Big Ears 2016 Review

The Big Ears music festival in Knoxville, TN stands as one of the southeast’s best kept secrets, although for how much longer that secret will be kept I can’t say. This was after all, my first year with any knowledge about the festival whatsoever and it managed to sell it’s highest number of tickets yet. I’m not normally a huge festival goer, but when I saw this lineup, or at least the artists that I actually recognized on the lineup, I made a commitment to go even if my friends who were interested weren’t able to make it or flaked out for whatever reason. Lo and behold, that actually happened, so March 31st I found myself ascending ol’ rocky top on I-40 to get a three day taste of paradise on my own.

Thursday

The ease and accessibility of Big Ears cannot be praised enough. I’ll admit to some initial stress as I searched for parking and began trying to familiarize myself with downtown and the routes to and from the different venues I needed to know, but it didn’t take long for me to figure out that not only is downtown Knoxville quite easy to navigate, everything related to the festival was within reasonable walking distance. It turned out once I knew where I was going that even the parking couldn’t have been less of a headache; on Friday and Saturday night I parked right outside of Mill and Mine for free which was always the last venue that I was to leave from. On Thursday I allotted myself plenty of time to find my way around so I headed to the Sanctuary to check out John Luther Adams’ Veil and Vesper sound installation well before any of the slated performances started. Veil and Vesper consisted of speakers arranged in the church sanctuary in such a way that the blankets of ambient sound emanating from them could take on a different mix or context depending on where the listener was standing. While I roamed the sanctuary for quite a while I noticed that most listeners were sitting stationary, eyes closed as if in deep meditation as the sounds shifted and morphed at a glacial pace. The unfolding of each chord was so spread out that one listener was overhead saying “That guy makes minimalism look like heavy metal” outside. While I enjoyed the installation, I think that a need to check out as much as possible kept me from sticking with it long enough for it to truly reach a spiritual level of resonance inside me.

The brand spankin’ new Mill and Mine is one of the nicest and largest venues I’ve ever been in and so just happened to be hosting Mammiffer as it’s first ever performance thanks to Big Ears. I checked my schedule again and again to make sure that I wasn’t wrong seeing how 10 minutes before the first band was slated to play I was almost the only person in the room. Another Big Ears pro; if you show up early you’ll rarely have to fight a crowd. In addition to their Mare Decendrii LP being on my turnable quite a bit these days, Mammiffer was an easy choice just based on the personnel alone. The band usually consists of a husband wife duo of the greatly talented Faith Coloccia, and the former singer/guitarist of one of my favorite bands of all time, Aaron Turner. In case you don’t know, the band I’m talking about is Isis and he’s also done great work in Sumac and just about everything else he’s had a hand in. This was an especially special performance given that the two of them were joined by Brian Cook: also of Sumac but also of Russian Circles and formerly of These Arms are Snakes and freaking hardcore legends Botch. If you’re familiar with this site you may know this already since his tone trailblazing is a constant source of inspiration to me, and should be to other (slightly) discerning bassists. This was a far cry from your typical heavy music set though, Mamiffer slowly and deliberately culled a sea of delay drenched noise that almost tempested out of control just before some melody started to break through. Once it did it was all goosebumps, the golden moment being when Faith’s angelic voice started sifting through the doom-y chords that Aaron and Brian were pacing the song with. This set seriously almost brought a tear to my eye, and these avant-doom narratives are meant to be beheld live.

Big Ears is likely the only place where I can follow a set by some of my post-metal heroes from years gone past with a set by free-jazz giants the mighty Sun Ra Arkestra. Longtime Ra collaborator Marshall Allen was conducting/leading when not pushing his tenor saxophone to it’s limits, and a good age range throughout the group kept a good balance between experienced and young/hungry that truly kept the spirit of Ra alive. This was a jazz set to end them all, while some could certainly call some of the melodies and rhythms hard-bop and maybe even funky in places, the band still knew how to crash into each other in the kind caucophonic runs that I expected from the unpredictable group. In true Sun Ra Arkestra fashion, wind and brass players would venture out into the crowd, play amongst us, and still somehow managed to stay in time with the rest of the group. Controlled chaos would be a great way to describe it; whenever things became unhinged it was always completely necessary and thrilling. Having crossed a big name off my list of groups that I needed to see before I’m dead, I thought I may still catch some Wolf Eyes down the street at the Standard.

…And I was wrong, they were just finishing right as I got there so I retreated back to Mill and Mine for Yo La Tengo. What followed was a very Big Ears moment: Yo La Tengo took the stage with a myriad of guests including Bryce Dessner and one of the Arkestra’s wind players and proceeded to do an entirely improvised set of structureless, dense sonics. While I heard from many fans the next day that this was a bit of a disappointment for those who wanted to hear actual Yo La Tengo songs, I rather enjoyed it not exactly being a long time listener of their usual catalogue. I also daresay that this was a one-time only thing that I can say I was there for. Reactions were mixed but still positive, with some content to lay down on the hardwood floor and let the ever-shifting sounds wash over them. That’s one of the cool things about this festival, this is the sort of thing that people come here for.

Friday

The next two days were more full than Thursday and my particular Friday started off with the Lou Reed’s Drones installation as presented by Laurie Anderson. Like Veil and Vesper I’d say that this needed to be experienced in person for one to fully appreciate it. A semi-circle of amplifiers stood in a corner of the room, each with a guitar leaning against it front facing inward. Someone (Lou Reed’s guitar tech from what I was told) was there to manipulate knobs on the amps and the sound textures morphed accordingly. The results were sometimes pretty surprising, and to add to the atmosphere the lights were turned low with blankets, pillows, and chairs strewn about the space for people to turn off and zone out. I myself spent a good bit of time meditating amidst the sound before I walked to Mill and Mine for Zeena Parkins and Tony Buck. I was vaguely familiar with these two artists, but maybe only enough so to know have a faint idea of what Parkins’ harp playing in Phantom Orchard is like and that Tony Buck usually plays for experimental/dub/jazz giants The Necks. What followed was an enlightening set of improvised sound that took many different directions and had an air of catharsis about it. While I knew that Parkins could get alot of unusual sound out of her harp and effects, some of the more percussive nature, it was actually Buck’s using of his drumkit and hand percussion in such textural and ambient ways that really surprised me.

I checked out Chris Abrams at the Square Room while waiting for Anthony Braxton, while the room itself was great this was by far the smallest and most overcrowded of the Big Ears venues. I wasn’t familiar with the music of Chris Abrams, but when he walked out to his piano and began letting loose an unfolding of rapid, yet slow shifting piano melodies I was blown away . His textures seemed to morph in and endless stream of notes that never seemed to break, the continous piano playing of Lubomyr Melnyk came to my mind

Next up was Anthony Braxton’s 10+1 tet at the Bijou Theater, which was a pretty long walk from where I was. Another mind-blowing but none too accessible performance, in alot of ways I saw what Braxton and his group did as being a larger extension of what I just heard/witnessed at Mill and Mine. Here I heard jazz musicians communicating with each other like I never had before, not so much with notes that fit into particular scales but more of a sonic conversation representing both joy and agony. There was something oddly advanced and primitive co-existing there in that set. The group consisted of horns, winds, and two guitars that plunged in fearlessly after Braxton into free-form atonal improv. I took off quickly towards the end and headed to the Standard, because if my program was promising free barbecue then I was going to be sure to be there for some. The line was long but you can’t argue with free Sweet P’s, and being a stout fiend I had to try some of Goose Island’s limited Bourbon County stout even if it was $8 for a 12 oz. cup. What I was really excited for though, was Boogarins, who were up next downstairs.

Brazilian psych-rock band Boogarins were a late addition to the festival but all it took was a short listen on Youtube for me to come to the conclusion that I needed to be there for their set. Once again I walked directly to the front and waited for the room to slowly fill up. Boogarins did not disappoint, it feels goofy saying that any band “rocked” at Big Ears but if any band did, it was them. It wasn’t just the day of abstract music that made their levitating grooves so welcome either, the band’s mix of tropicalia and psychedelic pop/rock was absolutely electric live, and the band had a tightness and an onstage energy that was well paced and always engaging. The rhythm section was monster as well, I was directly in front of the drummer and he killed the kit so hard that my ears were probably ringing more after this set than they were after any other BE performance I saw. The bassist dug up nice, warm, mud from his Gibson SG bass and a very close to the neck finger pluck technique that fit in with the mix perfectly. Interestingly enough, said bass player was only using three effects (one of which I could see was a Vox Delay-lab) but somehow seemed to posses a pretty varied tonal range…Then I checked out both guitarists’ boards and realized that they were all using relatively small amounts of pedals. It goes to show that there is a certain mastery to psychedelic music that can’t just be found in gear.

