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Circa Survive Guitarist Unveils Solo Project

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As one of the guitarists for Philly rockers Circa Survive, Colin Frangicetto helps construct the band’s multi-layered, metal-tinged rock’n’roll. But with his new solo project, Psychic Babble, Frangicetto veers into ’80s-inspired indie rock and Postal Service-y digi-pop — download the chipper “You Said It” here.

Psychic Babble, “You Said It” (DOWNLOAD)

With a “light summery vibe,” to use Frangicetto’s words, the track — from Psychic Babble’s debut My Brother’s Ears/My Sister’s Eyes, out Aug. 16 — meshes bright, Cure-sounding guitar with handclaps, sunny keyboard swells, and an upbeat lyrical take on a new love. “It’s ultimately about the things that happen early on in relationships,” Frangicetto explains, “the communication breakdowns, the confusion, the immediate passion and intensity that tend to fade into a sort of regularity.”

Written and recorded over five years, in hotel rooms, apartments, and tour buses, most of the songs that landed on My Brother’s Ears were initially brought into consideration for inclusion on Circa Survive albums. And while one, “Follow Your Bliss,” made it into preproduction for Circa’s 2010 LP Blue Sky Noise, Frangicetto knew they needed a different outlet. “I think stylistically these strayed so far from what Circa does that they weren’t ever seriously considered,” he says.

“As the songs started piling up over the years, it slowly became clear to me that this was its own thing and that I needed to see them through in my own way, with my own voice,” Frangicetto adds, noting that this is the first time he’s sung in a band since middle school.

His bandmates in Circa Survive have been very supportive of the project, especially frontman Anthony Green. “There’d be times throughout making the record when I felt pretty insecure about it,” he says. “Out of nowhere, Anthony would send me a compliment on a song or just an encouraging text telling me he was proud of me, which in those moments of doubt can be an absolute life saver.”

If you like “You Said It,” you can download one more new track, “Five Fold Kiss (Don’t Sleep),” via Psychic Babble’s Facebook page, plus two covers that don’t appear on the album: Slowdive’s “Alison” and Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You.”