Pickwick

The Northwest is a hot bed of noteworthy indie-folk-Americana-country-infused bands. But with bearded 20- and 30-somethings everywhere grabbing an acoustic guitar and their finest flannel, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by so many imitators. Thus begins the striking story of Seattle’s most soulful indie-rock kids: Pickwick.

Coming together in 2008, Pickwick began making Americana-folk music. Eventually, the group began to feel insincere and tired of the folky stuff, says singer Galen Disston. During band practice one evening, the band (which includes Michael and Garrett Parker, Cassady Lillstrom, Matt Emmett and Kory Kruckenberg) began to explore new sounds, and landed on one that was far more soulful and danceable than anything they had done before. “Our (current) sound just came out of that jam session,” says Disston. “It suited our individual talents and was refreshing.”

After finding their voice, Pickwick honed their sound and began playing packed shows around Seattle, garnering a lot of press and positive attention. Seattle radio station KEXP hosted the band for an in-studio performance in early 2010, and has continued to support the band.

“The support from KEXP and City Arts Magazine has been amazing,” says Disston. “People actually come to our shows, which is much better than playing to our friends and moms,” he jokes.

All this before the band has released a full-length record.

Pickwick opted instead to put out a series of vinyl EP’s, entitled Myths, Volumes 1-3. “It was a was a way to release music we were excited about on a format we all love without having to slave over a full length,” says Disston. “Now, we are slaving.”

Pickwick is currently recording their debut album, slated for release sometime in 2012, along with touring plans and a trip to SXSW in Austin, TX. The band is hopeful about the future, but realistic about the need to balance, work and family life with their music. “We hope soon we’ll be able to play together more than four hours a week, but it’s a rare luxury none of us expect,” says Disston.

For the time being, the band is grateful for the opportunities they’ve had. Disston attributes their success in the region to the supportive music scene in Seattle, where people are willing to come and see varied genres live. While being praised as a neo-soul band, Disston dismisses the descriptor. “My understanding of neo-soul is like Erika Badu, is that right?” he jokes. “The soul tag is flattering, but we are not as influenced by soul as we are by other types of music. We’re just trying to do what feels right.”

Catch Pickwick on Jan. 21 at the Wild Buffalo. For more about the band, visit pickwick.bandcamp.com or follow them on Facebook.

Fanny Alger gives us the goods

Fanny Alger is a Skagit-based band with remarkable mystique, considering their longstanding musical background and lack of notoriety outside of their loyal fan-base. With pseudonyms like “Hugh Mann,” “Junior Mintz,” and “Blind Lemon Pledge,” spanning the liner notes of their albums, the actual names of the band members are hard to pin down.

There are five members of Fanny Alger, however their names change each album, giving them a shrouded history. “Let me put it this way,” says singer and guitarist, Shane Gildnes, “We’ve been nerds since before it was cool. In fact, we were in a band before that was nerdy!” Drummer Jon E Catt bluntly adds, “I thought it was a good way to meet girls.”

“We want to help people find a community,” Gildnes says of Fanny Alger, which contains members of now defunct bands, Stagnant Water and bluegreen, and formed sometime in the late 80s. “We want like-minded individuals to come to our shows, maybe fall in love.”

They explain how Fanny Alger has developed a business model that is frowned upon by the modern day music industry. Before explaining their model, Catt asks “Are you familiar with de-evolution? It’s kind of like that.” They continue by adding how they don’t aim to make money by selling their music but, instead, by giving their audience the ability to pay them. “We don’t need much,” says Gildnes, “But if we can get a few doctors or lawyers to donate 10 percent of their income forever, we can continue our crusade.”

The crusade, he says, is against boredom and stress, ignorance and intolerance. He adds, “We want our music to be like those [Seasonal Affectional Disorder] lamps.”

Fanny Alger concerts, or “revivals” as the band calls them, are to promote health and prosperity. “Want to know what makes it healthy?” Gildnes asks, “One part hygiene, one part good posture, and one part organic virgin American snake oil.” Catt adds in, “It has to be American.” Gildnes furrows his brow in agreement, “Oh, definitely.”

They continue in saying that, although their revivals are spectacular, their large-scale production makes traveling difficult. “Also, we’re old,” Gildnes says, “If our car breaks down we might catch influenza.” “Or whooping cough,” adds Catt.