After hitting Boogarins’ merch table I took a break at Mill and Mine which had sort of become my home base at this point for it’s water fountains, nice bathrooms, and power outlets. I also knew that Shabazz Palaces would be starting soon and I didn’t want to miss that. There was a noticeable shift in demographic at this point, Heiroglyphic Being had just done a dance music set with Marshall Allen and the only hip-hop artist of the fest was getting ready to take the stage, so the atmosphere got alot younger and dance-friendly quickly. Shabazz Palaces had a bit of a rough start but when the sound guys finally got the bass and vocals up to a point where things (and hips) shook the way they should their set really lit up. Both members stayed busy with samples and beats and the rhymes were delivered spot-on, this was a show to prove that modern rap doesn’t have to come without provoking thought. This is where my night got a bit conflicted and split-up, I wanted to check out Ikue Mori which would make me leave the show I was at early, and then leave Ikue Mori early if I wanted to see Eighth Blackbird at the sanctuary. I decided to stick to that plan and got to the Square Room once Ikue Mori had already started her set.

Once again the Square Room was packed but this time there was no performer on stage, rather a large screen projecting the accompanying films that were to be set to Ikue Mori’s music. As I settled in the back I noticed that I was actually sitting right next to Ikue at the soundboard where she was conjuring up the other-worldly sounds that constitute her mesmerizing music. As for the visual aspect, there’s really nothing I can say to describe how surreal it was. I’m sure this is due in part to the fact that I’m not well educated in how different forms of film and photography work, but it was the perfect combination, narrative and all, to go along with Ikue’s music and make a truly out of this world experience. The collection of films had occasional text narrative and seemed to use puppets or dolls as many of their subjects. This made for one of the truly pleasant surprises of the festival. While I wanted to stay to the very end, I got a feeling that I should head to the sanctuary.

It turns out I should have done so even earlier if I wanted to see Eighth Blackbird, as there was already a huge line wrapping around the building. Ushers came out to let the crowd know that they were reaching capacity at a point in the line that was still very far away from me so things weren’t looking good. I could either stand there and just hope that enough people would leave for me to have a chance, or I could go to Bombino at Mill and Mine. I went with the sure thing, and while I can’t attest to how awesome Eighth Blackbird might have been I wasn’t disappointed with Bombino. Bombino brings and interesting story and a cultured take on guitar-based music with him, his style combining elements of eastern, more specifically, Tuareg music with western, blues-based rock. His songs had a repetitive, hypnotic quality that often times grooved consistently but on occasion would gradually speed up until the end of the song, during which he’d bring the crowds movements with him with every beat. He played with three other musicians: a rhythm guitarist, bassist, and drummer, making what was probably one of the most straight-forward and familiar setups of the entire weekend. If looked like the bassist was manning a five-string Spector, and his finger-picked rumbling seeped down into sub territory where it was sometimes felt more than it was heard. That’s with the exception of the moments where his smooth playing took on a more plucky, almost woody and percussive sound which felt right with the mix of eastern and western influence. I was barely hanging in there at this point so I enjoyed my last set of Friday then took my leave to get some rest.

Saturday

Saturday was the day that I was looking forward to the most although in retrospect I probably should have gotten my day started earlier to take in more. The first act of the day that I saw was Maya Beiser at the Bijou Theater and this was already afternoon. Maya’s performance was nothing short of breath-taking and after witnessing it anyone would be hard pressed to find a better cello player on the planet. My favorite portion of her set was her stupefying performance of Steve Reich’s “Cello Counterpoint”, in which she played along to seven video and audio recordings of herself playing different parts of the piece and somehow braving the rhythmic madness and beauty of it. It turns out the ghost of Lou Reed wasn’t just at the Drones installation, but also present when Maya performed a haunting vocal and cello rendition of The Velvet Underground’s “Heroine”.

I went down the street to the gorgeous Tennessee Theater for one of the most anticipated performances of the weekend, Laurie Anderson and Philip Glass. The Tennessee Theater could be the nicest venue I’ve ever been in, and was a perfect backdrop for such an epic event and beautiful a performance. Glass manned his piano across the stage from Anderson and her violin to rapturous applause and the two of them were all that was needed for some truly soul-stirring renditions of each other’s music. Anderson’s spoken word to the pieces had a spell-binding effect and there was certainly something purely otherworldly about the whole experience. Spoken word was also provided by a recording of Allen Ginsberg’s “Wichita Vortex Sutra” with which Glass played his accompanying piece of reflective piano music. I couldn’t help but wonder to myself, was Ginsberg narrating the music or vise versa? The performance was concluded with it’s greatest moment; a new rendition of the first piece from Philip Glass’ seminal Glassworks album, which aside from being one of my favorite Glass pieces was simply breathtaking. It was going to be hard to top this but I knew the day still had plenty of great music ahead.

Even though the Bijou was right down the street and the Necks weren’t scheduled to play for another 30 minutes, I was surprised to find that the venue was already at capacity. Because of this I decided on an early dinner at Stock and Barrel (recommended) and then walked back to the Bijou for Nico Muhly, Sam Amidon, and Nadia Sirota, none of which I was familiar with in the least before this show. The praise I was hearing from fans all around me when I sat down promised me I was in for something special and they weren’t wrong. Muhly and Sirota’s piano and violin pieces were dizziyingly complex, yet still captivating, to the point that sometimes I simply couldn’t wrap my head around the seemingly formless barrage of notes and un-tethered melodies. As if to provide the perfect counterbalance, Sam Amidon’s songs had his bare voice and acoustic guitar bringing serenity over the theater in the folkiest songs I heard all weekend. These three musicians continued to blow my mind and the reception they received after their last song was the most spirited that I witnessed at Big Ears. It was good enough that I observed the guy next to me shaking his head and cursing under his breathe before breaking into applause after each song, like he knew he was witnessing music being performed on some new level.

Back at the Tennessee Theater, I was very excited for Sunno))))) and put my certainly soon to be gone eardrums to use by enjoying two songs of doomy grunge from Big/Brave. With the curtain still drawn, all it took was a single muted chord for some of the ushers to head for cover, which brought to light the true absurd awesomeness of getting to see the world’s heaviest doom band in such a lovely and historic venue. Although it probably isn’t too difficult to imagine that the ritualism of Sunno))))’s set seemed right at home here, while smoke poured out around the stonehenge of amplifiers and the hooded members took the stage, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect setting. Attila’s crawling, guttural vocal incantations certainly didn’t dispel the ritualistic feel either. I suppose there is not really much that can be conveyed in words about what it’s like to experience them live, but imagine low, distorted frequencies so powerful that they vibrate everything inside and around you. I have to say though, given the size of the venue I think everything had enough room to project and travel without the voluming becoming overbearing. Sure it was loud, but it was never painful, it was more like the sonic equivalent of easing yourself into a hot-tub. I was also glad to hear some unconventional drone in the form of cacauphonic trombone playing rather than just pure electric exultation.

All good things must come to an end, and if you’re going to end something try to do it with Kamasi Washington. I had a difficult time deciding between Kamasi, Faust, and Kiasmos for my last headliner, but let it speak for the quality of his new album The Epic that I went with Washington over the krautrock legends and beautiful ambient dance music duo. Once again I was surprised at how close to the stage I got at Mill and Mine and only had to deal with one annoying drunk guy behind me amidst the otherwise pleasant and respectful people. Kamasi’s group consisted of himself, a trombone player, a vocalist, keyboard, upright bassist, two drummers, and some occasional flute courtesy of his father. This ended up being the right sized group to give good interpretations of songs off The Epic; not as brimming as the recording but not too small. The group seemed to almost be easing their way in to “The Changing of the Guard”, but once they were there they were on fire. By the time they started “Leroy and Lanisha” they were carrying on a musical conversation in which they seemed to be having the time of their lives. An emotional performance of “Henrietta, Our Hero” was a highlight, and they even played some new music from some of Kamasi’s cohorts’ upcoming records. Of course the musicianship was unbelievable, both drummers seemed to have been competing for a world’s best drummer title and Myles Porter did things on the stand up bass that I had never conceived. Hopefully other bassists will note his use of effects and their potential outside of the electric bass realm. It was a joyous show but by the end I was exhausted, although in all fairness that can probably be credited to the entire weekend finally catching up with me.

