BRANDON BEEBE – In This Place

(2011 Self-Release)

CD Release Party – High Noon Saloon, February 2nd

The enormous success of Bon Iver is likely to spawn a whole new generation of experimental folk artists, a genre that is already crowded with talent. Will Oldham may be the father of the movement with bands like the National and Band of Horses rising to prominence. Remember this name though: Brandon Beebe. In This Place is just being released and as a debut album it is startlingly developed both as an artistic expression and as an accomplished production.

Beebe plays several instruments, his primary tool being the acoustic guitar. He adorns his windswept compositions with lots of strings giving the music a chamber feel. Drums are used sparingly, Beebe opting for percussive instruments and handclaps much of the time. Only “She’s the Moon” gets the rhythm pumped up. Here electric guitars mix with a Latin-flavored groove. The closest thing to a pop song, “She’s the Moon” is the odd man out on the album.

The rest of In This Place is far more emotional and the instrumentation much more subdued. Like Bon Iver there are undercurrents of electricity in the form of eerily programmed keyboards and reverb-soaked guitar. This technique adds dimension to the sparse musical landscape and more than a degree of tension. The vocals, particularly the backing vocals, are often electronically treated, accentuating the mournful aspects of the songs. The gorgeous lament “Ashes” is a fine case in point. The vocal segment that opens the song sounds like wolves howling across a desolate plain. Gently finger-picked acoustic guitar and vocal are deceptive; a close listen reveals layers of delicate sounds that are simply a joy to delve into, despite the distressing nature of the lyric.  At times Beebe can seem much older than his years. His lyrics are deeply felt and bear the mark of someone who has a lifetime of experiences to draw from.  “My love, have we reached the point / Where the only way to go is down… An icy chill surrounds our heart…Embers fading into Ashes” are suggestive that the young man is learned in the ways of love; wise beyond his years.

Just when you think you’ve got a plaintive folk song you’ll get complicated chord progressions and passing tones such as the progression on “Future Memory.” Telltale signs of a songwriter with a special knack for inventing sophisticated melodies. “Gift/Outro,” which closes the album is another standout, straight-ahead strumming augmented with a vocal line that veers into falsetto, again recalling Bon Iver without going over the top. The song builds to a majestic climax before dissolving into reverb and delay as it fades down. It’s as though the music comes out of the ether and disappears again.

In This Place was recorded primarily by Brad Stubbe with a couple tracks recorded by Scott Lamps, who is becoming a strong force in production work around Madison. The strings were recorded by Tom Freeman. All deserve credit for the fine results as do DNA’s Mark Whitcomb, who mixed most of the album and Mike Zirkel (Smart Studios/Audio for the Arts) who also mixed a couple tracks. A strong release that is already destined for a “Best of 2012” entry, In This Place has set the bar very high.

Beebe will host a CD Release Party at High Noon Saloon on February 2nd.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Union Cab of Madison Presents: Rearview Visionaries Vol. 2.0

As people buy fewer and fewer CDs, and the “art of music” quietly and quickly fades into obscurity, compilation CDs become more scarce – less likely to achieve their purpose, which is usually to raise money for some cause. But for Union Cab, the Review Visionaries series is purely an opportunity to celebrate their diverse membership, a large portion of which have been, or are still, musicians. Forget marketing – these folks sell these things right out of the cabs.

There is a lot of variation in the music to celebrate on Rearview Visionaries Vol. 2.0. The power and elegance of Sensuous Enemy’s “Whispers”, featuring the spectacular voice of Jai Ingersoll, gives way to the swingy and wistful folk ditty “Madison Boogie” from Maggie “Catfish” Siegfried and the countrified “Lights Play Tricks” by Aaron Scholz, who succeeds in single-handedly resurrecting the sound of the Flying Burrito Brothers.  

On the jazzier side, The Stellanovas’ “Tin Tile” showcases Chris Wagoner’s violin and mate Mary Gaines’ whistling talents and stellar cello solo. Ingrid Frances Stark turns in “Cab Drivin’ Mama” and what could be a Union Cab theme song. Tony Castaneda and the Latin Jazz Sextet get in on the act with the finale “Volcano Alto”, which clocks in at over nine minutes.  The tune never departs from or drops its beat.

There is a sampling of noise rock, too.  Tribal Call belts out “Suck This” and though the song stumbles rhythmically it makes up for it in sheer tribalism. Auto Chaotic contributes the metal growler “Karma.”  On the harder rock side, “Too Drunk to Fish” is a hilarious getup, melding Lynyrd Skynyrd swagger with George Thorogood-like debauchery.  Excellent mix on this one, too. 

Subvocal’s “Judi” remains majestic and haunting, Mark Adkins’ ode to environmental activist Judi Bari sounding still fresh nearly five years after its original release.  

It wouldn’t be apropos for me to judge “The Prophet’s Trail” as it’s performed by the Sled Dogs and penned by yours truly (I also play the guitars). Let me just say that for a demo version, I’m pretty damn pleased with the results. The song is part of a cycle based on Blackhawk, hence the Native American overtones.

