Rose-Garcia is an independent artist through and through. Thanks to the donations of fans and the modest homegrown talent, the singer/songwriter has been able to record and release and number of albums and EPs. These included “Roll the Bones” in 2011, a folk album with a tender and teasing playfulness to it and the eight-track Donor Blues EP, a very lo-fi recording with a big heart.
In preparation for a 2013 Halloween show in Colorado, U.S., Rose-Garcia with friend and fellow musician Esme Patterson of Paper Bird, spent a few hours in Patterson’s house writing a song. Wearing bold halloween costumes, the pair took the newly created sheet music on stage and received a unexpected whirlwind of a reaction, for the weave-like texture of the male and female vocals. The song was called “Dearly Departed” and has since only expanded on that success, with over four-million plays on Spotify and a performance on late night TV show ‘Conan’.
The single “Dearly Departed” featured on Shakey Graves’ 2014 album “And The War Came” which many of the songs also adopt a similar male and female vocal arrangement. Since the release the pair have played to sold out audiences in Portland, Oregon, New York, San Francisco, California and Chicago, U.S. with increasingly bigger shows and festival slots.
Formerly of the alternative rock band Treepeople, Doug Martsch created Built to Spill in 1992 alongside Brett Netson and Ralf Youtz. Martsch's initial intention was to change the line-up after every album, and true to his word after the release of the band’s debut album “Ultimate Alternative Wavers” in 1993, Brett Netson was replaced by Brett Nelson, and Youtz replaced by Andy Capps. Built to Spill, and in particular Martsch became known for his jamming style similar to Neil Young, his elaborate indie-rock solos like Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis, and fractured and cut-up song structures and melodies in a similar vein to Pavement.
Along with cellist John McMahon and a number of ex-Treepeople, the band earned their second underground breakthrough with the album “There’s Nothing Wrong with Love”, finding further appraisal from the indie-rock genre. After Martsch’s first of three albums as the side-project, the Halo Benders, and signing with Warner Bros. in 1995, Built to Spill released a split EP with Caustic Resin titled “Built to Spill Caustic Resin” in 1996.
The move to Warner Bros. still allowed Martsch his creative licence and with a line-up of Martsch, Nelson, Netson and Scott Plouf, Built to Spill released their major label debut “Perfect from Now On” in 1997. The album, along with high-profile shows including Lollapalooza, led to a significant swelling of the band’s fan base, and earned a host of positive reviews.
With a notable lack of structural consistency and continuity, Martsch was forced to keep the same line-up as to be able to play both new and old songs, and earned a reputation for an impressively elaborate and unpredictable live show. With a now fixed line-up of Nelson and Plouf, Built to Spill’s subsequent release “Keep It Like a Secret” in 1999 proved to be the band’s tightest and polished release, once again earning warming appraisal from critics and fans alike, and marked their introduction to the pop charts. On the demand of fans, Built to Spill released the unimaginatively-titled live album “Live”, with the same line-up, however featuring once again featuring Brett Netson and Jim Roth.
The band’s subsequent album “Ancient Melodies” (2001) was the first album to be met with mixed reviews, and Martsch went on to release a folk and blues solo album “Now You Know” in 2002. Built to Spill’s sixth studio album “You in Reverse” (2006) was heralded as a return to form, if not their finest album, and the band embarked on a subsequent tour in support of. The band released their seventh full-length album “There Is No Enemy” in 2009 followed by a festival show at the Matt Groening curated All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival in Minehead, England, and subsequently release the well-received EP “The Electronic Anthology Project” in 2010.
Initially based out of Tacoma, Washington, singer-songwriter Molly Hamilton and drummer Michael Stasiak were beginning to make a name for themselves before moving to the Big Apple in 2010. With the addition of guitarist Robert Earl Thomas, the group, armed with a laptop microphone and GarageBand, starting crafting a six-track promotional cassette. Later named “The October Tape” after the month of its release, the cassette generated significant online buzz for the band who ultimately signed with Captured Tracks.