Their latest album, Yellow Monster, is self-recorded and features many story-based tracks. “Yellow Monster,” the title track, is based on an incident which took place in the early 70s when their friend’s mother swears she saw a large, yellow beast. Apparently, the creature was so large that it was able to clear the driveway in one step.

“The next day my friend went outside and found yellow hairs,” says Gildnes. They don’t think it was bigfoot but they researched the subject and found a study by Washington State University audiologists, who recorded sounds in the wilderness of Washington State only to find unidentifiable noises closely resembling primates.

Fanny Alger decided to sample the noise in “Yellow Monster,” which Gildnes remembers being an eerie moment since the sound was in the same key and time signature of the song. “It was really weird,” he recalls, “I just randomly placed it in the song and it fit perfectly.”

“Not only that,” says Catt, “But we hadn’t played that song as a band in [a long time] and we were able to record it in one take.”

Fanny Alger’s fixation on the unusual is seen in other songs on the album as well. One track is about Robert the Doll, a doll that was owned by Key West painter Robert Eugene Otto and is believed to have magical abilities.

The band was able to visit the doll in person. “I took a picture of Robert without asking [him],” says Gildnes, “He made me forget my camera in the museum.”

They also wrote a song about Paul B McCloud, the biggest Elvis fan in the world, whom they were also able to visit. Catt relates the experience to being like a three-hour long acid trip.

Gildnes excitedly emphasizes the reality of their music. “All of it is true,” he says.

Since traveling as a band is complicated, Fanny Alger are not anticipating a heavy tour regiment. Catt says, “Never say never,” but they are nonetheless excited about their revival in February. “We like to play shows in smaller towns,” Catt explains. “Not to bash on big cities, but the crowds in smaller towns are more likely to let loose and have fun.” He says that he often notices how city crowds bob their heads during their sets rather than expressing any sort of emotion by dancing. Other than scheduling revivals, Fanny Alger plan on focusing towards how they’ll spend their riches generated by the release of the album.

“Maybe I’ll wear a meat dress [for the performance],” Gildnes proposes. “It’s been done,” says Catt, adding “Maybe a Spam dress?”

The humor created by the members of Fanny Alger speak to their intentions as a band. Gildnes says, “So many people are content with laying on their couch and watching television, we just want to have fun.”

For more information about Fanny Alger, visit www.fannyalger.com

Sunday Cypher

Sunday Cypher

Sunday Cypher

There was once a time when local hip-hop was hard to come by. Clubs and bars around town that supported the scene closed, and the remaining venues were left to consider the profitability of a night of hip-hop versus a night of rock bands. This left a once vibrant scene of MC’s out on their own, to all but disappear. Enter, the Sunday Cypher.

A resurrection of what was started eight years ago by local MC’s, The Sunday Cypher began as a weekly summertime meeting between hip-hop artists in local parks to hone their craft. It has grown into a full-fledged community that meets year-round in people’s homes to get and give feedback on their rhymes and beats and freestyle for hours on end. They also have a private Facebook group where artists are able to ask questions of other group members, which ultimately turn in to long threads of discussion. It helps keep the members in constant contact and continue to grow. Thanks to such a supportive community, hip-hop has reemerged stronger than ever.

“We disappeared for a while, doing our own thing,” says DJ Einstein, Cypher coordinator and weekly host of the meetings at his home, known as Mission Control. “After a while, we decided to reorganize and become more efficient.”

Part of that efficiency and reorganization includes an openness and desire to involve anyone who wants to be a part of the hip-hop community. More than anything else, this has become a mentorship program. “We’re trying to improve individuals in order to improve the scene as a whole.”

The first Cypher of each month is dedicated to organizing the month ahead: what’s going on in the scene, ways to improve it, and goals. “We discuss who’s playing when and what everyone’s working on,” says DJ Einstein. “We want this to be the dopest, and give everyone an opportunity to do their best and showcase their talents.”

And Einstein is thankful to The Glow Nightclub for providing an avenue and venue to display local hip-hop.

One such show is a monthly hip-hop showcase, which DJ Einstein describes as a much-needed opportunity to get anyone and everyone on the mic that may not typically get stage time. “Just like the Cypher, we keep these events totally free,” he says. “We never want money to be barrier for someone to come and enjoy and participate.”

Another tool for participation comes in the form of a website being launched Jan. 26 called WAHiphop.com. Through the website, Einstein says the group hopes to spread the success of the Sunday Cypher to other cities. “There will be an application on the website for people to apply to start a chapter in their town,” he says. “It’s way to share what’s worked for us, and to ultimately help people tour.”