The surprise tune that caught me most off-guard is the Getaway Drivers’ excellent “Honey on a Razor.” I was not fully prepared for the giant leap that Bob Manor has taken with his band. The addition of Barb Chusid on keyboards and Dan Kennedy on electric guitar takes the Getaway Drivers to a new level. Manor recently dropped off his new album, the six-song The Truth is Where It’s Always Been… so I’m looking forward to reviewing that real soon.

Rearview Visionaries Vol. 2 was mastered by Mike Zirkel at Smart Studios so you know it sounds good. It also could be the last local release from the fabled, world-class studio.

AMY CURL & DAN KENNEDY – Sharing a Head

(2008 Slothtrop)

The union of these two underrated Madison artists has produced some of the best songs in the last couple of years. With Amy Curl and Dan Kennedy, it’s all about the songwriting. 

Sharing a Head is the second EP from the pair, following 2007′s In an Orderly Fashion. This time around, the duo are joined by Sean Michael Dargan and Michael Brenneis on bass and drums, respectively. In fact, the songs are credited equally to all four, making this a somewhat bona fide band. Dargan, Brenneis and Kennedy have a lot of history together, performing and recording under several monikers including the Sean Michael Dargan Band and Albert.  This EP is again produced by Eric Hester and released on his Slothtrop Records. Recording was done at Smart with Mike Zirkel.

Curl and Kennedy’s voices really make sparks, the best example being the quirky pop song, “Siamese Twins.” All these songs use lyrical metaphors to describe relationships and this one has got to be the strangest. Set to a bubbling Beatle-esque arrangement, it runs through a combination of chord changes that would do Paul McCartney or Elvis Costello proud. Here Curl and Kennedy sing in tandem with Kennedy voicing the main melody.

The standout track, however, is the lush and beautiful “In the Grass” with a cryptic two-stanza lyric that repeats five times. Interspersed with interludes, the track builds dramatically over it’s five-plus minutes of length. Kennedy’s guitar playing is never overstated. Here he uses his tasteful approach to maximum effect while always serving the song. Curl has long been one of my favorite singer/songwriters. Her voice is so expressive and clear, with just the right amount of tease, and here she brings new power and emotion to a simply-stated lyrical theme.

The final track, a vocal and piano offering from Curl, is a cleverly-worded tale of Hazel, an ex-con who is about to solve all her new employer’s problems. That is, until she ties him up and then…you’ll just have to use your imagination. In fact this track is a testament to the power and sophistication of the lyrics throughout the EP.

Curl and Kennedy exemplify a level of artistry that goes largely unnoticed in Madison, a trait that is not so becoming for the city. Artists as good as this, along with the whole stable of Madison Songwriters Group alumni, should not be treated with such indifference.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – MSG Made at Home Volume 2

(2005   Slothtrop)

While the first volume of Made at Home was a collection of home recordings from members of the Madison Songwriters Group, the second volume doesn’t take the name quite so literally.  The “home” in this case is Madison and some of the area’s best studios (Smart, Paradyme, Audio for the Arts) are represented.  The songs featured are as varied as the artists performing them, from sincere love songs (“I Wrote this Song for You” by Jennie and the Grayman, “Eleven Below” by Miriam Brousseau and Alan Jay Sufrin) to novelty (“The Dope She Was Doing” by Michael Gruber, “Piltdown Man” by West of Rome).  Some of the names are well known; James Travis of Jim James and the Damn Shames contributes the bluesy “Sweet Love” (with its gratuitous but much-appreciated, Bob Dylan reference), while our own John Mayer-in-the-making Mark Croft delivers the super-catchy “Juliet.”  Other artists like Kelsey Boyd and Nancy Rost have only recently started writing songs they are willing to let other people hear.

While the disc is long on earnest storytelling, there’s a shortage of real rockers.  The group Albert not only has the best faux back-story (they’re four foster brothers adopted by the same family), they also have the catchiest song.  “December” is as bouncy as anything the Barenaked Ladies have ever recorded.  Jim Ness’s worshipful cataloging of his favorite electrics, “Any Guitar,” is Bon Jovi-lite.  Aaron Nathans’ hook-filled “Iris,” despite its cringe-worthy pun “I’m no shrinking violet,” is a bubbly delight.  Fittingly, the song was written in MSG president Eric Hester’s songwriting class offered at the UW.  Hester also produced the track, and as the liner notes claim, “the result is pure pop.”     

It is probably only surprising to me, given that I am an avowed non-fan of girl singers, that some of the set’s best tracks come from women. Clear Blue Betty’s Beth Kille, whose pure, lovely voice accounts for a lot of their charm, gives us the honest “Long Way Tonight.”  Erin O’Brien’s smart “Stay Awhile,” with its confession that “Some girls want diamonds and forever / That’s just not my style / I guess I just don’t see the magic / Of walking down the aisle,” may be the best song on the anthology.  She also sings half of the life meditation duet “Endlessly.”  Performed with Dale Kidd (who wrote it), it takes its cues from Paul Simon’s similarly bittersweet “Slip Slidin’ Away.”  They don’t all succeed; the usually appealing Amy Curl comes off as a bit whiny on the indecisive piano ballad “Rest Assured.”   Of course, that assessment is quite likely just the unavoidable result of listening to anything fifteen times in a row.  Otherwise why would I want to call “Eleven Below” syrupy, or label the admittedly witty “The Dope She Was Doing” smug?