About
In the waning twilight of the 2000s, a restless undercurrent hummed through the streets of New Haven, Connecticut. As the post-garage rock scene reverberated within the city's unseen veins, Ghost of Chance emerged like phantoms, born from a shared love of the sonic tapestry woven by the universe.
Jayson Munro, a guitarist and vocalist with a soul as boundless as the cosmos, encountered his cosmic counterpart in George Moore, a fellow guitarist with an insatiable yearning for musical exploration. United, they embarked on a voyage of auditory discovery, their paths converging with Mark Niciu, a drummer capable of igniting the world with his incendiary beats, and Dave Corsak, a bassist whose groove echoed the vibrations of the planet.
Together, these four intrepid souls delved into the uncharted regions of their collective consciousness, fashioning a singular soundscape interlacing 1960s psychedelia, garage rock, and classic pop. Their debut album, G/C, was an aural odyssey that sent ripples of Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, and John Lennon-era Beatles reverberating within the psyche of all who dared to listen.
Time spiraled forward, and Ghost of Chance continued their voyage into the infinite expanse of music, releasing their sophomore album, A Simple Beast, and singles Krunk Juice and I Feel Fine. Each new creation bore testament to the band's ceaseless evolution, as they traversed the realms of rock 'n' roll and alt-rock with the elegance of celestial wanderers.
Yet the river of existence is ever-shifting, and Ghost of Chance were not immune to its caprices. Mike Monetti took the helm as drummer, replacing Mark Niciu, while George and Dave embarked on new paths. Undaunted, the band unveiled the Paddle Boat EP, a hypnotic melding of garage rock and dream pop that displayed their mastery over the rhythmic ebb and flow of the cosmos.
In 2012, fate intertwined the destinies of Ghost of Chance and FINS, casting them onto a frenzied, untethered journey along the east coast, serenading the souls in search of the same untamable spirit. Two bands, each with their own distinct essence, bound by the lure of the open road and their shared devotion to the art they sculpted with their own hands.
The tour began in the heart of their birthplace, New Haven, Connecticut, where their music resonated in the air, awakening those who yearned for a similar truth. As the rhythm of the drums summoned them, the two bands embarked upon a voyage to the thrills that only life on the fringe could offer.
Ghost of Chance and FINS traversed the landscape, dousing the nights with their radiant sounds and hues in the artistic borough of Brooklyn, navigating through the steel city of Pittsburgh, and pulsating with the heartbeat of the music city, Nashville. Each metropolis, with its own cadence and rhythm, provided the ideal canvas for their unparalleled creations.
The delirious dance of music and camaraderie unfolded on the road, as Ghost of Chance's psychedelic, garage rock, and classic pop tones intermingled with the electrifying spirit of FINS. The venues swelled with fervent souls, drawn together by the sirenic call of their music, seeking something transcendent – something pure and untamed.
As the bands shared the stage, the road, and their dreams, the bond between Ghost of Chance and FINS solidified into an unbreakable force. They had become brethren, unified in their quest for the apex of musical expression.
The road may have reached its terminus, but the memories of that wild, untamed ride along the east coast with FINS remain etched in the minds and hearts of all who were touched by the sorcery of their music. The 2012 tour stands as a monument to the potency of art and the unyielding spirit of those who dare to live life by their own rules, echoing the legends who came before them.
In time, the odyssey of Ghost of Chance reached its final act, with Grant Squire and Dani Brúnn joining the band for a fleeting moment before they disbanded. Yet, their music endures as a potent testament to their indomitable spirit—an enduring legacy of artistic expression and untamed passion that continues to inspire those who dare to embark on their own creative journeys.
Ghost of Chance may have vanished into the ether, but their otherworldly concoction of psychedelic, garage rock, and classic pop lingers, an echo from the past that whispers through the hearts and souls of those who, too, yearn to chase the ineffable horizon.
Discography
Random Images
Videos
Ghost of Chance Trailer 2009
Official trailer for Ghost of Chance, released in 2009.
Don't change
Music video for "Don't change" by Ghost of Chance.
The breath
Music video for "The breath" by Ghost of Chance.
Oxygen
Music video for "Oxygen" by Ghost of Chance.
You're welcome
Music video for "You're welcome" by Ghost of Chance.
Jennifer
Music video for "Jennifer" by Ghost of Chance.
Strangled in the meadow
Music video for "Strangled in the meadow" by Ghost of Chance.
