Pretty New Songs
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Making Wildcat Creek
January 29, 2012
A few weekends ago, I traveled to Chapel Hill, NC, to record the new The Good Graces EP with my friend Jay Manley. I had been meaning to blog about the experience since, and finally found some time. This is long and self-indulgent, and kinda all over the place. So go ahead and bounce if you want; it won’t hurt my feelings one bit.
I had recorded my first record, Sunset Over Saxapahaw, with Jay, and it was such a wonderful experience. That was several years ago, and I was still learning the basics of songwriting and playing guitar. Not that I’m not still learning those things. But I do feel like I have a better understanding of them now.
Some background first. I LOVE recording. Almost as much as I love songwriting. Performing live is another story. I still get stage jitters, I still hate feeling like I’m bothering people about coming to see me (but also hate dealing with poor attendance, kinda stupid I know); I always feel like what’s in my head is just hard to transfer into that live performance. I think that’s why it’s really important for me to write and record new songs as much as I’m able. To me, that’s the fun part. Creating something from scratch and then hearing how it ends up, especially when it DOES match what you first heard in your head, is pretty awesome.
So anyway, after my silly “retirement” from music and then my “come back” a year later, which I won’t rehash again, I’ve been experiencing quite a deluge as far as songwriting goes. So I’ve been excited to document these songs, as I feel like the break really did me some good and that my songwriting improved as a result of it.
I arrived at Jay and Jane’s house Saturday afternoon. After a little catching up, we got started. I could almost immediately tell the difference in their new set up. When I recorded Sunset… they lived in an old farm house in the country. The atmosphere was PERFECT and I was wondering if we could still get that feeling at their new house. Well their new digs are AMAZING. It still has that country feel; in fact, their backyard is basically woods and while we were recording we saw several deer. I’m sure my reaction to that was pretty funny, snapping picture after picture, but hey I just don’t get to see that in Atlanta.
Deer! In the backyard!!!
The really cool thing about their new place though is that it’s “country,” but upgraded. The room where they have their drums set up — Oh. My. Gato. A tall cathedral ceiling makes the drums sound unreal. So of course I knew I’d have to do some drumming on this record. I hadn’t played in about 7 months or so; I don’t even know where my sticks are! But yeah, it was like riding a bicycle. And I got to hit pretty hard, which I love to do. A good drum sound is really critical, in my opinion, to your recording sounding good. That and vocals. Get those two things in place and chances are your recording is going to sound great. I like to think that for this record, those two things are really on point. Yay, Jay!
This is Jay's guitar. It has like 21 strings or something, and sounds like bass and acoustic and electric at the same time. !!!
Another thing about going to NC. I grew up there, and it’s still like home to me. There’s also something about it that really inspires me. I named my first record after the area where we recorded, and while I was there this time, I decided to do the same. Jay and Jane live off a road called “Wildcat Creek,” which we’d take whenever we’d leave to go get a bite to eat or whatever. I liked the way “Wildcat Creek” sounded, and it just seems to fit this collection of songs, so while I was there I decided that was it, that would be the name of this EP.
I just like this. It was on the cushion of the bench at their bay window, where I'd sit and watch deer while Jay worked his magic.
We worked all day Saturday and got back at it Sunday morning. Sunday was a recording marathon. We must have spent 15 hours on it. It was exhausting, but also exhilarating. I loved the feeling of really immersing myself into the project; especially with my ADD brain, I find it hard to focus on something for hours at a time but it feels awesome when I’m able to. I’ve never been on a retreat, but I liken it to one, simply because it’s so singularly-focused, and afterwards you really feel like you’ve cleansed your brain or something. Not to mention the sense of accomplishment you get from just really focusing on one thing and nothing else, and putting your everything into it. There’s one song in particular that we spent most of Sunday afternoon on. It was totally a last-minute edition to the EP, but I am so thrilled that we chose to record it. I’ve read interviews with musicians who talk about writing or recording a particular song, and just getting that “feeling” that they’ve done something great. Well in all my years of doing this music thing, I don’t think I’ve ever really had that feeling. Until that Sunday with Jay. We had been working on little bits and pieces of this particular song for hours, recording a little bit and then listening back to it, but not really listening to the entire song altogether until we were done. Once we did, it seemed like we both heard it. We both just sort of lit up and smiled at each other. I kinda couldn’t even believe it was me. It’s weeks later, but I’m still appreciating all the hard work we put into that song. And the really cool part is, for every single thing I’ve ever recorded, when I’d go back and listen to it later I’d always pick out the little mistakes. I’d always listen to it sort of critically rather than just enjoying it. But with this song, I actually listen to it just like I listen to another band or song I love. I just listen. And I smile. I can’t wait for you to hear it.
