SongVault Artist Profile

Based in Philadelphia, Music for Headphones is a five-piece dark psychedelic band inspired by 60’ s rock, Krautrock, post-punk, new-wave, shoegaze, and neo-psych. Driven by stark vocals and lyrics, garage rock grooves and sudden descents into orchestrated noise, Headphones defies easy categorization. What ultimately sets the band apart is vocalist/guitarist Jonathan Allen’ s focus on an overall vision. He incorporates the precision and lush production qualities of Phil Spector, Spiritualized, My Bloody Valentine and the Cure to create overarching soundscapes. While the songs themselves are self-contained units, they also hang together to create musical and narrative movements.

As a concept, Music for Headphones began in 2000, went through various permutations and brief sabbaticals including Allen’s involvement with the Portland band The Upsidedown. Music for Headphone’s current lineup includes Jonathan Allen (guitar, vocals), Aaron Aleiner (bass), Phil Watson (organ, piano), Greg Kinter (guitar) and Justin Gibbon (drums). Unlike Preface/Alternate which was an entirely solo venture, Secret History of the World is the most organic Headphones album and is brought to life by contributions from all of the band members.Influences include: Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Jesus and Marychain, The Velvet Underground, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, the Warlocks, Joy Division, SWANS, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Stone Roses, Spectrum, Darkside, Mazzy Star, the Ronettes, Neu!, Amon Duul II, Can, Beach Boys, Secret Machines.

Past Music for Headphones members include Patrick Richardson, Phil Roth, Elizabeth Deilman, Curt Howard (Chamomile, Ugh God), Alison Conrad (Voodoo Economics), Joel McCune (Mysteriosos, Duende!), Chris Fredrick, Stephanie Creelman, Kevin Moll, Justin Olson, Casey Bell (Creatures of Prey), Daniel Knapp.