As much as I would have loved to stay for Sunday’s outdoor performance of John Luther Adams’ “Inuksuit”, I had made my weekend plans long before they announced that there would even be a Sunday performance, so late Sunday morning I said a reluctant goodbye to Knoxville. I’m still a bit overwhelmed by what I experienced there. I never would thought that there could be such an open and un-pretentious audience for experimental music, not only in the US, but right here in the southeast. I learned that a music festival can, and should be more than drunk, selfie-taking tourists herded out into the hot sun. I learned that even in this day and age where our access to information is seemingly unlimited, it is still possible to be surprised and inspired. See you again next year.

Dream Drummers Pt. 1

Despite the fact that most of us bassist are perfectly appreciative of the rhythm section counterparts we get to share stage and studio with, the following article is about those thoughts that you’ve probably had at some point. Those thoughts that surface upon listening to one of your favorite bands and thinking: “What would it be like to play with that drummer?”. It’s an interesting topic, even if just for daydream and discussion, and while I have my pics I’d like to hear from other bassists (or other musicians in general) about what they’re dream rhythm section would be. Here is part 1 of my unorganized list.

Aaron Harris (ISIS, Palms)

The rhythm section of deceased, post-metal gods Isis was one of the most underrated and overlooked I can think of. With Jeff Caxide occupying multiple sonic spaces with his unique bass guitar approach, and with Aaron Harris’ steady builds and musical playing, they were a big part of what made the music of Isis have such a huge impact. Harris always played tastefully but adept, but I think the thing that stands out the most about him as a drummer was always his tone. If it ever were as simple as taking Oceanic or In the Absence of Truth to an engineer and saying “Make my drums sound like that!” I absolutely would. One of the most perfect drummers for the kind of dynamic, progressive music that’s always hit me hard.

Emil Amos (Grails, Om)

Speaking of underrated, Emil Amos could out-play just about any drummer you can think of, and you probably don’t even know who he is. He plays so minimally in Grails and Om (a testament to his fortitude) that I was blown away when I heard him cut loose on the Grails DVD Acid Rain. His fills are insane and he always manages to play the right thing and get a great sound out of his kit, just listen to Burning Off Impurities if you need proof of that. I honestly think this guy could make anything I, or anyone else could do sound amazing.

Jerry Fuchs (Maserati, !!!, LCD Soundsystem)

A brilliant talent lost too soon, Jerry Fuchs may have played for some under the radar bands, but the guy could have become the next Bonham. his grooves in Maserati brought post-rock to the dance floor and his one-handed drum fill in “12/16” is the stuff of legend. RIP Jerry.

Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, many jazz projects)

Bill Bruford may be known as a drum virtuoso, but he was never showy enough to demand that everyone draw their attention to him. As a matter of fact, before I read his autobiography I didn’t even know that Bruford played in some of the bands that he did. He may be a bit of a typical choice, but I can’t help but thinking that his many years of experience in prog rock and jazz would have to bless him with the ability to always play exactly what was needed, and not pull out the ridiculous stuff unless it was called for. He’s retired now though, as it if wasn’t already unlikely enough that I’d ever get a chance.

Deantoni Parks (The Mars Volta, Bosnian Rainbows)

Deantoni Parks showed that he’s something of a rhythm alchemist during his time playing with The Mars Volta and Omar Rodgriguez-Lopez. Parks attacks his kit like a demon and I can’t even begin to wrap my head around the kind of rhythmic contortions and manipulations he deals out. Even with that being said he’s pushed boundaries even further with his Technoself album, an experiment that has him at the helms of both a drumkit and keyboard simultaneously while he both plays and pulls up pre-recorded samples in a dizzying display of musicianship. Trying to keep up with this guy would be fun just for the challenge.

Mark Guilianna (Beat Music, also many jazz projects)

I had the pleasure of seeing Mark Guilianna live with his jazz quartet during a recent trip to NYC and I was astounded. It’s not often that a player can balance such gargantuan chops with true dynamics and tastefulness but he makes it look easy. Whether it was subtle, textural touches or full on speed-of-light sixteenth note madness, he’s a young gun on the top of his game. Not to mention he’s a pretty nice guy as he didn’t mind humoring me as I convinced him to take a CD of my new all bass experimental recording.

Danny Walker (Intronaut)

Drumming talent isn’t hard to find in the extreme metal world but Danny Walker is a rare gem. Rather than just sheer speed and velocity, Danny blows minds with polyrhythmic manipulation that somehow grooves while still making theory nerds scratch their heads in confusion. If you don’t know Intronaut I highly recommend you get an album and listen to how talented and creative this guy is while also experiencing some transcendent progressive metal.

Jon Theodore (The Mars Volta, Queen of the Stone Age)

Maybe this is a poor comparison since I am by no means a drummer or percussive art expert, but in some ways I can’t help but look at Jon Theodore as being like a young Bill Bruford. Neither drummer necessarily draws attention to themselves, but a cursory examination shows that this is because they balance talent with function and musicality. Theodore doesn’t play anything that doesn’t need to be played but he’s still obviously fantastic, his drumming on the first three Mars Volta albums alone is enough to make me dream about how awesome it would be to play with him. I’ve also heard say that the era of TMV in which he was in the band was by far the era of their best and most energetic live performances. I saw them with drum virtuoso Thomas Pridgen and let me tell you, if it gets much better than that than this dude is truly incredible.

Show Review: Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Lower Dens 2/14/2016

 

Unknown Mortal Orchestra Show:

In their extensive touring of the US in support of their highly righteous and successful Multi Love record, self-proclaimed “depression funk” dealers Unknown Mortal Orchestra finally decided to pay Asheville, NC a visit at the esteemed Orange Peel. What I wasn’t aware of before I arrived was just how well that one of my favorite bands of recent years had been doing thanks in part, to my 2015 album of the year choice. Indeed, both UMO and Lower Dens had quite the crowd this past Valentine’s Day, I’ve seen sold-out shows at the Peel and this one didn’t look too awfully far off. Normally I would credit the usual friendliness of Asheville residents to any band that happens to be coming through the Peel as there is usually a large random dude factor there, but not only was this Valentine’s Day, the bitter cold and threats of inclement winter weather should have kept people inside in droves. After this experience I would take it as a testament to the known quality of both acts’ live performances.

Lower Dens were a sensible and snug fitting choice for an opener, I must confess I wasn’t too familiar with them before this show but I knew that they had started gaining some national attention recently. In the modern tradition of bands sounding like they consist of more folks than they really do, Lower Dens are a duo that still brings a pretty big sound. Booming kicks, pads, guitars, and vocals come together to form new-wave(y) pop that is tellingly modern but also isn’t too easy to pigeonhole. I enjoyed Lower Dens’ live sound and they had some good tunes in the set, but the duo’s limits understandably don’t allow for the most diverse or dynamic performance. After a while some of the songs seemed to bleed together but that’s about the only criticism I have, like I said they were a great opener and a tight choice for UMO.

UMO made it clear with my predicted opener “Like Acid Rain” that the band we would be hearing live would be the Stevie Wonder influenced side that they continued to explore on the Multi Love LP. There was some question in my mind as to how the band would go about interpreting the older, more low-fi psych pop songs that made their first two albums so great, but it turns out that the band’s evolution has been kind to interpreting older material as well as heard during “Thought Ballune”. It was one of the most fun performances I’ve ever been to, with the band even taking extended instrumental breaks throughout several songs and more people dancing around me than I would expect to see at a rave. The bass seemed to take a unique spot in the mix as well due to what sounded like an envelope filter among other effects, it was always present without being overbearingly boomy. “The World is Crowded” absolutely ruled and of course so did some of the band’s older strong points like “So Good at Being in Trouble” and “From the Sun”. Piano taking the main melody of the early single “Ffunny Ffriend” was a nice touch and helped bring some new life to a great song that may not actually sound like what this band chiefly deals in these days. An encore of “Necessary Evil” and the brilliant and unapologetic disco of “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone” rounded things at perfectly. The show may have been more hi-fi and energetic that some might expect, but this is a band that covers Otis Redding after all, and the soul certainly came through at the end of the night to show that these guys aren’t too cool to have a good time.

