple bars. Mandala’s brand of high-octane indie rock, although not explicitly “guitar music,” really lets the instrument shine. The first two tracks, “David Brown” and “Washed Up,” end with some terrific guitar solos that run for a satisfying amount of time and with a gratifying amount of weight. That’s not even mentioning Morgan Fasanelli’s energetic vocals (for fans of Lady Lamb), and the band’s musicianship. This sophomore album is excellent.
Opening track “David Brown” is four minutes long but ends with a minute-long guitar solo, not to mention it begins with a minute of guitar work as well. Even the next song, “Washed Up,” which is only two-and-a-half minutes to begin with, spends its final half focused on guitar chops. And guess what? It’s fun as hell! When’s the last time an indie rock group devoted this much time to guitar solos, or rather, when’s the last time it’s been pulled off so charmingly? The indie rock guitar solo isn’t dead!
Distractions often interfere with clean getaways. "I'm wrapped up in the thought of you," Fasanelli sings on "It's Better This Time," "I'm wrapped up in the sh*t that you do." Most of the time, the music sides with the flight instinct; guitarist Abe Azab fills space with jangley, articulate patterns, extending chords with jazzy colors. Grooves swing, lope and gallop, while distorted, spacey guitar leads stab in and out.