He hopes to increase the number of regional artists coming through Bellingham, and in return, keeping a constant stream of local artists regularly touring the Northwest. “We want to make a state-wide scene that’s always touring together, with local acts paired with touring acts in each town along the way, so there’s always a draw,” he says. The website will help book small tours independently, with a database to match artists up with venues and other artists. It will also feature weekly remix competitions and a producer’s section where artists can sell their beats, splitting the profits to help maintain the website.

“We’re helping people do for themselves what record labels typically do,” says Einstein. “Labels record and release your album and help you tour. Now we’ll be able to do all these things without them (record labels).”

The ultimatel goal of the Sunday Cypher is to become a non-profit organization, paying artists through grants. DJ Einstein says they also plan to have a communal studio space, not just for lyricists, but all the elements of hip-hop coming together. “It’s not a question of whether or not this is going to be successful,” says Einstein. “It’s about when it’s going to be successful.”

Catch the Sunday Cypher at The Glow’s hip-hop showcases, and later this spring at the Worthy Fest on the new hip-hop stage April 20. For more information, visit WAhiphop.com.

Keaton Collective. Photo by Mickle Nguyen

The story of Keaton Collective is a beautiful one. Three years ago, four of the six members moved from southern California to live and make music in Bellingham. The result has been a collaborative process producing three solid records that blend rock, folk and country. And the story continues to get sweeter.

Tercera, the band’s latest release (celebrated Nov. 30 at The Skakedown, and will be digitally released on New Year’s Day), is a collection of songs written by Alex Jones. He describes the new songs as a combination of his own country and rock, while trying to explore new sounds and genres the band has yet to touch on.

Keaton Collective’s 2010 release, Time and Pressure, was mostly songs written by bassist Bill Jennings. “There’s a lot of songwriting going on all of the time,” says Jones. “We have a backlog of songs we’re working with, and Bill’s songs were the one’s that were ready to go when it came time (to record Time and Pressure).”

Jones went on to describe the writing process as communist in many ways. There is a natural order. Each record is representative of one band member’s songs and style, taking turns and sharing the reigns for the vision and music of Keaton Collective. “The next record will likely be Chad’s (Fox, guitarist) songs, but who knows. Things are getting more and more collaborative,” says Jones. Which is also a plus during their live shows, when several members are able to share the spotlight as lead vocalist for different songs.

Drummer Ricky Penalba is also the band’s audio engineer who Jones says has produced their finest sounding record to date. For fans of Keaton Collective’s current catalogue, fear not; the high energy and quality songwriting continues on Tercera. “I think it’s similar to the previous recordings, but we’ve worked hard to build on what we’ve done and improve,” says Jones.

The band places a great deal of emphasis on adding visual elements to their music, creating several music videos of the last few years. They are releasing a music video for the song, “Falling Asleep,” which Jones describes as a party video. “It was great,” he says. “We had a ton of our friends come out, and it felt like a real party while we were filming.” He adds that it’s just another element to the music that they continue to perfect, and are always trying to improve. They want to reach people however they can. “If someone sees a video on youtube, that’s great to have another person who’s hearing our music.”

The band is also excited to share their music live in the coming months. They are planning several release shows in late January and February, and hoping to tour shortly thereafter. “We’re still trying to buy a new van that will hold up on the road,” jokes Jones. After sinking a considerable amount of money into their last van, they’re looking for reliable transportation this time around. “We’re really proud of this record and can’t wait for others to hear it.”

See Keaton Collective perform at the Cabin Tavern on Dec. 10, with Fox and the Law and Out on the Streets. For more information, visit keatoncollective.org/

Evidence - The Real Thing

Michael Perretta won a Grammy for co-producing a track for Kanye West’s album, The College Dropout. He’s a member of the beloved hip-hop group, Dilated Peoples and is now part of the Rhymesayers family, which is a strong testament of his credibility as a solo artist. Perretta, better known as Evidence, will be coming to the Wild Buffalo on Dec. 10.

Since he recently put out an album, Cats & Dogs, Perretta says he likes to, “ease in new material,” rather than overemphasize his latest work by playing primarily new songs. “I try to play a varying set each night,” he notes, “I want to avoid any predictability, especially since people are able to upload videos to YouTube.”

