tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60296878377828946602024-02-20T00:13:30.620-07:00Jester Jay: music and other essential thoughtsReviews of shows and music I've encountered...what I'm playing...other thoughts about music and lifeJester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.comBlogger919125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-81267045247419531022018-04-22T10:27:00.000-06:002018-04-22T10:27:02.087-06:00Recording Review - Atomga, AGA (2018)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Atomga continues to bring the funk</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.5/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRDkrpE09yX1HD5TnW2V7zBeF7rfkFnWl7rE8MRLLr5iUm52KHVe8jOk0v8xGCrZhfR3yEjDWZEsMgWO8kLFlG9JRgKGirzwLIBt8oFP1stZk4gvNCEnbJd9r3VXVn2zbwVONVOGNYQ0/s1600/star-1.4.jpg" /><br />
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It was true when I first started listening to music and it continues today: I'll find a band or performer and fall in love with their sound. That drives my list of must-buy releases, of necessary concerts. Some artists drift away from my true heart -- either because they changed or I did. Some, like David Bowie, slide back while others just drive fond memories of favorite albums.</div>
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I hold that love, but each new encounter, I test it to see if the spark is still there. Listening to Atomga's latest EP, <i style="font-weight: bold;">AGA</i>, I'm happy to bask in their funky glow once again. Several of these songs have been concert mainstays for a while, but it's nice to hear the recordings.</div>
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In particular, "Opia" grabs my ears. The chill opening guitar vamp is quickly joined by their inimitable horn section. Unless you're talking about the jazz greats, a group of horns often sacrifices their personality, saving individual character for their solos. The Atomga brass maintains their unique voices even as they blend. Leah Concialdi's deep bari sax is especially bouncy.</div>
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The tune spins out for a while before singer LaSha "Calyptic" Afarko's joins in, with a casual soulful tone. The arrangement is sweet, with every piece falling perfectly into place.</div>
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-51160624375665187692015-08-17T22:12:00.000-06:002015-08-17T22:12:05.033-06:00A personal note about connection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I started writing this blog six and a half years ago, it was really just a way to capture the concerts and albums I was enjoying. What started out as fairly brief write-ups blossomed into longer explorations and a huge influx of new music into my iPod. Eventually, I branched out into playlists and interviews, most creatively with my <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/2013/11/interview-mashup-artist-summit.html" target="_blank">Mash Up Summit</a>. Over time, I started receiving lots of music submissions that helped me discover a host of great artists whose music has moved me. Many of these people are not as widely known as they deserve or they weren't when I first came across them: <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/search?q=macklemore" target="_blank">Macklemore</a>, <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/search?q=matt+stevens" target="_blank">Matt Stevens</a>, <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/search?q=%22team+spirit%22" target="_blank">Team Spirit</a>, <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/search?q=atomga" target="_blank">Atomga</a>, <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/search?q=%22that+1+guy%22" target="_blank">That 1 Guy</a>, <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/2014/04/recording-review-bike-for-three-so-much.html" target="_blank">Bike for Three!</a>, <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/search?q=%22earl+greyhound%22" target="_blank">Earl Greyhound</a>... there are more than I can count.<br />
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Looking back on this run, I am proud of how I've grown as a writer. That said, this blog grew into a second, unpaid job. To be fair, this has really just been a hobby and I've been well aware that there's not any money in this kind of writing. But I've come to ask myself, what do I want to get out of this, beyond the satisfaction of polishing an 800 word essay? Ultimately, I don't think it's money or fame,but engagement. Connecting with fellow music fans and artists would close the loop for me and make it less of a solitary activity. And there are a few musicians that have been responsive, but the truth is that most of my readers are just finding me by when they google some group or album. They drop in, skim my post, and move on. At this point, I get a little over 1000 hits per month and around zero comments. I don't think that's a flaw with me or my readers; it's just the nature of review blogs and the internet.<br />
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I want to find a way to forge a connection with people and I'm not convinced that being a critic is the best answer. Other forms of writing may provide a path or I may focus on sharing my own music. In any case, I'm not shutting down Jester Jay Music, but I probably won't be posting music reviews on a regular basis.<br />
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Thanks to all of the creative people who have shared their work with me, to David Harris for letting me write and edit for <a href="http://spectrumculture.com/" target="_blank">Spectrum Culture</a>, and to the friendly PR people I've met over the years.<br />
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Feel free to respond to this with a comment or message, but I'll understand if you don't : -) Cheers!</div>
Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-59704367311035428932015-08-12T22:07:00.000-06:002015-08-12T22:07:43.422-06:00Recording review - The Fierce and the Dead, Magnet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">The total package of physical and mental gymnastics</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.0/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCkjo2PnB5x3Un_e1NqfqwUzzVn-SwdZLd5srvS-Y0_QHnK9BOxQaHp8alnq-AprBk6HOAvMlDHLeP9PXE8Y6RPkHGeZQsSlvBsLCPZ_kf8Bgd8Y8Ej7IVi6EdNO7DwuoSbY-pD3mvCc/s1600/TFATD_Magnet.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />One of the things I love about Matt Steven's music is that he doesn't just alternate between visceral guitar expression and intellectually satisfying geometric balance. Instead, he blends them together into a spicy melange that milks excitement and intensity from that dichotomy. Even in a short 1:41 piece like "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6kpp-d2hdE" target="_blank">Magnet in Your Face</a>", he can find the space to surprise. That tune jump starts <a href="http://www.fierceandthedead.com/" target="_blank">The Fierce and the Dead</a>’s <i>Magnet</i> EP with a furious assault of thick, head-banging guitar. The simple thrashy vamp sinks straight into your reptile brain like some kind of insistent, metal-flaked drug. While the rhythm obsessively circles this compelling focal point, the lead comes in and prods the song forward with an angular pentatonic line. The song is a third of the way into its brief run and if it were any other band, that Neanderthal DNA would make the song as predictable as a simple mathematical series. Sure enough, the one-two of the opening leads to the obvious three of a slightly introspective bridge, but then that bridge melts away, leaving a clean, disarming interlude that suggests fractal reflections with a playful bounce. While the tune does settle back into the adrenal punch of the main riff, that post-rock side trip colors the rest of the song. It makes you wonder how far afield the band would take it if they gave themselves the luxury of five or six minutes to develop it further.<br />
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The following track, ''Palm Trees", takes the opposite tack, starting with a crystalline guitar that feels like a Cubist sketch: a static scene visualized from different angles. But Kevin Feazy's throbbing bass joins in and triggers more rambunctious play. Relatively soon, though, the two approaches reach a detente of coexistence , each complementing the other. The song still has some tricks though, with a final Gothic crescendo that collapses into the chaotic echoes of a hornets nest.<br />
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<i>Magnet</i> gets off to a strong start with these two new pieces, but the band also mixes in a retrospective set of tunes. Two of these are rehearsal recordings of songs from their last release, <i>Spooky Action</i> (<a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/2013/12/recording-review-fierce-and-dead-spooky.html" target="_blank">review</a>): "Let's Start a Cult" and the title track. It's not immediately clear whether these were demos or if the band was working out how to perform them live. I'd guess the latter because the arrangements seem fairly clearly planned out. Neither of these enjoy the sweet production of the album versions, but the Stuart Marshall's drumming is expressive and vibrant, and each gives a sense of how TFatD's songs are built from sections to form a coherent whole.<br />
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They round out the reissued tunes with a version of "Flint", originally from 2011's <i>If It Carries on Like This We Are Moving to Morecambe</i> (<a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/2011/06/cd-review-fierce-and-dead-if-it-carries.html" target="_blank">review</a>). This take is more focused, dropping the original's extended space echo intro. Without that trippy start or the edgier production choices, <i>Magnet</i>'s version shifts the perspective from a tentative search for solid ground that grows in confidence to one that starts with a clearer sense of self-possession and hidden resources. That feels right because it reflects how much TFatD have evolved.<br />
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EPs are usually stopgap moves to tide fans over between meatier releases, seldom turning out to be essential listening, but between the solid new material and the revisited songs, <i>Magnet</i> is a good snapshot of TFatD's development as well as their enduring talent. They cram a lot into 20 minutes and it's a treat to bask in that yin yang of delicate crunch, of distorted introspection, of The Fierce and the Dead.<br />
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<i>Magnet</i> is available from the group's <a href="https://tfatd.bandcamp.com/album/magnet" target="_blank">Bandcamp page</a>.</div>
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-48516585745295981432015-07-13T21:49:00.002-06:002015-07-13T21:49:40.938-06:00Recording review - Atomga, Black Belt (2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Razor sharp arrangements that find balance between the booty and the brain</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.0/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKspXSEI42vNsmH6p4ZmZDuYAbFCnqbXCCVrkOH_vW08y2cgumFE9Ufasif8Y1pXEFoX-FQqyTFEExc-pQAkew1X5LDgaE-F3WzdO-rCWrvTpwhHcNARQetzgo3-sMsTji6Eqte4y2CE/s1600/ATOMGA+-+Black+Belt+front.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />The sad truth is that studio tricks have leveled the playing field between barely capable musical clods and their more talented competition. A good engineer can make almost any band sound tight, with every pitch perfect note placed precisely on beat. That kind of work, though, leaves its fingerprints on the music. But listening to the interwoven horn parts and the hand-in-glove coordination between the bass and drums on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/atomgamusic" target="_blank">Atomga</a>’s full-length release, <i>Black Belt</i>, it’s clear that the recording engineers didn’t have sweeten these tracks; they just needed to capture the tightest of takes and focus on the mix. Their top-notch production brought the clarity to showcase everyone’s talent. Atomga has such a strong team ear for the groove that, even as they push themselves technically, the album never turns into a parade of egos. Instead, the album is packed with quiet epiphanies where you notice just how spot-on a particular part is.<br />
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<i>Black Belt</i> starts out appropriately enough with a brief musical kata that lets Atomga show off their Afrobeat form. Compared to any of Fela Kuti’s tracks, the instrumental “Salt and Pepper” is quite abbreviated, but it demonstrates the tight horn arrangements that the band is known for. The song starts out with a call and response between the horns and Casey Hrdlicka’s guitar exclamation points, but the verse changes gears and pits Alice Hansen’s trumpet against Frank Roddy’s and Leah Concialdi’s saxes. Then the tune takes it even higher with Concialdi locking into a hypnotic baritone sax riff that Hansen surfs cleanly over.<br />
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That introduction sets up a strong start to the album, where each track raises the bar. The second song, “Sly Devil”, is quite a bit moodier than the opener, with reggae and Latin influences creeping in. A simple guitar loop begins the tune, but it’s really all about the drums and percussion; they’re locked into the beat, but they never settle for simple repetition. The bass fits right in: relatively busy, but steady on. The horns contrast with the rhythmic complexity by holding longer tones -- the raspy caress of baritone sax is just about perfect. Kendra Kreie’s vocal is soulful and warm, even as her knowing tone makes it clear that she’s not buying the sly devil’s line. Peter Mouser’s organ solo is another treat as it slips into a beautifully retro Ray Manzarek style jam, reminiscent of the middle section of “Riders on the Storm”.<br />
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If “Sly Devil” is laid back with a bit of weary cynicism, my favorite track, “<a href="https://atomga.bandcamp.com/track/cressidation" target="_blank">Cressidation</a>”, is altogether heavier with powerful soul-gospel roots. Right from the start it’s more insistent, taking an anxious edge from the crisp, funky guitar chords, but the horns soften some of that tension. Concialdi swaggers through her solo with braggadocio, as if reassuring the nervous guitar. At first, Kreie's relaxed vocal seems a bit disengaged, but by the chorus, she picks up a righteous tone that closes the energy gap. Hrdlicka's jazzy solo is exquisitely phrased and I love how he plays just outside the lines. That sets up a dreamy interlude, where Samual Lafalce takes a richly melodic turn on bass before dropping some speedy funk runs. Hrlicka responds with a more aggressive second shot that ushers in the soulful chorus to take it home.<br />
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The rest of <i>Black Belt</i> carries on following the basic Afrobeat aesthetic that balances between the booty and brain. The feel-good music is danceable and blurs the lines between funk and jazz, but it’s also the medium for the songs’ socially conscious messages. Tracks like “Alaskan Pipeline” take advantage of that to provide cultural commentary, but the grooves defuse any risk of a hectoring tone.<br />
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If <i>Black Belt</i> has a flaw at all, it's that the clean production and razor sharp arrangements are almost too perfect. Not because of studio sleight of hand -- the songs are quite lively -- but more because the flow of smooth takes encourages the listener to take it all for granted. Without the risk of failure, the album misses some of the magical chaos that the band often finds onstage. Still, it’s a rare studio that can capture that kind of lightning. All in all, it's a fair trade.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-7176401130003265382015-07-07T19:22:00.000-06:002015-07-07T19:22:45.507-06:00Recording review, Ozric Tentacles, Technicians of the Sacred (2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Contemplate the infinite through electronica and progressive guitar shred</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.5/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mWwmd72u_qTesf9PeVV4H7HcPaTRPcnWFWxnx-TB5veGmqjEp8v4fX2mnX5bOdC8sNhEBW_sU3MCGOyJCC6SmFTUx9Y8FZUtyTk0Bh2AWW_zU6NrbHnF7EIMWzqIqS44VEkxBckZx3A/s1600/star-1.2.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkAU3KusH16GfE-j4PGkspQoaSahFUGE146VYPHFY5-MClHRFKmFIc_Giwsw4_JP7Ar5_qe8Q1xlDiEmugKfVodPJ7pXRXuwIOV79lb-MKJo1xbQOehrEC0aRkmj5fOBpxjoXtlgIFu0/s1600/ozric_tech.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />It’s a short attention span musical world,where the emphasis is usually on tight pop expressions. But while mere gestures are enough to satisfy most consumers, there are still some genres that need the maneuvering room of a full album to develop their ideas. In the four years since <i>Paper Monkeys</i> came out, space rock stalwarts Ozric Tentacles apparently had so many inviting trails to explore that even that was too confining . Their latest release, <i>Technicians of the Sacred</i>, sprawls out over two full CDs. Despite the obvious excess, there's not much in the way of fluff: while the songs take their time to find their target trancelike moods, they never fall into monotony. Longtime fans will find plenty of familiar ground, but the emphasis is on electronica punctuated by Ed Wynn’s shred-tastic guitar.<br />
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Disc 1 leads off with “The High Pass”, which takes an eight and a half minute nomadic trek through many of the sonic environments that the Ozrics enjoy the most: underwater dives, expansive vistas, evocative action zones, and spelunking trips deep down into the heart of the machine. The dynamic flow accommodates both incremental transitions and freefall plunges that reset the context. The tune wanders from chill electronic grooves to mind-warpingly intense prog-rock guitar, but the anxious rhythm and pensive funk bass line remain more or less constant. The restless electro energy may form the foundation, but there are plenty of distractions that provide ear-catching details that vie for the listener's attention, from blooming synth melodies that shift and grow to a robotic interlude that would be perfect for popping.<br />
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The music that follows could be soundtrack excerpts from a randomized set of dreamscapes. The Krautrock infused “Far Memory” seems fit for an underwater world, full of echo and frequency shifted shimmers, while the electro-pop “Changa Masala” has an infectious syncopated rhythm that suggests sleepwalking through a Bollywood set as it melts away into space. The imagination can run wild in these intriguing snow-globe worlds. The band dives into each with enthusiasm and little worry for how the songs might evolve. So a cheery electronic piece like “Zingbong” might start with an uptempo New Age feel, propelled by a busy gamelan synth run and terse bass line, but the Ozrics are content to let a Zappa-esque guitar periodically warp the piece into an off-kilter jumble, knowing that they can always nonchalantly slip back into the clarity of the main riff.<br />
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The second half of the album gives freer rein to the band’s progressive rock side, with plenty of energetic guitar mutation and distortion. This disc begins with my favorite track on the album, “Epiphlioy”. The Beats Antique style world-tronica groove is built on a galloping Middle Eastern dervish rhythm that’s intricately tied to a synthesized sonic palette. Like the evocative pieces on the first CD, the song suggests a series of images: a tense chase with an undercurrent of excitement, a visit to a nomadic camp in the desert, a spaced-out psychedelic trip in the middle of an oasis. It’s easy to get lost in the drawn out narrative of the piece, but the exotic tone, along with the touchstone rhythm guitar part, provide grounding enough for the extensive 12 minute sojourn.<br />
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By the time we reach the final cut, “Zenlike Creature”, it’s been a long disorienting trip. We’re ready for the centering focus of looped interlocking patterns, but even here, the meditative flow gives way to a more progressive groove. The track see-saws from thoughtful to assertive, eventually picking up an Alan Parsons style momentum. Despite the dynamic give and take, though, there is still a kind of imperturbability at the root of the song. It's as though the band is saying, "Ignore the illusion (<i>māyā</i>) and just settle into the moment." The macrocosm of <i>Technicians of the Sacred</i> reflects this message as well. It never delivers a clear mythology or answers. Instead, it just offers a hypnotic zone to contemplate the infinite. Or not, as you see fit.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-1783677110277104192015-07-02T20:03:00.000-06:002015-07-02T20:03:22.186-06:00Interview: Pete Pidgeon of Arcoda, part two <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/2015/06/interview-pete-pidgeon-of-arcoda-part.html" target="_blank">part one</a> of my interview with singer/songwriter <a href="http://www.petepidgeon.com/" target="_blank">Pete Pidgeon</a> of Arcoda, we talked about his musical approach, his insights into the Front Range music scene, and how his career has developed, both here and on the East Coast. Part two finds us discussing his influences, some of the recognition he's received and exactly what to do (and what not to do) if you find yourself face to face with Paris Hilton or Trey Anastasio.<br />
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Enjoy part two of our conversation, which has been condensed and lightly edited.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18255530843" target="_blank" title="100 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="100 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3777/18255530843_222a8d0de6_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
<b>Earlier, you mentioned that the legendary Levon Helm of The Band contributed to your upcoming album. How was it playing with him?</b><br />