2015: In Memorium

We lost two notable figures in the bass world this past year, both trailblazers in different ways although maybe more alike than they may initially seem. (and not just the Rickenbacker 4001s) I think it’s safe to bet that no fan of rock ‘n’ roll or metal in any capacity hasn’t felt the loss of Lemmy Kilmister, bassist of psychedelic hard rock/prog legends Hawkwind and founder/bassist/vocalist of boundlessly influential proto-metal band Motorhead. Motorhead brought rockers, punks, and metalheads together in a way that it’s doubtless any other band is ever likely to. He did this with a grizzled, high-end bass attack that kicked as much ass as it fooled people into thinking it was a guitar, and of course with a voice that sounded like it been aged for decades in bourbon, a furnace, or both. However despite his influence in Mortorhead, I personally prefer Lemmy’s hard-driving riffs and swarthy grooves in Hawkwind, a band that voyaged into deep space while still being a precursor to the kind of partying, fighting, fuck-all attitude that his more famous band would be known for. He kept at it until the end too, and I think we can all hope to be able to say the same some day.

Earlier in 2015 we lost another bass icon that had an even bigger impact on me personally, Chris Squire from Yes. I don’t over exaggerate when I say that my first time hearing “Roundabout” was a watershed moment in my life. Before I’m sure I had only been vaguely familiar with Yes from their hits “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “I’ve Seen All Good People”, and I still remember my dad turning the radio up to point the bass line out to me when I was about fourteen. I had just started playing not too long ago, and the song’s encapsulating melodies and otherworldy sounds brought me to a record store where I had to get a copy of Fragile as soon as possible. Since then Chris has been one of my favorite bassists of all time and I’ve stayed in constant awe of him. The grinding, percussive attack that he got from his Rick (strung with Rotosound strings and played with a technique that very few can imitate) was one of the most distinct aspects of the Yes sound, and somehow managed to perfectly round out the band’s mix and provide bottom end despite how little warmth his tone had. “The Fish” taught me completely new ways of looking at bass with effects and even using it as a  melodic/lead instrument at times. Yes have been one of my favorite bands for over a decade and I’m extremely thankful that I got to see Chris perform with them in 2011, where he and the rest of the band put on a fantastic show.

 

The (slightly) Discerning Bassist Best of 2015

The middle of the decade always seems to be when the good music releases hit full swing, and this year I had so many to choose from that I almost went with a top twenty instead of ten. But I’ll stick to the traditional format and instead give some nods to note-able mentions. These didn’t quite make the list but are worth checking out.

Tricot – A N D

Japan’s all female math-pop trio makes finger tapping catchier than it’s been since Minus the Bear. You need to hear this band.

Sumac – The Deal

You can only use the word “crushing” to describe something so many times, but leave it up to Aaron Turner and Brian Cook to keep doom fresh. And those drums….

Ghost Face Killah and Badbadnotgood – Sour Soul

When I first heard that this album was being released my initial reaction was: “well of course it is.” The pairing of hip-hop influenced post-bop jazz group Badbadnotgood and a legendary east coast emcee like GFK may have insisted upon itself, but I was surprised at what these two brought out in each other. It’s alot less predictable than you think.

Death Grips – Jenny Death

I for one am thankful that the second part of The Powers that B series was more of the Death Grips we know than the abstract electronic experiments of the first installment. Not that I don’t appreciate DG at their most abstract, it’s just nice to hear them get back to something you could call a song, even if that song is a vicious, bloody mess of rap, industrial, and punk. Still falls short of The Money Store and Ex-Military though.

Chelsea Wolfe – Abyss

I’ve been critical of Chelsea Wolfe’s perhaps overly-grim stage persona before, but despite how you feel about how she promotes herself she can write some seriously good songs. She brings some doom into the mix this time for her most despair-filled journey yet, and it’s stirring to say the least.

Godspeed You! Black Emporer – Asunder, Sweet, and Other Distresses

While one of the more underwhelming GY!BE releases, I still love how this album shakes up the post-rock formula. Rather than traversing the known peaks and valleys, Asunder, Sweet, and Other Distresses starts off at a heavy low to low-mid tempo and tears itself down completely. Visceral waves of drone come after, then from the ashes the album gradually starts to make it’s way towards a hopeful crescendo. It’s far from their best, but leave it up to Godspeed to change the game’s rules a bit.

Refused – Freedom

Pity any band like Refused that releases a landmark album and them immediately breaks up only to reform over a decade later. Yes it’s not The Shape of Punk to Come, but that doesn’t make Freedom any less of an incendiary album.

Baroness – Purple

It feels strange having a Baroness album fall short of my top ten, but this one just came out too close to the end of the year for me to really vouch for the whole LP. From what I’ve heard I think they finally got around to accomplishing what they meant to do with Yellow and Green, and Purple is hard rock triumph. I have a feeling I’ll wish I added this in later, but seriously, I thought we were through with the chromatic theme guys.

Kamasi Washington – the Epic

This is where I fully acknowledge that I’m talking about an album that should really be in the top ten. I wasn’t hip to how hyped that this album was until a month or two ago and I still can’t quite wrap my head around it. I also haven’t had time to digest the whole record, but from what I’ve heard so far it’s worthy of it’s praise. The Epic is a mega ambitious and fittingly titled post-bop excursion that’s a sure thing for virtually any jazz fan. I think we’ve got a candidate for best jazz album of the decade so far.

My top ten of 2015:

10. Maserati – Rehumanizer

 

In my recent interview with Athens, GA band Maserati’s bassist, he proclaimed that Maserati would never make the same album twice. This is so, but Rehumanizer is an especially big leap ahead and as a result, one of their best albums so far. Perhaps you might identify the Edge’s delay trails and pulse-pounding synth builds that this band has been known to employ in opening track “No Cave”, but “Living Cell” is new-wave to make Joy Division fans squeal while still somehow sounding at home with Maserati’s back catalogue. The fact that it also marks their first time using vocals in a track further suits this album’s mission of marrying the human and the robotic. The last two tracks bring it all home and make Rehumanizer about as good of an 80’s action film soundtrack as you could hope for. Buckle up.

9. Marriages – Salome

 

Modern rock is losing big time by not wanting to acknowledge Marriages as one of the few things that could save it from it’s abysmal staleness. Their new LP Salome could very well be bringing dark post-punk and shoegaze to masses who might actually enjoy it. But then again who cares? I’m sure this moody trio is perfectly fine being where they are, and I’d be content too if I had released an album this good. It’s dreamy, abrasive, smart, and pretty damn accessible even to folks who might not even know what a shoe-gaze is. Emma Ruth Rundle’s voice carries emotion by the ton, and Marriages somehow tow a line between several genres while still making an album that flows beautifully.

8. Beach House – Depression Cherry

 

 

 

I have to eat some crow regarding my thoughts on Beach House and how they always stick close to their bread-winning formula. While Depression Cherry still keeps said formula intact for the most part, it’s the more unfamiliar moments like “Sparks” where this duo really takes to the sky. Here Victoria Lagrand’s vocals get a different context to float over; a fuzzy guitar lick and endlessly haunting keyboard harmonies. Even if their dismal pop-gaze meandering gets a bit tiresome it still wins me over on tracks like “Bluebird”. This album made me realize I should probably revisit this band’s discography. And yes I realize they put out another LP this year but I can’t have time to listen to them all. I’m betting it’s pretty good too.

7. Rachel Grimes – The Clearing

If I’m a Temporary Residence fanboy it’s because they’ve never steered me wrong, and because I might never find artists that I had no idea my life needed like pianist/composer Rachel Grimes without them. If you are a fan of neo-classical or minimalist music then it would be a crime for you not to own this. These lush string/wind/piano arrangements will break your heart, but can do far more than “gorgeous” too, just check the strong tension and pacing of the title track. The shorter tracks, all built around the themes of air and space, do just as much to tie the experience together as the more extensive ones, and The Clearing is a bold and evocative work of art.