There's a song on the EP called "Blacklight." This is not one, but it reminds me of it. This was taken at the Standard, where we went late on Sunday night when we needed a break.
Dear 2011,
December 31, 2011
Oh, 2011. You went by much too fast. Your older brother, 2010, was a real asshole. He really fooled me too; I was all hopeful at first but then realized the changes I was so excited about were not what I wanted AT ALL. Took me a little while to figure that out though. And a 4-day stay in the hospital to boot. So yeah, I guess the bar was set pretty low for you, but you exceeded all expectations. More changes, but this time for the better, led to a healthier and happier me. Dare I say, you’re right up there with 1993 and 2007 for best years ever.
You weren’t so good to my friends though. Damn, isn’t it funny how you work like that? You were even an ass to my husband. (And ironically, 2010 was awesome for him while it sucked for me.) Some of my close friends really struggled this past year, and I’m sure they are as happy to see you go as I am sad. I can only hope that 2012 finds them happier and more at peace.
I don’t make “resolutions.” Instead, I make a list of things I hope to accomplish. Which I guess is sort of the same thing, only it’s not. Because I don’t look at it as a means of listing things I want to change about myself; it’s simply a list of things I hope to make happen. You know I always have to have a project. So, I have to apologize for this past year. You were really awesome to me. Maybe too awesome? Or maybe I was just too ambitious for my own good. At the top of my 2011 list was “have more fun.” And I did! Maybe all that fun distracted me from most everything else on the list that I had hoped to accomplish (granted, it was a pretty large list though). Or maybe I accomplished the only goal that really mattered anyway?
You were full of surprises though; and I actually accomplished a few things I never even set out to accomplish. My second goal for 2011 was to “create more.” That’s pretty open-ended, I know. I’m not even sure what I had in mind at the time. But early in the year a group of friends and I made a little documentary about Atlanta. It was something I had never done before, and it ended up being screened at a little film thingy in town. It also introduced me to a few new people. And, it gave me something new to be very proud of.
And of course, there was also the music. I had sworn off music in 2010. Thought I needed a break, blah blah blah. But oh my goodness, was I ever unhappy without my music. So I dove back in, not so much headfirst, but slowly, and with a completely different outlook than I had before. Remember the “fun” I spoke of? With that as my primary motivation, I found playing was much more enjoyable. I still find the need to turn it into a project. But hey, I wrote some of the best songs I’ve ever written, in my opinion, so it would seem like a bit of a waste not to document them. Hopefully I’ll finish doing just that in 2012.
I remember at the end of 2007, I was on the South Carolina coast celebrating with my family, and I commented on how sad I was to see that year end. I’m feeling much the same today. Not that 2012 isn’t going to be exciting. It’s going to be a big year, for sure. HUGE. I’m having a big big birthday and I’m already freaking out about it even though it’s six months away. There’s a lot of talk of big changes in 2012. And even talk of everything coming to an end. All that’s just way too much for me to even try to get my head around. But it has me thinking, with this past year being so amazing, it would be easy to put a lot of pressure on 2012. It’s just another year. Hopefully, there will be more. So maybe I shouldn’t think of everything I didn’t accomplish this year, and everything I hope to accomplish next year. Instead, maybe I should look back on this past year and think of all I learned. And take those things with me into the new year.
- I learned that I have to create to be happy. That’s a big one, and I don’t think I’ll soon forget it.
- I learned that even though I can be introverted and I really love my alone time, I’m a really social person. I need people around me. I need to communicate with people. Otherwise I feel, well, kinda like I’m dying.
- I learned that there are no guarantees and despite our best laid plans, sometimes shit just happens. Sometimes you just have to roll with it. As I get older, I’m becoming more and more zen. It sounds hippie dippie. But starting each day with a little bit of yoga and meditation has done wonders for me, and helped me just let things happen without trying to control it all. So this is probably the biggest thing I’m taking with me into 2012. The understanding that sometimes the best reaction to something is to just let it be. And that things really will be ok.
