Witch Hazel

Led by multi-instrumentalist/main songwriter Kevin Coral, alternative pop/rockers Witch Hazel (also known as Witch Hazel Sound) hail from Kent, OH, and specialize in lush sounds à la Brian Wilson's spectacular collaborations with Van Dyke Parks back in the '60s. Originally formed in 1992, the group issued their debut single a year later ("Just Don't Try" b/w "Plain"), receiving favorable reviews in such publications as Billboard, New Music Express, and Alternative Press, among others. A split single with the Mommyheads followed, as well as an EP, Beeswax, and debut full-length, Landlocked, in 1995, which helped create the orchestral pop genre (along with such other artists as the High Llamas and Eric Mathews). After a cover of Ennio Morricone's "Farewell to Cheyenne" was recorded for a single to be included in an issue of Ptolemaic Terrascope magazine, Witch Hazel Sound issued their sophomore effort, It's All True, in 1998, while Coral began producing such artists as Gem (Sunglass Serenade) and Party of Helicopters (Mt. Forever) shortly thereafter. 2000 saw the release of the six-track EP It's All True, and their third full-length followed a year later, This World, Then the Fireworks. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide