TestimonialObsession Collection is celebrating! One Year up a running! Thank you. This has been a year long endeavor that has been thrilling, gratifying and at times frustrating. All the many musicians and bands that I have seen, heard and written about have been a source of joy. The primary reason I write about them is to give them more exposure so that they can continue their pursuit of recording and performing. Some of this is selfish motivation. I am hoping that the music I get obsessed over won't just go away.
This is a vast world of music and sometimes great music can be overlooked and not nurtured or supported. I will continue to write thoughtful and well written reviews that are descriptive and informative, with the main focus always being the music. I hope that this Blog Site will gain more readership, and I am working hard at achieving that goal. Thank you to all the wonderful musicians I have met, their friends associates and fans and all the virtual friends that have taken the time to communicate and share. Love Artifact
While exploring the vast world of the Internet, I came across their page and kept going back. The music is derivative but has originality and a smorgasbordof instrumentation. On their profile they display their influences (Neutral Milk Hotel) without apologies. So I took it upon myself to see them live at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn. This is a group of fine musicians. Aside from some technical difficulties with the banjo hook up, they did a nice job presenting their material. The diversity of sound has unique possibilities because many of the members can interchange roles and instruments for different songs and even during songs.
This is a five-member band of guitar, bass, two trumpets, coronet, french horn, sax, accordion, ukulele,percussion/drums, bow/saw and banjo. The trumpet player Tim Koch sings and plays the ukulele and can pound on a drum piece changing roles without a hitch. I couldn't take my eyes off Dan Pardee. He played the saw and bow masterfully, accordion, trumpet, drums and even the typewriter. I admire his work ethic and acumen . Alex Muro the lead vocalist and guitar player was strong at the helm and affable. The brass section nicely supported his vocals harmonizing with him in between blows.
They are avery ambitious band, and given time and experience performing, their delivery will meet up with their ambition. I really enjoyed the set. My only criticism was that when they performed an obvious cover by Neutral Milk Hotel the whole band went into overdrive and was animated and exciting to watch. Their original songs sounded fine and there were moments when they were equally enthralled, but not as charged and confident. Hopefully with more experience their original songs will thrive as well. They are planning an east coast tour in the fall and I think they will develop their stage persona and work out some of the kinks. They are almost there and that is a good thing for a young band.
After the Show I purchased their release WhileWaiting for the Space Agethat has wonderful instrumentation, great song order and selection and is quite multi layered. There are some obvious "Hotel" segments on the recording but there is originality in the songwriting and arrangements. It also brings to mind the band Beirut but with more folk elements. Originality will develop with time. Inspiration and ambition are nice ingredients for the development of great music.
I finally found a music site destination that I consider home. I sometimes feel like a weary traveler when venturing to seek out music on the Internet. But this traveler was immediately enticed to stay and explore an original, innovative, and beautiful site. In lieu of photographs, Daytrotter displays original illustrations that are elegant, quaint originals. The artistic format is the bait and the hook is the content and the music. Daytrotter's music selection reflects their acute taste that formally presents alternative quality music. A standout feature is the signature "Daytrotter Sessions" which capture two recording sessions a week by selected touring bands. The bands record exclusive, reworked, alternative versions of songs and unreleased tracks available for free download. One click on an illustrated band image leads to four original one-of-a-kind tracks. Accompanying the sessions are literary articles that offer a highbrow approach to the written word, sometimes followed by a quirky, offbeat interview style.
The verbose writing informs the desire to hear the music of new and unknown music groups. This is a sample of Sean Moeller’s writing about the music of singer-songwriter Elvis Perkins........ Listen closely, and you can hear all of the intricacies that make Perkins unlike all other manners of fare and ilk. There are fireflies in these songs, and there are warm touches..................
I stumbled upon Daytrotter while writing a review about the band o’death, and found their SXSW recorded session. I was pleased to discover the recordings of bands I have written about, including, Two Gallants, Langhorne Slim, Willy Mason, Illinois, Trainwreck Riders, and many others in my personal collection.
I have permanently bookmarked this site, so it is always close to home. Daytrotter succeeds in designing a consistent quality experience that authentically represents its vision. I marvel at the future possibilities of this website. As it evolves, I hope it broadens the musical culture beyond the boundaries of mediocrity.
I started Obsession Collection one year ago in June. Having spent the last couple of years seeing live music and devouring recordings that blew my mind, I thought that maybe others would like to hear what I was getting so excited about.
The last week in June, a Garage Show, reaffirmed what I always believed: there is nothing better than hearing great music performed live. Sometimes it does matter where you see it.
This particular garage show was outstanding because of the line-up selection, order and timing of the sets, and the wonderful crowd of friends and fans, getting together to enjoy music.
First was a punk girl group Vivian Girls a three-piece from NYC playing guitar, bass, and drums. They played a short, sweet four-song set. They are fairly new and enjoyable, performing catchy punk with nice drumming. The crowd decided to sit on the concrete floor to fully appreciate the acoustic set by Francois Virot, an expressive lo-fi alternative folk singer-songwriter from France. His vocals were unplugged. The mic was situated under the guitar to pick up his beating, strumming, picking, and right-hand hammering (Kaki King style) up the fret.
Francois sings and records only in English. His distinctive voice patterns and range convey a variety of emotional levels. His vocals are shaky and muffled, as if he is holding something back. Suddenly he grunts, and his distant voice rises and squeaks with intense and chaotic abandon. His folksy eccentricities are creatively accompanied by his irregular guitar patterns. He is very original and captivating. The audience was absorbed by his intimate presentation.
I was surprised when the next band, Clara from France, came on with Francois Virot in the drummer's seat. This band has an intense sound using the keyboard (Amielie Lambert) as the melodic digital force, chaotic /psychotic drums, and frenetic electric bass (Charles Virot), relying heavily on distortion. Clara Clara plays hypnotic jams with occasional moments of sing-along type phrasing. The sound is explosive, erupting with rhythms and very loud distortion. The crowd moved in a trance-like motion of ecstasy until the last song, leaving a sweaty, musty residue in the garage cocoon to get some oxygen.
The air being anecessity, was a lost cause when Kickball, a band from Olympia, Washington, came on. They are an infectious trio of guitar, bass, and drums. The band has the perfect mix of lush solid indie pop, catchy sing-along punk, and dance-propelled grooves.
The lead singer and guitarist, Jacob Wilson, has a distinct voice with a very appealing range. He vocalizes like a Cantor in a clear high pitch and sings every syllable in broken phrasing patterns like; Ev/ er/ y / things / a / mir / a / cal. He stutters to find a word and then holds it for effect. With the guitar, he creates memorable intricacies that ebb and flow between Adam Oelsner's creative bass line. Lisa Schonberg, the drummer, plays expressive energetic percussion and is a charismatic force in the band, communicating with her bandmates.
The crowd of ravenous fans loved and craved the old favorites and embraced the newer, recently released songs. Their bodies were in constant motion, sweating profusely, singing along, and displaying admiration and love for Kickball. The band was at a point of exhaustion, but the audience finagled two more songs. They obliged with enthusiasm. Kickball has energy and awesome chemistry. Seriously no one wanted this show to end.
This was a great night. There were no annoying drunk patrons, just music fans, as they should be. "everything is a miracle nothing is a miracle everything is" buy on Kickballmyspace site
The Luna Lounge is a nice square venue with high ceilings and a wide stage. It was the perfect venue for the celebration of o’death’s album “Head Home,” re-released on Ernest Jenning Records, a NY label. Joining them for the festivities was the opener Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band from Indiana. This was the Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band’s first venture to New York, and they said they were a little apprehensive. Well, they were welcomed with open arms, cheers, laughter, and a very heartfelt and enthusiastic encore. The band performed a rip-roaring set of Mississippi Delta blues, catapulting that genre to exemplary levels.
The Reverend Peyton bought three beautiful vintage acoustics for the stage. He fingerpicks and slides simultaneously and uses unusual strumming patterns to create melody and bass drive while singing joyously. He is a guitar virtuoso. It was a joy to watch him smile as he played the guitar as close to his face and ears as possible to hear the beauty of his favorite friend.
Reverend Peyton is a big burly, bearded man with a broad voice. Joining him on the stage was his wife, Washboard Breezy Peyton. Wearing special gloves to hold her metal picks to strum. The washboard provided wonderful zing to the percussion. She is buxom, and her stage presence is refreshingly different. Let's just say her formidable chest size moves with each strum of the washboard, and her facial expressions are animated. Jayme Peyton, the Reverend’s brother, kept the forceful high tin beat with just a snare drum.
