Psych rock up-and-comers: New Madrid

(this piece was published by Planet JH Weekly)After stops at South by Southwest and Treefort festivals, Southern indie rock twenty-somethings New Madrid will make a stop at Town Square Tavern before bolting to central California for a show just two nights later. Now, that’s youthful will. The effort made by the Athens, Georgia-based quartet to add a Jackson stop on their first Western tour probably has a lot to do with drummer Alex Woolley’s brother, Adam Woolley—local bassist for Uncle Stack & the Attack and Black Mother Jones.“New Madrid is not just talented musicians playing music with one another, they’re a great band, and there’s a big distinction there,” said local musician Dusty Nichols, who played a bill with New Madrid while touring the South with Elk Attack. “There’s something totally natural and seamless in their live performance that’s rare to find in any band today.”With equal parts rock and twang with a spice of psychedelic and soaring song finishes that approach the epic, the comparison to My Morning Jacket is evident and deserved. New Madrid is being recognized by some respectable entities, too. Pitchfork and Paste Magazine have both praised the band, the latter providing an exclusive, early stream of the band’s now-released Sunswimmer LP. The album was produced by former Sugar bassist David Barbe and released via Athens-based label Normaltown, which is the new sister label of New West (Drive-by Truckers).“The songs were heavily informed by the live setting, and were written while steadily running around the south playing shows in a variety of spaces,” said guitarist and vocalist Phil McGill.Take a chance on this band before they move onto stages much bigger than their britches. New Madrid with Uncle Stack & the Attack, 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at Town Square Tavern. $5. 733-3886.