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Pete Pidgeon: It’s still number one. It’ll probably always be number one. One of my earliest memories, my parents were big music fans. They had a huge vinyl collection, which really influenced where I came from. Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Billy Joel...all these great singer-songwriters. They had <i>Big Pink</i> and they put on “Chest Fever” and I remember this distinctly. I would crawl up on the couch and jump on the couch when they’d play music. So I remember doing that and then “Chest Fever” coming on and being completely terrified, because it was the scariest sounding organ. It was this huge, monstrous Garth Hudson organ sound. It was overwhelming how powerful this tune was. From my earliest memories of music, I’ve been exposed to The Band and Levon’s playing.<br />
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The biggest thing about Levon is that, of anybody in the last 50 years or so who cared more about music, I think he’s probably the number one dude. I don’t think anybody cared more about playing as hard as he could every single night and really giving everything he had to the music. There was this story that Larry Campbell said, if I’m not wrong. [<i>ed: Theresa Williams mentions it in this <a href="http://forthecountryrecord.com/2015/06/15/larry-campbell-teresa-williams-all-the-years-in-the-making-interview/" target="_blank">interview on For the Country Record</a></i>] In his last days, when he was playing a show, he was sitting in the corner of the room and he wasn’t even talking to anybody. He was talking to himself and talking to God, and saying, “All I ask for is just these 90 minutes on stage. That’s all I ask for. The other hours of the day? Whatever. You want to make me sick, that’s fine, but I need these 90 minutes right here to go out.” You can’t get bigger than that. So, the honor of being able to make music with him, to have him play my music? Come on. That’s just the biggest honor of all time.<br />
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<b>Your bio includes things like the Jeff Buckley tribute, which I think exposed you to a lot of bigger named people and gave you some public visibility. I’ve also seen that you were in the running for some Grammys in 2012.</b><br />
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PP: Yeah, ‘11-’12. The ceremony was in 2012, but it was for the 2011 Grammys.<br />
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<b>What categories were you considered for?</b><br />
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PP: It was for the EP called <i>Growing Pains</i>. There was a single on there called “Will” and we did a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RWj3b5JJq4" target="_blank">music video</a> for it.<br />
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<b>Oh yeah, I saw that on YouTube. Didn’t you write the storyline?</b><br />
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PP: I directed it. I co-wrote the story with Wes Mock, but I wrote the screenplay for it. And I did all the fieldwork for it and financed it.<br />
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<b>That was a pretty heavy video.</b><br />
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PP: Thanks. It was dealing with some serious issues. I was volunteering at the time at <a href="http://www.roadrecovery.org/" target="_blank">Road Recovery</a>, which helps children dealing with addictions. A lot of those kids were going through suicide problems and really major stuff. It was actually written about this girl, I’m sure she was suicidal, but I can’t tell you that for sure. But going through a major breakup: outside the lines of regular people breakup. Major stuff. She just had a huge impact on me and I wrote a few tunes about her and that was one of them. “<i>I am more than the sum of my mistakes;</i>” that’s the lyric that everyone responds to. She made these mistakes, but they weren’t really her fault, necessarily. It just had a big impact.<br />
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So, that video got nominated for Best Short Form Video, the single, “Will” was nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. And then I was also up for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.<br />
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But I’m very clear to mention that these were Grammy-recognized. That’s because a technical Grammy nomination only refers to the top five people that go to the awards ceremony. We made the second round of three, with the third round being the Top Five nominations.<br />
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<b>I also noticed that you’re teaching guitar here, which is a good way to make ends meet as a musician. What’s your teaching philosophy?</b><br />
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PP: My curriculum is based on the individual student. Some kids want to learn theory, some kids don’t want to learn theory. Some kids want to learn how to play heavy metal, some kids want to play folk songs or pop tunes. When I came up, I didn’t have a teacher. My brother and my father taught me how to play guitar, but they weren’t sitting there saying, “This is how you’re supposed to do it. You need to learn these songs and do this.” It was more like coaching. So, with my students, I try to incorporate that into the lesson.<br />
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<b>I’m glad you brought up your roots. I was wondering what your family background was with music. You mentioned your parents’ vinyl collection and now that your dad and brother both play.</b><br />
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PP: Yeah, my dad and my brother both play guitar. My dad was a campfire folk singer: Everly Brothers, Beach Boys, that kind of thing. Even way back in the day, when he was in high school and college, he had a couple of bands and was doing that style of music. My mom played piano and sang. My dad sang and played guitar. And my grandmother, my mother’s mother, she loved playing piano, too., She played at Christmas and I think she played at church at one point. Her husband, my mom’s father, was in the church. He played hymns and stuff on the piano. He died before I was born, but my grandma played a lot of those tunes. So there was a lot of music in the house. We had a music room in the house...My family called it the living room, but I called it the music room because it had baby grand piano, a bunch of guitars, xylophones, percussion instrument, trombone, violins, trumpet, recorders, flute. There was just all sorts of instruments, plus the record player, the reel-to-reel player. I couldn’t ask for more, you know.<br />
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<b>Do you just have the one brother? Does he play as a hobbyist?</b><br />
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PP: Yes. The first live gig I ever played in public, I played bass in his progressive rock cover band. It was Yes, Rush, Triumph and maybe a couple of other groups, but that was the core of it. I was either 13 or 14. They were playing “Yours is No Disgrace” [<i>by Yes</i>] and the bass player couldn’t hang with the bass part. It wasn’t necessarily technically difficult, but there’s a lot of notes to memorize, and there’s a bass solo and stuff. A walking bass thing. So I just picked it up and played it. So, my brother brought me on because I could play the whole thing. They called me the Iceman, because I just stood in one place, staring at the bass, not moving, not looking at anybody.<br />
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<b>Total shoegazer...</b><br />
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PP: Exactly. A shoegazer before shoegazing. So he was a shredder into progressive rock and shred: Satriani, Malmsteen, and Vai, Paul Gilbert, that kind of thing. He was a major influence. Probably the biggest influence. He had a bunch of bands. He doesn’t gig out as much now, but he definitely gave it a good go for a long time.<br />
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<b>What other influences would you cite for your music?</b><br />
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PP: Oh, Man. it’s been a long road. The first exposure was the singer-songwriters that I mentioned. The first band I liked on my own was Huey Lewis and the News. There was this one live performance of "The Power of Love", where he’s playing onstage and he gets on his knees and he’s just yelling. I was like, “That’s amazing. That the coolest.” I must’ve been around 7 or 8.<br />
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I saw Robert Palmer when “Addicted to Love” came out and he had that video with all the girls dressed in black and doing their thing. I didn’t know what love was at the time or what any of the lyrics were about, which my parents found amusing, but I saw that video and I connected with it right away. I thought, “This is the greatest music I’ve ever heard.”<br />
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And there was a black and white Kiss show that I remember from when I was super young. Just the fact that I remember these things means that my brain was hardwired for music. I’m barely an infant and I recognize what’s going on.<br />
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So that was the earliest stuff. Then my brother got me into progressive rock and shred and then that graduated into jazz in high school and college. Then that graduated into jam bands: Allman Brothers, Phish, Dead, Santana, that kind of stuff, which taught me how to improvise. Coming out of progressive rock and shred, there’s no improvisation. Although there was some in Yes, I’ll give them some credit because they were an organic progressive band.<br />
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So I did the jam band thing. After that, I started getting back into my roots of songwriting, around ‘03. I’ve sort of been in that scene for the last ten years: song craft, how to write better tunes. Definitely more stripped down, trying to make it more compact. That’s one thing New York definitely taught me: you got to have a three minute tune. maybe a four minute tune if you can, but no more of this 7 or 8 minute progressive, long form stuff, That was sort of the purpose of the <i>Growing Pains</i> EP. How can I be concise and write a hit tune or a radio tune? And it’s still too progressive for most people, but it’s the best I could do without sacrificing my creative interests.<br />
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<b>You brought up the jam band thing, which is a good segue, because I wanted to talk briefly with you about your book, <i>Hampton '98: The Dephinitive Experience</i> about the Hampton shows and Phish. I read the <a href="http://www.glidemagazine.com/127824/authormusician-pete-pidgeon-talks-hampton-98/" target="_blank">interview you had with Glide</a> and I found it really intriguing. I wanted to ask you was about a teaser quote from that Glide interview. You talked about getting experience meeting the guys in Phish and that you finally learned how to meet and talk to famous people. So what’s your advice for people? What is the proper way?</b><br />
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PP: (laughs) It’s exactly how you and I are talking right now. That’s exactly how you do it. You’re just another dude. “Hey what’s going on? What do you have happening? How’s the road been? What’s up?” and not get overtaken. It’s easier said than done, but not get overtaken by -- there’s almost a palpable energy that comes off of people that are famous. I don’t know why. I’m theorizing that it has something to do with their influence and also how they’ve been influenced. The amount of energy that they can play in front of 100,000 people and affect 100,000 people simultaneously by playing one note on their instrument or them being influenced by those 100,000 people giving all their energy back to them. They’re very electric people.<br />
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If you can talk to your brain and say, “Just be cool, man, it’s just a normal person,” have a regular convo, keep it on the level. I think that breathing and pausing is a big part of it. Because your brain’s on fire, “Oh my God, I’m talking to this person, this is so amazing! Keep talking, keep talking!” But if you can have that natural flow of conversation, you have to consciously put that pause in between your sentences, so you’re not just blasting this poor person the whole time. That’s what makes them anxious and not want to really hang out and talk. You’re just throwing so much at them, so fast.<br />
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One of the hardest parts is that there’s so many things that you want to tell this person and you don’t have more than probably 15 seconds to get it out and you’re probably going to screw it up and you’re probably also going to forget all those things and just say something, The first time I met Trey [<i>Anastasio</i>] was like that. I met him outside of his lodge at Sugarbush in 1995. I was just, “blah, blah, blah”, you know. I couldn’t really form sentences and said stupid things. I gave him a hug and he was all freaked out. Good for him, because I freaked him out. Over the years, I’ve tried to tone it down.<br />
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But battling the energy field is still difficult. Like being at the Grammys on the red carpet with Paris Hilton and Sting where you are right now. Just being cool, “Hey what’s up Paris, How are you doing?” “Oh, I’m a little cold.” “Have you got a sweater?” “No, I didn’t bring one…” Just bullshitting, but that goes a long way. Just be a normal person, you know.<br />
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<b>Thanks for being a normal person for this interview</b><br />
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PP: (laughs) Hopefully, I can be one for the rest of my life.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-78129184980421712662015-06-30T22:57:00.002-06:002015-07-02T20:04:25.339-06:00Interview: Pete Pidgeon of Arcoda, part one<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A relative newcomer to the Front Range, singer/songwriter <a href="http://www.petepidgeon.com/" target="_blank">Pete Pidgeon</a> moved here from the busy New York music scene. In the few months he’s been here, he’s fallen into the local music community and also made strong connections on the business side. Part of what makes him fit in so well here is his earnest, engaging nature and his open stylistic approach that includes pop, Americana, jazz, and even some funk.<br />
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I had the chance to talk with Pidgeon at DazzleJazz club in Denver, before we both enjoyed listening to his Arcoda bandmate, pianist Adam Bodine, lead his jazz combo through a solid set.<br />
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This is part one of our conversation, which has been condensed and lightly edited.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18255530843" target="_blank" title="100 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="100 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3777/18255530843_222a8d0de6_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>How would you define your music, if you had to do it?</b><br />
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Pete Pidgeon: I usually say songwriting because that’s really the core of it. If you listen to Bob Marley or Paul Simon, or if you listen to Whitesnake, all of those bands are songwriting. It’s based on form and a verse-chorus and lyrics and all that kind of thing as opposed to jazz or jam band, which are mostly instrumental.<br />
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If you took Billy Joel, for example, he’s got a genre of songwriting, but his style changes from tune to tune. So, he can do a doo-wop '50s song and then he can play a straight out pop tune, and he can do piano ballads. He has these different styles within his own genre. So when you think Billy Joel, you think Billy Joel. You don’t think he’s a reggae guy and then he’s a world music guy<br />
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I think we - we meaning the band and myself; I write the tunes -- we sort of fall into that category. There’s a genre for the band, which is the umbrella of songs. I may write a song in a reggae style or an R&B style, but the genre is based on this verse-chorus type of organization.<br />
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<b>I do hear a lot of different influences in your music. I can hear some some Phish on a few things. I can even hear a little bit of Moxy Fruvous. Certainly I get what you’re saying about songwriting because you have that kind of singer/songwriter stage presence. Listening to your songs, you tap into that to either tell a story or create a mood.</b><br />
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PP: No matter what the style is that you’re conveying, you can still get a similar message across. If you listen to Tesla’s albums, like their <i>Five Man Acoustical Jam</i> record and you break that down, it’s straight ahead songs. You think of them as a hair metal band or whatever, but really, if you strip all that stuff away, it’s just song forms. And part of the genre aspect of that was hair metal '80’s, but stylistically, they’re pretty much a songwriting band. Whether it’s disco or pop. It makes it more fun and more flexible as a musician to be able to do different stuff and keep it interesting and not be limited.<br />
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<b>With the kind of eclectic sound that you have, do you think that’s it harder or easier for you?</b><br />
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PP: I think it’s 50-50, but in the long run, it’s easier. Because, for example, we could open for Leon Russel or Bonnie Raitt and do a stripped down show. We could do a straight ahead rock show because of songs like “Will” and “Whirlwind” and “She’s Right”. We could play a folk situation, like Newport Folk Festival or something like that. I could play solo acoustic. I just did that “<a href="http://www.jambase.com/Articles/125188/Songs-Of-Their-Own-Pete-Pidgeon-Wharf-Rat" target="_blank">Wharf Rat</a>” performance for JamBase, for the GD (Grateful Dead) 50 “Songs of Their Own” series.<br />
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<b>I saw that on YouTube.</b><br />
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PP: So, it gives me all these opportunities to do different things with different people and different areas of the field rather than being limited. If we were only a folk band, we can only play in that little niche. I also have so many songs at this point. I probably have 120, or 130 tunes that are completely finished, recorded, polished and everything. Within that set of a hundred or so tunes, say we do thirty on a gig, that gives me almost four or five complete sets of music that we can play in these different venues. If we did a show at Dazzle, I’ve got a jazz instrumental set. If we did a show at Cervantes or at OneUp, we have enough jam band style material that we can make that show a success and get people off.<br />
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<b>You said that it was 50-50, though. What’s the downside?</b><br />
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PP: The downside is probably just when you book shows or when you’re asked to define yourself in very limited circumstances, you have to come up with a thing. Like with ReverbNation: they ask you to come up with your genre. I think currently our genre is Americana. That’s what the new record is for the most part. So, if we’re focusing on what’s one thing we are right now, I have to come up with a response and coming up with that response is sometimes difficult if I don’t have a defined situation. I think Americana is what we’re doing in 2015 and where we’re headed with the new record and everything, so it’s a little bit of an easier answer, but if you had asked me three years ago…we’re rock. I guess, because there’s no songwriting genre. Coming up with that definitive answer can be difficult at times.<br />
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<b>Talking about the different kinds of gigs you say you can do, though, doesn't it make it harder to have an identity that you fans can connect to? Your fans have to work a little bit to figure out what is it that makes you their thing.</b><br />
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PP: I think that’s what is so great about Denver that’s not really present in a lot of other areas of the country is that the fans here will go to an EDM show one night, the next night they’ll go to a country show, then they’ll go to a folk show, they’ll go to a rock show, They’re almost tuned into accepting the eclecticism of these bands. So, here we’ve been very successful. We can do different styles of music and people aren’t going to say, “Oh, this isn’t what I thought you were.” And they’re not only accepting of it, but they like seeing that diversity. It makes it an interesting show. We’re not going to come out and play the same show every time. It’s always a different setlist, depending on who’s on the bill or what room we’re playing in. I think that’s probably our biggest asset. Because if you’re a hard rock band and you end up playing a rockabilly club, you’re kind of in trouble. But if we play Little Bear in Evergreen, for example, we’ll play rockabilly for two sets and people will love it.<br />
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<b>So, what brought you to Colorado? You’re pretty much an East Coast guy -- New York and Connecticut.</b><br />
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PP: Yeah, I was born in Connecticut and then I spent a few years in New Jersey at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers. Then I moved to New Paltz, NY, about an hour and a half north of Manhattan. It’s out in the woods. It was the hippie town of hippie towns in America when I was there, anyway, between ‘95 and 2000. I lived in a house called the cloud house, which was yellow when I lived there, but it used to have clouds and sky painted all over it like a Peter Max painting. It was like the San Francisco of the East Coast, but in very small, subtle town.<br />