The stories in-between song selection was a hoot. Introducing the song “My Cousin’s On Cops” was a great story and a true one. The song got the attention of the Jerry Springer show, and the Big Damn Band was asked to perform it on the show. They, unfortunately, couldn't play that song on air because “Cops” was on a competing network in that time slot. But we heard it in all its glory. Taking out a new guitar, he stated, “I got to warm up the guitar,” which he did immediately. We were also treated to a song about his drunken father, “My Old Man Boogie,” the awesome “Train Song,” a gospel number, and ending, “We Shall Not Be Moved,” a cover protest song Fantastic.
O’death took the stage and the band played through an exhilarating, dynamic sixteen-song set. Leaving the audience in a state of euphoria and then exhaustion. During the set, the audience became enthralled in a ritualistic dance, their bodies limber and letting go completely to the rollicking, kick-ass, and thunderous bluegrass and velocity-driven Appalachian mountain music.
This band is not genre specific. To expand their music, they explore various distinct genres, then edit to synthesize. It has familiar qualities. There are distinct connections to folk roots from eastern European cultures and classic connections like The Band and Neil Young. The recognizable sounds, mixed with the unexpected, create a discourse between the music, past to present. They combine the guitar, bass, banjo, drum, fiddle, and French horn by Dan Sagar, along with the unique vocal styling of Gregory Jamie.
The sound was not deafening and not overbearing like punk or rock that, sometimes sacrifices the voices and instruments for effect. o'death’s sound was loud, but I could still hear the subtlety of the instruments. The drummer David Rogers-Berry is beyond animated. Driving the rhythms to levels of velocity that ebb and flow unexpectedly. The fiddle player Bob Pycior is also the driving force of sound and percussion. His playing is uniquely varied from classical sweeping vignettes to countrified fiddling, with fast and furious bowing that breaks mock speed.The set started with “Down To Rest,” with a banjo intro by Gabe Darling. The entire audience participated in singing / OH BABY / down to rest /. During the song “O Lee O” Gregory Jamie rose from his seat to speak in tongues, making strange garbled sounds. “Only Daughter” was spectacular live. “Adelita,” featuring fiddle, was aided by the audience singing /head home / head home /. Their voices rose like a chanting chorus. Jamie Gregory’s voice is always upfront, but the unison of all the voices added depth and intensity to the live performance.
I loved the unreleased song they played toward the middle of the set. It started with slow polka timing emphasizing the bass playing of Jessie Newman and highlighting the classical rendering of the fiddle. Without warning, the band played so fast. Beyond fast. It was at that point I lost it. When the song was over, I had to hold on to the edge of the stage to regain my equilibrium. By the thirteenth song, the audience negotiated a three-song encore ending with Rise UP, a big friendly finale. The band stood clapping, chanting, and basically thanking the audience and well-wishers for coming to their CD release show.
This is the kind of band that can go beyond the song. I feel the musicianship could be taken to a level of improvisation, o'death could handle this challenge successfully. I don’t mean a jam band experience, but more of an artistic expression. They could explore live their avant-garde wanderings, almost like an outsider artist whose vision has to be realized. Ernest Jenning Records(US) free daytrotter sessions of o'deat
The Two Gallants new EP release entitled “The Scenery Of Farewell” is an outstanding acoustic offering. The five tracks exemplify folk music with a hard edge and a soulful timbre. They’ve successfully woven lyrical ballads with a sound that has weight and resonance.
Adam Stephens raspy worn vocals and astute harmonica playing, cries and bends to reach emotional heights. He boldly finger picks the guitar, while Tyson Vogel lends percussion elements and sings in a softer and higher vocal range. Adding to the mix are the violin, cello, stand up bass and piano passages that fill the memorable melodies.
I love the strong acoustic quality of these recordings. The songs were produced and recorded on tape by Alex Newport. This required several live takes to arrive at the right feel, rather than piecing together and editing parts. The end result is a very organic minimal sound.
The writing style is indicative of oral histories written in the first person. The song structure opens up avenues for the listener, using poetic lyrical phrasing and a variety of reference points.
The first track “Seems Like Home To Me” is a tour de force, capitalizing on the vocals of the two members. The song starts off with the Two Gallants singing in unison. Then in just one passage Stephens’ sings alone deriving an affecting rendering of the lyrics. This song about longing to be set free, proclaims / baby let your light shine on me / when I’m lost on the road / you know you can set me free / you can ease my love /. As the song builds the forceful steady beat of the bass drum is added leading to the songs crescendo, a rich and glorious chorus declaring / I’ve been gone so long / it seems like home to me /.
