Black Mountain

Black Mountain is a Canadian psychedelic rock band from Vancouver, Canada, active since 2004. The group’s line-up includes Stephen McBean on guitars and vocals, Amber Webber on vocals, Jeremy Schmidt on keyboards, Colin Cowan on bass and keyboards, and Joshua Wells on drums; other members associated with the band include Matt Camirand.

Releases

Black Mountain releases its recordings through Jagjaguwar. The band’s studio albums are Black Mountain, In the Future, Wilderness Heart and IV. It also issues the EPs Druganaut and Bastards of Light. Early singles include a split release with Destroyer on Spirit of Orr Records and the single “Stormy High” on Suicide Squeeze Records. The vinyl single Surrender Sound Session: Unkle vs. Autolux/Black Mountain appears in 2007 and includes a remix of “No Hits” on the B side.

Recognition and appearances

The band’s debut album is selected as one of Amazon.com’s Top 100 Editor’s Picks of 2005. In the Future is shortlisted for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize and receives a nomination for Best Alternative Album at the 2009 Juno Awards. The song “Stay Free” from that album appears on the soundtrack to Spider-Man 3. Wilderness Heart is longlisted for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize.

Live activity and related work

In 2005, Black Mountain supports Coldplay on the Twisted Logic Tour for three weeks, ending with a show in San Diego. In 2010, the band performs at the Incubate festival in Tilburg, Netherlands, in an amphitheatre in the woods of Oisterwijk. “Wucan” later appears in the eighth episode of season two of The Following, and “Druganaut” is used in a J.C. Penney Father’s Day commercial. McBean also fronts Pink Mountaintops, a project with a more experimental sound.

Community

Black Mountain is linked with the Black Mountain Army, an informal circle of musicians, artists and friends from Vancouver rather than a fixed collective. Several members also work with social service organisations in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, including groups supporting people affected by addiction, chronic poverty and mental illness.