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That’s where Arcoda started. I sort of made this band thing and tried to sort of congeal all of these ideas to one name and one direction. The lineup continually changed, but just having that idea of a band that’s a repository for all these songs that I’m writing. No matter who’s in the group, we’re going to do these songs and play out.<br />
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I graduated SUNY New Paltz with a Jazz Studies degree and then moved to Boston until the end of ‘07. That was a great time. From 2000 to ‘02, '03, there were a lot of great bands on the scene: The Slip, and Percy Hill, and Madison Project, and Uncle Sammy. There was this great vibe but then the dynamic of the town and the clubs changed and a lot of the bands broke up and the clubs started shutting down or being bought out by corporate companies and stuff. Then I moved to New York City, I lived in Brooklyn for three and a half years and that was great because it was the kick in the ass I wanted about just learning the hardcore business aspect of everything and getting to meet some of the big names and work with bigger people.<br />
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Unfortunately, the skyrocketing rent and ability to live in that town became impossible. So, I moved back home for a little while and back to Connecticut to sort of figure out what I was doing. I bounced between Millerton, NY and Canton, CT, and Boston for a couple of years, just trying to make some money and save up, figure out where I wanted to go. I did a lot of research. I had come to Denver in 1996 for the Phish concerts at Red Rocks. I thought it was amazing. It was just the coolest town and a great buzz. I knew I always wanted to get back here. Then I was the lighting director for The Slip in 2000 and we played the Gothic and the Fox on that run. Just incredible people, great vibe, great music scene. So, I knew some people out here. Eric Imbrosciano, who was one of the drummers in Arcoda back in the day, he ran the funk jam at the Armoury on Wednesdays. So, he brought me down there and introduced me to a bunch of people during the Phish concerts at Dick’s in 2014, Labor Day. So, I hung out here for a week and I loved it and I came out and it‘s been...It was the right move, it’s been amazing.<br />
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<b>You mentioned the changing lineup for Arcoda. Did you come here alone and then build the current version?</b><br />
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PP: Right. The band I was playing with in North Hampton, Mass, they were some of the most talented young players in central Mass. Really, really good players and good people. The trouble was that there aren’t any paying gigs in central Mass. That whole scene is very difficult to get paid as a musician. We did a few gigs, but they weren’t paying much money, if any money, and they were getting a little frustrated that the bread wasn’t there, and I was getting frustrated because I was paying out of pocket and losing a whole bunch of money. So, I knew I had to get out of there and make a change and move. I just came out here and with Eric’s help, he introduced me a lot to the scene and I got my feet on the ground. Slowly but surely, I met all the musicians and found out the ones that would work.<br />
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<b>I’ve seen you open for Atomga’s CD release party for <i>Black Belt</i> at the Bluebird [<a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/2015/06/concert-review-atomga-cd-release-party.html" target="_blank">review</a>] and then I saw your recent show headlining at the Fox [<a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/2015/06/concert-review-pete-pidgeon-and-arcode.html" target="_blank">review</a>]. I think you’re getting out and about well in the area. Does this feel like where you want to settle in for the duration?</b><br />
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PP: It blows my mind. A lot it has to do with the talent buyers here being human beings. Like Chris Peck and Jake Nixon for example, who do Z2 [Entertainment]. They had faith in the band and in myself. I’m not used to people either taking a chance or having faith in us. I have a great bio, of course, but in New York City, everyone has a great bio. So, I was used to this sort of brick wall mentality. Where I’m just beating this wall until my hands are bleeding. I’d say, “Look I’m good, I’m really good. I’ve played with these famous people and I’ve been at the Grammy Awards and I’ve done these great things.” They’re like, “So is everyone else who’s trying to apply here. So why are you any different?” Being out here, where people are actually receptive, that’s been the biggest difference. It makes me work harder as a performer to live up to their expectations. If they’re going to believe in me, then I’m going to work hard for them and try to make sure that they’re going to get their money’s worth out of it. It’s a great symbiotic relationship. I’ll definitely stick around for that.<br />
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<b>It’s interesting to me to hear about a musician coming to our market with intention. Coming from a hothouse scene like New York, and then seeing your performance of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIzb4UCmYmY" target="_blank">Just Like a Woman</a>” at the Jeff Buckley tribute show - your cover of his version is just fantastic…</b><br />
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PP: Thanks.<br />
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<b>Your phrasing and the emotion you brought to it was really sharp. It was his version, but you made it your own. I respect that.</b><br />
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<b>But you were in that sort of crowded environment, where people can get discovered, so moving to Denver is surprising. There are a few bands out of Colorado that have moved up, but I’m not used to people coming here to do that.</b><br />
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PP: In general, if you have money in New York, you’ve got a great shot. If you can get a publicist that can hype every one of your shows and get you into big time media, then you’re probably going to do well, if you’re a good artist. But the hustle on the ground to get the gigs, to get paid for playing your gig, and then retain that audience for your next performance in a city where you have people playing at Madison Square Garden… You’re going up against Billy Joel, you’re going up against Phil Lesh and Friends, you’re going up against these major artists that are playing for tens of thousands of people. And it’s not just one venue, you have Barclays Center, all these huge spots. So, no matter what you’re doing, your competition is so enormous, it’s so hard to draw in New York.<br />
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By coming out here, you don’t have that overarching pressure where you have to be in the New York Times tomorrow in order to get anywhere. or if you’re not spending $4000 on a publicist, you can’t play and get gigs. There’s enough of a grassroots scene here. If you do hustle and work hard, you can get the fanbase energized and get people out to your show and get people out to the next show, which is the biggest hurdle. No matter how many people came out to that first show, if they can bring a friend to the next show, and you keep growing on it, that’s the whole point. I think that’s possible out here.<br />
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Also the venue sizes are manageable. There’s a ladder here that didn’t exist in Boston. In Boston, there are very few mid-range venues. You skip right up to 4000 at House of Blues and even, the Paradise, which I think is 600 people, is a generously sized room, but it’s considered a lower tier room in that town. Getting from ground one to the Paradise, you might have Church, which I think is a couple of hundred people, a couple of venues. Two or three venues, literally, and then you skip right up to 600, then after that, you skip to 4000. The ladder’s all messed up. Out here, you can play the Walnut Room for a hundred and something people or the Armoury for one hundred, two hundred people. All these clubs, there’s so many options where you can get on at a certain level to get up to the next rung of two or three hundred people, and then you’re at the Bluebird for 500 people. and then 800 at the Boulder Theater, 1000 people at the Gothic.<br />
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It makes the business much easier. And it’s not as expensive a town, so I can pay my band, which I couldn’t really do out East, unless I was really taking a hit. Also, literally the fans. What blew me away on day one, was that the fanbase in Denver is so energized. They go out to shows on a Monday at midnight. You can go to a show and there’ll be 100 people there. Meadowlark jam on Tuesday night or the funk jam that I do at the Armoury every Wednesday, we get people out at midnight in the middle of the week and that does not happen in Boston. Because the fans here love going out, they love supporting music, seeing music, being part of the scene. That’s the number one reason I moved here. It’s got an energy to it.<br />
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<b>How do you see this playing out? In your dreams, how do you want things to go from here?</b><br />
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PP: Considering that the Arcoda launch party was at the Walnut Room in February -- in a little more than four months, I’ve already done more than I expected to do in four or five years. I’ve played the Fillmore, I’ve played the Boulder Theater, Bluebird, headlined the Fox., I’ve worked with a bunch of great musicians in town. So, my expectations have not only been met, but exceeded through this period of four months.<br />
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<b>I mentioned those recent shows, but I know you have also some busy weekends lined up. By the time this interview has posted, you’ll have played the Colorado Brewer’s Festival in Ft. Collins and Crested Butte later that same day.</b><br />
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PP: Yeah, the Brewer’s Festival, there will be 20,000 people. We’re playing the mainstage. We got offered to headline that festival, but because we’re playing Crested Butte, we have to play an earlier slot, but still, it’s a great opportunity.<br />
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<b>And you’ve already got things lined up in July, too, right?</b><br />
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PP: We have the Bluebird District Music Festival. Going back to what I was saying about the talent buyers, Tony Mason and Drew Gottlieb have been really supportive of our band and believed in what we’re doing. they put us on the inaugural Bluebird District Music Festival, which a huge honor and we can’t appreciate that enough. We’ll work really hard for that. And we just got the direct support spot for Anders Osborne at the Breckenridge Brewery Hootenanny after-party at Cervantes. And we’re co-headlining the Rialto Theatre July 17 with Miles Lee Band. He’s a really good friend.<br />
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As far as goals go, though, the next big goal that I want to do is play at Red Rocks. I’m trying to get into the Film on the Rocks clique and hopefully we can get a call on that someday. We have an album coming out, called <i>All the Little Things</i>, probably in October, which has Levon Helm from the Band on it and Chris Pandolfi from the [Infamous] Stringdusters, and Ryan Zoidis from Lettuce, who just sold out Red Rocks<br />
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<b><i>We finish our conversation in <a href="http://jesterjaymusic.blogspot.com/2015/07/interview-pete-pidgeon-of-arcoda-part.html" target="_blank">part two</a> of my interview with Pete Pidgeon of Arcoda</i></b><br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-37014043850842403422015-06-25T18:31:00.000-06:002015-06-25T18:33:16.341-06:00What's cool? Mastodon, "Asleep in the Deep"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">What a long, strange trip</span></i></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.mastodonrocks.com/" target="_blank">Mastodon</a> guitarist Brent Hinds may have slipped his leash recently when he ranted about his hatred of heavy metal in an <a href="http://www.guitarplayer.com/artists/1013/mastodons-brent-hinds-i-never-liked-heavy-metal-in-the-first-place/52715" target="_blank">interview with Guitar Player</a>. He's evidently been trying to overthrow the band from the inside for years, to make them into something "not such a heavy metal band." A quick listen to their latest single, "Asleep in the Deep" from last year's <i>Once More 'Round the Sun </i>shows that he's still got his work cut out for him.<br />
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The song has a fair amount of progressive rock influence, with rhythmic shifts, an interesting harmonic flow, and a trippy bridge interlude, but the band's metal credibility remains intact with offset guitar grind, restless bass throb, and a thickly shadowed vocal atmosphere.The lyrics paint a paranoid picture of threat, but ultimately seem to find victory against the dark miasma of fear. Maybe so, but the feeling is anything but joyful or confident.<br />
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As enjoyable as it is to settle into the Gothic embrace of "Asleep in the Deep", this showed up on my radar because of Mastodon's new surreal video for the tune, directed by the artist, <a href="http://www.theartofskinner.com/" target="_blank">Skinner</a>. Think of it as the psychedelic response to the GoPro cat channel on YouTube. With his owner passed out on the couch, our feline hero splits in search of adventure. Almost immediately, he finds himself in a strange black-light zone, surrounded by a pack of bizarro cat-monkey puppets. And that's before the cat is dosed with some psychoactive milk. Then it gets a little strange...<br />
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This is definitely a treat, so sit back and enjoy:<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-69431235698274703082015-06-23T11:00:00.000-06:002015-06-23T11:00:09.949-06:00Recording review - Bohannons, Black Cross, Black Shield (2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Missed connections and missing links</span></b></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>2.25/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRDkrpE09yX1HD5TnW2V7zBeF7rfkFnWl7rE8MRLLr5iUm52KHVe8jOk0v8xGCrZhfR3yEjDWZEsMgWO8kLFlG9JRgKGirzwLIBt8oFP1stZk4gvNCEnbJd9r3VXVn2zbwVONVOGNYQ0/s1600/star-1.4.jpg" /><br />
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Did you ever have one of those first dates that started out so promising, but then left you checking your watch, waiting for it to be over? It's like the person could hold it together for the first five or six minutes, but no matter how intriguing and cool they seemed then, the rest of the evening had them unraveling until you wondered if that first impression was just a fluke. Maybe you even began to question your earlier enthusiasm. That's exactly where I find myself with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bohannons" target="_blank">Bohannons</a>' <i>Black Cross, Black Shield</i>.</div>
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The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvR4Vu7xm2o" target="_blank">title track</a> starts out awesome, opening with a heavily compressed guitar riff joined shortly afterwards by a harmonized guitar in the foreground. The tone has the visceral slam of AC/DC, but with a mellower retro blues rock pace. The reverberating vocals line up quite nicely with that, giving me a good idea of what it might sound like if Mick Fleetwood fronted a Black Sabbath tribute band. The droning guitars and thick pentatonic riffs conjure up a raw intensity. The bridge turns to old school psychedelia, reminding me of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men", and I'm caught up in the hypnotic swirl of distorted guitars. The best part is that it keeps showing kaleidoscope flashes of almost recognizable riffs: a touch of "Iron Man" here, a smear of "Sister Ray" there.<br />
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So, six minutes in, I'm thinking this could be the start of something great and I settle in for more. The Bohannon brothers' twin guitar assault continues on "White Widow". The classic rock vamp at the start isn't as catchy as the first track, but the band still plows into the full sound with enthusiasm. The music is pretty decent and the lead near the end throws in some speedier runs, but the initial attraction is starting to fade, in large part because the lyrics can't hold the song together. They sing the lines with gusto, but it's hard to pull a linear theme from lines like, "<i>Who's to say you're out of touch/ Just because you feel so much/ I just got born/ And then I died.</i>"<br />
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From here, the die is cast: the solid guitar work can never quite overcome the vague or repetitive lyrics. Bohannons slog through a string of hard hitting garage rock, but they never find the momentum that seemed so natural on the title track. Songs like "Dias de Los Muertos" or "Lightning and Thunder" plod along and never really deliver any satisfaction. The best of the lot, "Death and Texas", has a righteous Neil Young shred (in fact it's fairly derivative), but the platitudes about illness and loss offer little insight: "<i>To watch you fade / Day by day / Has got me a little down on God / And his mysterious ways.</i>"<br />
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I toughed it out to the end, hoping I could salvage some of the magic of that initial taste. The final tune, "Red, White, Black and Pale", is a doom-filled, apocalyptic vision but it doesn't measure up to anything Mike Doughty wrote for his recent ambitious musical, <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K2X1w7eF6I" target="_blank">Revelation: A Rock Opera</a></i>. So, no magic miracles to save the day. It's rare to turn so sharply from hot to cold on an album like this, and I began to doubt my memory. Was I suckered in somehow at the start or did Bohannons lead with an uncharacteristically strong tune? Unlike a disastrous date, there was an easy way to check the facts. I steeled myself, hit replay, and dove back into "Black Cross, Black Shield".<br />
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On the second listen, I still enjoyed the song's classic metal grind and dynamic pacing, but I also noticed some cracks in the facade. In particular, the similarity between the chorus and Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle", became impossible to ignore, even though the band cloaks it in wailing guitar tone. That revisit makes it easier for me to send <i>Black Cross, Black Shield</i> on its way with no regrets. It's not fundamentally flawed, but we're just not compatible after all.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-41448257889818408412015-06-18T08:44:00.003-06:002015-06-18T08:44:28.327-06:00Commentary: Unclear on the concept<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Subliminal messages</i></b></span><br />
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It's all about the sound bite. Politics has developed to the point where major policies, political agendas, and complex issues are all boiled down to the simplest of phrases that no one could possibly argue with. If your guys says it, it's obviously right and the other guy's equally catchy battle cry can only be dismissed with cynicism about whether he actually means it. That race to the trivial catchphrase seems to work both ways, though. In particular, Songs like <a href="http://brucespringsteen.net/" target="_blank">Bruce Springsteen</a>'s "Born in the U.S.A." and <a href="http://www.neilyoung.com/" target="_blank">Neil Young</a>'s "Rockin' in the Free World" have been praised by politicos from both sides who can't seem to hear anything more than the anthemic chorus refrain. Both of these tunes in particular have struck a chord with people who never seem to have listened to the darkly critical words in the verses. Springsteen sang, "<i>I'm ten years burning down the road/ Nowhere to run, ain't got no where to go,</i>" referring to the hypocrisy of how America treats it's soldiers and working people in general, and Ronald Reagan's team ignored all of that to focus on that soundbite chorus, even asking the Boss to endorse Reagan in '84. It did not go well.<br />
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Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" has had similar treatment. Even as he mocked George H.W. Bush directly with, "<i>We got a thousand points of light/ For the homeless man/ We got a kinder, gentler/ Machine gun hand,</i>" neocons took the song as a celebration of capitalism's triumph over communism. The latest moron to miss the point was Donald Trump, who used the song for his entrance when he announced his 2016 presidential run on June 16. That led to Neil Young making the most unnecessary official statement denying a tie to Trumps campaign:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>"Donald Trump was not authorized to use "Rockin' In The Free World" in his presidential candidacy announcement. Neil Young, a Canadian citizen, is a supporter of Bernie Sanders for President of the United States of America."</b></blockquote>
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Using either of these songs, or any other similar pieces should be a new litmus test for political fitness. Ignoring the main thrust of the lyrics just because a line in the chorus resonates is not just a sign of shallowness -- we are talking about politicians here -- it's a sign of poor judgment. We don't have much choice about whether to settle for the soundbite. We should cry foul, though, when the slogan undercuts itself.<br />
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As a service, here's the lyrics video version of "Rockin' in the Free World" to help Mr. Trump out.