“Lady” starts out slowly with guitar strumming, as an aging man struggles over being / too busy running out of time /. He thinks about his regrets and worries over his personal troubles while comparing them to others. Thus the weaving of contrasts… / something reeks of heaven beneath the highway where the hobos sleep / where the hobos sleep / and I laugh about the pains I keep /.
The emotional description of despair in “Up the Country” works because the heartbreaking words are perceived through the instruments. Blending the harmonica, violin and cello to hauntingly pause, as if to sob. He proclaims / now there are criminals in my head that lead me to disgrace / so lost I best not be found /. The sadness seeps in and he laments / my tongue no longer tastes / and states / not sure how long I’ll stick around /.
The soulful harmonica plays in “All Your Faithless Loyalties” as the song starts with the opening phrase / let this be are last goodbye /. Describing the tentative nature of breaking up, / I’ve known lonesome things you can’t come back from /. Realizing that the inevitable result will be… / I know we’ll be strangers in the end /. The choral segments sung beautifully by Vogel, reflects the weariness of in-decision as time goes by singing / oh oh oh oh oooh.
Ending the collection with “Linger On” The piano, violin and harmonica intertwine and swell to present the essence of lingering thoughts about the end of a long and complicated relationship. Stephens' sings / I know I never meant you any harm / the suffocating shelter of your arms / if I did you wrong / It wasn’t me, but you who wrote this song / linger on / linger on /… PLEASE….
This evolved collection of songs is a welcome addition to the growing discography of this young band. It does linger. Their follow up will be a full-length release due out in September of this year. It is an electric session recorded again with the help of Alex Newport. I look forward to their next offering.
Recorded on tape by Alex Newport at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. Featured: Jackie Perez Gratz on cello, Anton Patzner on the violin and Chico Tunney on the upright bass. Artwork was laid out by: Mr. Maust of the cold war kids. The Front photo by: Wignall and back photo by Mr. Jakie Peanuts Snavely.
Track listing:1. Seems like home to me2. Lady3. Up the country4. All your faithless loyalties5. Linger on
The Monkey is a new Manhattan showcase venue that exemplifies sound quality and presents music the way it should be heard.
On Thursday night May 17th , a world-acclaimed classical guitarist and composer Benjamin Verdery performed an engrossing hour-long set. Benjamin donated his time to raise funds for a non-profit called “Arts in Action a Visual Art Program”, an after school art enrichment program. Adorning the space was the children’s beautiful artwork that spoke volumes for the program and its director Angela Tripi-Weiss.
Last year I saw Benjamin perform at Carnegie Hall with Andy Summers of “The Police”. They played a commissioned work by Igram Marshall composed specifically for classical and electric guitar and backed by the American Symphony Orchestra. Andy and Ben continue their collaboration and have recorded a new instrumental album, "At First You Build a Cloud," soon to be released.
Verdery is always spectacular to hear but tonight was a special treat. In this venue the sound was so exceptional that the nuance of every guitar sound, like the bending of a string, harmonics and chopsticks slides on nylon was heard with clarity and subtlety. To hear an instrument the way a performer intends it to be heard is a tremendous opportunity for the listener.
His first selection for the evening was an original arrangement of Jimmy Hendrix classics; Ezy Rider, Little Wing and Purple Haze performed in three movements. Verdery reworked each signature song starting with key identifiable lead in grooves and extending, repeating, layering and reconstructing those components. This selective dialogue was a mark of respect that honors the music of Hendrix.
The original composition “Be Kind All The Time” featured an amplified classical guitar that corresponded with a digital delay system. A digital sound expert did the programming in real time. This created a surround sound as the prior styling heard up front resonated in re verb from the back. Ben’s collaboration with himself became quite challenging, but heard with ease.
The Classic The Blue Danube by Johan Strauss was complex and familiar, and it sounded wonderful.
Benjamin Verdery has a close personal relationship with his guitar. For 40 years he has practiced four to five hours a day. At the Monkey that intimacy was shared with the audience.
Twelve flights up the elevator to the forty capacity room. The space has high ceilings equipped with acoustic ceiling tiles, a reasonably sized raised stage. A small loft area is set up for sound and video production. Behind the stage are large windows that frame two water towers in the foreground and the New York City skyline in the distance.
