Marijuana Deathsquads is an American music group based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The group's sound has been described by City Pages as "ear-bending improv/dance grooves that defied listener expectations and spit in the face of easy categorization."[1]NPR described the group as "a thrilling, relentless bombardment of sight and sound."[2]
History
Formed in 2009,[3] the band consists of Ryan Olson of Gayngs, Isaac Gale, Stef Alexander (a.k.a. P.O.S), Ben Ivascu of Poliça, Mark McGee of To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie, and Jeremy Nutzman (a.k.a. Velvet Negroni).[4] Frequent collaborators include Channy Leaneagh and Drew Christopherson of Poliça, Har Mar Superstar, and Jim Eno.[5]
In 2011, the group released its first studio album, Crazy Master.[6] In 2011, singer Isaac Gale won the City Pages Best Male Vocalist award, his singing described as "a poltergeist creeping out of a snowy, crackling television screen, Gale's tortured, throaty hollering is the stuff of zombie nightmares, simultaneously gut-wrenching and enthralling."[7]
In 2012, the group released the Tamper Disable Destroy mixtape.[8]
In 2013, the group released Music Rocks I & II, two EPs featuring Ryan Olson, Isaac Gale, Jason Power, Ben Ivascu, Channy Leaneagh, Mark McGee, Jeremy Nutzman, Stefon Alexander, and Madden.[9]
In that year, the group released Oh My Sexy Lord, a studio album that Spin called "ferocious" and described as fusing "jagged grooves, scratchy analog effects, and robo-warped vocals into a full-length, experimental freakout."[10] The album features guest appearances from Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon, Poliça frontwoman Channy Leaneagh, and Har Mar Superstar.[11]
Chris Reiemenschneider of Star Tribune stated that "Marijuana Deathsquads has been steadily blowing eardrums, breaking drum heads and tearing at the seams of conventional music-making since its semi-mysterious inception."[13]