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-36784176491023450972015-06-16T21:03:00.000-06:002015-06-16T21:12:15.191-06:00Concert review - Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda, with The Way Down Wanderers and Mama Magnolia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">13 June 2015 (<a href="http://www.foxtheatre.com/" target="_blank">Fox Theatre</a>, Boulder CO)</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>3.5/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mWwmd72u_qTesf9PeVV4H7HcPaTRPcnWFWxnx-TB5veGmqjEp8v4fX2mnX5bOdC8sNhEBW_sU3MCGOyJCC6SmFTUx9Y8FZUtyTk0Bh2AWW_zU6NrbHnF7EIMWzqIqS44VEkxBckZx3A/s1600/star-1.2.jpg" /><br />
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Sometimes, I think the hardest thing about playing music professionally isn't the hours of rehearsal time, nor is it loading equipment in and out. It's certainly not standing up in front of an audience and baring your soul. No, the hardest thing is to get those people there in the first place. Each of the three acts playing this bill at the Fox managed to entice a small cadre of fans to turn out, but most only stayed for their one band, leaving a lot of space in the hall. The performers all took it in stride, making the best of it, but there's no denying that a bigger crowd would have fed the energy for the evening.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.mamamagnolia.com/" target="_blank">Mama Magnolia</a></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18688496660" target="_blank" title="034 Mama Magnolia by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="034 Mama Magnolia" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5448/18688496660_e2dcbc162e_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
Preparing for the show, I was already familiar with Arcoda's sound and I knew that the Way Down Wanderers were a bluegrass band, so that set some expectations for the line up. Since, I hadn't come across Mama Magnolia before, I assumed that they'd fit in with that: sort of folky, maybe a bit country or bluegrass. Seeing the horns on stage pretty much put that idea to rest, and when they jumped into a jazzy soul groove, I felt the pull.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18255535793" target="_blank" title="001 Mama Magnolia by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="001 Mama Magnolia" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5612/18255535793_e802188f87_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
Despite the lazy sway on that first tune, it quickly became clear that the band was a crack squad of musicians. The horn punches fell perfectly into place and the solid rhythm section left plenty of room for ornamentation. Lead singer Megan Letts was great. Between songs, her stage presence was very unassuming but quietly confident. Before that first song began, she seemed a little mousy and shy, but it took no time to dispel that impression. Her vocal range was very dynamic as she dropped from full powered diva mode down into a softer emotional space, only to build the songs back up again. All the while, her gestures subtly supported the mood. During the instrumental breaks, she gave over to the music and danced along.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18876164105" target="_blank" title="033 Mama Magnolia by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="033 Mama Magnolia" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3826/18876164105_bdf3a90f9a_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
Letts was a strong front woman, but she didn't eclipse the rest of the band. The horns got plenty of chances to step forward as the set developed. Carrie McCune's trumpet riffs were particularly sharp, but Sean Culliton did a fine job on sax, as well. Later in the set, the songs brought in more funk rhythms and Zachary Jackson pumped up the party with his sharp bass lines. The last song they played wrapped up with a cool vocal ending that segued into a dreamy floating interlude, building and subsiding as they looped through the changes. This is definitely a band to catch live; their versatility introduced a good range of sounds from danceable funk to pop R&B.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://thewaydownwanderers.com/" target="_blank">The Way Down Wanderers</a></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18878967051" target="_blank" title="084 Way Down Wanderers by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="084 Way Down Wanderers" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5602/18878967051_8654a3a3df_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
I never thought of Chicago as a haven for bluegrass pickers, but banjo player Ben Montalbano assured me that the city has a healthy, supportive scene, and it's diverse enough there that I'm willing to believe him. On their website, The Way Down Wanderers bill themselves as folk-Americana, but their set at the Fox was steeped in bluegrass, with a fair mix of modern folk and the occasional country twang. Instrumentation goes a long way towards setting that mood, with banjo, upright bass, and a tag-team fiddle and mandolin combo.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18688448868" target="_blank" title="059 Way Down Wanderers by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="059 Way Down Wanderers" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3824/18688448868_a670220bef_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
But more than that, the vocal stylings and tight harmonies were right on target. Guitarist Austin Thompson had a Dylanesque sound, reedy and nasal, but blending with the others, he could push the songs into that high-lonesome zone. It turns out that most of the band's front line could sing, and the vocal trade-offs meant that each of them got to share lead singing duties.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18849918836" target="_blank" title="072 Way Down Wanderers by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="072 Way Down Wanderers" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3702/18849918836_93259c6a96_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
The Way Down Wanderers had a relaxed, friendly stage presence and a genuineness that resonated with the audience. Even though the venue was far from packed, the band had been out earlier at the farmers' market and had generated some local interest, including a group of Chicago transplants that were happy to reconnect with their home town. The music stayed fairly upbeat and the crowd caught the rhythm and moved along.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18688447528" target="_blank" title="085 Way Down Wanderers by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="085 Way Down Wanderers" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5330/18688447528_d5c4e3960e_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
The playing was topnotch, but Collin Krause was the most impressive as he alternated between mandolin and fiddle. At one point, the band dropped out to give him some room and he tore it up on the mando, tossing off lightning fast runs as he developed his motif. When he hit his final note, there was just the briefest pause and then the song began with a vengeance as the whole band launched into the changes that Krause had just laid out. Krause may have stood out the most, but the rest of the band were no slackers.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18849919296" target="_blank" title="061 Way Down Wanderers by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="061 Way Down Wanderers" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3907/18849919296_4fe0c561fd_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
The Way Down Wanderers hit most of the songs on their new EP, <i>Wellspring</i>, Of these, my favorite was "Burn This City". Although the banjo and mando tied it to their core sound, they pushed the folky sound of the recorded version into a darker rock direction, driving to a speedy thrash ending that had the audience jumping along. "Circles" was a close second, drawing on a host of comfortable, familiar sounds like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Ryan Adams' folkier material.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18876161475" target="_blank" title="082 Way Down Wanderers by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="082 Way Down Wanderers" height="640" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5348/18876161475_ce83cb7120_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="425" /></a>
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Within the relaxed bounds of folk-grass playing, the band still managed a number of nice unexpected treats, including a couple of surprising covers. The first was a treatment of "Someday" by the Strokes. A couple of tunes later, they introduced "a very sentimental tune," which turned out to be their ripping version of "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5. The audience played their part and sang along. The band wrapped up their set with a strong take on the old standard, "I'm Sitting On Top of the World". The Way Down Wanderers' version was fairly peppy, taking it home with a big bluesy ending that tipped it's hat to Cream's reworking of the tune.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.petepidgeon.com/" target="_blank">Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda</a></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18253617664" target="_blank" title="131 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="131 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3788/18253617664_e37c994319_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
After seeing Pete Pidgeon and his band open last week's show for Atomga, I was excited to catch them as headliners. Where they were an outlier on the bill at that show, this time Arcoda straddled the two opening acts. Their retro 70's vibe and Pidgeon's soulful vocals fit with Mama Magnolia's work, and the main folky/Americana thrust was in line with the Way Down Wanderers' approach. As a bonus, the mix was a lot clearer, making it easier to hear everybody's parts. Both Pidgeon and keyboard player Adam Bodine had great lead chops and this time I could pick out both instruments.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18688492260" target="_blank" title="108 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="108 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3687/18688492260_33fed0ab69_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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It was probably coincidental, but as Arcoda were completing their setup, the house music came around to a jazzy arrangement of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing". This provided a perfect segue for a very relaxed start. Pidgeon improvised along with the house music as they were getting their levels set, and then the band sidled into their first real song, playing some spacy, amorphous changes that fit well with Pidgeon's earlier noodling. The meandering keyboards and gentle swells contributed to a trippy groove before it coalesced into a soulful singer-songwriter arrangement, but still with a loose jam band vibe. That made the impact of the tight punches and breaks more powerful when they came.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18255530843" target="_blank" title="100 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="100 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3777/18255530843_222a8d0de6_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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My first impression last week was that Pidgeon seemed fit to channel one of those early '70s folk-rock bands, but this show expanded on that with a wider range of material. Arcoda brought in some jazzier rhythms and retro tones that, along with Bodine's keyboard work and the band's polished arrangements, were very reminiscent of Boz Scaggs and also of Rickie Lee Jones. Pidgeon's voice was flexible enough to support all that and more. His ballads were especially nice. On "Growing Pains", his singing anchored the sweet, wistful music with a grownup wisdom and depth.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18849912386" target="_blank" title="154 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="154 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5603/18849912386_b062430e39_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
While the band did a fine job on their own, the evening included a couple of guest appearances that really deserved a bigger audience. Soul singer <a href="http://www.dechenhawk.com/" target="_blank">Dechen Hawk</a> joined the band for a tune, and his voice was a perfect match for Bodine's Leon Russell style playing. Hawk and Pidgeon turned out to be birds of a feather, reinforcing one another and finding the emotional heart of the song. Later, local guitarist Peter Stelling sat in and added some great leads on his classic Gibson SG. In both these cases, Arcoda created a good match between their song selection and the guest artist, showing everyone off to their best effect.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18870969552" target="_blank" title="204 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="204 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3751/18870969552_c7cb3b8a25_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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I'm not all that familiar with the band's originals yet, but there were two songs that really jumped out the most for me, maybe because they pushed the band to test their technical ability and generate some excitement at the same time. The first of these was "The Wind and the Lover", a funky number that could have been an outtake from Frank Zappa's <i>Over-Nite Sensation</i>. Bass player Nate Marsh locked in with Pidgeon on the tag riff and then settled into a foot-stomping, gut-bucket bassline. Jared Forqueran contributed to the fun with some wicked drum fills that made the chorus snap. The other high point was near the end of the set; it must have been the next to last song. I didn't get a title for it, but it was a jam band instrumental that started out jazzy, but developed into a monster tune that reminded me of Jeff Beck. While everyone stretched out here, Pidgeon's guitar work was the star attraction. Despite the late night and the poor attendance, this was an ecstatic celebration of shred.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18255527003" target="_blank" title="134 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="134 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5459/18255527003_c2dc601a65_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
I'm sure the band would have appreciated a better turnout, but no one in the hall could complain about Arcoda's performance. Like professionals, they played like it was a sold-out show and they challenged us to be an audience worthy of that experience.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18255530153" target="_blank" title="109 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="109 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3872/18255530153_f353de7ba2_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
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More photos on my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/sets/72157652333149774" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.</div>
Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-40626079651960629382015-06-11T13:15:00.000-06:002015-06-11T13:15:09.908-06:00Recording review - Steven Wilson, Hand. Cannot. Erase. (2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Music vs. narrative: take your pick</span></i></b><br />
<b><br /><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>3.5/5.0 </sup></span></b>
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" br="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mWwmd72u_qTesf9PeVV4H7HcPaTRPcnWFWxnx-TB5veGmqjEp8v4fX2mnX5bOdC8sNhEBW_sU3MCGOyJCC6SmFTUx9Y8FZUtyTk0Bh2AWW_zU6NrbHnF7EIMWzqIqS44VEkxBckZx3A/s1600/star-1.2.jpg" />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8igpnDNpTNEv6u7_JnOevt3GVZao0DqiLqKsJDZFASsNUVhLGLjbKS4MD6_K5SufJ3IfiH42G5p-Pb9H519kbVcQgvsKmf9b4gqy7P2Ivwtq3cEGZlVdFg0zEiQfyop0IKhoGfQC7ymE/s1600/Steven_Wilson_Hand_Cannot_Erase_cover.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />Context is often the key to appreciation. I prefer to approach new music with as little baggage as possible, so I came to <a href="http://stevenwilsonhq.com/" target="_blank">Steven Wilson</a>'s <i>Hand. Cannot. Erase.</i> as a blank slate, ready to see where it led me. His music usually has an ambiance that is best experienced without any preconceived notions. This time, though, I had a hard time getting a grasp on the album; I couldn't find the context. The bigger, more progressive moments were beautiful and moving, but the first two tracks seemed emblematic of the project as a whole. There was a discontinuity between the slow fade-in amorphousness of the first piece and the dynamic expansion of the song that followed.<br />
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Normally, Wilson helps his listeners keep that tabula rasa mindset by offering little commentary about his music. Even though he isn't too fond of putting his work under a microscope, this time he’s had several <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/phil-simon/hand-cannot-erase-an-inte_b_6778506.html" target="_blank">interviews</a> where he’s discussed the story of Joyce Carol Vincent that inspired <i>Hand. Cannot. Erase.</i> She was a young woman who dropped away from her friends and family sometime around 2000. What made this newsworthy is that she died in her London apartment in 2003, but her body wasn't discovered until 2006. Wilson came across the documentary/drama, <i>Dreams of a Life</i> and found both the movie and the real story compelling.<br />
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It's a good starting point for a concept album: aside from the poignant ending, there's a fundamental mystery that gives an artist room to speculate and expand upon. Fittingly, the songs on <i>Hand. Cannot. Erase.</i> are fairly indirect, offering their own oblique signals as they outline the woman's gradual abdication from her community, punctuated by kernels of loss and pain. Wilson doesn’t tie himself to the details, but steps into his own parallel narrative. For example, his ending expands on a minor factual detail to suggest a final hope for reconnection that comes too late. With a freer hand, he positions his character at the center of a self-imposed conflict. The songs are full of ambivalence, sometimes repurposing or reframing the same words to offer cross meanings. The music is similarly hard to pin down. Sparse simplicity lurches into stormy surges of emotion, and electronic elements are juxtaposed against warm analog instruments.<br />
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Knowing the inspiration clarifies things a bit, but ultimately, it’s not quite enough.The larger musical gestures like “Ancestral” fall outside the project's conceptual arc because their scale dwarfs the delicacy of the story. It’s a tough trap for Wilson to avoid. The indirect approach lets him leave room for interpretation, but that subtlety can't compete with the scope of his musical expressiveness. If that’s the downside, the upside is that he is continuing his creative growth and expanding his palette by integrating more sampling and electronic sounds as well as bringing in a female singer, Ninet Tayeb, to represent his lead character.<br />
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The album starts slow and thoughtful, but the second, longer track, “Three Years Older”, picks up the pace with the energy of The Who spliced with flashes of Rush. The instrumental section spins out for a solid three minutes before the first words come in. The song is effectively an overture prologue that sets the stage for the album’s story. Wilson sings with a gentle sympathy, sketching out a chain of disengagement that, by the end, suggests a suicidal solution. Once the vocals are out of the way, the remaining three minutes launch into a series of diverse themes that range from pensive introspection to a frantic King Crimson style break. These sections try to bridge the polar ends of his character’s solitude and her seething social anxiety.<br />
