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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Stuart Edwards of Old Bricks

old bricks A gutturally honest new addition to the local scene, the music of Old Bricks combines splintered narratives, fragile vocals, and a cobweb-cluttered aural-field of effects and drum bursts.  Centered on the confessionally-tinged songs of Stuart Edwards and filled out with the help of Andy Holmes, the music is a bewitching blend of art and ache.  Though the project initially cut teeth in Nashville, it’s found its legs here nearer to their homesteads in Rocky Mount.

Thus far, they’ve released one EP and now, to our great luck, a debut LP collection of tunes, Farmers (available for preview over at IndyWeek).   If you really want to see what these guys are up to, you can catch them live (along with The Daredevil Christopher Wright and The Tender Fruit) at Slim’s in Raleigh on Friday, March 12th.

And now, five questions and five answers:

1. If your band were a president, who would it be?

Teddy Rooseveltteddy roosevelt

2. When did you decide it was time to share this music?

Never planned on not sharing it

3. Describe the perfect midnight snack.

cereal

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

tv on the radio

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (how ’d that turn out?)

NBA star-dream died in sixth grade

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Even if that was a abbreviated,  be sure to toss a high five at the Old Bricks when you catch ’em out. And check back next week!

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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Katharine Whalen

katharinewhalenWhen it comes to local musicians that need little introduction, vocal luminary and founding Squirrel Nut Zipper, Katharine Whalen is perhaps tops on that list.  She’s done her share of musical adventuring, storming with the Zippers through some raucous fusion of Delta blues, Gypsy jazz, Klezmer and beyond and musing the possibilities of 60s’ pop, trip-hop beats, and torch songs on other personal projects.  So, it’s not so much introducing her that’s the trick as it is unraveling the layered and experimental sounds that crowd her musical catalog.

With her latest outfit, Lucky, Whalen turns the page once again, this time toward surf-tinged rock’n’roll thick with 4-part harmonies and pop melodic sense.  The cast of characters  for this venture is rounded out by Will Dawson (of The Squirrel Nut Zippers), Ken Johnson, Darrell Young, and Steve Newton, and if you’re lucky you’ll catch them out live as they ramp up to a debut release due sometime this spring.

And now all that’s left are the five hardest questions in faux business:

1. If your band were a sitcom, what would it be?the-andy-griffith-show

The Andy Griffith Show.

2. When did you decide to start this new project?

I heard the first version of the song “Lucky” in a trailer behind “The N Club” in Greensboro before a snz show about 3 years ago. It was a punk-rock song originally, and I thought it would make a great country song.  We stole the rhythm section of our favorite bar band and the rest is history.

3. Describe the last time you felt really lucky.

This past month, when I was snowed in for 3 days with my family and lots of supplies (and cats) and I wrote 4 songs.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

Mr Tater the Greatest Music Maker Alive, Tasha Tudor, Dare Wright, and John Steinbeck.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (How ’d that turn out?)

Veterinarian.  I do have a lot of several cats.

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Be sure to check back for the next furious five question assault to hit the blogosphere.  Keep tabs on Lucky shows and their upcoming release here.  And be sure to give Katharine a high five when you see her!

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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Juan Huevos

treasurebathcoverThe likelihood of telling a story about a cancer-surviving butcher who spends his free time throwing down beats and spitting rhymes is, I would think, incredibly rare, like bleeding, bright pink filet minion rare.  Puns aside, it’s also the incredible true story of Juan Huevos, a hip-hop madman who’d probably rather be known for his stage presence than his medical history or side occupation.  The only problem with that being that it’s hard to separate that dim past from his gregarious stage presence and bright recording future.  Anyone can struggle, but only certain people can come out of something like that vowing to party and providing the soundtrack.

That aggressive creativity has so far produced two full lengths (2008’s MC People Magazine and 2009’s Treasure Bath), an EP (Golden Shower: High Class Demos), and a fliptape (which he describes as an evolution of the mixtape). On the latest, Treasure Bath, Huevos shines at his most earnest yet—which for him translates as a dizzying display of beat-conscious bravado and wit with a healthy dose of self-awareness thrown in.  He’s as likely to offend with dirty jokes, as he is to stun with the intimacy of his reflections. Mostly, he provokes— humor, disgust, amusement, thought, dancing.  On record and live, he is nothing if not present, in the moment, and in your ear insisting you party while he supplies the tunes.