However, Perretta doesn’t feel negatively towards this since it’s an indication that his fans are interested enough to document his performances. “It’s actually pretty awesome,” he adds. Apart from changing his set each night, Perretta says he changes the beats for some songs, utilizing beats from other well-known rap songs. “I’m not reinventing the wheel,” he says, “I just want to put on a fun show.”

When discussing Cats & Dogs, Perretta explains how the album is about dealing with everyday issues that he personally faces. “The term ‘cats and dogs’ comes from the British saying about ‘raining cats and dogs,’” he says, suggesting that the album can be viewed as an umbrella against the constant downpour of obstacles people face in daily life. “It may not be about the most glamorous subject material, this is a drama, not a comedy,” he clarifies, “but a lot of the songs embrace real shit.”

He goes beyond the usual idea of real-life drama by establishing how the album is meant for people to find motivation to overcome their problems. Perretta realizes that his subject matter is somewhat risky since many fans would rather hear about luxurious lifestyles rather than self-reflection. He draws a distinction by explaining, “[He] doesn’t want to hear Rakim rap about only having one chain or Dr. Dre rap about not having orgies. They’re superheroes. I want to hear about Rakim having seven chains, you know?” Perretta writes about his authentic viewpoints by focusing on the familiar rather than the stereotypical iterations of current hip-hop trends.

The tour that is set to come through Bellingham bills Evidence opening for The Grouch, Zion-I, and Eligh, which is part of the “5th Annual ‘How The Grouch Stole Christmas.” Perretta explains how, “[the other three rappers] have a big set together,” which doesn’t leave him feeling displaced. “Dilated Peoples had to win over audiences when we opened for [other artists] in the past,” he says. The show on Dec. 10 is also the date of Perretta’s 27th birthday and he says there will be a celebration not to be missed. This is not Perretta’s first time in Bellingham since he came through a few times before, including when he opened for Brother Ali.

Perretta is enthused about the tour, especially since it will give him a chance to perform for audiences that may not be familiar with his work. He believes that the gap between the fans of his music and the fans of the other artists on the bill is closing. Before ending the conversation, Perretta says, “If you can’t afford to buy my music, download it illegally and tell someone about it.” Since he created an honest album based on human struggle, it appears his efforts are worth rewarding.

See Evidence at the Wild Buffalo on Dec. 10 as part of the 5th annual How the Grouch Stole Christmas show. For more information about Evidence, visit myspace.com/evidence.

Drawing from his experiences abroad in 2008 when he traveled to 18 countries, David Ney’s newest release Blackened is heavily influenced by his time in Russia. COURTESY PHOTO

David Ney has been an active member of Bellingham’s community since the first day he arrived in 2002. He applied for a job to run the projector for The Pickford Theater but was asked instead to post flyers about upcoming events around downtown Bellingham. “Now, I could probably cover all of downtown in under three hours,” he said nonchalantly.

Ney remembers performing on Railroad Avenue, “busking outside of Rite Aide” as his primary source of income. “Bellingham seemed to be an oasis for creativity because it had so many active people who value art and music,” said Ney, who grew up in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.

In 2008, Ney felt the need to hit the road and traveled to 18 countries, using his time spent in Russia to shape the content of his music. “I took the Trans-Siberian Railway which took seven full days to reach our destination,” he said, “and it was during the summer so it was pretty hot in my cabin.”

Ney spent his time on the train writing poetry, screenplays, and over 100 songs, some of which were heavily influenced by country music. “I didn’t have much to do except sweat and write,” Ney said, smiling, “and they were playing Russian pop music from the 70s and 80s over the speakers of the train.”

He enjoyed the unfamiliar music because it was “funny and mixed really weird” and “the synths were really loud” with “heavy drums in the background.”

When Pat Gay started to mix the album, Ney specifically asked for his album to have similar qualities to the Russian pop music he heard. “Russia is such a musical place,” he said with surprise, “almost everyone there seemed to play a musical instrument.”

After Ney returned to Bellingham, he co-founded Lumpkins which became an outlet for a portion of the music he had written while abroad. His involvement with the band forced him to put his solo music on the back-burner. For Blackened, Ney’s second solo album, he has drawn on more international genres for inspiration. Aside from Russian pop, he lists Graham Parsons, outlaw country, and traditionalist folk-singers as constant inspiration as a song-writer. “My first album (Bright Blue) was definitely a ‘break-up’ album but whatever,” he shrugged, “I’m proud of that.”

