Le voyage chanceux de Christina's Trip

Between the astral plane and the asphalt grain with Christina’s Trip; photographed by Ginger Fierstein.

In celebration of their split ‘Lucky Three’ with San Jose’s Natasha Sandworms, and Merced’s Mox —Christina Busler of influential cult Oakland band Christina’s Trip shares three exclusive items of hope, inspiration, and intrigue. The follow up to 'Forever After' showcases some of the most exciting sounds from the intertwining connective California corridors that comprise the creative communities that contribute to the misty, sunny, and mystic Pacific coast.

Originally recorded with Christina's previous band My Friend, "F.B.A.T." is the song that you have been searching for your whole life. It is the genuine dream of the 90s that we are all denied. It is the soundtrack to the rugged, raw, and wild pop art film that is your life. In essence, the ultimate needle drop from whatever new, hip, en vogue HBO series that explores intricate interpersonal dynamics in a coming-of-age metropolitan by way of suburbia serial soap. “F.B.A.T.” is the big rhythm guitar grinding piece of power garage grandeur that you never knew you needed, a song to save your life, a song to fashion your entire aura around, a song that you wish could sail on forever into that hazy vanishing point horizon of infinity.

On the seismic shake and blaze of "Sweep Me", Christina's Trip knocks out the earth from beneath you with roaring, fiery fortresses of unrelenting, unrepentant, and utterly uncompromising guitars and tectonic quaking rhythms. Vocals, strings, percussion, harmonies, and everything are delivered in ear piercing, mind breaking distortion that makes everything sound larger than life. "Sweep" is the ultimate abandon into an absolute inferno of sound, where everything that surrounds you becomes bathed in streaming silks of flame that create something of a halo force shield that guards the song's sacred heart of sincerity, and an endearing peace at the very core. The saccharine sewn melodies are mixed into the spin and storm of the searing fuzz that twists and turns like a sparkling yin and yang designed toy top (spitting out flaming rays of sound in all directions).

Mox begins and ends the album, starting off with the eternally infectious power chord ripping "Scared" that sleepily sings of a love that is greater than pitfalls of fear. "Leaving" concludes the entire release: a mellow, soft strumming, bittersweet, and sentimental song about moving on to other things in life while Mox explores, unpacks, and unfurls emotions, intentions, empathy, and so on. Keeping in the spirit of absolute maximalism is Natasha Sandworms rolling out the stunning big banner banger “Bird of My Life”. The San Jose band brings the attitude, chords to dream on, a spit sharp arrangement, giving the feeling of flying through life like a sparrow soaring in the spring winds. “Perfect Feeling” is perfectly titled, as the Sandworms give it their A-game in conveying the sweetest sensations one might experience through the concerted power of DIY alchemy. All together, the contributions from these three bands brilliantly illustrates why they are some of the most important and exciting phenomena happening now in the west coast scenes. Stay tuned now as Christina Busler presents:

Inspirations unlimited by Christina’s Trip

Christina’s Trip live, and ascending up into the expansive azure atmospheres; photographed by @spencerwfields at the Red Museum in Sacramento.

“Blew Away” by Smashing Pumpkins

I’ve been binging this song listening on repeat for a while now. I love all Smashing Pumpkins stuff but this is a song I hadn’t heard before until recently. It doesn’t really sound like a lot of Smashing Pumpkins’ songs, but I love how sweet it is and the songwriting is so simple but classic. It sort of reminds me of Big Star with the sweet vocals and lush arrangement, and then there’s a rocking ending.

Caught in the clouds with Christina’s Trip; photographed by @spencerwfields at the Red Museum in Sacramento.

Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success by Miki Berenyi, and Lush in general

Courtesy of Nine Eight Publishing.

I’m about three quarters of the way done with reading Miki Berenyi’s book Fingers Crossed and it’s totally changed me. As a huge fan of the band Lush it has been really exciting to unearth some of the history of the band but it has been especially moving to learn about Miki Berenyi, who she is, what she was like as a kid and eventually her experience beginning Lush and so on. In addition as a mixed Asian woman in a band it is a treat to read her story through the perspective of another mixed Asian woman in a band that I really look up to. I feel deeply seen in a specific way by reading about her life. Also Lush is one of my favorite bands of all time, so yeah, they’re a huge sonic influence always.

The cosmic transcendental shine of Christina’s Trip; photographed by @spencerwfields at the Red Museum.

Super Deluxe by Morella’s Forest

Christina’s Trip live at Sacramento’s Red Museum in the technicolor stage glow; photographed by @spencerwfields.

Last year my partner showed me the album Super Deluxe by Morella’s Forest and I was blown away. First off, that I had never heard it before, and second that upon listening I found it to be a perfect record. From start to finish this record is the perfect mix of dreamy, edgy, and ethereal. I’ve got this one on repeat all the time and I’m always singing along.

Lucky Three is available now via Cherub Dream Records.