Dominick Frasco is responsible for creating The Monkey. He is also an accomplished classically trained guitarist. His mission is to create a showcase venue equipped with surround sound giving musicians an opportunity to have control of how their music is presented and heard. The musician can take charge of every aspect from the pricing, sound, promotion and visual effects. The Monkey. What a concept "Branches" buy new Benjamin Verdery LP Web Album Link
Whenever I go to galleries in Chelsea to look at art, I am usually disappointed. Art, I mean good art, is hard to find. So on Sunday, May 5th, I surprisingly found art in Chelsea at the Perry Rubenstein Gallery. The new work of South African artist Robin Rhode is in all three of the gallery's spaces. The works of video, photographic work, a 16-millimeter film, performance art, and sculptures using everyday materials are visually provocative and cerebrally stimulating.
While the work represents the artist's personal and autobiographical references, it effectively creates a dialogue about the broader culture of ideas.
He expands two-dimensional space by drawing elements into a background with which he or others interact. He then documents those interactions in photographs and film. By doing so, he creates a fourth dimension in the mind. It is a clever illusion further developed by the work's title.
PA bands Bus trip to The Bitter End Line up: France on Fire, Downtown Harvest, Drink Up Buttercup
Booking a bus for three PA bands and their fans to a NY venue is a fun and creative idea. This was a love fest transplanted to The Bitter End. I came to the Venue to see a young band from Bucks County PA called Drink Up Buttercup. I heard them play on The Indie Café,a small college radio station on the Internet. I was tuning in to hear my favorite Peasant and was taken off guard listening to Drink Up Buttercup's raw energy and experimental sound. It translated so well in virtual space.
France on Fire from Bucks County PA was first of the three to play. The band never missed a beat and seamlessly and joylessly played one song after another. They have great harmonies and catchy choruses. The crowd enthusiastically sang along. They add percussion, keyboards maracas, lots of clapping and use the Kazoo as a serious instrument. France On Fire are fun, full of love and infectious.
Downtown Harvest came on and the venue seemed to expand with patrons. This is not the kind of music I typically listen to or go out to see, but this is a very talented group of accomplished musicians. Fusing melodic rock, jazz, funk, hip hop and dance beats successfully. With The Beatles like harmonies, and connections to the music of Sly and The Family Stone, Beck, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Meters they create a classic association. While these references can be found, It's the merging of all these styles that forge originality.
The drummer Christopher C, Wood is a savant. He can switch styles and beats dramatically and his vocal styling is low, raw and distinctive. The lead guitarist and vocalist Larry Thomas Moore has a higher register that is great for harmonies and vocals. Frank Ewing the saxophonist vocalist and keyboard player adds the unique funky zest that takes the band to a different level. Bobby Cahill plays the bass and switches gear as the tone changes from groove to harmony. Downtown Harvest is ready for success on a broader commercial scale. Their versatility is a tribute to their six years playing together.
The young musicians I came to see were attentively listening to The Downtown Harvest’s set. They looked a little anxious and so was I. It is hard to play, following such an accomplished group.
Drink Up Buttercup came on stage, bringing with them an assortment of strange instruments. One large metal garbage pan, stumpf fiddle, maracas, an acoustic guitar with duct tape over the hollow to create a muffled sound, tiny Casio keyboard, a tubular instrument called the melodica and distortionand delay pedal. Then there was the usual; drums, keyboard, bass.
Well in an instant the unbridled energy and fun-loving spirit of this young band came to life. James Harvey the steady vocalist and guitar player enthusiastically leads as FarzadHoushiarnejad and Ben Money play and change instruments as fast as a blink of an eye. Mike Cammarata keeps the beat up with drums and auxiliary percussion. Sing along, shaky percussion and bells, crazy beats, theatrical acrobatics with instruments in tow, shape their circus like commotion.
James Harvey’s voice is strong and authoritative but to my surprise he is an opera singer. He is classically trained and when he lets go it is a treasured delight. As his voice travels up and down the band picks up the pulse.
This is a newly formed band with James Harvey having the most experience formally of Playwright. They are just getting started and only have demos out. Playing to a supportive crowd inDoylestown PA gives them the opportunity to hone their craft with supportive fans. At some point they have to venture out to the cold hard world. I think they will get a warm welcome.