6. Sufjan Stevens – Carrie and Lowell

 

 

I laughed when I heard friends say that Sufjan Steven’s new album was something of a return to form for him because I’m waiting for someone to show me what “form” he’s ever occupied for more than a few years at a time. Though I suppose I can see how his fans might have been relieved to hear an album as stripped down as this given how dense his last few have been. And stripped down is certainly what he’s given us on Carrie and Lowell, with both music and lyrics painting an achingly honest and vulnerable portrait of Sufjan’s youth. Despite how minimal the album’s instrumentation is, Sufjan always seems to know what to do with his songs for them to say exactly what they need to say. As you may have guessed, there’s some serious weight to the lyrics here: a song may deal with the loss of a loved one while another deals out cheery lines like: “Now I’m drunk and afraid, wishing the world would go away, what’s the point of singing songs if they’ll never even hear you?” Carrie and Lowell might not even be one of my favorite Sufjan LPs, but it’s another convincing testament to his being one of the greatest songwriters our time will know.

5. No Spill Blood – Heavy Electricity

 

Having spent alot of my youth listening to metal and punk I tend to require my heavy music to interest me in a new way for it to really keep my attention these days. Last year Sargent House did it with Helms Alee’s Sleepwalking Sailors, and this year they did it with Irish band No Spill Blood’s Heavy Electricity. This album is a fittingly titled monster, seething with thick, distorted bass riffs, pounding drums, dark, analogue synth runs, and insane howling bringing Mad Max – style driving sequences to mind. Songs like the title track build tension wonderfully while songs like “El Duurto” release it in full force, not to mention the likes of “Endless Drift” that do both. This band has some mean riffs indeed, some of which would almost be reminiscent of Melvins or High on Fire if the synths didn’t give them such a unique edge. Since I am a known bass nerd I’m not ending this without giving a hats off to Matt Hedigan, who plays some seriously nasty bass (with strong tones) while holding down vocal duties as well. With Heavy Electricity, No Spill Blood are showing us the side of Ireland’s forward-thinking punk scene that the cheerier math-pop bands like Adebisi Shank and And so I Watch you from Afar have yet to, and I hope it continues.

4. David Gilmour – Rattle that Lock

Is it or is it not kind of a ballsy move that David Gilmour saved his more accessible material for his newest solo album rather than put any of it on last year’s Pink Floyd release? Maybe it was because keeping The Endless River a continually flowing instrumental piece made more sense, but Gilmour has certainly been holding put on us where his pop side is concerned. But that’s not to say that Rattle That Lock isn’t without the floating, contemplative rock dirges that you’ve come to expect from the voice and guitar of Pink Floyd. After all, songs like “In Any Tongue” and “5 A.M.” make perfect sense for what the co-writer of “Comfortably Numb” should be doing at 70. The thing that makes Rattle that Lock great, however, is how the album is paced to give us detours when we might start to get a bit tired from the melancholy. In such moments, the low-key bar jazz of “The Girl in the Yellow Dress” or the beautifully serene “A Boat Lies Waiting” (which would have fit well on either On an Island or the Endless River) show sides of the black Strat wielder that we rarely hear, and that he’s obviously been working hard on. And as you might assume, the guy still knows how to make a guitar solo a worthwhile endeavor in an age where it feels like there’s almost nothing new that can be done with one. While the album may not be pull at the heart strings as strong as his last solo LP did, Rattle that Lock certainly has more variety and yields it’s true fruit after multiple listens. Besides, in my book Gilmour is a god so the fact that this album was even released is cause for celebration enough.

3. Intronaut – The Direction of Last Things

Intronaut have stayed on a steady scorched-earth policy of consistently awesome music since 2008’s Prehistoricisms and don’t seem to be tiring at all. Their latest record might just have the stuff to make them metal royalty seeing as how it furthers the band’s exploration into the more melodic aspects of prog rock and also brings back the screamed vocals that 2013’s Habitual Levitations lacked. This is somehow the heaviest yet most accessible thing that Intronaut have put out so far, or at least it’s close to it. And yet I can’t help but feel that the accessibility serves as a detractor in one aspect; the production may just feel a little too slick for a band with roots as sludgy as Intronaut, but it’s about the only complaint I can file with an album this good. Like the past few Intronaut LPs, The Direction of Last Things somehow continues to bridge the gap between the hesh and the nerdy, and it’s a rare thing for a band to combine this many genres (the usual jazz, ambient, and eastern music components are there) and never be obnoxious and overbearing. They hit hard on this one, but without flexing, letting the music speak for itself.

2. Jaga Jazzist – Starfire

Norwegian group Jaga Jazzist may be the best, most underrated, and overlooked band in music right now. It my sound like a ridiculous claim but let me preach. Despite the fact that Jaga have a respectable international fan base online, they remain one of the hardest bands to start a conversation on owing to how rare it is to find someone who knows them. Yet those that do will tell you that this band is making music on the highest of levels. They are the kind of band that can tour the US and pack out every venue they play because of their reputation as a live band, they can write songs that will drop a music theorists’ jaw and still do so with stunning emotion, and they can do a piece for over ten minutes that will make people dance without disappearing into self-indulgence. When I saw them in Asheville this year people came from several states away and I saw respected musicians showing utter joy at getting to see them. My point is that when I say Starfire might be Jaga’s best album (if it wasn’t for What We Must it would be) I’m saying it’s amazing. During the last six years, Jaga has been honing some of their most fluid and memorable songs, and also learning how to bring them to live with a slew of new electronic goodies. Yes, the keys, synths, and sequencers are in full force this time around, but there’s still plenty of room for Jaga’s signature horn, wind, and guitar section to occupy some sonic space without overcrowding the tracks. “Big City Music” spends so much time lost on the dance floor that there’s not even any attempt at making the very hummable main melody something that could be trimmed into a single. Although Jaga could beat the radio at it’s own game if they wanted to, as proven by Todd Terje’s stellar remix of “Oban”. Songs like the title track may remain too heady and complex for pop music, although you might be amazed at how essential each part is to the whole and how little they truly indulge in their abilities. Full of surprise, rich sounds, and wonderful melodies, Starfire is one of the most adventurous and rewarding musical experiences of the year you can have.

1. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Multi Love

It was far from a fluke. Their debut record was one of the best low-fi/psych-pop releases to come out in many a year. Then on top of that their sophomore release not only didn’t flop, but it actually expanded Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s mastery of the trip-ier side of pop music. This would have been a good time for them to fall short, especially with some recent gained popularity, but it looks like UMO were just getting warmed up. Now it’s time to revolutionize psych, and on Multi Love they do it by injecting their already established strengths with the passion and groove of classic soul. Track by track, Multi Love is a master-class in what to do to make a quality record, although UMO stay so ahead of the game on this one I can’t tell you what one should gleam from such a class or how to apply it, just listen and be inspired by how much better they are than everything else. “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone” is absurdly catchy and addictive, with a minor key disco verse and a ridiculously funky bassline to tie the chorus together. “The World is Crowded” is a sublimely groovy R&B number disguised as a psych song, with the band not afraid to go outside of a particular format or pattern in terms of tones/effects. And it’s that diversity that helps make Multi Love as excellent as it is, they paint with such a wide variety of color that even Reuben’s voice is not above being given occasional touch ups with flange and phasers. Not only are the songs that good, but it’s the studio wizardry that these guys conduct that make the album truly colorful while still feeling human. There may have been alot of great music come out this year, but 2015 was ruled by this Australian trio in my ears.

Ten Years Ago…We Had a Really Good Year in Music

So far 2015 has been the best year for music that this decade has seen in my personal opinion. It’s got me to thinking about how exactly a decade ago I remember having a notably landmark year in discovering new music that would soon begin to define me, as well as standout releases from artists that I already loved in my teenage years. I thought it would be interesting to look back upon some of these and see whether or not that they’ve held up over the past ten years. Agree? Disagree? Hit the comments sections, I’d be curious to see what you have to say about these records and my thoughts on them. And yes I was kind of scene back then.

These are no particular order

The Mars Volta – Frances the Mute

I think this album came at an important time when prog rock was making something of a resurgence and showing that it could pack real urgency and conviction. Typically when people think of prog they think of excess, and even though Frances the Mute is certainly not short on that it still has alot of feeling. Along with Mastodon, The Mars Volta brought an energy and abrasion to prog that temporarily ruled over the post Dream Theater “modern-prog” clones. The thing that’s stuck with me the most about this album is it’s cinematic nature, and it still takes me back to a time when I wasn’t familiar enough with classic concept albums to wrap my head around the dynamic range and narrative presented here. Frances the Mute presented something new, or at least something that was new to the generation that I belong to (who didn’t grow up with Close to the Edge).

