Jun 20 : "Waking Up" - Close Talker (Saskatoon)

New Music / Freshly Written & Recently Released (April 2017)

BLOCKS OF TEXTURE

Last Wednesday I went to Ortlieb's and saw Canadian band "Close Talker" open up the evening.

At first listen to their web music before I went to the show, there was something about the music that was a little unsettling. Maybe yes or no in the lyrics, but, deeper than that, in the foundation or the structure of the songs themselves. I'm talking about the texture or feel of the instrumentals. My "getting into the song" was interrupted by quick changes or stops in the textures.

On some of the songs there would be an intro that created one sense or feel followed abruptly by a verse that evoked something completely different. An example of this is in the song "Okay Hollywood", where there is a very lush and haunting intro for ten seconds, followed abruptly by a first verse that is more minimalist. While you can hear this contrast in the recorded version, it was even more pronounced in the band's live show. The abruptness of the transition rather than a smoothly-flowing change is one reason why I think of this as a "block of texture", which has a specific beginning and end.

Another reason why I see the music's structure as being in blocks is that, at several points, either between verses or interludes, the music almost stops! If only even for a split section, but it is definitely a dividing line. An example is in "Waking Up", near the 1.06 marker.

These blocks are also created by some abrupt changes in tempo and/or volume. Also in "Waking Up", listen how there is almost a break to silence at 1:56, and then the feel suddenly becomes softer and quieter. While music in general may have intros and verses and refrains and interludes, it's the segmenting or divides that help make this band's music unique.

"Waking Up" is the sixth track on the band's new album, "Lens", which was just released in April!

As I listened to the band's work on line and saw their wonderful show at Ortlieb's I kept thinking of their music in terms of these "blocks"; not every song has them, but enough do that I perceived their overall body of work in these terms. Due to these blocks and the changing textures, I found it sometimes hard to experience a particular feeling about an individual song all the way through, but, at the end of their show, when they had just played their last song and were ready to pack up, I felt that I had a pretty good feel for their work as a whole. Very intriguing structures. I liked their show.

Close Talker doesn't have any other shows coming up. The Philly show was one of their final stops on a world tour. However, you can see what they're up to by checking out their Facebook page. Here is the click ::: Close Talker on Facebook (CLICK HERE)

Jun 08 : "It's Alright". - Sam Seeger (New York)

BAND OF SIBLINGS

My main reason to go to Pianos that night was to hear Sam Seeger and his band. I had seen them at Goldsounds in Bushwick a few months before and was eager to see them again. The Pianos show was great; they didn't disappoint. At Pianos they played some new work and a lot of their standards.

Sam told me that he started playing music when he was twelve, and, from then until now, one of his dreams and goals is to have a "band of siblings". And that's exactly the way he's worked things out. His current lineup features both sister, Lily, playing rhythm guitar, and brother, Max, playing bass. (And Sam's girlfriend, Rosie, playing drums).

One song that stands out in their collection is "It's Alright." It's a song that has only those two words: "It's Alright". The first time I heard it, it seemed like a very upbeat and innocuous song; as I was first becoming acquainted with the band I had just been listening to their Soundcloud stream without looking at any of the accompanying artwork. However, as I later started to listen to the band's total body of music more intensely as well as took a closer look at their original artwork, I came to realize that the band has a more cynical and cautionary look at life and society, and there was more behind the two-word lyrics that I originally thought. I later saw the art next to the song showing a thumbs-up from the grave while being told "It's Alright". In some of the band's other work, such as "Drumbeat of the Apocalypse", the theme is resisting some of society's sweet words that try to lull us into submission. Here is "It's Alright", which was released last August :::

Sam Seeger and his siblings have no other shows coming up soon in our area, but here is the click to their web page, where you can keep an eye on what they're doing next ::: Sam Seeger web page (CLICK HERE). And here is the click to their Facebook page ::: Sam Seeger on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

Jun 02 : "Lorimer". - The Pendulum Swings (Brooklyn)

Big Band Entertainment! Loved their show. A big surprise at last Wednesday's visit to Pianos was Jason Trachtenburg and his big band "The Pendulum Swings". Eight band members including a whole brass SECTION! While I knew that there were multiple band members in the outfit, my new computer wasn't up and running til right before, so I was barely acquainted with most of the bands playing that night.

Yes, there's a brass section! They had a tenor sax, alto sax, trumpet, and trombone. And rounding out the outfit is a bass guitar, drums, an accordion, and Jason doing vocals and guitar. The band has a smooth musical style as well as stage presence. Jason's persona took over the room.

They played a good collection of songs including "Lorimer", which is one of their standards and was featured back in 2013 in a You-Tube video, which is right here :::

In addition to leading "The Pendulum Swings", Jason Trachtenburg is doing food videos. From last month, here is "Vegan Miso Lemon Tahini Dressing".

The Pendulum Swings doesn't have any other shows coming up in our area, but here is a click to their Facebook page so you can watch for the next date ::: The Pendulum Swings on Facebook (CLICK HERE).