Blackened comes from “traveling around the world and writing strong lyrics,” Ney said. “Lyrics are very important to me,” he added, “and I’ve edited and reformatted my songs so many times for [Blackened] that people who’ve come to my shows have heard three or four versions of my songs.” This process is somewhat new to Ney who used to view raw lyrics as “the most honest way” to write music. “Now I move lines around and try to remove weak lines to make my better ones stand out more,” he said. “I tend to edit on the spot.”

Aside from actively writing improved songs, Ney has made a point to release Blackened in a vinyl format. Ney admits he “used to be an obsessive tape collector,” and his interest has evolved into collecting vinyl. He wants to create art for himself because “when [he] was younger [he] thought endless touring and promoting would make an influence,” but he feels like his perspective now is more realistic. “Man, I’m so lucky to have such an awesome group of talented people around me,” he said, seemingly unable to get past the idea. He mentions many names but focuses on Pat Gay of Slang Tang studios, Lumpkins drummer Ross Robinette, and Ricky Penalba who drums for Keaton Collective.

When the album releases, Ney hopes to have a concert with everyone who performed on the record. He’ll be “playing a few local shows but [he] want[s] to focus on Lumpkins since the band is playing really well together.”

He’s toying around with becoming a song-publisher since he’s able to produce an incredible amount of songs in a short amount of time. Ney also expressed an interest in acting since he’s been acting most of his life. “I really want to write a musical so I can combine song-writing and acting. I guess until then I’ll work at a bar,” he said with a smirk. Between writing screenplays, poetry, and hundreds of songs, Ney’s prolific nature will be difficult for him to hide.

Catch David Ney’s release party on Nov. 30 at the Shakedown.

Dyno Jamz

Dyno Jamz is not another group of rappers with egos louder than their beats. They don’t constantly spit mad game, bragging about every conquest from the monetary to the physical. Instead of solely focusing on being entertainers, they are first and foremost artists. It is immensely refreshing to witness the growth and evolution of a group who truly deserves the attention, through their unmistakable dedication to the craft.

Dyno Jamz creates a heavenly sandwich of crisp lyricism, fresh beats, and soulful sounds with eight talented members to pack it all in. They are a large Seattle-based group with a strong presence. The members include: Ehssan Karimi on drums, Mark Hunter on bass, Saba Samakar on guitar, Andrew Savoie as MC/producer, Zac “Turtule T” Millan as MC, Colin Pulkrabek on trombone, Brennan Carter on trumpet and Ray Larsen on trumpet. With so many people, it is difficult to get everyone together at one time. However, the large number means that it’s easy to get a substitute when needed. With a large band, challenges inevitably occur. But as Saba stated, “Anytime a band is challenging themselves, it makes for better music.”

Dyno Jamz is often described as an infusion of hip-hop and jazz. This is due to the various musical interests of members in the group, who are both hip-hop fanatics and deeply involved in the jazz community. On the surface, these two genres are as different as chocolate and hot sauce. However, when you dig a bit deeper, their similarities are clearly apparent. Passion, strength and history are embedded in their roots. Dyno Jamz has mastered the formula of blending the musical styles, without lessening the power of either one in the process.

A strong sense of maturity resonates with the music that Dyno Jamz produces. Therefore, the relatively young age of these fellows can come as a shock. In fact, some members are still students. The band definitely has strong affection for the University of Washington, with two members involved in the UW jazz department. And for a brief stint, Dyno Jamz’s practice space was at the UW School of Music. Saba and Ray graduated from UW, while Colin and Brennan are still enrolled in school. Currently, they all live in the Seattle area. Yet, Saba emphasized that, “we don’t fit in what people currently define as the Seattle hip hop sound, and we are okay with that. We just want people to listen to us and like us. They can call us nerd-core jazz fusion, whatever, and we’re good with that.”

Dyno Jamz is taking a new approach with their sound, currently shifting positions and roles within the band. They have a new drummer, and Saba, who used to play drums, is now playing guitar. The rhythm section has readjusted as well. “It is a tiny bit more aggressive, has more teeth to it, but still familiar like it used to be. It’s a little less pop and jazz, but a little more biting, yet still acceptable,” Saba said.

The band’s goal is to provide music that is strong enough to bring in the casual listener, but still substantial for jazz fans. Dyno Jamz’ music is very broad in its accessibility, and pays close enough attention to detail for listeners to have something to look forward to. The band does not try to appeal to a specific fan base by mimicking an already established sound.

