Trippy Los Angeles outfit Grave Flowers Bongo Band is led by Gabe Flores, a notable West Coast psych scene regular who also plays guitar in the mighty Hooveriii. The project was launched in 2018 as a semi-acoustic trio rooted in the freak-folk of early Tyrannosaurus Rex and the eerie dark magic of Charles Manson. By 2021, GFBB had blossomed into a full-on electric psych rock powerhouse and released their Ty Segall-produced second album, Strength of Spring.

Inspired by obscure '70s projects like Shagrat and Sam Gopal, Flores formed GFBB in 2018 with percussionist Vaughn Christensen (on bongos, of course) and bassist Andy Caly. Wanting to explore the creepier side of campfire psychedelia, the L.A. group played a handful of shows before debuting with the cerebral Flower Pot on the small indie Permanent Records. As vocalist, guitarist, saxophonist, and general noisemaker, Flores covered a range of experimental sounds, though the record was ultimately geared toward the more acoustic side of the psych world. When GFBB returned a few years later, they had opened things up to explore heavier sounds including proto-metal and punk while remaining just as spacy as before. Signed to Castle Face Records, they hired prolific psych luminary Ty Segall to produce, and released their sophomore effort, Strength of Spring, in early 2021. ~ Timothy Monger, Rovi