![All Them Witches standing in the desert](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_1280,h_1023/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ATW-4X5-DESERT-scaled.jpg)
The members of experimental rock group All Them Witches met in Nashville in the early 2010s. That may seem like a curious locale for a band whose music has more in common with the sonic experimentation of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” than it does the country garb of denim and rhinestones.
“Nashville has always had a really excellent rock and punk scene,” says All Them Witches guitarist Ben McLeod, who when he’s not touring with the band, makes a home in St. Augustine.
All Them Witches laid its blues-rock foundation on the periphery of Music City. And over the course of six studio albums the band’s core trio of McLeod, bassist-vocalist Charles Michael Parks, Jr. and drummer Robby Staebler have proven themselves to be an ever-shifting force, probing a vast expanse of styles, from conventional blues rock to kraut and prog rock, acid rock, post rock, psychedelia and more.
On their latest, 2020’s Nothing As Ideal, All Them Witches display both minimalist and maximalist tendencies, blending tape loops, effects and a whole host of atmospherics with busy drums to create sweeping, often cinematic, compositions. And, as per usual for the band, the new record features riffs for days.
Before their performance at the Bier Hall inside Intuition Ale Works on October 20 (tickets), the Jacksonville Music Experience talked to McLeod and asked him to share five essential All Them Witches songs that encapsulate the group’s incessant sonic explorations. Hit play below to hear McLeod talk about each song.
Five Essential ATW Tracks
“Guns”
Our Mother Electricity (2012)
“See You Next Fall”
Nothing As Ideal, (2020)
“Blood and Sand/Milk and Endless Waters”
Dying Surfer Meets His Maker (2015)
“The Death of Coyote Woman”
Lightning At Your Door (2013)
“Diamond”
ATW (2018)
All Them Witches plays Intuition Ale Works on Friday, October 20. Tickets and more information here.
![Featured image for “Song of the Day | “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_391,h_294/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/unnamed-50-e1721997801135.jpg)
Song of the Day | “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
![Featured image for “The Neighborhood Playlist | July 20”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_449/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Neighborhood-e1704830645677.png)
The Neighborhood Playlist | July 20
![Featured image for “Jax Music Hour Playlist | July 20”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_414/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Jax-Music-Hour-e1704723913466.png)
Jax Music Hour Playlist | July 20
![Featured image for “UK Shoegazers Slowdive to Kick Off New Fall Tour at St. Augustine Amphitheatre”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_675,h_420/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/slowdive-Press-Photo.jpg)
UK Shoegazers Slowdive to Kick Off New Fall Tour at St. Augustine Amphitheatre
![Featured image for “Flipturn, St. Paul & the Broken Bones Highlight this Year’s Two-Day Florida Fest in Jacksonville Beach”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_403/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-2024-07-24T151804.763-e1721848818603.png)
Flipturn, St. Paul & the Broken Bones Highlight this Year’s Two-Day Florida Fest in Jacksonville Beach
![Featured image for “Song of the Day | “Coast” by Kim Deal”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_1280,h_853/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/unnamed-49-scaled.jpg)
Song of the Day | “Coast” by Kim Deal
![Featured image for “The Latest Collab from Dillon and Batsauce Serves Up High Quality Production with Kindred Spirit Kool Keith”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_1280,h_1280/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Dillon-Batsauce-2-scaled.jpeg)
The Latest Collab from Dillon and Batsauce Serves Up High Quality Production with Kindred Spirit Kool Keith
![Featured image for “Song of the Day | “Lie 95” by Bartees Strange”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_250/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/unnamed-5-e1721330907160.jpg)
Song of the Day | “Lie 95” by Bartees Strange
![Featured image for “Newly-Released Archive Recordings of Neil Young & Crazy Horse, ‘Early Daze’ is a Crucial Document of the Group’s Prime Era”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_1280,h_770/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/EarlyDaze-scaled-e1721326426509.jpg)
Newly-Released Archive Recordings of Neil Young & Crazy Horse, ‘Early Daze’ is a Crucial Document of the Group’s Prime Era
![Featured image for “Jax Music Hour Playlist | July 13”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_414/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Jax-Music-Hour-e1704723913466.png)
Jax Music Hour Playlist | July 13
JME Live Music Calendar
![Summertime in the City](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/STITC-Banner-fa5f93227958d7149ba502f8b5ee70b6.jpg)
![Ben Brough Art Release](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-23-at-11.50.54-AM-030a9320daf5c952936e71bd5dc1bbba.png)
![Matt Woods](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screen-Shot-2024-07-25-at-1.35.52-PM-dff6e4913415fb48eb49b0689f3097a0.png)
![Faze Wave](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-23-at-11.44.25-AM-cc05c8dee500cf6f75933a95fd90e056.png)
![Donny Osmond](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1180X517-MAINEVENT-DonnyOsmond-V1-4d1b878ccc-ae06d66784dc1e87c5b83519a60e6488.png)
![Statewide Emergency Tour](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SOE_1000x500_copy-3765da7353041b592b312b1429a3950c.jpg)
![Stop Light Observations](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-asset-a779840fd9511cc98521f24fc535f1e0.jpeg)
![The Kreepy Tikis](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/6-27-the-kreepy-tikis-d038fbfe762d342da19554ecf954bcfb.png)
![Mark Williams and Friends](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/448471784_122153899268180910_8389483604573055323_n-b1f0ee004b93db3d3ef4eb8e0d25bd42.jpg)
![rickoLus](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/rickoLusaccordian-0fe9d1a7470b151df5ec6cefd576fecf.jpg)