“We can’t go after people who are ACDC fans, because you can’t be a better ACDC than ACDC was/ We can’t be the Psychics better than the Psychics are. I can’t be Sabzi better than Sabzi. I can’t make beats like him, no matter how much I’d like to,” Saba said. “We can’t rap like Geo, we don’t want to rap like Geo. We want people to know our sound.”

Humility is a true quality of Dyno Jamz. Saba made sure to emphasize that the band has a wide range of interests and that his individual opinion doesn’t necessarily speak for everyone. By simply stating that concern, Saba demonstrated the care that members have for each other. And that is a unique quality which reflects in Dyno Jamz’s sound. This is group of young men who are earnestly putting their all into what they have true passion for, into music.

Dyno Jamz have been playing shows for over two years. but they have never played in Bellingham, despite their bassist Mark Hunter being a Bellingham local. Come Nov. 19, Dyno Jamz will perform on Western’s campus alongside the Blue Scholars, Scribes and Brother from Another.

Dyno Jamz has a simple wish for those who attend their shows and listen to their music: to have a good time with friends while embracing the music that’s so genuinely presented. That end result is quite assured. Dyno Jamz’s fan base grows steadily, as this dedicated group gains more devotees. A fan is not a guarantee, in their minds. A fan is a privilege to be earned. And after one phone call, this writer is proudly on that list.

Catch Dyno Jamz on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Viking Union Multipurpose Room. Blue Scholars, Scribes, and Brothers From Another will also perform. For more about the band, visitmyspace.com/dynojamz.

Daffodils

Daffodils

The Daffodils are comprised of self-proclaimed best friends, James Reisen, Tom Farrell, and Jessica Bonin, whose overwhelming positivity exudes from the upbeat sing-a-longs they create. The band recalls the beginning of the Daffodils from when Reisen and Farrell met in high school biology and remember “hanging out a lot, [having] dreadlocks, and playing grunge tunes in [their] living room.” Eventually they started writing their own songs, performing together for the first time at Miracles Cafe in Bellingham in the mid 90s. They explain how “Jessica took a fancy to [their] music and comedic antics.” She used to “heckle from the stands, yelling things like ‘show us your balls!’ Clearly, Bonin was enticed by their musicianship because she and Reisen are now married.

Despite their longstanding friendships, the Daffodils officially formed “when the dust finally settled from Language Arts, Georgia Pacific, The Caps, Clamdust, the Holy Toledo Brothers, Casio Therapy, The Bins, Egghead Mo, The Muscle Relaxers, and the Actual Odds” finished breaking up. They remember their first show as a band which took place during a wedding ceremony “in the oldest catholic church in Seattle.” At the time they were playing covers exclusively and say “[they] dazzled the bride and groom with [their] youthful renditions of “Here Comes The Sun” and “Come As You Are.”"

After such an enlightening experience, the group “escaped their stressful city lives” and moved to the “tiny hamlet of Edison, Washington.” After Reisen found a “children’s drum kit for forty bucks at a garage sale,” Bonin became the official drummer for the band.

The Daffodils’ first album, Renee and Eugene, is a collection of warm, genuine songwriting and has elements of Elliott Smith’s style although they never truly imitate Smith, which is the key difference. Reisen’s voice remains honest throughout the album, never losing an element of credibility due to smart musical composition and a healthy variety of songwriting.

The album was completely written by Reisen, “providing his own accompaniment with instruments and vocals,” which interestingly remain secondary to his singing. “Jessica and Tom were not allowed in the studio during [that] time,” the band joked.

According to the band, “the new album is quite different than Renee and Eugene” since they decided to “record as a band for the first time.” During the period they released the first album, they were “playing James’ songs as a three-piece” and realized that their audience had a positive reaction to their sound together. The new album, Swim to Shore, is a way to “capture the energy [they] feel at live shows,” for the people who enjoyed them. They “set out to record an album that sounds true to the Daffodils” which they say is a collection of “simple, straightforward recordings” that “really sound like [them].” The Daffodils are so pleased with the result that they claim to have listened to their new album “over 1,000,000 times and still like it.” The band attributes much of their happiness for the albums towards Bruce Harvie who has helped them accomplish their mission.