And now the answers to these five mind-boggling questions:

1. If your music were a fashion accessory, what would it be?
Larry Blackmon from Cameo’s red codpiece because I’m cocky but I blush easily.  Can’t I be shy, too?

2. What does it mean to be a briefcase rocker?
Being a Briefcase Rocker means you are going to find yourself in crev situations on a regular basis, which can be a curse or a blessing depending on your mood.  But the best part is having people all over the world that you get to collaborate with, play shows with, party with, crash with … some of whom you may have never even met in person until that moment.  We got a lot of talented artists in the crew who deserve serious attention, I’m stoked to be in their company.

3. Describe the last time you totally jammed out to a song.
I was working on a song with Missy Thangs and we were laying down keyboard parts.  We were super hype on what we were coming up with and we couldn’t stop bopping around.  We haven’t worked on the song since, but we were dancing our asses off.

virgin_suicides4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?
I think most of my influences and inspirations are painfully obvious.  Once, in 1999, I wrote a poem about Kirsten Dunst.  I had just seen The Virgin Suicides and I thought she was super cute.  I wanted to send it to her.  Maybe i can post it on her Facebook page?  Just kidding, I’m over it.  KD doesn’t do it for me anymore.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (How ’d that turn out?)
For a week I wanted to be a professional football player.  I was a Chicago Bears fan and I wanted to be like Walter Payton.  Seeing as how he raps and dances in the video for The Super Bowl Shuffle, I guess it came true.  Even if I look more like Steve Fuller.

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Check here for more on Juan Huevos’ music and upcoming shows.  And please, do give the man a high five when you see him!

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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Reese McHenry of The Dirty Little Heaters

dirtylittleheatersSpend any amount of time listening to The Dirty Little Heaters and you’ll see why their new record heralds them as The Champions of Imperfection. This quartet’s ferocious garage rock sound is an expert balance of fever and fervor built on ragged riffs, charging percussion, howling vocals, and (a fairly new addition) zealous keyboard runs.  The music is as sincere as it frayed, which in a way mirrors the band’s own evolution.

These Durham based rockers have faced their share of tumult, going through near break-ups and lineup changes that have left lead singer Reese McHenry as the only stalwart of the original lineup.  Despite that quaking beginning (or perhaps because of it), the current crew— McHenry, keyboardist Doug White, drummer Dave Perry, and bassist Rob Walsh— have clearly decided to channel their creative energies into a caterwaul of rock. Lingering frustrations are dispelled in song, minor aggravations are howled, and love is laid bare with the same vehemence some would ascribe to hate.  In short, this is a band that demands, not asks, for your attention and you can give it to them this Saturday, February 20th at the Local 506 when they celebrate the release of Champions of Imperfection along with local rockers Red Collar and Pink Flag.

And now the five most troublesome questions Reese McHenry’s faced in at least five minutes:

reesemchenry

1. If your band were a breakfast cereal, what would it be?
I hope Lucky Charms because that would be magically delicious but the truth is this band is more like Wheaties drowned in whiskey.

2. When exactly did rock die and what are The Dirty Little Heaters doing about it?
We all know that Starship killed rock and roll.  How one band can fall from Surrealistic Pillow/White Rabbit to Knee Deep in the Hoopla/We built this City is seriously beyond me.  As a band we struggle and truly try  to write the greatest songs on the face of the earth -  being a balls heavy rock band comes naturally. Hopefully we’ll be able to write really good songs before we get to “We Built This City” – but we’ll see what happens.

3. Describe your feelings toward Kiss.
I desperately love Kiss!  Kiss was the first band I really took to by my own volition – and I first liked them by physically seeing a copy of the record Kiss Alive 2 that my friends older brother had. If there was ever a movie about my life that moment, when I was 7 years old, would be the pinnacle (because it led me to this set of questions, see?).

cover_alive2_large_rear

Seeing the live pictures of that band and the blood (I now realize fake but then…) truly blew my mind. I complained until my mom bought it for me and –  the booklet!  The Tattoos!  Now, mind you, I had yet to hear any music from Kiss.  I put every tattoo on, covering my arms, and put side 1 on the turntable.  My life was transformed.  My mom made me wash my tattoos off before dinner (still unforgiven by me) and I would not answer to anything but Beth from then on.  My grandma called me Beth until the day she died – not always but as a nickname.  I still listen to and love this record.  I defend my love of Kiss quite frequently.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?
Rob loves Lady Gaga and Karaoke – this whole band really loves (or will sing) karaoke.  My favorite kind of music is 50s and 60s pop but I really am drawn to anything with a catchy chorus.  Rob likes early 90’s grunge and Doug was influenced by Prog/Noise rock.  We all listen to Supertramp at top volume in the van and we talk about food incessantly.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (How ’d that turn out?)
I always wanted to be a happy rocker.  I am a happy rocker.

