Though BORIS have been hosanna’d loud and long–and rightfully so–for the devastating heaviness of their rocking, I think they still deserve a little more praise for their flexibility. Last year this Japanese trio released Altar, a sprawling, entrancing collaboration with Sunn 0))), and in May the local Drag City label gave a stateside release to Rainbow, their much more song-oriented but still pretty spacey album with Ghost guitarist MICHIO KURIHARA. Rainbow is absolutely gorgeous, moving with fluid confidence from elegiac, grandiose post-Hendrix pyrotechnics to insinuating Amsterdam-dope-cafe lounge folk; its dizzying dynamic range encompasses sky-lifting guitar-shaman psych rock, rattled by thunderous drums and shimmering with sheets of wah-wah, and patient, delicate atmospheric pieces that sound perfect for summoning skittish spirits. Boris and Kurihara are touring with Damon & Naomi, with whom Kurihara has collaborated in the past (Naomi Yang designed Rainbow’s Drag City artwork), so this bill could turn into a real swingers’ party–Kurihara will definitely be playing with both bands and may do a set of his own, and I’m hoping to see Yang and Boris guitarist Wata onstage together. –Monica Kendrick