The Daffodils have a lengthy relationship with the Bellingham music scene, although they believe “Bellingham is cheating on [them].” All jokes aside, they consider themselves to be “old Bellinghamsters.” When Reisen and Farrell originally performed together, they remember playing at the Showoff Gallery and Randy’s Roadhouse, noting how “Bruce Shaw even sat in with [them] once on mandolin.” Although some of these places are no longer around, Bellingham recognized the power of house shows, and Reisen and Farrell remember “playing shows at the Humdinger House.” Now, the band comes to Bellingham “once every month or two, sometimes more frequently, sometimes less.”

Their first performance in Bellingham as the Daffodils was in July 2009 for a memorial concert at the Nightlite for Gunther Jose Frank and Sean “Donkey” Mansfield, both of whom were sadly lost at sea.

Incidentally, that performance was one of their favorites due to the overwhelmingly positive response from the audience. While they were playing, the vocals started to sound different which was not from a technical error but because the crowd sang along to every word. They remember their performance being “electric.” They note that “the Daffodils were Donkey’s favorite band” and how Gunther was at their performance in Portland. They feel honored to have been included in the event and remember Gunther and Donkey as being “very close to [their] hearts.”

Their live shows have taken place in different locations, although Bonin is fond of house parties. Reisen and Farrell joke about “playing at the Kingdome.”

When asked about their musical influences, the band lists a variety of artists such as Neutral Milk Hotel, Michael Jackson, Too $hort, “Weird” Al Yankovic, among an assortment of others. The Daffodils have been playing songs from Renee and Eugene for some time so their new album will be a way of showing their growth as a three-piece and their collaborative songwriting abilities. The band is “excited because it’s been a total team effort.” With such an outstanding list of inspirational figures, their new album will also reflect their colorful taste in music.

The Daffodils are not planning a grandiose performance or an elaborate album release countdown. They are scheduled to have an album release party which will undoubtedly showcase their talents as an energetic three-piece and poignantly takes place on Reisen’s birthday. They “used to go for meatball-vodka shooters to celebrate” but, sadly those days are past them. Now they “just go fishing.”

Catch the Daffodils on Saturday, Nov. 26 at the Old Edison Inn for a CD release and James’ birthday party! For more information about the Daffodils, visitmyspace.com/thedaffodilsband.

The Cave Singers

The Cave Singers

The Cave Singers

The Cave Singers

The Cave Singers were a beautiful mistake. Through a series of opportunities, relationships and happenstance, the indie-folk three piece came together in 2007. Three full-length albums later, the band has developed a distinctive and stripped down sound that is gaining praise and momentum around the country.

Guitarist Derek Fudesco describes the beginning of The Cave Singers as an outlet for simple acoustic songs he began writing with vocalist Pete Quirk. “Pete moved into the house where I was living, and we were both making music in different projects,” he explained. Fudesco was busy playing bass in post-punk band Pretty Girls Make Graves at the time. Quirk was writing and recording songs on a four-track tape recorder, which Fudesco immediately became interested in. As the bands they were each playing in began to wind down, they focused increasingly on making music together. The pair played several shows under a different name before landing upon an unusual sound.

“It was really different from what we were doing at the time, or anything I had ever done at that point,” Fudesco said. “We wrote simple songs, and it felt so easy. He (Quirk) would write a vocal melody and I would write a guitar line, and that was that.” Instead of battling out songs with four or five other songwriters as he had in Pretty Girls Make Graves, the pair worked seamlessly together.

The project was never intended to become anything bigger than a few four-tracked songs that Fudesco describes as “some weird acoustic songs that we enjoyed making together.” There was no concept of a band or putting out records, until six months later when Marty Lund was added on drums to perform the songs live. “When we finally played, it was so effortless. There was no loading gear, we just set up and played for our friends at the Sunset (Tavern in Ballard),” he said.

Once the band had enough songs to record a full length, they began taking weekend trips to Burnaby, B.C. to record with Colin Stewart, who Fudesco worked with on a Pretty Girls Make Graves record. After completing what would become their debut release, Invitation Songs, they soon signed with Matador Records. The band made their first appearance in Bellingham at WWU’s Underground Coffeehouse wher Fudesco fondly remembers sneaking hot toddies into the venue, sipping them from coffee cups. “Bellingham is great. It feels so removed from Seattle, so different, but still so close. We’ve always been so well received in Bellingham.”

After releasing Welcome Joy on Matador in 2009, the band soon signed to Jagjaguar. “We wanted to be with Jag(jaguar) in the first place,” said Fudesco. “There’s such a personal connection, and they have worked hard to help us be successful.”