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Catch Reese and the rest of The Dirty Little Heaters at the release show for their new disc Champions of Imperfection this Saturday, February 20th at the Local 506 and be sure to give ’em a high five while you’re there.

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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Reid Johnson of Schooner

schoonerDeparting from its lofi beginnings as a four-track project by lead singer/songwriter Reid Johnson, Schooner‘s music has blossomed since its 2003 debut.  Through their growth, the band (currently: Reid + Billy Alphin, Chris Badger, and Maria Albani) has ostentatiously dreamed up arrangements that alternately tap into a sort of swooning shoegaze Americana and a bratty thrash at the edges of modern college rock.  The lyrical compliment has remained equally as adventurous.  Languid one minute and ferociously sincere the next, tunes like “Trains and Parades” and “Pray for You to Die” are addictive as much as they are elusive.

On their newest EP, Duck Kee Sessions, the Schooner crew ups the ante once more, retaining the woozy vintage undertones but adding spooky pop vibe.  They’re also giving it all up, donating all the proceeds from their new tunes to the totally worthy cause of fighting cancer with CyTunes.org— a website built to honor their dear friend and local music fanatic, Cy Rawls.  Though Cy may have lost his battle with brain cancer, the music community has rallied around his memory to offer up exclusive downloads to raise money for cancer research.  The Duck Kee Sessions is the latest, but definitely not last, offering and it’s available for download right now. You can also join Schooner (+ The Popular Kids [comedy by the Rosebuds’ Kelly Crisp], VeeLee, and Erie Choir) for a release party on Feb 19th at the Pinhook.

Great music, a great cause, and now five greatly perplexing questions:

1. If your band were an incarnation of Madonna, which would it be?

Chronologically it would be “Like a Prayer” but “Borderline,” “Holiday,” and “Lucky Star” are my favorite songs, therefore I’d have to go with the original article “Madonna.”  Plus she was involved with Basquiat at the time for crying out loud.

theduckkeesessions2. What made you/when did you decide to release the newest Schooner music on CyTunes?

After having this EP recorded and sitting around waiting to be released, I felt like CyTunes would be the most meaningful place for it.  I was good buddies with Cy; we used to play basketball together and do sketch comedy in “The Popular Kids” comedy troupe that would perform at Kings Barcade.  Giving the music to a cause felt right, especially after working with a sweetheart like Jerry Kee on the recording.

3. Describe the last dream you can remember.

I keep having the same theme going on lately where instead of walking I’m able to jump and float/swim through the air.  I can hop up on a roof, over a tree, etc, but can’t seem to move terribly quickly.  Every time it happens I can’t decide if it’s a frustrating condition, or if it’s an amazing skill–all I know is that I’m the only one operating by these rules.  Analysis is appreciated.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

Not sure if these would necessarily surprise people, but I’m a Reggae fan, I dig on some Don Ho, and I like noise/anti-structured music, most notably when it is created by acoustic instrumentation.  Also, being an NC State fan is a big influence as it teaches you the meaning of loss and suffering.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (How ’d that turn out?)

reidminussoundWhen I was a kid I’m pretty sure I wanted to either be a professional baseball player or draw for a living.  When I was about 11 years old I got hit in the head by a wild pitch, therefore ending the “don’t think too much at the plate” era and thusly my amazingly promising baseball career (not sure if dry humor comes across in print).  I pursued the drawing thing some, taking some design classes at NCSU, but I was way too ADD to commit my life to such an immersive course of study.  However, I’ve been playing music forever and writing since I was a teenager, so I think I’ve got a pretty good thing going.

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Be sure to stop in round about this time next week because you never know who’ll be up next.  And if you make it out to the show on the 19th (and you really should) by all means give Reid a high five if you see him.

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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Josh Kimbrough of Butterflies

nothingspersonal

When his band Mortar and Pestle went bust, Josh Kimbrough decided that instead of taking some deserved time off, he’d channel his feelings into a batch of new songs.  So Kimbrough harnessed his chops and gathered his friends and launched Butterflies, a band whose music aims for some balance of college rock accessibility and acoustica living room sincerity.