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The music is a good reflection of Wilson’s usual style, and the.loneliness is clear, but the roiling emotion feels out of proportion. Later, “Home Invasion” and “Ancestral” will evoke a similar reaction: the music is among his strongest writing, but they seem tied to his own perspective rather than relating to the tale he’s trying to tell. Despite the tenuous connection to the album’s narrative arc, “Ancestral” turned out to be my favorite track on <i>Hand. Cannot. Erase.</i> The rich textures swing through extremes, from the sparse beat and brooding guitar at the start, accented by a jazzy flute, to the fluid, expressive post-rock shred on the solo. A mix of old and contemporary influences adds to the melange, creating a blend of Radiohead with Gentle Giant.<br />
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Even if the album has trouble balancing its song arrangements with the narrative, Wilson has done a good job of echoing the unknowns of Vincent’s life with lyrics that hinge on ambiguity. On the title track, “<i>Hand cannot erase this love,</i>” is an assertion of connectedness, but there’s also an undertone of co-dependence and a hint of domestic violence. On “Transience”, the line, “<i>It’s only the start</i>” initially seems optimistic, but then it turns around to represent the dark fate that’s coming. If there’s a moral here at all, it’s tied to how we should understand Vincent’s life choices. There’s a fundamental paradox: it seems she chose this path as a coping mechanism in reaction to social pressure and disappointment, but ultimately it led to her destruction as she faded from life and memory.<br />
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Wilson succeeds at using the bare bones of Vincent’s story to explore the nuances of this conflict. At the same time, his music writing and performance are as strong as ever. I just wish I didn’t have to pick between the two when I listen to <i>Hand. Cannot. Erase.</i><br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-86315204631272785082015-06-08T23:09:00.000-06:002015-06-09T05:56:08.086-06:00Concert review - Atomga CD release party with openers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">6 June 2015 (<a href="http://bluebirdtheater.net/" target="_blank">Bluebird Theater</a>, Denver CO)</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.25/5.0 </sup></span><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRDkrpE09yX1HD5TnW2V7zBeF7rfkFnWl7rE8MRLLr5iUm52KHVe8jOk0v8xGCrZhfR3yEjDWZEsMgWO8kLFlG9JRgKGirzwLIBt8oFP1stZk4gvNCEnbJd9r3VXVn2zbwVONVOGNYQ0/s1600/star-1.4.jpg" /></b><br />
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Concert lineups often make for strange bedfellows, but honestly, how many African-influenced, horn-intensive dance bands are knocking around Denver for Atomga to partner with? Okay, there are probably a few, but this bill opted for a potpourri of acts to build up the energy. For the most part, this worked out well. Atomga drew a big, supportive crowd, happy to move to the music. They've just released their new album, <i>Black Belt</i>, this week and this was a first chance for many of us to hear these songs live.<br />
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The Bluebird was an intimate setting for the show. The stage was a little cramped with band equipment and personnel, but the band transitions went fairly smoothly and quickly. Throughout the course of the evening, though, the mixes were far from ideal. The instrumental balance for the first two acts left some of the players seeming superfluous because their parts were so hard to pick out. Also the vocals were a bit muddy and indistinct for everybody. The audience had no trouble hearing the beat, though, and moving along.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/petepidgeon" target="_blank">Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda</a></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18626728485" target="_blank" title="013 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="013 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/380/18626728485_d071334042_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
Arcoda might have seemed like the odd band out: their retro-tuned Americana didn't have any horns and they only had a paltry four members. All true, but Pete Pidgeon and his group proved to be the perfect aperitif for the night. Pidgeon looks like he should be heading up one of those early '70s California rock bands, like the Eagles. Their set didn't settle for a peaceful, easy feeling, though. While the first song was relatively laid back, his cover of Bob Dylan's "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" got things going with a tempo that was more upbeat than the live Rolling Thunder Revue version. Adam Revell's keyboard work recalled Billy Preston's soulful accompaniment, giving the tune a funky drive. Pidgeon's tight pedal tone guitar lines were buried in the mix, especially by the fat punch of the drums, but when they shone through, they sounded great.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18438975948" target="_blank" title="016 Arcoda by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="016 Arcoda" height="425" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/334/18438975948_b029207409_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
The band largely deferred to Pidgeon, letting his expressive presence take center stage, and he had the confident spark to own it. Aside from that Dylan cover, most of the material seemed to be original, and Pidgeon inhabited the songs. As he and Arcoda deftly handled the dynamic musical shifts, his body language choreographed the intensity of the songs. Even though this was a very different groove than we'd hear for the rest of the night, the band's tunes did find enough funky rhythms to fit in, even when they shifted into a more modern indie rock style. I look forward to catching these guys at another show. I know they're playing at the Fox in Boulder next weekend.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HumanAgency" target="_blank">Human Agency</a></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18439042510" target="_blank" title="021 Human Agency by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="021 Human Agency" height="425" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8849/18439042510_68126f9410_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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On the surface, Human Agency should have been a smoother fit on the bill. Unlike Arcoda, they had a horn section and their heavy drum beats tapped into a dance friendly space. Unfortunately, their set never really gelled and they lacked the stage presence to engage the audience. To be fair, it turns out that this isn't really the group's usual milieu; normally, they're an electronic dance trio with a pair of DJ/sound engineers and a live drummer. In that world, the shoegaze focus on the equipment would be perfectly fine. Incorporating the brass and a guest guitarist for this show provided some protective coloration, but the amorphous repetition couldn't hide that they were out of their element.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18628932211" target="_blank" title="027 Human Agency by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="027 Human Agency" height="425" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/361/18628932211_0b9d304c0f_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
The side players integrated in fairly well, responding to signals so breaks and endings were tightly synched, but there wasn't enough structure to suggest more than just some horns jamming along to a pre-recorded backing track. The muddy mix did them no favors; the turntablist may have had more technique than a transformer scratch and a bit of chopping, but it was impossible to tell. Even the horns alternated between blaring and anemic. The drums were the only instrument that consistently stood out. The good news is that Jonas Otto was a phenomenal player. Locked into his own world with eyes shut and headphones tight, he nonetheless nailed every tag and dismount.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18006083873" target="_blank" title="032 Human Agency by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="032 Human Agency" height="425" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/308/18006083873_af0c70ff3e_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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Listening to Human Agency's <a href="https://soundcloud.com/human-agency" target="_blank">Soundcloud page</a>, they do have some decent tracks. I recognized some of "Half Plug" from the show, but the recording had nuances that we couldn't begin to hear at the Bluebird. They did provide a buffer between Pete Pidgeon's set and the horn heavy sound later, but it proved to be more filler than filling.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://dirtybourbonrivershow.com/" target="_blank">Dirty Bourbon River Show</a></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18626725795" target="_blank" title="061 DBRS by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="061 DBRS" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8836/18626725795_647c2f89d2_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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About five minutes into Dirty Bourbon River Show's set, I realized I was face to face with my newest performance nightmare: the thought of having to walk on stage after this band and their madcap circus dance music. Aside from being great players, all of these guys are very visual, with the king of the crew being frontman Noah Adams. Adams had a thick, scary beard that three mountain men could easily timeshare, but he was also one of the most electric performers I've seen in quite a while. His sense of showmanship and magnetic personality were almost unnerving. While he mostly played keyboards, he had a couple of surprises up his sleeve. including a pocket trumpet and a miniature soprano trombone, so we were never sure what else he might do. He and the band knew how to work the crowd up and manage their energy.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18440562779" target="_blank" title="058 DBRS by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="058 DBRS" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/557/18440562779_6a45f4d480_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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DBRS opened with the Eastern European gypsy jazz of their song, "Wolfman" and Adams embodied the character, taunting and challenging the crowd. This was a strong start, but he showed that he could bring that same intensity to a more serious tune on the drag blues of "Esmerelda" from their recent album, <i>Important Things Humans Should Know</i>. As the band wound their way from these sounds through Dixieland turns to funky grooves, the overall sense was a mix of Dark Carnival and danceable funk. Several times during their set, a couple of the players referenced "Entry of Gladiators" in their solos to cement that sense -- if you imagine a circus song, that's almost certainly the one you're thinking of -- but, despite the sardonic humor, DBRS was no novelty act.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18628929941" target="_blank" title="073 DBRS by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="073 DBRS" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8840/18628929941_90302d8306_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
Instead, they're like a high quality party band pumped up to Major League level, but leavened with just the right amount of quirky weirdness to keep the audience off balanced and intrigued. Adam's rough growl was more than balanced by backing vocalist Sandra Love, who drifted on and off stage to add her seductively soulful voice as needed. Regardless of who was singing, though, DBRS was always swinging. The crowd's dancing and cheers were all the encouragement the band needed.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18626726975" target="_blank" title="043 DBRS by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="043 DBRS" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8848/18626726975_9cbcfee378_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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As much as I enjoyed Adams' musical romps from keys to accordion to trumpet, I was most impressed with their boss of the bottom end, Jimmy Williams. Williams divided his time between the electric bass and the sousaphone (and a one-off flute line). At one point, he muscled his way through a tight walking run of 16th notes on the sousaphone, maintaining the rolling rumble of bass notes without missing a beat or looking out of breath. Given that the band is from New Orleans and this was in the Mile High City, that was an impressive feat!<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18439040650" target="_blank" title="053 DBRS by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="053 DBRS" height="640" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/491/18439040650_9915c4f699_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a><br />
At the end of their set, after the flashy drum solo on a full kit and extension ladder, DBRS finally took it home with their last song, but even then, they sprung a twist. They dragged out the ending with a final loose meandering riff that suddenly transformed into a quick reprise of their opening tune. Adams is indeed the Wolfman, and we cannot stop him.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.atomga.com/" target="_blank">Atomga</a></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18628929151" target="_blank" title="089 Atomga by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="089 Atomga" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8847/18628929151_131b1bbab1_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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A lesser band might have worried about being upstaged by Dirty Bourbon River Show's manic set, but Atomga was unflappable as they set up for their turn. They were clearly excited to deliver the goods to the nearly sold out house. Everyone found their position on the darkened stage and, after a brief amount of preparation, a simple horn line coalesced into a steady vamp with everyone falling into place. In standard Afrobeat fashion, they took the time to assemble and set that groove until it became a foundation for wider exploration. This was actually a good model for the show as a whole, because the first several songs stayed on familiar ground before the group started digging into their new material.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18004071614" target="_blank" title="106 Atomga by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="106 Atomga" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/313/18004071614_c59f90fa8f_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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By the second tune -- "Empire", from their eponymous EP -- Atomga were playing wholly in the moment, finding that shared space were everything just flowed: Frank Roddy's hand offs to Leah Concialdi's baritone sax were effortless and natural, singer Kendra Kreie's voice was soulful with an iron core, and the drums and percussionists toyed with syncopation, inciting the crowd to movement. It's hard to identify the exact moment that it happens in a given show, but there's always a tipping point where it's not just music, but an invitation to hypnotic, ecstatic dance.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18628928421" target="_blank" title="097 Atomga by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="097 Atomga" height="640" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/398/18628928421_7ee900bb28_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a>
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Atomga's dedication to the groove and to the joy of their music eliminated any sense of competition with DBRS or any of the other acts. As always, it's a treat to witness the band's interdependent yin-yang aesthetic: their arrangements are tightly coordinated, but it's just as important to them to have fun up there and leave room for improvisation. Roddy and Concialdi were focal points, as usual, but everyone in the band brought their own zest to the show, whether it was Alice Hansen's energetic trumpet riffs, Casey Hrdlicka ripping through a wah-wah driven minor key solo, or Peter Mouser's classic psychedelic organ work.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18439038490" target="_blank" title="094 Atomga by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="094 Atomga" height="640" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8859/18439038490_3b99728eb6_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a>
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Everybody pulled their weight, but if there was an MVP for the night, it was Samual Lafalce on bass, who was amazing. Apparently in honor of the title of the new album, he wore a karate gi and black belt. Although he stuck to the back line, he put on his own show, mugging for the crowd with a melodramatic scowl (and twinkling eyes) and hamming it up with rock star poses. His campy pantomime was eye-catching, but it was even better to surrender to his expertly fashioned bass lines that locked into fine-tolerance perfection. His playing was central to setting up the backdrop for the rest of the band to work against, especially on the new tunes.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18004073044" target="_blank" title="082 Atomga by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="082 Atomga" height="640" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/428/18004073044_d538c9869d_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a>
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Speaking of the new album, the setlist included some real gems that I'm looking forward to hearing again. I think my favorite was "Sly Devil", which set up a kind of reggae groove with Hrdlicka's guitar swaying through the chords rather than hitting a straight chank. Lafalce's bass provided a subtle bounce as Roddy's lazy, meandering sax work wound over the beat, but really everybody had the chance to contribute key elements to the intricately assembled whole. Kreie's vocal line reflected the relaxed mood of the sax groove, but the challenging vocal mix made it hard to catch the lyrics in detail. What I could discern sounded political in a similar vein to "Empire".<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18438972518" target="_blank" title="080 Atomga by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="080 Atomga" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/437/18438972518_b76170e815_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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Aside from all the musical fun, Atomga also celebrated <i>Black Belt</i>'s release with their own party clowns for this show. Their "bubble brigade" filled the hall and they also tossed inflatable beach ball creatures out into the crowd. The only thing missing from this baby shower was a diaper cake. Check back here soon for a full length review of <i>Black Belt</i>, but in the meantime, if you get the chance to catch Atomga, jump on it: they continue to be one of the best live acts in Denver.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/18006079353" target="_blank" title="105 Atomga by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="105 Atomga" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/504/18006079353_1ddbc9c9cb_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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More photos on my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/sets/72157654274296001" target="_blank">Flickr</a>. Also <i>Black Belt</i> is available on Atomga's <a href="https://atomga.bandcamp.com/album/black-belt-2" target="_blank">bandcamp</a> page.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-44892008078772565582015-06-04T17:36:00.000-06:002015-06-04T17:37:07.625-06:00What's cool? Post Paradise, "Ordinary"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Driving guitar and silky cello power a solid new single </span></i></b><br />
