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Bending It Until It Breaks…

April 21, 2010 / Anthony Smith posted in Harmonic Vicissitude / No Comments

Ever have one of those days where you try to bend your mind around a thought or concept and it just doesn’t seem to want to work?

I’m feeling a bit like that today.  You see, today is *supposed* to be music day, or at least some reasonable facsimile thereof.  I am supposed to be going through here and offering a little tidbit to look over, a little musical morsel to sink your teeth into.  However, I just don’t think I want to do that today.  I’m feeling a bit lazy…somewhat lethargic…and am sorely tempted to just phone the article in for today’s Harmonic Vicissitude.

You see, if I was actually feeling up to it, I would be telling you about an acoustic trio located in Seattle, WA currently called Until It Breaks.  I would be telling you that the band consists of  Ember Knight – Rhythm/Vocals, Kolen Graving – Guitar and Marko Scott – Bass.   I would probably also be telling you that the band was formerly known as The Hollowbodies, with the only change being that the role of upright bass was filled by Wes Amundsen, who Marko Scott had replaced when the band changed names.  Right about now, I would be mentioning that both band names have MySpace sites, which clever people would have realized have already been linked to, since that is just how I would be rolling.

If I wasn’t having just a brain drain today, I would be mentioning how the musical stylings that I have heard are definitely jazz-influenced.  I would also most likely be mentioning that the vocalizations of Ember Knight are rather hypnotic…a fusion of jazz, folk and pop that is a draw for anyone claiming themselves to be a fan of alternative music.  I would be drawing comparisons with bands just as 10,000 Maniacs, how Ember’s voice reminds me of a young Natalie Merchant with the guitars and bass offering the perfect accompaniment and how the songs themselves seem to take a cue from classic alternative bands such as 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M.  If I was writing this correctly, I would have YouTube links to a couple of songs for you to listen to, such as The Cowboy Song and Hymn.  I would also lament the fact that there doesn’t seem to be any internet site offering songs for sale, such as iTunes or LaLa.  I would most likely urge people that, if they happen to be in Seattle, WA, to check out the band for me and, if at all possible, keep me informed of any potential albums so that I may be able to do a more thorough review in the future.

If today was an ideal day, I would be re-iterating that Ember and her group Until It Breaks is definitely worth a place in anyone’s music collection.  I would be prompting you to check out the two MySpace links that would have been previously referred to and listen to the streaming MP3 selection to judge for yourselves.  I would probably end with some clever little play on words, like how I will continue to twist and manipulate your musical taste until it breaks.  Yeah, I would probably do something silly like that, if I was able to concentrate long enough to do so.

So, allow me to apologize for the somnolent posting.   It seems that I just wasn’t able to push a coherent thought through the mental block today.  I promise I’ll keep plugging away at the mental dam until it breaks and post something entertaining here for your perusal when that time comes.

Melodic GPS

February 24, 2010 / Anthony Smith posted in Harmonic Vicissitude / 1 Comment

So, I am sitting here, pondering what sort of cacophonic concoction I should throw at you all this week, and I get to thinking.  I keep offering what to listen to, but I never really go into where to listen.   Knowing where to go to hear music is just as important as knowing what to listen to, don’t you think?  After all, how would you know what to listen to otherwise?

Not all of us have the well-cultured friend or two that happens to have exactly the type of music that you want to hear at the time.  I’m lucky enough to have people in my life, both in my past and in the present, that have done just that.  It was Ron Yorgason that introduced me to They Might Be Giants and other alternative music.  It also was Ron that started me down the path of the comedic genius that is Monty Python and the sideshow wonders that is novelty music, made popular by the Dr. Demento radio show and others.  It was Susan Kulpanowski that tuned me in to the celtic/new age scene when she played The Lady of Shalott by Loreena McKennitt over a long-distance phone call from Michigan to my dorm room in Minnesota.  I remember being so caught up in the song that I promptly went out and bought all the Loreena McKennitt cds I could get…regardless of the fact I did not even own a CD player at the time.  Present day influences include Shawn Schliepp, a virtual walking encyclopedia of all things musical.  It was Shawn that inspired last week’s spotlight on King Missile, so you can thank him for that.   Of course, my fellow bkI comrades-in-arms Pat and Ben have their impact on my musical tastes, as well.  I am grateful to all of these people and more, for showing me that there is more to life that 80′s New Wave.

I would be remiss in my duties as bkI’s friendly neighborhood musical aficionado if I didn’t provide the same consideration and give you all some guidance to some good music sources.  Since calling each reader and playing a song over the phone isn’t the most effective way to go, instead I have some web sources and general knowledge stuff to pass on.   These are the places that are usually the inspiration behind the music articles, so feel free to place blame accordingly.

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The Greatest Band You Never Heard: The Virgo Vertigo

January 20, 2010 / Anthony Smith posted in Harmonic Vicissitude / No Comments

Let’s just make this as plain as we can get around here.

You should be listening to The Virgo Vertigo.

Never mind the fact that you may not have heard of the band before.  Considering the current band formed in November of 2009, that is hardly surprising.  Also, never mind the fact that we here at bkI may know members of the band on a personal basis.  Personal allegiances aside, this is a band that warrants some attention.

First, a little background info.  The Virgo Vertigo is the brainchild of Tory World,  currently taking up residence in Madison, WI.   The project started in Seattle, WA as a hobby for Tory, according to the band’s MySpace page, and as a way to perform charity work.  With the move to Madison, the call to arms was made to fill out the band.   And that call was answered by thebluediamand (a former bandmate of Tory’s) on drums, Lexi Steinweg-Woods on bass, and the Thump (yup, you heard me) on guitar.  Tory handles the rest…which includes guitar, vocals, and programming.

Why programming?  Because The Virgo Vertigo is a band ‘heavily influenced by mid 80′s pop and New Wave. But, the sound also borrows from elements of industrial, hard-rock, new pop, hip-hop, dance, and so on.’  So, yeah, gotta have the programming in there.  It’s an eclectic mix of genres and styles, making a unique balance that appeals on many levels.  The musical potpourri is clearly reflected in the group’s new EP The Prelude, available at such fine music establishments as iTunes,  Digstation, and LaLa.

Just in case you are more of a visual person, don’t fret.  We got you covered.  Check out the music video for Better Learn to Swim, released on December 23, 2009 to the world via YouTube.  There is even two different versions….the short version previously linked, or the long version that you can access right here.   Hell, you can also check out the video for Superhuman, for all you zombie lovers out there.

However, if you are truly a visual person, and you happen to be in Madison around the 22nd of January, then you must head over to The Annex at 9 pm and check out The Virgo Vertigo live.  According to Tory, the live show is a performance art presentation, using LCD screens to present images and video in a documentary fashion.  The visual aids help to tell the songs and to give the overall impression of modern society in a dream state.  Also, if, for some reason, you can’t make this Friday’s show, don’t panic!  The Frequency, also in Madison, will have The Virgo Vertigo on February 20th (that’s a Saturday for all those of you playing at home) at 6 pm.   Set aside time now, for it promises to be an entertaining show.

For things relating to The Virgo Vertigo, feel free to check out the following:

Check out the music video or, if you are like me and prefer your music sans visual stimuli, head on over to the MySpace page and give the tracks there a listen.  If the auditory experience is to your liking, then go pick up the EP online or, better yet, come to The Annex this Friday.  Trust me on this one.  It will be worth it.

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