Butterflies’ sole full length (to date), Nothing’s Personal, is an promising collection of tunes that showcase the band’s range.  The plaintive quality of Kimbrough’s songwriting and the tight-knit instrumentation brought by his full-time (Ross Connolly/TJ Maiani) and sometime (Katie Zickefoose/Bobby Britt/Joe Norkus) band-mates makes it clear that the title is but only wishful lying.  Nothing may be personal, but these songs definitely are.

As are the five toughest questions Kimbrough may have ever faced:

1. If your band were a book, what would it be?butterflies

I hate to do this, but my answer is a movie, not a book: A Few Good Men. Right now Butterflies is operating as a three piece, and I’ve got to tell you, TJ Maiani and Ross Connolly are unusually good men. After I’ve had a press pot of coffee, I’m not so bad myself. If you’ve missed Katie Zickefoose (keyboard) or Bobby Britt (fiddle) since we’ve scaled down to a triangle of testosterone, I can assure you that those two will be gracing our new record. We are working on it as you read this!

2. When was the moment you knew Butterflies was really going to work out?

Every time we find an excuse to pick up our instruments and make noise together, Butterflies is a success.  Other than that, I try not to think about whether it’s working out. There’s no time for that. Hopefully I’ll be able to look back once it’s over and have that moment.  That’s not to say I plan for it to ever end, but I also remember swearing to myself that I would never stop skateboarding, collecting basketball cards, and going to Toys “R” Us.

3. Describe the first time you ever wrote a song.

I was a little guy with a mini Casio keyboard and a supportive Dad. Having written songs for his jazz-fusion band in the 70s, my dad was a choice source for advice when I was inspired to write my first song. To get me started, he told me that a chorus is usually a general mantra or saying. I used the exact example he gave me and based the verses off of that. The keyboard was set  to banjo mode, which sounded nothing like a banjo. My Dad has taught me lots of songwriting tricks over the years.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

Most members of Butterflies have a healthy appreciation of 80s punk rock. Minutemen, Black Flag, and Fugazi would be in this category. We are definitely inspired by the DIY culture that took root in that time period. Our sound, however, is probably more influenced by the first couple waves of bands that tried to sound like those bands.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (How’d that turn out?)

I wanted to be an architect when I was a kid. I thought it would be a unique and practical way to exercise my creative instincts. I did not follow that dream. That’s so sad. Now I feel like I’ve let my childhood self down. We can’t end this on a bad note, though. Here’s a daily affirmation Stuart Smalley style: You know what? I think this is the best interview I’ve ever done. And you know what? I deserve it! [turns to mirror] Because I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and, doggonit, Butterflies is playing Local 506 on February 13th!

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Even if he did skirt the first question, you heard the man, go check out Butterflies live at the 506 on Feb. 13th!  And give Josh a high five when you see him!

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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Pete and Andrea Connolly of Birds and Arrows

birdsandarrows

There is a violent tension in the moniker Birds and Arrows, but the music that couple Pete and Andrea Connolly craft, spins that friction away from brutality and into elegant, elemental heights.  If you take even just one passing listen to their music, it’s apparent these are voices that aren’t in harmony so much as interlocked.  It’s as if two people wandering around the woods suddenly came upon each other and realized they were singing the same song– a romantic image made all the more apropos because Pete and Andrea are newlyweds.

Cute personal history aside, it’s the instrumental textures  and intimate lyrics that should really catch your attention.  From their debut EP Woodgrain Heart to their latest full length Starmaker, the Connolly’s have dreamed up what can only (to my ear) be described as a shimmering deconstructed pop-country sound.  There’s a grounded, vintage tone to the arrangements, but a spacey, voyeuristic disconnect in the translation.  All in all, it’s a head-scratchingly beautiful mess of music that you can catch at any number of local shows coming up in the near future.

So, now that you’re convinced they’ve got the musical chops, check how they tackle the furious five:

1. If your band were a craft project, what would it be?

PETE and ANDREA: We would be a little boat made out of Popsicle sticks.  See photo……

birdsandarrowspopsicleboat
2. When was the moment you realized there was something to this musical partnership that needed to be shared?

PETE: When my brother Jon first played me a CD that Andrea had given him of her solo stuff.  I wanted to play drums, sing or just be a part of it.