Has it held up?

If you know me then you know this one has held up pretty well. Many look back upon the Mars Volta with noses upturned and I can admit that it’s not impossible to see why. But when I was eighteen this album blew my mind, and because of the effect that it had on me it will always hold a special place. Even objectively, I still enjoy this album a good deal and can still find myself in awe of it’s ambition and scale. Still a favorite.

Hopesfall – A Types

This will be one of the stranger choices as most Hopesfall fans yearned for the Charlotte band’s intense melodic hardcore years as soon as they were over. Which is understandable, I still think that No Wings to Speak of and the Satellite Years are among the greatest melodic hardcore/metalcore albums ever released. I think alot of people saw the slicker production and catchier songwriting of Hopesfall’s second phase as their attempt to cash in on the mainstream metalcore explosion of the mid 00’s, but more astute listeners heard that there was something more going on here. Basically Cave-In’s Jupiter all over again, A Types was a former hardcore band taking a modern space-rock voyage that should have made them gigantic.

Has it held up?

For me personally it has for the most part, but it looks like this album won’t be remembered as much in the annals of rock. It didn’t get alot of attention for how good it was at the time and that never seemed to change, I’d put in my “overlooked and underrated list.” But still, the years have not been kind enough for me to give it as good of a rating as I would have the first time “Breathe From Coma” put chills all over my skin.

Eisley – Room Noises

Another one that will bring about some confused and sour looks, I loved this album to death when it came out. You could categorize it as one of the better indie/alternative releases of 2005 but I always heard something more in Eisley. They had a purity about them that didn’t seem put-on at all to me, and the songs were seriously catchy. It was a winner from start to finish for me.

Has it held up?

Mostly, even though I haven’t been a fan of anything this band has done since this record. Perhaps it’s nostalgia or simply that sweetly sung melodies can always seem to find a place and time in which you are vulnerable to them. Either way, it may not be the same that it was in 2005, but I can still enjoy this one.

Jaga Jazzist – What We Must

Ok, I didn’t know this band in 2005 but this is such an awesome album it just reinforces that that year really ruled. Beautiful, varied pieces that float ethereally between post-rock, prog, jazz, and electronic music.

Has it held up?

Oh yes, and it’s still ahead of it’s time.

Pelican – the Fire in Our Throats will Beckon the Thaw

One of the most important albums ever to be released for post-metal/ambient sludge. When I first heard this album I interpreted it a little differently from how I do now. Whereas at the time I was just beginning to be introduced to the worlds of post-rock and post-metal, now it becomes apparent that a there was a good deal of sludge and shoe-gaze worship happening as well which almost makes for a more fruitful listen now than it did before. It’s basically an instrumental guitar-rock epic but without the usual pomposity that one would expect from such a venture, and it was a very important album to my musical development.

Has it held up?

It has even though it’s spawned alot of clones and was probably Pelican’s all time high point. I think there’s a good chance that this album will always be viewed as a bit of a classic from that era.

Norma Jean – O God, the Aftermath

I’ll admit that I’m young enough that by the time I discovered hardcore and extreme metal Coalesce were already a done deal and Botch would be on their way out shortly. As a result, I liked Norma Jean and there was alot of anticipation building up to their sophomore LP.

Has it held up?

Sort of. Although it sounds a bit dated now I still think it’s one of the stronger metalcore records of the mid 00’s. These days it’s also much easier to come to the realization that I’d just rather be listening to Botch instead.

Gorillaz – Demon Days

Gorillaz were one of the few bright spots in pop culture of the last decade. Their sophomore LP might have been their best, and was easily their most anticipated. This album goes all over the place and never feels stale.

Has it held up?

An album that floats by so many areas without ever setting it’s roots up in one is bound to hold up over time if the songs are good. And in this case they definitely are.

Between the Buried and Me – Alaska

Alaska was the point at which NC’s Between the Buried and Me went from being a weird metalcore band that could shred to being the prog metal giants they were meant to be. “All Bodies” dishes out a greatly satisfying helping of riffs, “Medicine Wheel” is borderline post-rock, “Laser Speed” is Cuban jazz, and the instrumental ending of “Selkies: the Endless Obsession” made my jaw hit the floor and deemed a instant replay the first time I heard it. Alaska might cover alot of ground but Btbam made it stick this time.

Has it held up?

I’d say so. Even though this band hadn’t yet developed into what they would be known for I still think this is a truly great prog metal record.

Sufjan Stevens – Come on, Feel the Illinois!

I imagine you’ve probably heard this so what can I say? Sufjan Steven’s breakthrough into pop culture was one of the most ambitious and epic pop/americana albums ever.

Has it held up?

Absolutely, and I think it will continue to do so since it didn’t really fall into any of the mid 00’s indie rock tropes. The piano melody that opens the record still gives me chills too.

Sigur Ros – Takk…

I was just discovering Sigur Ros around the time that they happened to be making one of their greatest and most successful albums. Therefore when Takk… finally came out this group would be instantly cemented as one of my favorites and I remained in awe of it’s level of emotion for years to come. You can’t have a conversation about serene or cinematic music without this album coming up.

Has it held up?

Yes, although many post-rock groups that came after it would rip it off shamelessly. It says something for the emotive power that this album possesses that two years ago when I saw Sigur Ros live, the songs from this record left the most watery eyes in the crowd by a large margin.

Minus the Bear – Menos el Oso

Probably the quintessential Minus the Bear release and the album that would spark a math-pop movement guiding the likes of Tera Melos, Maps & Atlases, This Town Needs Guns, and plenty of others. It’s not my favorite MtB release but it’s easy to see why it casts such a large appeal. The songs are both catchy and challenging, with many of the sounds conjured from Line 6 DL4 delay sampling done live, which is still a novel idea to this day. I honestly couldn’t tell what was going on the first time I heard this album, but I was instantly in love.

Has it held up?

Sure. I think it’s probably been played to death but it’s still an awesome album. Even though Highly Refined Pirates was slightly more revolutionary and Planet of Ice more epic, I think history will remember this as MtB’s must-own record.

Open Hand – You and Me

Another oddball overlooked album that I loved when it came out, Open Hand were onto to something when they went stoner rock with You and Me…it’s just that not that many people found that out. It’s understandable that a former emo band on Trustkill records releasing a one-off stoner rock album could get written off as crap, but I’ll always fight for how underrated it was. You can have heavy, catchy, varied, and heady all together in this one.

Has it held up?

Even as a general hard rock record I don’t think that it sounds dated, but it still doesn’t have quite the effect on me that it used to. Maybe I wouldn’t call it a perfect 10 now, but it’s still a shame how few know how great this album was.

Opeth – Ghost Reveries

Known either as the point when Opeth let a producer clean them up too much or the point when Opeth came into existence depending on who you ask, Ghost Reveries was the Swedish prog-death legends at their most digest-able. That’s not to say that they lost any of their epicness though, even though this album may be polished to a mirror sheen it is still unarguably one of Opeth’s greatest achievements. If you’re a fan of progressive rock or metal of any kind, you’ll be hard pressed not to find something you like here.

Has it held up?

While some metal fans look at it as the beginning of Opeth’s decline, the majority still seem willing to proclaim it a masterpiece and I can count myself among them. Maybe it hasn’t held up 100% but it’s still got an ambitious story to tell after ten years, and I’ve still yet to tire of it.

Interview – Christopher McNeal of Maserati

 

Maserati

For a over a decade, Athens, Georgia’s Maserati have been challenging and redefining the modern age’s idea of what instrumental rock is. When post-rock meant buying a reverb pedal and climbing a major scale as dramatically as possible, they took a page from the krautrock notebook and began weaponizing delay in ways that would make the Edge jealous and laid claim to their own personal corner of space. When dance music meant soul-less overproduction and bass drops Maserati took analogue, Girogio Morodor style synths and made some of the most pulse-pounding soundtracks that never made it into an 80’s film. My point is that Maserati have never been about doing the things the conventional way and in alot of ways it’s paid off for them. They’re one of those groups that manages to be everywhere and nowhere at once, while they might not exactly be a household name, I’m always surprised at the people I meet from all different walks who are either into them, or in many musician’s case, influenced by them in some way.