Thanks 2011. You taught me a lot. You were a ton of fun. I’ll miss you.
xoxoxyz,
Kim
Top 50 Releases of 2011
December 21, 2011
Yes, 50! This was a great year for new music. I was fortunate that I got to see a handful of my top 10 live this year as well (and the live shows definitely affected how much I loved the records… Wild Flag is a good example).
This was also a great year for new ways to discover and share music. While I retired my record label last year, I started a podcast with my good friend Jenn, and enjoyed a new means of sharing music that I love. I also enjoyed new technologies such as Rdio and the short-lived obsession (at least for me) Turntable.FM. I read fewer blogs, but listened to more podcasts, and got turned on to lots of new bands such as Pepper Rabbit, Dillon, Cults, and Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, among countless others.
All in all, I enjoyed being a little more of a music fan and a little less of a participant. So without further adieu, my favorite releases of 2011!
50. The Lingering Doubts – S/T
49. Sophie Madeleine – The Rhythm You Started
48. Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation
47. The Wooden Birds – Two Matchsticks
46. Various Artists – Luz De Vida
45. Grouplove – Never Trust a Happy Song
44. Washed Out – Within and Without
43. Vetiver – The Errant Charm
42. Jens Lekman – An Argument With Myself
41. Josh Rouse and the Long Vacations – S/T
40. Wilco – The Whole Love
39. Matt Pond PA – Spring Fools
38. Big Fox – S/T
37. Vanessa Carlton – Rabbits on the Run
36. Tyler Ramsey – The Valley Wind
35. Release the Sunbird – Come Back to Us
34. Kimya Dawson – Thunder Thighs
33. Mike Doughty – Yes and Also Yes
32. Hotel Lights – Girl Graffiti
31. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
30. J Mascis – Several Shades of Why
29. Matt Pond & Chris Hansen – Lebanon PA soundtrack
28. Phantogram – Nightlife
27. Low – C’Mon
26. Daneverly – S/T
25. Boy & Bear – Moonfire
24. Atlas Sound – Parallax
23. East River Pipe – We Live in Rented Rooms
22. Crooked Fingers – Breaks in the Armor
21. Desertshore – Drawing of Threes
20. Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
19. Yuck – S/T
18. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
17. Feist – Metals
16. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
15. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
14. Tune Yards – Who Kill
13. Mates of State – Mountaintops
12. Laura Veirs – Tumble Bee
11. Cults – S/T
10. Wild Flag – S/T
9. Pepper Rabbit – Red Velvet Snow Ball
8. Bon Iver – S/T
7. Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside – Dirty Radio
6. Real Estate – Days
5. Wye Oak – Civilian
4. Mount Moriah – S/T
3. Big Talk – S/T
2. Dillon – This Silence Kills
1. The Rosebuds – Loud Planes Fly Low
If you’re so inclined, and you’re on Rdio (if you’re not I’d love to tell you about it. I feel as if I should get commission from them, but I really do love it), you can listen to a track from each of these releases on my Best of 2011 playlist.
Me and All My Talented Friends
August 1, 2011
One of the best things about living in Atlanta is there’s creative inspiration everywhere you look. After I moved here in 2004, I fortunately very quickly fell in with some really talented folks (it started with my involvement in Chickens and Pigs and basically snowballed from there). It pushed me to be more creative and find new outlets; if it weren’t for the great songwriting of my friend Mary O. Harrison, for example, I’m not sure I would have ever started The Good Graces. A few of these friends have recently released some really outstanding records, so I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing that proud parent (or proud younger sister) feeling as I listened to them and attended their respective CD release shows. Here’s a quick rundown of my talented friends’ recent outputs.
Sensitive Chaos – Seeker After Patterns
Sensitive Chaos is the brainchild of Jim Combs, who also plays keys in The Good Graces. The best, most accurate review I can give of Jim’s record is what I told him after the first time I heard it. I was driving to my friend Nina’s while listening to it. And I got lost. Three times. Not because I didn’t know where she lived, but because I was that lost in the music. Hypnotic, atmospheric, and very relaxing, it’s the perfect soundtrack to chilling out after a hot day. Or, driving around aimlessly.
If you’re a fan of ambient music be sure to check out Jim’s City Skies series at Kavarna (and also online at StillStream), where he brings in some of the best electronic-based musicians from all over the country (and sometimes even the world).