In March 2011 Captured Tracks issued Widowspeak’s official debut single “Harsh Realm”, combining dark and soaring lead guitar with candid, indie-pop lyricism. The single “Gun Show” followed in June 2011, after which the group released its debut, self-titled album in August. Recorded with Woods’ Jarvis Taveniere, the record earned the group a considerable fan base and was supported by a host of shows and festival appearances.
Widowspeak’s sophomore album, “Almanac”, once again on Captured Tracks, was released in January 2013. Taking their sound in a more folk-driven direction, the record was produced by Kevin McMahon, known for his work with Swans and Real Estate, and is an upbeat, shimmeringly summer playlist. The band were subsequently tipped as an artist to watch at 2013’s SXSW festival, after which Widowspeak issued the EP “Swamps” in November 2013.
Shakey Graves is the singer songwriter who writes music with a whole lot of grit, with the instrumentation of just a hollow body electric guitar, and a drum kit. The sound is definitely quite a thin sound but they manage to fill a room with it regardless. Opening with the song “If Not For You” this audience are up off the feet dancing around this room and singing along to this indie sensation that is Shakey Graves. “Dearly Departed” is a little bit more lenient towards a mainstream sound even if it sounds as though it was written in the mountains. They use quite a lot of dissonance in the guitar, despite the slightly infectious sounds that they make. The humble audience really do get behind it, with smiles on their faces as they sing along. I also must acknowledge that I’ve never seen an audience with so many beards and denim shirts!
Couple reasons why you should go see Built to Spill live:
1) They tour the US almost every year. I've seen 6 times in 5 years.
2) They're incredible
3) You're always in for one or two 15+ minutes jam
4) Surprising covers are almost guaranteed (I've had MIA's Paper Planes, The Clash's Train in Vain and Captain Beefheart).
5) 3) and 4) often get combined. Last year (at Slim's in SF) I witnessed a 20 minutes version of Cowgirl in the Sand, with the guitarists from the opening bands joining in from the bar and the merch table
6) Doug Martsch often hangs out in the audience during the opening band set If you're still not sure, go listen to their Live album. Or just check them out, they're usually pretty cheap shows.
I can't wait for #7 in August.
A self taught guitarist with a whole load of talent, that’s Alela Diane for you! Her distinct tone and incredible talent on the guitar has taken Diane far in her career, allowing her to release a multitude of music under various labels, and collaborate with some extremely talented musicians.
Her debut album Forest Paradise gave her the opportunity to become heard by many producers and lables, leading to her signing with her first in a string of contracts. Seeing her live, she has come a remarkable distance since this self released album. She’s maintained her roots and doesn’t make her concerts showy or over the top, but the quality of her performance was world class.
She began with tracks from Forest Paradise, and worked her way through to About Farewell. The venue was intimate, and everyone there seemed to be huge fans of hers, singing along to the dulcet tones of her Indie style folk music. She had a great stage presence, and her interaction with the audience was personal, and touching to see that she was so appreciative. I would definitely see her again, a very talented lady.
Awesomeness! I had so much fun at Tres-Pecos watching Widowspeak belt out new tunes, old tunes and a cover of Wicked Games!!! Amazing band, really good time. Go see them!
The Thursday night show, the first of two back-to-back evenings of the Brothers Comatose's return to The Crepe Place, consisted of a mix of the Brothers' 3 albums. They didn't waste anytime in getting the crowd moving with the first cut off of their first album (Songs From the Stoop), Trippin' On Down. They kept the crowd dancing for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, when they ended with their encore, a cover of the Violent Femmes' Blister in the Sun. All in all, it was a great show, with a somewhat drunk fiddle player, Phillip Brezina, adding some comedic moments to the bands' presentation, while still playing expertly. The new album is mellower than the two previous releases, but that might just be because I am less familiar with it. Still, the Brothers put on a stellar concert last night and I look forward to seeing them again TONIGHT!!