Palm Ghosts

PALM GHOSTS began as a studio project. It was a way for me to learn to record as a tool to soothe the crushing anxiety and depression I was dealing with at the time. The Self-titled record took the longest to record. Many, many hours of experimentation, trying to find a sound. It references a lot of indie folk and roots music that spoke to me at the time, with little hints of the indie rock for which we've become known. This record is the document of a tortured soul, at odds with his enviroment and unsure of where he's going. 

Well, he went to Nashville, set up a home studio in a quiet little suburban neighborhood and spent the next 3 years recording Greenland. 

Greenland Ave in Inglewood is where I first starting collaborating with Ben Douglas and tried to find a connection between the indie folk of the first record and the sound realization of Architecture. It's all there to hear, every misstep and fumble. But it was a labor of love and I'm glad there is a document to those days. It felt like a literal rebirth. 

Press For "Greenland"

“I love this album. The music has that Americana sound to it, processed through an urban yet deserted existence. There is an innate sadness to the album peppered with a sense of hope, slight though it may be. This is great music for early evening or dawn when you feel a little blue and like that feeling.” – Audio Fuzz

“Dawes-esque Americana meets REM-style ’90s guitar-rock jangle in the sonic equivalent of a well-worn, trusty jacket. You may not have heard this song before, but it will feel familiar and great as soon as you do.” – Independent Clauses

“East Nashville Americana project headed by Philadelphia native Joseph Lekkas drops its latest album, which calls upon the jangle of R.E.M., the limpid folk of Simon & Garfunkel and lots of country- and folk-rock touchstones.” – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Palm Ghosts is a creamy rock project influenced significantly by Americana. ’70s brit-blues and ’60s beat permeate the soundscape delivering music in which the listener can delightedly lose all track of time. From the most recent LP –Greenland (available on bandcamp) – the third of the fifteen, Audra, is my pick of the release.” –Emerging Indie

Press for "Palm Ghosts s/t" 

 “Elegant and Sweeping Pop” – WXPN’s The Key  

“Folk loves its sadness, but this beautiful song is warm nostalgia in song form. It is hard to put together an album that holds a consistent instrumental palette, melodic thrust, and overall mood without getting repetitive. Palm Ghosts has accomplished this difficult task on their self-titled record.  Palm Ghosts lives in a warm, relaxed space with just a touch of ominous haze on the horizon, carving out a space for itself next to artists like Damien Jurado.” – Independent Clauses

“A balance of singer/songwriter styled pop that walks along the indie rock border and comes together with a more traditional country base and carries you over a dusty trail rhythm, this is truly a combination that the Philadelphia based group can call their own.” – One Stop Country

“Some of the music I listened to on this album transported me to a feeling of peace, relaxation, comfort – like everything was going to be okay. So, I hope whatever you’re going through, you take the time to enjoy music, because that’s what really gets me through the tough times.” – Spec Blog

“Singer-songwriter Joseph Lekkas demonstrates that Americana music can sprout and bloom anywhere, including Philadelphia.” –Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Palm Ghosts is the new band/project created by Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Joseph Lekkas who was previously in the band Grammar Debate. After that band dissolved Lekkas took some time off from the world of music…only to realize a few years later that creating music was “...necessary to beat his anxieties.” Thus, the band now serves two purposes. To beat the anxieties of the musician…and to relieve anxieties in the minds of those who hear it. Recorded in an old warehouse during an intensely cold winter, this self-titled album presents intelligent songs that are inspired and real. These tunes remind us somewhat of Starflyer 59 except the overall feel is somewhat more folky and reserved. Lekkas has a great voice and a real knack for knowing how to put the pieces together. These tracks are resilient, personal, and reflective. Our favorite cuts include “Dr. Tiger,” “Airplane Jane,” “I Know You Won’t Break My Heart,” and “All My Life (I’ve Been Waiting.).” – Baby Sue