Supervisor of the Loveless Average – Songs About Cities
Supervisor of the Loveless Average, or Supervisor for short, or SOTLA for the acronym-inclined, is John McNicholas (guitarist with The Good Graces), Elizabeth Elkins (The Swear, Grandville Automatic), and Marco Corales (Dutch Angle). Together they craft 90s, Minneapolis-inspired indie rock for the masses. Admittedly it took me a minute to get used to the very pro production on this record. But once I did I realized it suited the songs perfectly. This is a true guitar record, with lots of great interplay between John and former band member Mike Boutté. At times sounding a bit like Pavement, and other times sounding like that rare alt radio hit that’s just commercial enough to get mainstream airplay but just cool enough to keep you from changing stations (and I mean that in a good way, really), Songs About Cities is an awesome debut guaranteed to get stuck in your head.
For a limited time, you can download SOTLA’s EP for any price you choose on their Bandcamp page.
Supervisor of the Loveless Average – Baltimore Bound mp3
Virginia Plane - S/T
Virginia Plane is singer-songwriter Mary O. Harrison (formerly of Charm School and then Mary O. Harrison and the Tiny Tears) along with friends Tracy Clark (The Preakness), McGregor Button (Russian Spy Camera), and Govind Dixit (also from Charm School). Their 7-song debut is a superb collection of endearing, catchy folk-pop songs that highlight Mary O’s pretty vocals and captivating, introspective lyrics. Sometimes childlike (“I wish my dad was here, I wish I knew what to do”) and often nostalgic and visual (“Each year I remember … I will walk through the new green fields of this world like an old-fashioned girl”), listening to Virginia Plane is much like relaxing on your porch with a glass of lemonade and your favorite book. Extra cool points: The record was released by Atlanta’s Two Sheds Music, whose roster reads like who’s who of Atlanta songwriting geniuses—Blake Rainey, Jupiter Watts, The Preakness, and The Yum Yum Tree to name just a few.
Mary O. is embarking on a solo tour beginning tomorrow (Aug. 2), so be sure to check her website for dates and go see her if she comes to your town.
On Focus, or the Lack of
June 15, 2011
photo by staxnet on Flickr
I’ve never really wanted to admit this, but I’m finally coming clean. I have a very, very VERY hard time finishing anything I start.
In the past year or so, I’ve:
1. Started (and recently, it seems, abandoned) a food photo blog
2. Picked up a new hobby (but then put it on the back burner), documentary filmmaking
3. Talked about starting countless new businesses
4. Compiled a collection of half-written songs in my head
5. Read 3/4 of a handful of books (but finished none)
I’ve always been creative. And I’ve always found that I’m most creative at the beginning of a project. When ideas are fresh and exciting. But then as quickly as I jump in, I lose interest and move on to something else. I don’t like this. I told myself about a year ago, when I “retired” from music, that I was going to prioritize. Just work on things that are really important to me. But, I fall into the same trappings over and over again. The problem though, is that at the very beginning of such project, I’m so excited about it that it SEEMS really important. So I think, “Yes! This is it! I’m prioritizing! This is where I’ll put my energy!” But then I get bored, fast. Every new, exciting project gets trumped by a newer, more exciting project. Sigh. I exhaust myself sometimes.
So my question for all you creative types out there—What’s your secret for staying focused? Or do you? How do you keep that excitement and interest, even when something’s not new anymore? I look forward to your thoughts. And hey, look, I just finished this blog post, and in record time!
Ours on Ponce
February 20, 2011
February 14, 2011
I just finished editing my very first short film, a documentary called “Ours on Ponce,” about the Ponce de Leon area of Atlanta. All total, the editing alone must have taken me 40 hours. I’m never afraid to take on a creative project, but I will say this one really tested my patience, probably more than most any other project I’ve ever done. But I’m also more proud of it than I have been of anything I’ve done in a very long time.
The idea for “Ours on Ponce” was born out of a conversation I had a couple of months ago with my good friend Andy Gish. Andy had started a blog about Atlanta, and mentioned that she hoped the blog would help her “look at Atlanta through new eyes.” She approached me about contributing to the blog, and ironically, I was looking for something to help me also appreciate Atlanta. I had just been to Austin, a place that I love probably more than any other place I’ve ever visited. Every time I go to Austin I leave there thinking, “I want to move there!” But this time, I decided instead that I wanted to seek out the things I love about Austin, in Atlanta.