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This is not a humble brag, but as a music critic, I get around a hundred emails a day promoting an overwhelming variety of bands. That's one of the ways I find out about all kinds of under-the-radar acts and their music. Occasionally, though, the system tosses out a surprise. This time, it was a local Ft. Collins band, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/postparadise" target="_blank">Post Paradise.</a> I've seen these guys several times, but haven't gotten around to reviewing their show. Fortunately, their PR people at <a href="http://www.lafamos.com/" target="_blank">LaFamous Press</a> brought them back to my attention with a track from their upcoming EP.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/173341537&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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"Ordinary" starts with a tight nervous energy spawned by the one-two punch of Nick Duarte's driving guitar and the edge of desperation in his vocals. "<i>A heart, a flame/ An ordinary name/ Too smart to believe it.</i>" The band joins in for the second time through the opening lines, creating a relentless sense of inevitability; the ride has started and we're buckled in. It's a solid song, but Amy Morgan's cello makes it anything but ordinary. She flows between the registers of her instrument, first offering silky bass accents and then sawing through some higher notes to support a staccato guitar strum.<br />
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Morgan enriches the band's sonic palette, but Post Paradise builds on it with songwriting that takes advantage of all their players to develop stronger dynamic changes and a range of melodic motifs that are both non-trivial and catchy. All of this serves to remind me of how much I've enjoyed their performances, and spurs me to catch another show soon -- this time for more than just my own enjoyment.</div>
Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-63345883803313297272015-06-02T20:58:00.000-06:002015-06-02T20:58:48.965-06:00Recording review - The Underground Railroad to Candyland, The People Are Home (2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">DIY thrash in bittersweet little doses</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>3.0/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2Wb4vKr1RMp7rSGsWghkBQ4_ctFeFq5IAIHtZ6gSpiAhYvXCqBIlw0xRLf3q03HBLJkIkWx0NrtTu_PENSTnyt1wOMClf493BUCtDqqCimwcpZaGzPDVt0cBkv3PA18InpU4SuZGZ5Y/s1600/underground-railroad-to-candyland.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />The biggest promise of punk rock was how it challenged the excesses of progressive rock. By reasserting music's folk roots, punk sucker-punched master musicians and their egos to assert that anyone could try their hand at it. It needn't take talent to start a band and there were no record executives to impress. Audiences rewarded the bands that created the most enthusiastic shows or vented the most spleen or had the most outrageous songs. The downside was that there was plenty of mediocre crap to wade through, but it was worth it to come across a group that had captured something special.<br />
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Of course, it couldn’t last; new wave and synthpop soon softened out the rough edges. Years later, pop punk resurrected the ideals of DIY thrashy fun, but raised the musical standards to favor a stronger degree of technical skill. Harmonies were encouraged and the songs were less likely to become train wrecks. Still, some acts like Green Day showed larger flashes of artistic ambition. <a href="http://www.theundergroundrailroadtocandyland.com/" target="_blank">The Underground Railroad to Candyland</a> is no Green Day, but they hold true to an old school appreciation for simple garage rock structure seasoned with a solid anarchistic streak. Their new release, <i>The People Are Home</i>, favors short songs that step up, make their point, and move on. The playing is fairly competent, but the band shifts their perspectives like changing tee shirts, all the while keeping one foot in the garage.<br />
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The album leads off with “Dead Leg”, which digs up some found sound from an old Tom Vu real estate infomercial. The tight beat drives the cheery contrast between Vu’s hype (“You don’t have to ask your boss for a raise anymore, you can give yourself the best raise of your life: come to my seminar”) and the band’s biting response (“<i>Look at the lids, how they don’t blink/ See how he’s dead inside.</i>”). These wordy verses set the stage for the next sarcastic missile, “The Grownups Will Have Their Say”, which steamrolls through a sneering send up of adult advice and condescension. And like a teenager tuning out his parents’ lecture, it’s hard to really pay that much attention to the details.<br />
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By the time you get to “In Case You Dunno”, though, the spaces get wider and the lyrics get more repetitive as they turn from sarcasm to more visceral forms of expression. But frustration and worry are just passing phases, too. Like a set of vignettes from Short Attention Span Theatre, the ideas <i>The People Are Home</i> are a bit underdeveloped, and the Underground Railroad to Candyland relies on premature endings to salvage some pieces that barely get going, like the utterly simplistic, “You Don’t Like the Summer”.<br />
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The album closes on its strongest track, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9uLcsQtgvg" target="_blank">Th Ppl R Hm</a>”. The rhythm is compelling, some of the imagery clicks nicely, and it has some unexpected little treats like toy piano fills and subtle horn accompaniment. If all of these songs summon the chaotic rush of teenage existence, then this tune is summer vacation. Because <i>The People Are Home</i> captures that mixed up sense of angst and exploration, it serves as a good descendant of punk’s initial promise.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-90520643303139893332015-05-20T18:28:00.000-06:002015-05-20T18:28:23.700-06:00Recording review - Chui Wan, Chui Wan (2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Fringe music from the Middle Kingdom</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>3.75/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGMDLaSVCXPe9wqJigl503gvCpK15Oof4tcCjO01aboUaBv2zS4LQvX7VZ1dosrfa6Q4rz0UmHsTTq3pYypetzndE3tAzLPU-q1dtv2xM9ey4ZBD1NxaYXY92v-UAoHhA6l6IfZx02W8/s1600/star-3.4.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiPvP1gdmJa7NIdE2zDxDjXnOQ-pZAm6UitlSB1nEqeJJ8YBSUbl3Kv70hmLLCa3hW1TIzHHsmLgnFT2oXiA4LVXV2bZvGqqtQAt6XMR1fjZR9L47voWV2OJcy_5xhZgBw0nbjfaWZMI/s1600/ChuiWan.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />From skewed savants like Roky Erickson and Syd Barrett to modern mystics like Jim James and Wayne Coyne, psychedelic artists thrive out in the borderlands where the rules are flexibly vague and no one expects explanations. Beijing's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chuiwanband" target="_blank">Chui Wan</a> has set up their own camp out in the fringes and, listening to their latest self-titled release, they've been raiding the ruins and scavenging from a host of influences to create their unique blend of experimental, new wave neo-psychedelia. Call it crypto-psych, where bits of avant garde Pere Ubu coexist with the Velvet Underground and Beatlesque musing drifts past Gothic new wave moodiness. Like steampunk fashion, it’s intriguing to encounter familiar things in unusual settings, but this album digs deeper than mere aesthetics. Psychedelic music is often invested in capturing a mood and Chui Wan’s music seems to reflect the uneasiness of change in their native country.<br />
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At its most positive, that nervous energy can be tied to opportunity and the most upbeat track, “Vision”, seems intent on grasping the chance even as it continually mutates and slips away. The tight rhythm and jungle beat drums are fixtures, along with the guitar pushing simple melodies to the forefront, but the song evolves in several directions. Initially, despite the guitar, it has an electronic feel that reminds me of the programmed rhythm on the.Clash’s "Overpowered By Funk". By the time the vocals come in, the tone has shifted into a Bauhaus cum Krautrock groove. Chameleon-like, the focal riffs come and go in waves, until the piece transcends the relentless reinvention to reveal that the true answer can be found in the hypnotically syncopated drum jam. It seems to say that, faced with constant change, the best thing to do is move with it. It would be easy to imagine a 20 minute extended version rattling the walls in a dark, trippy basement club, but the four minutes on <i>Chui Wan</i> is merely a tease.<br />
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After this restless drive of “Vision”, the band shifts gears for “On the Other Ocean”. If the former was strongly directed, the latter offers fun house reflections of a hallucinogenic expedition. The jangling new age start suggests a spacy milieu somewhere between Star Trek and music from the “Hearts of Space”. Once the vocals come in, the context becomes more overtly psychedelic but retains the unanchored feel. Chiming melodic harmonies suggest a more traditional Chinese influence, but the detuned and watery, off-kilter vibe adds a spacious decadence. If this is the start of a journey, it’s hard to tell what it might be in search of. Ultimately, the track slips into an even looser jazz interlude before faltering and melting into a puddle. That ending isn't a disappointment, though. Rather, it’s just a natural waking from the dream.<br />
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The rest of the tracks on <i>Chui Wan</i> find still stranger worlds to visit, from the off-balanced Pere Ubu carnival of “Seven Chances” to the nervous new wave tension of “Only” or the Velvet Underground folk-psych pop of “Silence” (think of Nico singing, “I’ll Be Your Mirror”). The weirdest is the hot mess that closes out the album, “Beijing is Sinking”. The metal flake guitar intro gives way to an odd poppish bounce. Imagine bits of Pink Floyd's "San Tropez", John Lennon's "Number 9 Dream ", and maybe a touch of OK Go coming together in a mulligatawny stew. Some three minutes in, there’s a solo section that develops a nice meandering riff. Enjoy it while it lasts, because, all too soon, it’s overwhelmed by chaotic guitar and transitions into an extended psychedelic outro that’s longer than the initial structured interval.<br />
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But the stylistic mashups and nomadic song development are hardly detrimental to Chui Wan’s mission. Out where they play, landmarks shift -- Beijing is still sinking, after all -- and the point is to step beyond the maps.
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Here's a taste from the album:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/189783752&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></div>
Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-41677567733420315732015-05-18T19:30:00.000-06:002015-05-18T19:30:13.513-06:00Recording review - Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes/Under the Pink reissues (2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Who's that girl? Tori Amos reveals her assertive vulnerability</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.25/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRDkrpE09yX1HD5TnW2V7zBeF7rfkFnWl7rE8MRLLr5iUm52KHVe8jOk0v8xGCrZhfR3yEjDWZEsMgWO8kLFlG9JRgKGirzwLIBt8oFP1stZk4gvNCEnbJd9r3VXVn2zbwVONVOGNYQ0/s1600/star-1.4.jpg" /><br />
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How does the advice go? If you want to be successful, just be yourself. If anyone can attest to that, it’s <a href="http://www.toriamos.com/" target="_blank">Tori Amos</a>. She got her start fronting a synth-pop group, Y Kant Tori Read, that never made much of an impression. For better or worse with that band, she let the record company call the shots and dress up her image, and none of that connected with a larger audience. Rather than give up, though, she turned around and came back with two solo albums that overturned everyone’s assumptions.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamaoAZVRai0v7sf77Yp5EtZSVqPVZkQ2Sr9z8U2CDq-Ufss6BQ7ARN7Hs_iRH6uYkv5-2VEXjYtpta3CZOmQzuFlh_9_mgwUDrPoGU2milJ7cSIgYOCtPWUFLgAha9f6hT293dLJd_gI/s1600/little_earthquakes_deluxe.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />It's no coincidence that the cover of <i>Little Earthquakes</i> (1992) shows her emerging from her box. The airbrushed redhead from Y Kant Tori Read returned to her classical piano roots and found her sound, but more importantly found her voice. At first glance, she may have seemed like a normal singer-songwriter with solid vocal chops and pretty keyboard riffs, but she turned out to be a feminist poet with a talent for strong imagery and a yen to draw back the curtain on her own experiences. The piano and backing string arrangements reminded people of Joni Mitchell or Kate Bush, but her lyrics had a touch of Patti Smith and Lou Reed, yielding songs that flowed fluidly between ethereal beauty and self-aware grit. On <i>Little Earthquakes</i>, she processed and rejected a lifetime of repression, especially seen through lenses of gender and religion. Her authenticity was as honest as punk rock, but its strength came from its assertive vulnerability: she embraced her emotions but had the distance to put them into perspective.<br />
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That honesty actually increases the impact of her more confrontational songs. The provocative religious imagery in “Crucify” or righteous anger on “Precious Things” (“<i>So you can make me cum/ That doesn’t make you Jesus</i>”) are more shocking because they’re woven from her own life and frustrations. Amos also demonstrates a good sense of emotional dynamics. For example, the curdled fury of “Precious Things” gives way to crystalline calm on “Winter”, which stays with the theme of self-discovery, but dresses it in metaphor. The culmination, though, is the a capella lament, “Me and a Gun”, which recounts a rape experience with stark and ugly brutality.<br />
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Despite those challenges to gentle sensibilities, though, <i>Little Earthquakes</i> is also stunningly musical. String flourishes occasionally add some orchestral depth, the melodies develop rich complexity over time, and Amos repositions her classical origins into a pop context. She also introduces her idiosyncratic phrasing, both on the keyboard and in her singing. Like Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, or Elvis Costello, she instinctively knows how to stretch time and then catch up to color the meaning of her lines.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwx88ZWS7LAbh3G76zgNOwxrkSMcO_lwae1c9sy5P_0LsF0QzKNOHYFdg7kzET1cYZNszBllJwejeW2k3lt3WltWejZomO44nSqJYCxIGwrSSVE2QgeOzEqI0jUgaix2CMki0sE4OWg-g/s1600/under_the_pink_deluxe.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />If that first solo album tried to erase the bitter memory of Y Kant Tori Read, two years later, she had become confident enough to integrate more of her rock and pop side into her music. <i>Under the Pink</i> still had the piano foundation, but Amos was willing to tap into a stronger rock feel on some songs, adding fuzzed guitar and harder edges. The richer stylistic palette gave the collection a more immediate feel. Like <i>Little Earthquakes</i>, though, these songs were the opposite of pop fluff. Even when she followed a verse-chorus structure, her progressions offered nice surprises and she gave her artier side free rein on songs like "Bells For Her".<br />
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The opening salvo of <i>Under the Pink</i> whipsaws between extremes of texture and emotion. The wistful piano line of "Pretty Good Year" provides sonic continuity to <i>Little Earthquakes</i>, but it incorporates a trigger moment accented with a gut punch of bombastic guitar before settling again. Then, Amos begins the album in earnest with "God", where she breaks loose from her past with spiky cactus guitar riffs, a funky rhythmic groove, and the cleansing fire of sarcasm. She had appropriated religious imagery on "Crucify" to make her point, but now she challenges the whole order, offering heretical condescension for the Patriarchy. The chaotic guitar noise seems symbolic of both the outraged reaction she expects and her own childhood conscience. Either way, it's unable to break her cool rationality, "<i>Tell me you're crazy, maybe then I'll understand.</i>" It's a powerful moment, and Amos wisely leaves room for it to digest by changing gears with the dreamy "Bells for Her", which features a softly chiming prepared piano.<br />
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Both "God" and the catchy "Cornflake Girl" were rock hits, but Amos hadn't ignored her lusher musical side. The sprawling "Yes, Anastasia" revels in rich piano expression as it references both Joni Mitchell and Aaron Copland. But rather than a sharp divide in her musical persona, these two extremes were now integrated and gave a truer sense of who Tori Amos was as person, performer, and composer.<br />
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These two reissues celebrate that milestone, not only by cleaning up the mix -- <i>Little Earthquakes</i> sounds quite a bit crisper now -- but also by collecting most of Amos' early B-sides and several live versions. Many of the bonus tracks on <i>Little Earthquakes</i> were rejected songs from the recording sessions and demos she did for Atlantic Records. Some of these, while good, don't fit the mood she established on that album, but others like "Upside Down" and "Take to the Sky" would have been right at home. The peak is her stark performance of "Smells Like Teen Spirit", which is as far from grunge as possible, but it captures Kurt Cobain's intent better than any other band has managed to do. The concert takes that round out the bonus material are all fairly good; in particular, her arrangements of "Mother" and "Little Earthquakes" are both quite intense.<br />
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The <i>Under the Pink</i> extras include "Honey", which was cut late from the album for "The Wrong Band". It's a tough trade-off and Amos has publicly regretted it. Head to head, "Honey" is a stronger song, but "The Wrong Band" lightens the mood between the introspective "Baker Baker" and the bitterness of "The Waitress". Some of the other bonus tracks for <i>Pink</i> feature Amos' improvisational skills, including the Gershwin-esque "All the Girls Hate Her", and the live material gives a great sense of how confident she got playing with the rhythms of her phrasing.<br />
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With so much extra music, there are a few misfits -- C.J. Bolland's remix of "God" doesn't do it any favors, "Humpty Dumpty" and "Home on the Range" are both fairly weak -- but these deluxe editions do a great job of showing how Amos recovered and reclaimed her Self and found her path towards becoming such an iconic musician.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-828271501858649182015-05-10T14:40:00.000-06:002015-05-10T14:40:38.133-06:00Concert review - Southern Culture on the Skids with the Revelettes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">7 May 2015 (<a href="http://www.lh-st.com/" target="_blank">Shubas Tavern</a>, Chicago IL)</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.75/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGMDLaSVCXPe9wqJigl503gvCpK15Oof4tcCjO01aboUaBv2zS4LQvX7VZ1dosrfa6Q4rz0UmHsTTq3pYypetzndE3tAzLPU-q1dtv2xM9ey4ZBD1NxaYXY92v-UAoHhA6l6IfZx02W8/s1600/star-3.4.jpg" /><br />