Chris McNeal is the pulse of this “sleek, sophisticated, and supercharged” machine (the band bio’s words). Formerly along with tragically passed drum wizard Jerry Fuchs, and now with Mike Albanese, Maserati’s rhythm section has always been inconspicuous yet awesome. It should say plenty about their tastefulness that McNeal and Fuchs were responsible for one of my favorite grooves of all time in the song “Monoliths” and the bass-line really only consists of two notes. The next record is shaping up to be a sure thing too, with Chris’ explanation of “something that feels alive, yet mechanical” certainly fitting the bill for the sonically dynamic “Rehumanizer 2” track that was posted by Temporary Residence last month. I don’t mind taking a stab that this might end up being one of their finest moments yet, but enough, I’ll let Chris explain that and much more better than I could.

tDB: Hi Chris, what are you up to?

CM: I’ve been really busy lately. I finished a record with my other band, Vincas, and now getting prepared for the upcoming Maserati tour in November.

How long have you been playing with Maserati?

I believe since 2005? I started playing with them as a touring bass player only. Eventually Steve Scarborough(the original bass player) got too busy to tour and be a part of the writing process, so I became a full time member. 

So that’s been for the majority of the band’s life?

The band formed in 2000. The original members remaining from that lineup are Coley Dennis and Matt Cherry. Phil Horan played drums and Steve played bass. With that lineup they released 37:29:24, The Language of Cities, Split EP with The Mercury Program, Towers Were Wires 7”, and the Maserati/Cinemechanica/WE Versus the Shark split EP. 

Early on Maserati was considered by many to be a post-rock band but with each release the Moroder/dance influence seems to get stronger and stronger. Was this the original idea of what Maserati would be or is it something that’s developed in the band as you’ve continued making music together and getting into different things?

This change in the band was never scripted. It was a organic development over time. As we grow older we discover new/old music and your taste in music changes. Also, with Jerry Fuchs joining the band, his influence steered us greatly in that direction. Obviously these new influences will creep into the writing process and into our own thing. We never want to put the same record twice. We always try to take risks. 

I can see that, would you say the band’s evolution has changed your approach to bass?

Yes, most definitely. Honestly, playing with Jerry turned on the light for me as far as bass playing. Playing with him I took a more simplistic approach to playing and locking in with the drums and the rhythms. We wanted to be a machine, driving the song forward. 

Tell me about your rig.

I play through a early eighties all tube Ampeg SVT bass head. As far as pedals, I’ve been using the Disaster Transport Sr. and Hoof (Earthquaker Devices). I also use a modded RAT(LM308) and a Big Muff guitar pedal. 

Do you do any kind of digital bass or keys/synth in addition?

Only in the studio. Live we use some samples and all live bass. There has been some talk of the guitar players adding some live synth on this next tour. 

Are there any mainstays that you’ve kept on your pedalboard for a long period of time?

The RAT and the Big Muff have been mainstays since day one. Other pedals have come and gone, but my pedal board has been pretty solidified for a few years now. I play through a early eighties all tube Ampeg SVT bass head. As far as pedals, I’ve been using the Disaster Transport Sr. and Hoof (Earthquaker Devices). I also use a modded RAT(LM308) and a Big Muff guitar pedal. I was a touring bass player in a different band about ten years ago, and about half the bass parts were run through a green Russian Big Muff. I really fell in the love with the sound of that pedal and have been using it ever since. I’ve messed around with the Bass Big Muff, but never really liked the sound of it. It’s a little too metallic sounding for me. Lately I’ve been using a Big Muff that my friend modded that doesn’t suck all of the low end out. It sounds killer.

Was it the Rat used for the distortion on “12/16”?

Yes, that was the Rat pedal. Steve actually played bass on that record. I think the only bass effects that were used was a Rat and a delay pedal (Inventions, Seasons).

Why do you prefer a P-bass, etc.?

I just love the feel and the versatility of the instrument. It truly is THE rock bass as far as I’m concerned. 

Fingerstyle, pick, or both?

I’m definitely a pick player. I can play with my fingers if necessary (on a few older tracks we do live), but I prefer the precision of the pick.

I heard about how all of your gear was stolen early last year. Personally with as long it’s taken for me to build my modest rig I can imagine how awful that would be. How did you go about rebuilding it?

Honestly, some friends of ours put together a indie go-go campaign that helped us all out immensely. It was really sad losing my 78’ Fender Precision I’ve had since I was 15, but with the help of many friends we were able to get rolling again. Keep on truckin’. 

What can you tell us about the new Maserati album?

We decided to record at our drummer Mike Albanese’s studio. With this decision we had the luxury to spend more time tracking and layering synths and to take more risks. We are very happy with the final result and looking forward to translating these jams live. 

Was there a certain idea/theme that you guys intended to convey with it?

There was a lot of talk about trying to combine the man and machine elements to create something that still feels alive, yet mechanical. There are even vocals on a song, as well as vocoder. 

Any plans for a US tour anytime soon?

Not in the plans right now. We are focused on our European tour this November at the moment. Hopefully we can do a US tour next year.

Are there any other projects that you’re involved in right now?

I sing and play bass in a swampy, noisy band called Vincas. We will have a new record out in the springtime and plan on touring behind it. 

Any advice you’d like to share on how people can make better music?

Just follow your heart and enjoy what you are writing and playing. It’s supposed to be fun. 

I want to thank Chris for taking the taking the time to talk to me and encourage you guys to buy Maserati’s music, including their new record here at the link at the top of the page.

 

 

Listening To: Osamu Kitajima – Benzaiten

Gripe as I might about how Youtube has become a commonly excepted avenue for the public’s music consumption, I’m still thankful for it in alot of ways. That suggestion side bar just sometimes seems to do wonders, or at least more than the recommendations from often times useless internet radio sites like Pandora ever help. I’m not even sure of the initial path of whatever rabbit-hole I fell down when I discovered this album was, but I discovered this fusion of traditional Japanese music and prog/psych-rock months ago and I’ve been addicted to it since.

I was not aware of Osamu Kitajima’s existence before diving into this album but apparently he’s a legend of psychedelic and new-age music who has had a long-running career, but Benzaiten is often talked about as his best work. It’s these fusions that combine traditional and modern popular music elements that are usually pretty cheesy or tacked-on feeling, but Kitajima somehow makes traditional Japanese percussion, strings, and vocals feel right at home with his deeply trippy psych-funk and prog jams. So much so that when the devilish wah-wah guitar cuts in on “Tengu ” that you might not be able to tell which side it came from, if it did come from one. The songs range from funky to meditative, dark, and spiritual and make up quite a listening experience as a whole. The deliciously chunky P-bass thumping certainly adds to the flavor as well as the rich array of both electric and acoustic instruments. So that’s where Grails might have gotten in from…..

Back to Passive: Changing my bass tone approach

Back to passive: changing my bass tone approach.

I’ve been a huge fan of Spector basses for a long time now. Even with one of the far more affordable Korean made models (the Q4 Pro in my case) I’ve always felt like I have one of the most playable instruments that I could imagine. A neck so thin and an action so perfect that I never need to make adjustments. An instrument that feels like it’s an extension of myself and is intuitive with my playing in every way. Well…except the way that the tone answers me back in full-band situations. One thing that I eventually had to come to terms with in regards to my Spector is that I simply had a bass that sounded far better by itself at practice volume than it ever did in a rehearsal space or on a stage. The problem was largely the active preamp, at venues where I was mic’ed I had to cut the treble and mids way back just so the sound of my hand on the frets wouldn’t be as loud as the actual notes I was playing. If I was playing a venue where I wasn’t mic’ed direct I would often times lose clarity and fall into indistinct mud when I hit a certain volume level. I still love my Spector, but I came to the decision that it’s time to go back to passive basses.

The first step was taking the old Peavey Unity Series I learned on back out and putting some flatwound strings on it. The bass is from a run that Peavey did in the late 80’s/early 90’s with both a precision and jazz pickup. I’ve begun playing this bass by keeping the neck pickup all the way up and the bridge all the way down. Roll the tone knob down a little and suddenly I’ve got thuddy Motown goodness spilling out at my command. I had forgotten how much I liked flatwound strings, no unwanted high-end noise and great clarity with reverbs and delays.

