Trailblazing, experimental acid-folk outfit Phantom Family Halo formed in Louisville, Kentucky around core members Michael McMahan (the For Carnation) and Dominic Cipolla (Sapat). Steeped in the darker, progressive sounds of the '60s and '70s, the group skillfully blends the savvy, avant-garde folk of Six Organs of Admittance with the explosive, swampy, unpredictable psych rock of Roky Erickson. PFH released its debut long-player, Legend of Black Six, in 2007, followed by Monoliths & These Flowers Never Die in 2009. In 2011, the band unleashed Mindeater, a collaborative EP with Bonnie "Prince" Billy, on the Knitting Factory label. ~ James Christopher Monger