ANDREA: I would say it was when I found out Pete was such an awesome drummer.  He made my songs much more interesting.  and also, the first time we sang harmony together.  Pete had written me this beautiful (sappy) love song and he would play it for me often and I would sing harmony on the choruses.

3. Describe your typical PE experience.

PETE: Getting picked second or third to last due to my height and huge Robert Plant hair but then the team being pleasantly surprised with my performance…..if I were even there cause I was probably scoring beer at the local Vietnamese Market.

ANDREA: I always thought I was as strong (if not stronger) than all of the boys.  Which at the time probably wasn’t that far off sent most of them were very small and hadn’t hit puberty yet.  So, I would end up challenging them to a race or to a pull up contest etc…  Pete probably would say I am still like that to this day.  Trying to prove my strength and never asking for help when lifting my huge amp.

starmaker4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

PETE: I would have to say Boston.  When I was in 7th grade I used to drum on an office chair with rulers to “Smokin'”

ANDREA: Babs.  My mom says (I don’t remember this very well cause I was 3) whenever she would put on a Barbra Streisand record I would sing along for awhile and then claim that I could perform it much better.  So, all my musical career I have been secretly trying to out sing Barbra.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (How ’d that turn out?)

PETE: I told my mom when I was 5 that I wanted to be a Jet Airplane salesman or I could fall back on being a Rockstar….the air industry doesn’t look so enticing anymore so I’m working on the Rockstar thing.

ANDREA: Well, music and performing is the only thing I have ever done since I could talk.  So, I would have to say a musician of some kind.  then, when I picked up a guitar in middle school and got introduced to classic rock I wanted to be Stevie Nicks  Oh, and I also in the back of my mind wanted to be a vet (like a lot of little kids)  I loved animals.  So, I actually tried this for a semester in college and after castrating a pig I realized it wasn’t for me.  So, back to the stage.

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Please check in next week to see who else will take up the challenge of facing down the five.  And if you happen catch a Birds and Arrows live–and you really should–by all means give Pete or Andrea a high five.

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Arts & Music Miscellany

Gimme Five! Maria Albani of Organos

This week, I’m proud to kick off a new feature to spotlight artists and entertainers in our community who though deserving of a real high five, will have to settle for our internet version–although this one‘s pretty great too.  The concept is simple: one person, five questions.

Kicking us off is Maria Albani, who after playing bass for some of the area’s best (once upon a time with: Pleasant, Un Deux Trois,  and Tennis and the Mennonites, currently with: Schooner) is now ready to take center stage with her own understated and wholly mysterious music under the moniker Organos.

organos limbs ep

Given her murky lyrics and percussive arrangements, it’s clear Albani’s new found stake to the spotlight is less a calculated progression than an artistic risk.  The tracks are cluttered with more cardboard boxes and kitchen utensils than typical indie rock dude-bro instruments and the song narratives feel unselfconscious, fragmented, although the hooks are catchy.

The sound bespeaks the project’s beginnings as a little homework experiment, but now it’s grown legs with Albani set to release her first EP of tunes this February.  She’s also assembled a seaworthy crew to aid her in translating the music to the stage which you can catch in action at the release show for Organos’ The Limbs EP on Pox World Empire Records at The Pinhook on February 5th featuring openers Birds and Arrows and Ye Olde Shoppe with members of Wild Wild Geese.

Now all that’s left are the five hardest hitting questions in faux business. Get at ’em:

1. If your band were a movie, what would it be?

Gremlinsgremlins

2. When did you start to think music might really work out as something more than a livingroom hobby?

When I played my first show at CD Alley. It was 1996, and we set up outside  behind the dumpster of University Massage. And hornets were swarming around my hands and nobody elses! At that moment I was like, “Wow! I can totally do this, for real!”

3. Describe your typical high school dance experience.

I barely went to High School, let alone a dance. I can tell you about some Middle School dances though. Sneak drinkin’ Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill and/or Mad Dog 20 20 beforehand, and dancin’ my butt off when any INXS song came on.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

Stevie Nicks, Michael Hutchence, Pepe The Prawn, Cats, & tequila. I don’t think that people would be too surprised by those last two.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (how ’d that turn out?)

Ricky Schroder’s wife (now known as “Rick” Schroder), an artist, & a singer. Ricky and I never hooked up, but the artist and musician dreams have come true!

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Tune in next time, you never know who’s coming or what questions will be thrown their way. And by all means, if you happen to see Maria on the street, give her a high five.