Howe Howard
Music video for "Howe Howard" by Ghost of Chance.
New Carthage
Music video for "New Carthage" by Ghost of Chance.
Pilot
Music video for "Pilot" by Ghost of Chance.
Lend me a dollar
Music video for "Lend me a dollar" by Ghost of Chance.
Sequence
Music video for "Sequence" by Ghost of Chance.
G/c #1 trailer.. something is lurking in the distance…
First official trailer for Ghost of Chance, hinting at something mysterious on the horizon.
G/c #2 trailer
Second official trailer for Ghost of Chance, continuing to build anticipation for their music.
Way I do
Live performance of "Way I do" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
Krunk Juice
Live performance of "Krunk Juice" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
Strangled in the meadow
Live performance of "Strangled in the meadow" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
Don't change
Live performance of "Don't change" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
Lend me a dollar
Live performance of "Lend me a dollar" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
Dreams
Live performance of "Dreams" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
You're Welcome
Live performance of "You're Welcome" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
I am fine
Live performance of "I am fine" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
Jennifer
Live performance of "Jennifer" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
Trident
Live performance of "Trident" at Cafe 9, New Haven, Connecticut on Feb 29, 2012.
Press clippings
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Dec. 17th, 2012
Paddle boat made the Top 30 on The Styrofoam Drone
#27 - Ghost of Chance came bearing a peculiar 7″ that blended elements from both garage rock and frothy dream pop, a combination we don't hear very often. They also mess around with rhythm and tempo mix-ups, making for sudden changes in tracks that occur within moments, requiring close, careful listening.
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Dec. 3rd. 2012
Review of Paddle Boat on To Eleven
At four tracks, Paddle Boat leaves me wanting more
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Nov. 16, 2012
Review of Paddle Boat EP on The Sound of Confusion
Like their brilliantly clattering sound in general, the vocals are seemingly recorded at the end of a very long corridor, with a microphone possibly at the other end, or maybe even at another studio. It works, mind, and the distant, echo fits the songs nicely, adding a tinny quality which will appeal to lo-fi fans, as well as (presumably) fans of the post-lo-fi genre that I've just made up.
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Nov. 13th, 2012:
Review of Paddle Boat 7″ EP on Styrofoam Drone
This 7″ offers us a refreshing sound, using this unique combination of calm and crunchy garage rock to create a dense and noisy sound.
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April 23rd, 2012:
Review of “Krunk Juice” on Striker Bill blog
[Ghost of Chance's] latest is a song called .Krunk Juice.. In all honesty, there.s not much very krunk about it other than the name, and chances are that even a few well placed Lil. Jon style .YEEAAHHHS. would do little to change this fact. But then I realized that just maybe, with its dreamy feel, echoing, reverb-drenched demeanor, and the bizarre melodic tangent that it wanders off on near its end, that this song represents your brain on krunk juice.
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April 14th, 2012:
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April 12th, 2012:
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April 12th, 2012:
A relentless beat frames an ominous bassline and jangling guitar that sounds somehow distant, like it's bleeding through the wall of a room down the hall.
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April 10th, 2012:
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April 9th, 2012:
Striker Bill Blog: I Feel Fine
The first one to be made available is a song called .I Feel Fine,. which in comparison to much of their other material is one of the most rollicking things the band has recorded to date.
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March 20th, 2012:
Beehive Candy blog: I feel fine
“Seriously this is a fine and fresh rock song that more than suggests we are on to a class act here.”
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March 16th, 2012:
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March 13th, 2012:
[…] Ghost of Chance release a single aimed straight at the heart of college radio from 20 years ago. "I Feel Fine" represents a bit of scratchy and jangly pop from the four-piece until the disparate parts break away, […] It feels inexorable, this progress toward a refrain. The drums seem to grant themselves greater agency, running away under [J. Munro's] tweaking and insistent vocal. […] Ghost of Chance manage to eliminate any useful descriptions of time.
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March 10th, 2012:
".I Feel Fine. has a slightly Built To Spill feel to the lead guitar, as well as ticking quite a few obligatory indie rock influence boxes”
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March 9th, 2012:
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March 8th, 2012:
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March 8th, 2012:
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March 8th, 2012:
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March 8th, 2012:
Hartford Courant Review of “I feel Fine”
It's a fast, jangling tune, with a bright guitar part reverberating in what feels like a cavernous, dark space that washes over [J's] vocals, which take on an insistent, almost urgent cast as he repeats the refrain. The song has a classic feel that calls to mind alt-rock in the late '80s and early '90s: edgy, a little twitchy and definitely compelling.