I didn’t stop at the warmer end of the tonal spectrum though, it was time to fix my mistake of not owning a Fender Jazz bass. I found a great deal on a 2002 MIM in a great color so I finally went for it earlier this year. It was such a relief to be able to dig in and get that aggressive midrange but without the hot signal from an active preamp. Since I do a looping project as well the Jazz has been my instrument of choice all year and has been a blast to play. Of course I’ve kept roundwound strings on it, so now I’ve got the two opposite ends covered.

I can dance around a Jamerson-like thud or a clear, seer-ing Geddy Lee bite between these two basses and still explore plenty of ground in between. Of course it isn’t really practical to take two basses with you unless you’re going to a recording session, but I’ve found that keeping the bridge pickup up and the tone knob down a bit on the Jazz does wonders for getting warmer sounds as well. The Jazz was mostly what I used during the recording of my band (young) American Landscape’s new album which should be coming out this fall. I found a weapon of choice for cutting through my guitarists’ thick walls of reverb…now if I could just afford a tube head. Not that anyone is likely to care but my rig currently consists of a Sunn Coliseum 300, an Ampeg 8×8, MXR M80 DI, Behringer tremolo/pan, EHX Holy Grail reverb, Ernie Ball Jr. volume pedal, Boss DD-7 delay, and my Boss RC-2 looper. So…passive or active, and how long will it be before I find myself switching back?

Show Review: Jaga Jazzist at New Mountain Asheville, 6/23/2015

I can oftentimes count myself among the many who love to complain about how bands never trek through their neck of the woods or how they don’t have good venues, etc. But the fact that nearly 20-year-running Norwegian experimental jazz group Jaga Jazzist did one of only a dozen of U.S. dates less than an hour away from where I live on their most recent tour, I certainly can’t say anything too derogatory about Asheville at least for a little while. New Mountain is the fairly new venue who booked the show and I’m grateful to them for it, partially because I doubt any other venue in Asheville would have tried too hard for this show and also because I’m glad to see a non jam or white-reggea band playing this decently nice and like-able venue. There also couldn’t be a more convenient time for Jaga to tour the US again for me personally seeing as how even though I just started listening to them about three years ago they’ve quickly become one of my favorite bands and they don’t tour the states very often. Although whether or not I got more gratification out of the proceedings than the guys to the left of me who said they had been waiting 10 years to see them, well, I can’t say but perhaps their payoff was even greater. Anyway, even though I don’t live in Asheville proper I’m not going to pretend that I wasn’t screaming like a girl internally as I happened to see the show announcement on my phone in my work’s breakroom. I never thought they’d come this close and my summer was officially made.

One of the good things about New Mountain is that it’s not particularly hard to get a good vantage point thanks to the balconies, but as I stepped inside I decided to help myself directly to the front seeing as how very few people had shown up to see the opener. “Hey, why not?” Just like the days of my youth. This was shortly after 8 pm and there were very few people in the room compared to how much it would fill up within the hour. I can’t say I feel like I would have missed too much if I had shown up later though…this is the part where I’m probably going to sound like a fanboy but I found Among Savages to be a bit of a disappointing opener for such an awesome and highly-regarded live band. I’m not the type to drone on incessantly about acts that I’m not huge on as if I’m somehow entitled to condemn them as unworthy, so I’ll focus on what he did right. And again, I’m certainly not the kind of fanboy that chants “Maaaaideeen!” during the opener or turns my back to them, I was hoping for good things actually. Among Savages was a one-man performer who played guitar and sang over pre-recorded tracks and did a little loop-stacking as well. The prowess involved demanded a certain amount of respect, and he certainly wasn’t a poor singer or guitarist, but I found some of the pre-recorded tracks to have a a touch of hoky radio-friendliness to them. As if perhaps he’s trying to broaden the project’s appeal and keep feet in multiple doors to stay abreast of lucrative opportunities. Maybe I’m wrong about that though and the music certainly wasn’t unpleasant or offensive to the ears. The tepidity of the lyrics was more questionable though (“sometimes I think I’m getting older quicker”?). The fact that he was prompt and finished his set quickly scored him some points too.

Right after 9 it was time for certain members of Jaga to emerge and check some things, shortly after the lights when down and they took the stage to a roar that was evidence that most attendees decided not to show up for the opener. The meager 20-30 had turned into an easy 100, and I was lucky enough to have staked my spot right against the stage. With clear poles filled with LEDs synchronized to give off light following musical queues, the 9 musicians hunkered down and launched into the title track from their new album, Starfire. The etheral and uneasy chords at the beginning layer on sounds until the song peaks into an invigorating duel of flute/trombone against synths/electronics…. and that’s before it’s halfway over. With phaser-ladened muted strums and plethora of other sounds that I can’t even remember, this track almost manages to sum up everything awesome about Jaga Jazzist in less than 10 minutes. The second selection was another track from the new record; “Big City Music” and starts off as some of the danciest material that I’ve heard this group do yet. Even amidst the synths, pads, and keys though, one of the things you’ve got to love about this group live is that Martin Horntveth’s powerhouse drumming, along with almost every other more “organic” sound featured, still covers a large amount of sonic occupancy. The separate elements form more than a truce, it’s a harmonius co-op. And even in a song like this that seems to have left it’s heart at the discotheque for the first 7 minutes, you still get those powerful Jaga melodies, this one particularly epic towards it’s finale.

Next Martin announced a more familiar name we were all anticipating; “Toccata” and soon the almost Reich-esque xylophones followed. I distinctly remember loving this song as they were playing it but looking back now I don’t have a clear memory of this one even though I wasn’t filming. I’m convinced I vacated my body for a while. Anyway, I’ve gone this far without indulging my bass-player observations so here’s as good a place as any. Even Ormastead’s tone surprised me, when I strained to hear it in the mix I began to realize; “Oh wait, I’m actually feeling each note that he’s playing instead of hearing a bassist that wants to be heard”. Even’s tone from his Fender Precision was warm, round, and synced up perfectly with the drums with every pluck. He’s obviously a slick player but he doesn’t spend time doing anything that the song doesn’t need. This was bass that fills up the room and warms your insides. Since he was on the second row of players I couldn’t see what he had on his board but he was playing out of a mic’ed Ampeg combo, I couldn’t see if it was 1×15 or 4×10. Of course, like almost all members of the band, he switched over to keys on some pieces and provided some nice electronic sub. On some of the boards directly in front of me I saw stompbox mainstays like EHX Holy Grail reverbs, MXR phasers, several Boss delays, loopers, and some boutique items I didn’t recognize.

Martin announced that the next song was for those who had been waiting 10-15 years to see them live before they reached back for the song “Finland”, but it was the familiar twinkling sound that I heard leading into the next song that made my heart leap. They tricked us by using a different intro, but sure enough, it turned out to be “All I Know is Tonight” from my favorite album of theirs, What We Must. With it’s almost post-rock peaks and vallies, it would have been all the more awesome live if it hadn’t been for space left by the absence of Lars Horntveth’s trumpet in the chorus. Of course the big-band twists and turns of “One-Armed Bandit” were performed, but new track “Oban” actually stole the show as one of the most satisfying and passionately played songs of the night. A song simply chock full of awesome in every way, “Oban” stands as even more proof that it looks like Starfire may turn out being one of Jaga Jazzists’ best albums to date.

Being so close to the stage I accidentally got a glimpse of the set lists as they were brought out and I spoiled an awesome ending for myself when I saw my favorite Jaga song, “Oslo Skyline” as an encore, but they actually tricked us a bit at first. After “Oban” they made it seem like “Touch of Evil” was going to be the last song of the evening, but even though I was sure they would come back for an encore they threw me for a loop when it ended up being “Music! Dance! Drama!”. Not that it necessarily would have made for the worst end, the aforementioned song is one of the most technical yet fun and rewarding songs from One Armed Bandit and at this point I went up to the balcony to get a different vantage point for a video. I was satisfied, and if they didn’t want to do “Oslo Skyline” I can’t exactly hold it against them. But oh, foolish me, they didn’t leave Asheville hanging, and did a beautiful and triumphant performance of the What We Must standout track. Judging from the audience reactions, which you can see some of in the following video, I wasn’t the only one that felt like it was everything and more of what I hoped for in this show. Very rarely have I seen a post-show audience look this exhilarated and satisfied, and the rabid compliments given to passing band members and the long lines at the merch table were testament to this. You could look around and see that this was more than just another show and it was worth the wait. Undoubtedly, we’ll all be back next time.