So I was happy to help and thought the experience would be good for me. Over drinks at our new favorite bar, Sister Louisa’s, Andy and I discussed possible topics for the blog. She mentioned how much she loves Ponce, and I suddenly got the brilliant(?) idea that we should stay out all night (yes, all night) on Ponce and document our adventures. By “document,” I simply meant write and take a few pictures. But a week or so later I saw that Creative Loafing was sponsoring a short film contest. It had to be about Atlanta, about 5 minutes in length, and shot by point-and-shoots, Flips, or phone cams—nothing fancy. Bingo! That’s how we’d document our adventures! We’d get a bunch of footage and I’d edit it all together and submit it for us. Never mind the fact that the only video editing I’d ever done was very simple edits (placing a title slide over a presentation) for work.
So I jumped in head first, recruited a few friends, and on January 29, we stayed out all night on Ponce. We hit some of the regular spots, like The Local, Righteous Room, The Majestic, and Murder Kroger. But we also visited some new (to me) places, like Friends and even the Clermont Hotel. A lucky break that couldn’t have been better even if it had been scripted, the Clermont security guard offered to give us a tour if we came back when his shift was over. Of course, we jumped at the chance.
As sunrise rolled around, Andy and I high-fived each other, celebrating our accomplishment. We did it. We stayed out all night without any casualties, no one got too wasted and annoying, and we didn’t even get the slightest bit grumpy at each other. In fact, we had a wonderful time. We met a cast of characters that again, couldn’t have been better if they had been scripted. We received a sketch of ourselves from a caricature artist at The Majestic. We made new friends, and strengthened the relationships with old ones. It might sound a little cheesy, but I really did feel like the five of us had created a bond that other people just wouldn’t really understand. We did this together, and we loved every minute of it. And for me, our night out did exactly what I hoped it would do. It made me appreciate and even fall in love with Atlanta all over again.
As I worked on the editing of “Ours on Ponce,” my appreciation for Atlanta increased even more. A few days into the editing, I posted something about the project on “Friends of Music,” an active Facebook group that I’m fortunate to be part of. I was hoping to get a few Atlanta-centric songs from Atlanta bands. I was amazed at the response. I must have received 10 songs, just in the span of a few days. That there are so many talented artists finding inspiration from our city is just a testament to how unique it is. And I’m so happy they got to be part of our little film.
I hope you find as much enjoyment in watching “Ours on Ponce” as we did making it. And I hope you find your own little slice of Atlanta to love. All you really have to do is look around.
2010 – The Year I Stopped
January 8, 2011 — 7 Comments
(Note – This post has been stirring around in my brain for a while now. But it evolved from a musical recap of sorts to something more personal, that just sort of poured out of me. So, I’m going with it.)
"Auld Lang Syne" photo by Matt Katzenberger
Early in 2010, I made a decision to take a break from music. I decided my “last show” would be on my birthday, June 17. I was burnt out, frustrated, constantly finding I had to much on my plate, tired. I needed a break. It was time.
Most of my friends joked about it, placing pretend bets around how long I’d stay away. I think they’re all pretty surprised that I really did quit it, all of it, even my labor of love, my record label that I started 10 years ago.
But today, perhaps inspired by the fantastic set by my friend Nerdkween last night, or maybe just out of boredom, I picked up my guitar and wrote a new song, almost instantly. I like to think my best songs come out that way. With little effort. But maybe I’m completely fooling myself. Regardless, this song is about change, getting away, starting anew. Probably a common theme bouncing around creative people’s heads in the new year.
But while I was writing that song, I realized something about last year. Mainly, the latter half of last year. Sure, perhaps I did need that break. It really had gotten to be too much. But, I just STOPPED. And I don’t just mean stopped playing music. I stopped being myself.
I have a friend who I don’t talk to near enough, but I like to call him my “Jimini twin” (the misspelling is intentional, as his name is Jimi. And he’s a Gemini, like me). We have an awful lot in common, and I remember him telling me about his self-imposed break from music that occurred a few years ago, and how it made him completely miserable. He didn’t know what to do with himself. I’ve started to worry that’s also happening to me. (And Jimi, if you read this, I’ll allow you the “I told you so!” that you most certainly deserve.)
I guess creative people need to create. Just a little over a month after I “slowed down,” I got so sick I ended up in the hospital. Maybe that had absolutely nothing to do with my break from music. But, I can’t help but believe it may have had something to do with me just not being myself.