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Fort Collins, CO has a decent music scene and I often make it down to Denver for shows. This time, though, I went a little further afield. My friend, Brent, invited me to Chicago to see Southern Culture on the Skids, and I couldn't say no. In a stroke of brilliant timing, I arrived for possibly the nicest two or three days Chicago has had since before the winter. The days were warm and clear and it was a pleasant evening walk from Brent and Lu's place to Shubas. The venue was relatively small, but SCOTS' enthusiastic fans made it a party evening. Great music, killer weather, and warm hospitality made this a wonderful vacation trip.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.revelettes.com/" target="_blank">The Revelettes</a></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17312300808" target="_blank" title="010 The Revelettes by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="010 The Revelettes" height="480" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7665/17312300808_3951f40302_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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Finding the right opening act is always a challenge . Most bands are either thrown together by the venue or they partner up for a tour, but that doesn't always turn out well. Sometimes the problem is that the audience resents anyone that makes them wait for the headliner. Worse, the opener can foster the wrong mood and make it harder on the main act. Southern Culture on the Skids solved that problem handily by bringing in local go-go troupe The Revelettes as their cheerleading squad.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17312505150" target="_blank" title="004 The Revelettes by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="004 The Revelettes" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8797/17312505150_a589b0c768_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
The show started with a pair of dancers shimmying in retro campy style accompanied by pre-recorded music. Then, the remaining three Revelettes tag teamed in for the next song. After a bit of choreographed fun, they got down to business. SCOTS has recently re- recorded their 1994 album "Ditch Digging" and the Revelettes brought up an audience member to help teach us all some dance moves for the title track. The volunteer picked up the steps quickly and soon fell directly into formation with the troupe. She had such a good time that she stayed on stage for the remaining songs.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17497960102" target="_blank" title="006 The Revelettes by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="006 The Revelettes" height="480" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7693/17497960102_774a36febf_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
The fun vibe and enthusiastic dancing made this a perfect warm up for the band and, later, we'd get the chance to prove we remembered the "Ditch Diggin'" steps.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.scots.com/" target="_blank">Southern Culture on the Skids</a></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17499853821" target="_blank" title="041 Southern Culture on the Skids by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="041 Southern Culture on the Skids" height="480" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7775/17499853821_cde8a45e1f_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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Southern Culture on the Skids had a casual start as bass player Mary Huff and guitarist Rick Miller sauntered out first and picked up their instruments. Huff briefly launched into Lynn Anderson's "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden", but it was just a tease before Dave Hartman came on stage on drums and the show officially began with the sharp-edged twang of "Skullbucket". Huff's solid bass vamp gave Miller all the foundation he needed to shred his way through the surf-style instrumental, and the crowd reveled in the bright distortion of his overdriven Silvertone.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17312491250" target="_blank" title="046 Southern Culture on the Skids by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="046 Southern Culture on the Skids" height="480" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7786/17312491250_5f021c7fc6_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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As the set progressed, I was struck by the communal feel between the band and their fans. They somehow bridged the relaxed celebration of a Southern pig roast and the congregational fervor of a faith healing service. Even as they tapped into a campy sense of fun, the trio imbued the songs with a respectful intensity. They smoothly flowed from surf to garage rock, chicken-picked pedal tones to thrashy punk rhythms, and bluesy vamps would give way to honkytonk country. The crowd tracked every twist and turn, intimately familiar with the songs, ready to sing along or feel the beat deep in their bones.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/16879787913" target="_blank" title="011 Southern Culture on the Skids by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="011 Southern Culture on the Skids" height="480" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5449/16879787913_663be955d3_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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SCOTS' playful attitude was at the forefront, with the tongue-in-cheek Southern themes of the lyrics and the band's stage presence and appearance. They pulled out some of their classic audience participation moves: volunteers distributing oatmeal pies from the stage and launching fried chicken into the crowd during "8 Piece Box". It was fun to watch Miller get a mischievous twinkle in his eye before he launched into those songs whose title says it all, like "Liquored Up and Lacquered Down" or "Put Your Teeth Up On the Window Sill". And while his green visored fishing hat and Huff's bouffant wig may have played to some campy stereotypes, they wore them comfortably, with little sense of affectation.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17312500180" target="_blank" title="020 Southern Culture on the Skids by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="020 Southern Culture on the Skids" height="640" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5344/17312500180_beb090e252_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a>
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But while we all laughed with them at the silliness and spectacle, it was clear that the band and the fans took this music seriously. Surf numbers like "Meximelt" locked into a psychedelic swirl, driven by Hartman's relentless tribal drum pounding while Miller intently channeled the legendary Dick Dale with a brambled wall of guitar notes. "Papa Was a Preacher, But Mama Was a Go-Go Girl" could have been a one-joke tune, but the honkytonk rhythm cradled Huff's twangy vocal, and it wasn't hard to think that there's a grain of truth in that: SCOTS understands the surety of the preacher, the physicality of the dancer, and the balance to love both equally.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17313788889" target="_blank" title="049 Southern Culture on the Skids by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="049 Southern Culture on the Skids" height="480" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5343/17313788889_852b3368e0_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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After the show, the band wandered out to sign autographs and chat with the fans, many of whom had seen them the night before in Berwyn. Plenty of performers do the meet-and-greet ritual, but even here SCOTS distinguished themselves. Rather than rush people to clear through the lines, they took the time to connect with each one. They'd humbly deflect the gushing praise and try to have a real conversation.Audience members understood that and waited patiently, knowing they'd get their chance to reminisce about their favorite show or tell the adventure of how they had made it to the venue that night. It was great way to show why, on stage or off, Southern Culture on the Skids are a class act.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17500089955" target="_blank" title="043 Southern Culture on the Skids by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="043 Southern Culture on the Skids" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8748/17500089955_c0745862ba_z.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>
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More photos on my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/sets/72157650270259393" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-80285695495535842252015-05-06T18:06:00.000-06:002015-05-06T18:06:59.332-06:00What's cool? Martin Gore, Europa Hymn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Unscripted reflection</span></i></b><br />
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When I was a kid, I loved to go to the natural science museum and look at the dinosaurs. There was something cool about seeing the articulated skeletal fossils next to artists' renditions of how they might have appeared in life. It was a while before I realized that those sketches were basically just guesswork, but that epiphany opened up possibilities in my mind as I imagined alternatives to what had been put before me. Even now, I prefernot to have everything all spelled out. The best books, movies, or music leave a bit of mystery that pushes some of the work onto the audience.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rfGw5jOl2sQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
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That's exactly why <a href="http://www.martingore.com/" target="_blank">Martin Gore'</a>s new single, "Europa Hymn" is so enjoyable, It's more like a gesture drawing than a fully developed song. Even though it's barely more than three minutes, Gore takes his time to place a small set of elements -- synthesizer swells and electronic beats -- and he lets them just reverberate within the sonic space. The track is moody and reflective, but the sparse arrangement doesn't provide much additional narrative direction. It rises from the synthesizer waves, builds up some rhythm to suggest a kind of down-tempo electro-pop, and then sinks back under the lonely surface, leaving room for a world of interpretations: it could represent the arc of a relationship, the ebb and flow of life, or even the sense of a sculptor finding the shape that hides within a block of marble.<br />
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Gore is best known as one of the founding members of Depeche Mode, and it's easy to hear the connection between this and his band work. But while the palette is familiar, this song distills synth-pop down to its electronic essence, discarding the urgency and tension to focus on an ethereal sense Zen purity, where the listener project their own meaning.<br />
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"Europa Hymn" is one of 16 tracks from Gore's new album, <i>MG</i>, which came out at the end of last month.</div>
Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-55440812636800422202015-05-03T19:54:00.000-06:002015-05-03T19:54:03.384-06:00Concert review - Bethany and Rufus, with Brahim Fribgane<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">30 April 2015 (<a href="http://baursmagic.com/" target="_blank">Baur's Listening Lounge,</a> Denver CO)</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.0/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><br />
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Baur's Listening Lounge is a new venue on the Denver music scene. It's a stylish bar and restaurant in the heart of downtown Denver with music events hosted by the non-profit <a href="http://baursmagic.com/mas/" target="_blank">Music Appreciation Society</a>. The M/A/S is focused on quality acoustic performances across genres. Aside from sponsoring Bethany and Rufus, they have a diverse selection of shows coming up, ranging from Brazilian jazz to chamber music. They aim to create a respectful, concert hall experience; the venue's intimate space encourages a greater sense of immediacy and connection. That worked fairly well for this show, but the lounge atmosphere meant that there was more conversation and distraction out at the edges of the room. The host, David Spira, tried with mixed success to keep that under control, but, fortunately, Bethany and the other musicians were captivating enough to overcome the mild commotion.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bethanyandrufus.com/" target="_blank">Bethany and Rufus</a></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17151026977" target="_blank" title="049 Bethany_and_Rufus by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="049 Bethany_and_Rufus" height="332" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8863/17151026977_a0ea22cbbd.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="500" /></a>
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Call it chemistry or magic, it's a beautiful thing when people come together to form a greater whole. Rufus Cappadocia carries on a cellist's tradition of expanding the role of his instrument. Where Zoe Keating turned towards looping to create layered masterpieces, Cappadocia takes the instrument out of the classical chamber and engages with the exotic sounds of North Africa and other global sources. He has an incredible ear and phenomenal technical proficiency. Bethany Yarrow grew up immersed in American folk and spiritual music, but she's built on that foundation to find musical connections that reach across the world. She has the vocal strength of a young Joan Baez, but she often taps into a soulful expressiveness that takes it to another level. The two find common ground with their global ear for music and they complement each other in how they internalize the rhythms and tones, whether through dance or flamboyant playing.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17358128761" target="_blank" title="016 Bethany_and_Rufus by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="016 Bethany_and_Rufus" height="332" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8725/17358128761_dcbac79c60.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="500" /></a><br />
Bethany and Rufus have a new album coming out, <i>Trouble in the Land</i>, recorded with their Roots Quartet. The bad news is that this tour did not include flutist Yacouba Moumouni or percussionist Bonga Jean-Babtiste, so we missed out on the full band experience heard on their <a href="https://soundcloud.com/bethanyandrufusmusic" target="_blank">Soundcloud page</a>. It was hard to feel too bad about this, though, because they had added a touring musician, Brahim Fribgane, who filled out the arrangements adroitly on cajón (box drum). Fribgane's playing was full of syncopated rhythm, but he also occasionally provided melodic accompaniment on the oud.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17358480805" target="_blank" title="041 Bethany_and_Rufus by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="041 Bethany_and_Rufus" height="332" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7735/17358480805_40033c445d.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="500" /></a>
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For lack of a better pigeonhole, Bethany and Rufus could be called folk musicians, they drew on that connection with their opening song, a rendition of the Civil Rights anthem "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around". In classic folk style, Yarrow pulled the crowd in to sing along, but this version was a joyful funk jam. That funk feel continued into "900 Miles". Cappadocia picked out a busy bass line on his cello while Yarrow soulfully coiled around the lyrics, letting the song build up a sizzling heat. When Fribgane came in, his drumming pushed it into a full-on danceable groove.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/16735981714" target="_blank" title="022 Bethany_and_Rufus by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="022 Bethany_and_Rufus" height="332" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8772/16735981714_4c26a222fc.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="500" /></a>
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The funky R&B was a good way to get the crowd warmed up, but by the time they got to their reworked version of "This Train", the North African influence on their music was undeniable. Cappadocia switched over to a unique quartet-tone baritone guitar that combined a pair of bass strings with two higher pitched twin strings, like the courses on a twelve string guitar or mandolin, while Fribgane played the oud. The restless polyrhythmic beat and the semi-tone melodies from the fretless oud reminded me a lot of the Malian blues that Ali Farka Touré used to play. Where a lot of arrangements for this song might rely on percussion to create a train wheel rhythm, Cappadocia and Fribgane set up repeated riffs that rolled like waves through the tune. Even without the oud, that North African sound resurfaced throughout the set.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17356564862" target="_blank" title="055 Bethany_and_Rufus by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="055 Bethany_and_Rufus" height="332" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8787/17356564862_bcc1680b5e.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="500" /></a><br />
After a brief intermission, the band came back for a second set that showed a very different side. The rhythms were more Latin and the songs rooted in those cultures rather than the American folk tradition. The centerpiece was a three song series, all associated with the Brazilian "Queen of the Forest", Juriama (sp?). Yarrow explained the mythology and put the songs in context, which seemed steeped in a kind of animism. The spirituality came across as a bit New Age, but most of the audience was receptive and the music overcame everyone else's reservations. Where the first set had been moody and soulful, these tunes were much more upbeat, and Yarrow danced ecstatically during the instrumental sections. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17170916830" target="_blank" title="050 Bethany_and_Rufus by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="050 Bethany_and_Rufus" height="332" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8768/17170916830_745ee39ec4.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="500" /></a>
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Bethany and Rufus are well matched as a duo and this show captured both their strengths. Yarrow's naturally open stage presence made her the friendly face of the band, while Cappadocia's wide-ranging technical prowess, from percussive tapping that suggests Les Claypool to tightly looped flurries, gave the music depth and complexity. It was great performance anchored in heart, rhythm, and soul.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/17332521746" target="_blank" title="038 Bethany_and_Rufus by Jester Jay Goldman, on Flickr"><img alt="038 Bethany_and_Rufus" height="500" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8794/17332521746_cb0c747fff.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="332" /></a>
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More photos on my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39075416@N03/sets/72157652326922372/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-6854559780118706652015-04-28T21:09:00.000-06:002015-04-30T15:16:11.975-06:00What's cool? Ovenizer, "Satan's Washing Machine"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Campy goodness, but solid post-metal delivery</span></i></b><br />
