Meet the new Balkans

• Chad Radford
• New kids on the block: Frankie, Henry, Danny and Woody

After months of speculation, a series of west coast shows thwarted by illness, and ultimately winning over hearts and minds at CMJ, all while remaining conspicuously absent from Atlanta, Balkans took the stage at The Earl Sunday night (Nov. 13) with a couple of new faces in-tow. Guitarist Brett Miller and drummer Stanley Vergilis are no longer in the band as they’ve out opted presumably to focus on school — Miller was accepted into Emory University this year and Vergilis is enrolled at Georgia Tech. In their place, former White Light Forest Choir/Soft Powers drummer Danny Bailey and guitarist Henry Kaiser, a Nashville transplant have taken their place alongside bassist Woody Shortridge and singer/guitarist Frankie Broyles.

?
When the band appeared on stage the air in the room was thick with reservation. Some people were surprised by the new crew, some expressed doubts. But with the new members in place, already with a minimal amount of touring together behind them, chemistry is brewing. They’re obviously still getting used to each other, and still in a nascent stage of development. But last night’s set showed off a raw, noisier side of Balkans than anything the old regime would have allowed. The group reveled in psychedelia punctuated by epic breakdowns steeped in tension, resonance and texture, while the stylized pop jitters that once drove Balkans’ sound took on an abrasive hue.