This is not a “coming out of retirement” announcement. Instead, it’s more of a pledge to myself to just be ME. I’m quirky, creative, busy, and generally all over the place. This drives me—and surely my husband, family, and close friends—a little crazy at times. But, it’s me. And while it might sound a little goofy, I kinda miss me.
So here’s to being myself this year. Whether that means finding a new passion or going back to an old one, I have a feeling that’s going to make all the difference. Happy new year, everyone.
Jeffrey Bützer Talks Charlie Brown, French Influences, Appearing Busy, and More
December 4, 2010
Jeffrey Bützer is no doubt one of the busiest and most talented musicians in Atlanta. A one-band show of sorts, he often plays accordion, keys, and drums at the same time. Most probably know him from his Charlie Brown Christmas shows at the EARL, which always bring in a packed house for two nights of performances. But he’s also quite the collaborator in the studio and recently released an EP, Past Wanstead Flats, with Claire Lodge as well as providing the music to the film Wild Is The Wind (along with Matt Jarrard and Nerdkween among other talented locals).
I recently spoke to Jeffrey (via email) about how he finds the time for all these projects, the inspiration behind the Charlie Brown shows, his definition of pretty, and more.
PNS: Let’s start with a little bit of background information. For readers unfamiliar with your music (for simplicity’s sake, I’m thinking primarily about your recent solo work and/or with your band the Bicycle Eaters), how would you describe it?
Jeffrey: That is always a hard thing to do. … I feel like my solo music (that I play live and/or record by myself) is a bit like French minimalism; I like to think it is in the same world as Erik Satie and the French Musette artists. Early on I tried to emulate specific styles of music, but hopefully I just sound like me, now.
Once I bring songs to the Bicycle Eaters, they become new monsters; those guys can turn a song on its ear. I had this sort of oom-pa oom-pa thingI wrote, and our sometimes-drummer Mark Carbone completely changed the feel of it, and Chad Shivers (guitar) wrote a wonderful counter melody to it.
PNS: You’ve been quite the busy musician lately, with the recent EP with Claire Lodge, a soundtrack with Nerdkween and Matt Jarrard (among others), and of course gearing up for your annual Charlie Brown Christmas show at the EARL. How on earth do you manage everything? When do you sleep?
Jeffrey: Yes, I have the ability to appear very busy. I recorded the thing with Claire last year. And we know the Charlie Brown music pretty well, so it is just freshening up with those songs.
PNS: So a year ago you became a father. Has that affected your songwriting, or even your involvement in music, at all? Seems like rather than slowly down you’ve been all over the place recently!
Jeffrey: I am not really sure how it affects my writing? Except when my wife was pregnant with Francis I made myself write him some songs in a major key for a change.
I keep trying to “slow down” but projects keep popping up. Luckily I am fortunate to work with really top notch musicians these days, so rehearsing takes less time. I only spend 1-2 nights a week on music.The new guitar project The Compartmentalizationalists (with either Claire and/or myself along with a bassist and drummer) is purposely under rehearsed. But, it is by no means jam-y or improvised.
PNS: Tell me a little about how the EP with Claire came about. She’s from the UK, correct? Was the project recorded long distance (through the mail?) or did the two of you get together to record it?
Jeffrey: We recorded live to tape with me on drums and her on guitar. Then, we each did one guitar overdub; every song has only 3 guitars and a drum set. We wrote and recorded it very fast, in 11 or 12 days. I’ve known her since we were 12 or 13 years old. She has a really odd approach to music … it’s hard to explain. She does live in England, but visits Atlanta several times a year.
PNS: And what about the recent soundtrack, for the film Wild Is The Wind. How’d you get involved in that?
Jeffrey: I met Raymond Carr earlier this year; he asked me to play at a puppet show/mixed media thing he worked on.A few months later I got the call to write a score for his film. It was nice, because most of the film work I’ve done in the past, normally I just record and send it off. But he gave me song lengths, tempos and things. It was a fun, new challenge working with the parameters he had set. Raymond is one of the coolest people I know; he puts on great events and seems to have endless creativity.
PNS: Looking at the credits to the soundtrack, I couldn’t help but notice you are quite the multi-instrumentalist (with piano, drums, guitar, autoharp and more credited to your name). Do you feel like you have one “main” instrument, that perhaps you’re drawn to a little more than the others, or one that you feel you’re more skilled at than the others? And which instrument did you learn to play first?
