Modern Pantheist: ’60s-style psychedelic pop

June 30, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

When Dave Ferrara isn’t touring the globe as the drummer in Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, the percussionist is exploring his love of psych, rock and pop in Modern Pantheist.

“We make quite a bit of sound for a three-piece,” said Ferrara, calling from New Orleans. “I’d compare this group to some of the more pop-psychedelic-based bands like Caribou. We do have a little electronica attached to it but we’re very ’60s-based. The holy grail for everybody in this band would be Radiohead and also the Flaming Lips.

“As far as ’60s stuff, it covers the gamut. We’re very involved, so it could be anything from The Beatles being the main influence there to also Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.”

Regarding the group’s moniker, there’s an existential aspect that continually piques the audience’s interest.

“We have a lot of people who ask us what pantheism is,” Ferrara said. “We do get some people that claim to be of that religion or belief but I don’t know tons of people really being overly familiar with what pantheism is. It’s everything is God. You’re God. I’m God. The chair is God. Hell is God. Everyone has that within themselves.”

Whether you’re a pantheist or not, odds are if you dig ’60s psychedelic music, you’ll find something of note with the group. The trio’s most recent affair is its eight-song EP “Sun Abuse.” However, a self-titled full-length effort, which the band slaved over for more than a year, also is on the horizon.

So far the act has been getting airplay in Los Angeles on radio station KCRW with Eric J. Lawrence describing the band’s sound as a “Beck-like sense of screwball pop.” Ferrara said two songs that stand out for Modern Pantheist is the psych-pop “Static” and popish “Ego Blues.”

The threesome will be making its Youngstown debut Tuesday at Cedars Lounge. Ferrara points out that he’s been through Northeast Ohio in the past with Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone.

Actually, Ferrara said the only reason Modern Pantheist is currently touring stems from the fact that Noone is taking June off. He also added that Noone not only was cool with him touring his side project but he also likes the music.