Painted shrines creates painted experiences

Heaven and Holy, an outstanding product of a successful collaboration between two artists that bring out the best in each other musically, was released to the public on March 5th of this year. Founder of the band Woods (Jeremy Earl) and champion of psych-rock Glenn Donaldson have created an album under the name Painted Shrines, consisting of vivid feelings associated heavily with a physical place that goes unsaid. This collection is jam-packed with guitar solos, catchy hooks and fresh rhythms imbued with psychedelic pop themes, courtesy of Donaldson. The album features recordings that have been floating around for a couple of years, but it came together in its entirety during the course of a single week, and the result is phenomenal.

“Saturates the Eye” begins the collection with a smooth and steady beat that sticks around for the album’s entirety, blended with tambourine and guitar drives. The tune is happy and feels like a drive with the car windows down on a late spring afternoon. Like all the other songs on the album, the scenery associated with the piece is never described, but it is clearly pictured, solely accomplished by the well-developed instrumentals. “Panoramic” feels like a morning hike with its happy and light feel while being heavy on the guitar and allowing room for showing off. “Gone” echoes with its chiming elegance, “Painted Shrines” and “Not So Bad” right on its trail. “Soft Wasp” paints the image of walking out of a Jeep for a barefoot walk on the beach at dusk. “Coast” creates a similar scenario but does so in a fascinatingly different way. “Moon Will Rise” allows for a sneaky night out on the town, a sense of rebellion imbued within its instrumentals. 

The remarkably pleasant collection that Painted Shrine has created is incredibly relaxing and enjoyable to listen to. The vivid feeling of being transported to life’s most peaceful moments is greatly refreshing during a time without travel and leaving the house as much as in the past. Heaven and Holy is a gift that is meant to be enjoyed by the windowsill with a warm drink, infusing the scenarios Painted Shrines offers with your own memories and finishing touches.