Jeffrey: I started out playing the drums. I think of myself as mainly a piano player, but I go through phases of writing on other instruments, lately it is guitar.I am not a super good guitarist; Claire is much better than me. When I play in The Compartmentalizationalists I don’t really approach it musically or technically, I think of it more in terms mood. We are heavily influenced by jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock, not just his music, but is philosophy as well. He was very skilled, but he wrestled his guitar more than he played it. I was so happy when I heard him say that he really didn’t want to be a guitarist, he had asthma and couldn’t play sax. That is amazing. I really like when artists are not aficionado with their medium. David Lynch got into movies because he wanted his paintings to move. I don’t know why, but I love when I hear things like that.
PNS: A lot of local folks have come to know you through your Charlie Brown Christmas shows at the EARL. How many years have you done that, and what was the inspiration behind it?
Jeffrey: This is the third year. I really like Christmas music, but I never wanted to do just random holiday songs. To me, the Charlie Brown Christmas album is by far the best holiday record on the planet. Luckily I know one of the best pianist in the city, TT Mahony. I must note, my second favorite holiday album is The Ventures Christmas Album, and luckily I was able to get Sorry no Ferrari to play it in its entirety this year.
PNS: And finally, because this has become a standard question … this blog mostly focuses on “pretty” music. I think some of your music falls into that category, but maybe not obviously so. But, what’s your definition of “pretty”?
Jeffrey: When I hear that something is pretty, it makes me think of something that is attractive or pleasing but in a almost superficial way, like pop music or a model.And I don’t mean that bad, I don’t feel like music, art or whatever needs to always be deep or make a statement. Jean-luc Godard once said something like “never film a person crossing a street so the audience knows where they are going, film it because there is a street sign or a car in the shot that is attractive to you.”
Thanks to Jeffrey for taking the time to chat with me and for giving me an excuse to finally figure out how to use an umlaut on a Mac. Don’t miss his upcoming shows: Wed 12/8 at The EARL – Past Wanstead Flats release show with Fiend Without a Face and John Wayne, and Fri/Sat 12/17 and 12/18 at The EARL for his annual Charlie Brown Christmas show. And finally, visit Ohmpark for a free download of the Wild Is The Wind soundtrack.
Chapel Hill’s Schooner Plays DU Tomorrow Night
November 9, 2010
Schooner
I’ve been burning the candle at all ends lately, which has caused me to neglect this blog slightly. But I did want to get in a quick post about tomorrow (Wednesday) night’s show at Drunken Unicorn, which includes my good friends Schooner from the beautiful town of great bands and bad basketball, Chapel Hill, NC (ok, I guess technically they are from neighboring Carrboro, but I just had to work that in there somehow).
Schooner is comprised of some very talented folks who also happen to be really good people. Their most recent EP, Duck Kee Sessions (recorded by esteemed producer Jerry Kee), was released exclusively on Cytunes.org, a music download site that donates 100% of its proceeds to cancer research. The site also features exclusive tracks from the likes of Polvo, The Rosebuds, and Superchunk.
Don’t take my word for their greatness;CMJ gave them some well-deserved kudos, comparing them to “fuzzy Guided By Voices-ish rock and woozy Sinatra/Hazlewood-like country for an overall effect that’s equal parts dreamy, deadpan and doomed.” Sweet.
Also on the bill are Schooner’s tourmates Wages (former members of Arizona) and local faves Night Driving in Small Towns. Just five bills gets you in the door for a really great night of indierock, so I’ll plan to see you there!
Fall Into Autumn Playlist
October 23, 2010 — 2 Comments
By popular demand (ok, one reader, but still), I put together this mix today, comprised of tracks that somehow say “fall” to me. Here in Atlanta we’ve been enjoying some absolutely perfect fall weather; here’s hoping that wherever you are, you’re enjoying the same.
Listen to the mix over at 8 tracks. Let me know what you think! And feel free to suggest your favorite fall tunes in the comments.
1. Yo La Tengo – Autumn Sweater
2. Ryan Adams – Halloweenhead
3. matt pond PA – Halloween
4. Guided by Voices – I Am a Tree
5. Sparrow House – Last Fall
6. matt pond PA – The Dark Leaves Theme
7. Devendra Banhart – Autumn’s Child
8. Bon Iver – Woods