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Scratch the surface on most stuff and it's all the same, whether it's the latest tween girl pop fluff or a technically accomplished bluegrass banjo picker. What you see is what you get, and either you already like it or you don't. Like everyone else, I have my share of simple tastes, but I really love music with some layers to it, where you can dig in and find something unexpected. It's why I love bands like Too Much Joy, with tight-rocking, smart ass songs that often turn out to be more serious than they seemed at first.<br />
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With all the bands that I come across, it's always pleasant when something surprises me, and that's what caught my attention with the Finnish post-metal band <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ovenizer" target="_blank">Ovenizer</a> and their new single, "Satan's Washing Machine". The title alone is powerful in its ridiculousness: how deep in the barrel of metal imagery did they have to scrape to come up with the idea of Lucifer's home appliances? Before I even listened to it, I was ready for either the most pathetic metal band ever, or some group trying to pull a Spinal Tap.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AbPslA7lups" width="560"></iframe><br />
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The opening lines recall Spinal Tap's "Stonehenge", suggesting it's more likely a parody play: "<i>Spark flew from the tree/ Spawned in Satan's Washing Machine.</i>" But I've watched the video a few times and they treat it pretty seriously, avoiding any sly, subtle winks. Regardless of how offbeat the theme is, though, the song is well made. The opening imports some folky acoustic guitar to give the tune some roots while the lead singer's husky voice adds the visceral punch. The open, airy arrangement quickly fills up with solid drumming and a tight guitar riff. The chorus expansively edges into post-rock with thick walls of cymbal, guitar, and bass The double pedal kick drum work gets more impressive as the song builds, hitting a climax during the bridge.<br />
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The video adds its own perspective. It may have been shot on a budget, but it's lovingly constructed. The band plays on packed snow, surrounded a stand of tall trees with a torch burning in the background. In a nod to the inspiration, the set also includes the titular washing machine. You can tell it's Satan's because it's been eviscerated and it's conveniently labeled with "666". To match the rising intensity of the song, members of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flamma-Fire-Group/121834404500579" target="_blank">Flamma Fire Group</a> add some pyro excitement with spinning torches and spitting flames. Eventually, everything is on fire, including the instruments. By the end, the camera tracks through the snow to find the smoking, demonspawn Kenmore and then cuts back to the instrument pyre, merrily burning.<br />
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The video may revel in campy goodness, but the band plays it straight. If you don't pay too much attention to the lyrics, it's a solid post-metal outing. Maybe it's less Spinal Tap than Frank Zappa. Zappa was happy to entertain his audience with silliness like "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow", but that was the sugar to get them to swallow his musical ideas. Ovenizer certainly isn't the metal Mothers of Invention, but their growling tribute to Hell's laundry room is weightier than the first glance.<br />
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"Satan's Washing Machine" is from Ovenizer's latest album, <i>SWM</i>, on Norwegian Pope Records.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-18464877282639007042015-04-28T12:52:00.002-06:002015-04-28T12:52:39.165-06:00Recording review - Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld, Never Were the Way She Was (2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Violin and saxophone circle like perfectly paired dancers</span></b></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>4.25/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRDkrpE09yX1HD5TnW2V7zBeF7rfkFnWl7rE8MRLLr5iUm52KHVe8jOk0v8xGCrZhfR3yEjDWZEsMgWO8kLFlG9JRgKGirzwLIBt8oFP1stZk4gvNCEnbJd9r3VXVn2zbwVONVOGNYQ0/s1600/star-1.4.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxjaLfKVXWl0j_e9qlWaC5Mhzx_ZUuZlWG8WocY0zSp6aHk1hh033hyphenhyphenV1fBOtkAOjzKI3mg_vyNjxKUudCaY-2cDo0wFBsnGkuvHf8TGnUMsLAyci2TtiWnXvkREHPYywveNcmrkIU68/s1600/steson_neufeld.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />Surrounded by inorganic synthesizer tones, it's good to be reminded of not just analog sounds, but traditional instruments as well. Woodwind music is rooted in the raw physicality of breath. Strings, on the other hand, can sing with the expressiveness of an unchained voice that transcends mere respiration and can also slant into otherworldly realms. On <i>Never Were the Way She Was</i> saxophonist <a href="http://colinstetson.com/" target="_blank">Colin Stetson</a> and violinist <a href="http://sarahneufeldmusic.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Neufeld</a> blend their unique sonic fingerprints to find a magic in that meld that yields a yin-yang of cooperation and conflict. Of course, they've had plenty of time to learn each other’s style, working together in Arcade Fire and Bell Orchestre. This album of duets finds them gracefully connecting like perfectly matched dancers; the interplay sounds effortless, but closer attention reveals the complexity.<br />
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While Stetson’s side work is always impressive, his solo trilogy series, <i>New History Warfare</i> shows off his development as a master of his instruments. In particular, he’s learned how to harness a variety of techniques -- growls, vocalizations, and creative recording tricks -- to create stunning soundscapes. Over the course of these albums, he’s evolved his vocabulary and expanded the boundaries of the instrument. In his hands, the sax moves beyond breathy riffs and warps into experimental electronic tones and dark rumblings.<br />
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Neufeld is perhaps less inclined to play at the outside edges that Stetson enjoys, but her own solo work, 2013’s <i>Hero Brother</i>, demonstrates her stylistic and melodic range. She has a good sense of dynamics and how to build just the right mood. Her playing has a fluidity that accommodates sudden shifts from anxious obsession to angelic soaring, from ethereal reverie to passionate engagement.<br />
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<i>Never Were the Way She Was</i> feels like a continuation of Stetson’s recent work, but Neufeld pushes him into dialog with melodic parts that accentuate his ideas even as they offer a counterpoint. As in any conversation, the lead can shift from one speaker to another, and Neufeld and Stetson are comfortable circling one another in this way. But the real treat comes in those rare moments when their playing doesn’t change roles overtly, but the context shifts and, like figure and ground reversing in an optical illusion, suddenly the supporting instrument is standing at center stage. “In the Vespers” is a fine example of this. Neufeld’s staccato violin sets up Stetson’s rolling minimalist line as the focus. While the arpeggiated riff seethes with impatience and ambition, the violin maintains order as it relentlessly slices out its measured pace. In a subtle move, Neufeld modulates the tonal base and Stetson follows, acquiescing the lead to her. The tension builds and Stetson adds an anguished vocalization to his part and the tune becomes a battle of wills. Neufeld disengages and the sax twists in on itself. As the busy notes percolate, the violin returns with longer tones that calm the track down into resolution. Stetson is adept at creating that sense of roiling conflict, so Neufeld’s sense of harmony, both on violin and wordless vocals, provides a nice counterbalance.<br />
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Following the model of Stetson’s <i>New History Warfare</i> albums, this collaboration was recorded live, with no studio overdubs. While I’m sure the pieces were largely worked out, these songs have an immediacy that heightens their impact. Thus the anticipation and nervous excitement of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWtmGRkL5cw" target="_blank">The Sun Roars into View</a>” is visceral as it builds from predawn calm and a rising glow to a fast-motion blur once the day is truly underway. It’s a good start, but my favorite track is the spooky “With the Dark Hug of Time”. It starts off with rattling bass notes and sweeping strings, emphasizing the contrast between the instruments. The bass takes over and builds a plodding rhythm, part elephant and part lurching Frankenstein’s Monster. Stetson’s sax vocalizations creep in, as if the monster were moaning its lament. All the while, Neufeld contributes to the tension with fearful sawing tones. It finally reaches a shimmering pause as the beat drops away. The night calms, fading down to a low rumble and Neufeld’s cooing vocals, both wrapped in a rough distortion that adds a sweet surreal quality.<br />
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It’s so nice to hear <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stetsonneufeldduo" target="_blank">Neufeld and Stetson</a> circle and build on one another. <i>Never Were the Way She Was</i> is certainly less structured than what they do with Arcade Fire, but this collaboration reflects wild internal worlds without sliding into self-indulgence. And the sound? It's probably like nothing else you've been listening to lately.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-15777545045705742762015-04-23T19:31:00.000-06:002015-04-23T19:31:33.169-06:00What's cool? The Very Best with Mafilika, "Hear Me"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Roots </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">come together </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">from opposite worlds </span></i></b><br />
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Sometimes, you can travel to the ends of the earth and still find yourself back at home. Esau Mwamwaya was an experienced singer when he left his home in Malawi and moved to London in 1999. A serendipitous meeting led to an unlikely partnership with the production team of Radioclit to form <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theverybest" target="_blank">The Very Best</a>. Their electronic production complemented his soulful singing to create an intriguing mixtape that featured some surprising contributions from acts like Santigold and samples from a variety of pop and indie bands.<br />
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Fast forward a half decade and The Very Best was centered on Mwamwaya and DJ Johan Hugo. The pair had temporarily relocated back to Lilongwe, Malawi in 2013. They left the capital for village life in M'dala Chikowa to work on their new album in earnest, which edged their sound to away from its electronic foundations to develop a more band-oriented focus. The resulting project, <i>Makes a King</i>, just came out this month. It still ties back to their earlier work, but it's looser and more vibrant.<br />
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"Hear Me" is the first single off the new album, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REpJKN4udwM" target="_blank">that version</a> features bass work from Chris Baio (Vampire Weekend). The glitchy production adds a brittle quality that emphasizes the fragility of Mwamwaya's voice. It straddles synthpop reminiscent of Tears For Fears along with a deep African heart. While the studio take is pretty nice, this live version, recorded with Malawi Afrojazz band Mafilika, has a more organic feel.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nwctG98pTbM" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Mafilika mixes in live drums to go with the drum machine beat, which softens the stark edge of the studio recording. Hugo's production touches are still there to maintain the modernity of the song, but the sadness and resignation of the vocals comes through even stronger than before. Listening to the two perspectives side by side, it's easy to hear how the live version taps into the soul of the song as it first entered the world, before the studio production added a veneer of complexity to shade the tune.<br />
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Both takes are strong signs that <i>Makes A King</i> is worth digging into to hear how roots from opposite ends of the earth can intertwine.<br />
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-56046236354265686362015-04-21T17:02:00.001-06:002015-04-21T17:02:13.515-06:00Recording review - Ambrosia Parsley, Weeping Cherry (2013/2015)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Pervasive sadness is softened into dreamy surrender</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-large;"><sup>3.75/5.0 </sup></span></b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwZfO0EzGVTTADFoX-aAIF3i_4qngL1A8yHgCeJwm3xgSAA-cNM6Zu8dHdGL_6-l2oY7pBRGIO2qR6p2xfbVK1TRAPcXoOVE9gJaHSHVA1h70EWoiVf2K1oCjQYBhI6fzU6EDrlnkBhw/s1600/star-1.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGMDLaSVCXPe9wqJigl503gvCpK15Oof4tcCjO01aboUaBv2zS4LQvX7VZ1dosrfa6Q4rz0UmHsTTq3pYypetzndE3tAzLPU-q1dtv2xM9ey4ZBD1NxaYXY92v-UAoHhA6l6IfZx02W8/s1600/star-3.4.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlQn8zO9fdzgLGlDMOE6Ha2CRBTH8wtJjCtRsVbXbgvsmOX6ENNdVpY3w-LwCH8wCObU_0lVEFDHoHElUxVj-OhuteaJPqHaNC-jrw9L22obrLyWFzDQU1uZaEFP_OL-rYiCtxgs7rpE/s1600/ambrosia_parsley.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" />The timeless, unanchored feel of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmbrosiaParsley" target="_blank">Ambrosia Parsley</a>’s music reflects the narrative for the reissue of her 2013 solo album <i>Weeping Cherry</i>: both are hard to pin down to a particular moment or linear progression. The former lead singer for the moody Shivaree had plans to release a solo album as far back as 2008, but it never came together. Eventually, she released the tune “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKF46ojmUX8" target="_blank">Rubble</a>” in 2010, sparking renewed interest, but the album took another three years before it came out on France’s Fargo Records label. Now, another year and a half later, it’s finally getting an American release on Barbes Records.<br />
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Parsley has said that <i>Weeping Cherry</i> is rooted in a hard year of loss, which comes strongest in her lyrics. There is a pervasive sense of sadness in these songs, but her arrangements and singing soften the songs into dreamy surrender, rather than outright depression. Even when the undercurrent of loss rises to the the surface, like her line in “Catalina”, “<i>Another tear/ Salt the butter on our daily bread,</i>” the music keeps the emotions from overwhelming the songs.<br />
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There’s a lot of her former band’s retro sound in these songs, above and beyond the continuity of Parsley’s ethereal voice. But her writing shows other strong influences, particularly Radiohead and Elvis Costello. Like those artists, she’s more than just a talented singer/songwriter; each of these tracks feature arrangements that add depth and complexity. It’s interesting to hear her swing from retro pop to more modern styles, but she maintains a kind of languid delivery that creates a siren-like seductiveness. At the same time, her voice reminds me of Jill Sobule, with a vulnerable surface around a strongly grounded center.<br />
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That Jill Sobule comparison shines on “My Hindenberg”. Part of it is the simple, restrained acoustic guitar that complements the clear, folky vocal. It has a similar historical perspective to Sobule’s “Vrbana Bridge”, but rather than a snapshot story reminiscence, Parsley builds a moving metaphor for her own loss. She ties the iconic images of the Hindenberg disaster, full of helpless impotence, to her lyrics and makes them deeply persona. The bridge is particularly poignant, “<i>On the ground, we almost can’t believe it/ You were out of time and we were all out of place.</i>”<br />
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Most the music on <i>Weeping Cherry</i> is more layered than "My Hindenberg". Parsley’s Radiohead side turns up on that first single, “Rubble”. The warm bassline and guitar interjections are tethered to a deliberate drag beat rhythm. Think “Creep” mixed with a stripped down version of “Airbag” from OK Computer. Like “Creep”, Parsley locks into a low sense of self-esteem and fear that is drained of direct emotional weight. The arrangement leaves plenty of space to fit in a host of details. The guitar textures are especially sweet, rawly expressing the feelings that her vocals seem too scared to voice.<br />
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The Costello influence is more pervasive. Often, it’s her thoughtful phrasing, like on the title track, or a similarly handled chord run on “Only Just Fine.” But it’s most obvious in the dark, moody music and sardonic lyrics of “Make Me Laugh”. From the very start, the tune is unsettled, with stark percussion and eerie echoed tones. The mood abruptly shifts context, though, when the vocals come in with the evocative lines, “<i>Make me laugh / When it's 'goodbye'/ With a bill and a body count so high.</i>" The verses match Costello at his introspective best, full of musing defiance, but the walking bass and Parsley’s breathy delivery cut the creepiness and make it more like a disoriented dream. I love the jazz standard feel to the progression with its tremolo guitar accents. On the original release, this was a perfect ending for the album. This 2015 reissue tacks on “The Answer (Tim and Becky’s Wedding)”, which is more of a love song, albeit with hint of a 'beautiful disaster' vibe. While this bonus is a pretty song, it’s not as powerful an ending for <i>Weeping Cherry</i>.<br />
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While most of these songs would be at home on a Shivaree release, they do cover a wide sonic range. "My Hindenberg", "Rubble", and "Make Me Laugh" each show different facets of Parsley's writing style. Fortunately, her voice provides the common thread to tie these disparate pieces together.</div>
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Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029687837782894660.post-32148975286636170252015-04-16T19:07:00.001-06:002015-04-16T19:07:24.621-06:00What's cool? White Reaper, "Make Me Wanna Die"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Breaking up never sounded so easy</span></i></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/whitereaperusa" target="_blank">White Reaper</a>'s secret super power comes from the the synth-pop keyboards that sneak in during the first break of "Make Me Wanna Die". Up until that moment, it's easy to pigeonhole them as another set of low--fi, power-pop garage rockers from somewhere in the U.K. The punk sneer and throbbing downstroke guitar are anchored by a dead simple beat and pulsing bass -- it all sounds fine, but when the Cars-style synth riff drops, the poppy bounce is completely unexpected. Another surprise is that despite singing with a slight British accent, Tony Esposito and the band are from Louisville, Kentucky. I'm guessing they spent a lot of time listening to the Sex Pistols and the Ramones, but they've found their own unique balance.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/199141590&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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"Make Me Wanna Die" is a mixed up little gem, but in a fun way. It's a break up song, celebrating that moment right after the split is out in the open, when all you want to do is walk away and put it behind you. The relentless beat captures that discomfort and restless impatience, but the poppy keys say that they knew it was never going to work out anyway, and we should all just get over it.<br />
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White Reapers full length debut, <i>White Reaper Does It Again</i>, is due out in mid-July. That will be a treat.</div>
Jester Jay Goldmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576707094872373818noreply@blogger.com0