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March 8th, 2012:
CTIndie review of “I Feel Fine”
It is effortlessly original while still citing so many inspirations. It sounds modern and feels very retro, somehow."
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March 6th, 2012:
Castles In Space Reviews "I Feel Fine"
"A little bit Felt, a bit early R.E.M. A bit mid period Cure. A smidge of C86 and a touch of American Music Club. Retro, but facing forward. I love it.”
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March 5th, 2012:
Review of videos on Striker Bill Blog:
“A Simple Beast was released in November and thoroughly demonstrates the band.s penchant for writing uncluttered, haunting bedroom-style dream pop that.s tinged with melancholy.”
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February 28th, 2012:
Review of "A Simple Beast" on Sonic Masala
“It's all a little quirky and surreal, and at times reminds me of a more languid The Unicorns (oh how I miss those guys!). It's all levels of pop, filtered through cracked genre lenses, and spat out with laconic chagrin. Tracks like 'Pilot' and 'Red Garbs' lift the spirits, and they are the songs that'll grab ya. And you may recognise another HFTB recipient in the mix - [J. Adirondack] from Deluxe is one of these Ghosts!….”
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February 15th, 2012:
Hartford Courant writes about Ghost of Chance's three video release: Eric Danton's Sound Check
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January 11, 2012:
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November 29, 2011:
Ghost of Chance's first release was featured on alleveryone.blogspot.com
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November 27th, 2011:
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November 3, 2011:
GOC creates a minimalistic atmosphere from the start with the song Carthage.The mellow vocals deliver narrative-style lyrics, over electronic drums, acoustic guitar, and dreamy organs (sounds like a Mellotron throughout the record, I could be wrong). The record has a carefully crafted atmospheric layer of instruments with steady reverb. It seems like a lot of care went to producing here. All the guitar effects are tasteful and purposeful. The recording itself sounds great.
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December 14, 2010:
Records RIYL list includes Modest Mouse and Built to Spill and, maybe, live with a bassist and drummer, those comparisons might ring true. But this record, with drum and bass low in the mix, quirky time changes, big, wide reverb-wash and Mellotron patches aplenty sounds more like late-era, John Lennon Beatles. “Dreams” and “The Breath” are sonic reminders of “Julia” and “Across the Universe.” There's a quote of the crazy guitar line from “She's So Heavy” on “Vaporized Philanthropic Autopilot,” and “Livin' Life to the Fullest” delights in mixing three- and four-beat bars. Random sounds, handclaps, pre-recorded voices, odd percussion and backwards tape sounds pop in and out. In short, it sounds sort of like The White Album, and that's not a bad thing.
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November 22, 2010:
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Sept. 25, 2010:
Review on One Base On An Overthrow blog
February's most recent CD is from New Haven's Ghost of Chance, and even though the vocals at times veer a bit too close to Smashing Pumpkins to be considered safe, the CD on the whole is an impressive bit of work. I think CT Indie nailed it with their Lilys/Teenage Fanclub comparison, so I won't bother going any further. The opening track I've posted below, “Sir” (not to be confused with another fine opening track, Lotion's “Dear Sir”, I guess), starts out quietly and ends quietly, but there's a fairly messy ride in between. Word is that Ghost of Chance are on one of the final bills next month at the soon-to-be-shuttered Popeye's Garage, along with The Field Recordings, so you know I'm planning on checking that one out.
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Aug. 3, 2010:
Review on Hartford Courant's SoundCheck blog by rock critic Eric Danton
The quartet says it draws from ” '60s psychedelia and '90s indie and alternative,” with “hints at math rock and post-punk while maintaining the shimmer of classic pop sensibilities.” Although all of that is certainly true, it's really just a complicated way of saying the band plays catchy rock 'n' roll with some unexpected twists and turns. … the group delivers a bracing blend of well-constructed songs on what is certainly a welcome introduction.
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June 21, 2010:
... [Munro] does some solid early '90s guitar work that could be bookended by anything from the Lilys to Teenage Fanclub. … 'Sir' is definitely my favorite of these two preview tracks. … The track closes by going outdoors with found sounds, including some summery chirping. Makes me think the song just floated off out of the careless hand of a little girl like a birthday balloon.