They released No Witch early last year, followed by constant touring, including an opening slot for Fleet Foxes. “The reception to the new record has been absolute pandemonium,” joked Fudesco. “It’s like the old Beatlemania footage.”

While it may not be quite that wild, six solid months of touring brought a perceptible change to their shows, with new faces and larger crowds outside the Northwest.

And the future continues to look bright for The Cave Singers. They are adding a bassist to help record their next album. “It’s going to change the writing process, but we’re excited about working another instrument into the band,” said Fudesco. “I don’t ever want to get away from the barebones of this project, but I’ll be able to play a different way while maintain the hallow sound we love.”

Catch the Cave Singers on Nov. 18 at the Wild Buffalo. For more info about the band, visit thecavesingers.com.

Todos Somos Lee. Photo by Brendan LaBotz

Math: not the class you barely passed in middle school or the homework that was in your bag, but a form of music that you can listen to on home speakers or personal headsets. Yes, math is a subgenre of rock. It often takes the shape of instrumental songs with atypical rhythmic structures. These songs may be carved out of angular melodies and start stop patterns. They may feature tap and slurred falsetto guitar and epic drumming. They wheel and deal in moments of dissonance and pastoral harmony that both rock (as in to sway) and rock (as in to head bang).

Todos Somos Lee both sway and head bang and while it may not be fair to call them a through-and-through Math Rock band, they sure are mathy. As an instrumental three-piece, they jam through songs averaging around six minutes. In that time, they pack in times signatures and well-placed off beats. TSL gracefully ride the line between heavy and harmonious and in so doing dangle themselves on a new corner of Bellingham’s music scene.

“We don’t count, f!@# I’m having to take elementary algebra to get into my program…,” Bassist Daniel Rude explained. “The majority of our music ends up being 3/4 or 4/4, we just try to add a little complexity, mostly so people think we’re Math Rock.”

The band is able to pull off this sound with ease and without presumption. It may be their involvement in other bands locally that makes TSL’s math seem easy: Josh Keiner (guitar) played in Breakoff, Peter Hilleary (drums) performed in the AC/DC tribute Problem Child, and Rude is a member of Torero.

The band seems to fit, in local terms, somewhere between the noisy, metal-jazz of Jill Brazil and the more pop-sensible Rooftops. In non-local terms, somewhere between instrumental band Don Caballero and punk vets Fugazi (both reported TSL favorites). Some call it Mathcore–the edging of smart instrumental music and shredding hardcore–while others find their own terms.

The band’s clear single is “Latin Passion with a Russian Accent.” The song begins with quick-tempered cymbals, bass note triplets, and crunchy chords. After two minutes, the song breaks into a spastic melody that slips and slides over different musical times. The sheer nature of the time signature changes and extensions makes your head nod, as if each nod helps you follow along.

There is a system of understanding instrumental music. TSL is stripped down to three core instruments (plus the occasional trumpet) in order to reduce chaos. This is critical for a band with ever-changing rhythms. The band also seamlessly glides between styles from indie rock to metal. Notice how the guitar (bouncing taps, smeared chords, and legato articulation) functions as a replacement for melody in the vocals. These different ways of enunciating guitar lines are like vocal inflections and characteristics. But unlike traditional vocals, the guitar does not tell a story. The story is told by the song structure, where we find the music going back and forth between themes, like 14th century theme and variations.

For all you Math Rock newbies, the key to being hip and cool is to name drop “Math Rock” in everyday conversation and stand around with crossed arms at shows. And while it may make you seem smart and with it, it won’t allow you interact with the music. “Instrumental rock is so cool that it’s not cool anymore… Everybody knows it’s not cool to like something that is cool, and of course it’s cool to like something that used to be cool but isn’t anymore, like the 80s,” Rude said. “Instrumental rock is like the 80s.”

Like jazz or classical, instrumental music can feel too cerebral and alienating. But it doesn’t have to be, the music can be instinctive and visceral. A perfect example is head nodding as a way of processing the music. A band like TSL can make you want to say, “I don’t know what they are doing, but it’s sweet.”

The members of Todos Somos Lee are doing something sweet. They’re not biochemists or engineers, they’re just dudes that work in town, drink beer, and make music. They are neither alienating nor too cool for school. And like the gods of the punk bands of yesteryear, TSL can best understood by their live show. So get to one of their shows, uncross your arms, and nod your head.

For more information about Todos Somos Lee, visit todossomoslee.bandcamp.com/