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MOTHER BRUCE FINDS UTOPIA: THE BRUCE FOWLER INTERVIEW

A FEATURE FROM THE VAULT

BRUCE FOWLER (uncredited photo)

PART ONE: THE INTRODUCTION

George Duke. Ruth Underwood. Napoleon Murphy Brock. Legendary Mothers, all. And, the list is endless… there are actually too many musicians to mention here who owe their careers to Frank Zappa. Some of the original or early members of Zappa’s Mothers – including Motorhead Sherwood, Bunk and Buzz Gardner, Jimmy Carl Black, Elliot Ingber – continue to tour as the Grandmothers. More recently, a group of latter day Zappa band members have been working together under the name Banned From Utopia. Though the membership of this group is fairly nebulous – much like Zappa’s many incarnations of the Mothers – the current group (drummer Chad Wackerman, bassist Arthur Barrow, percussionist Ed Mann, keyboardist Tommy Mars, vocalist Robert Martin, guitarist Mike Miller, special guest vocalist Ray White, horn players Kurt McGettrick and Albert Wing, as well as the Fowler brothers, Tom, Walt, and Bruce) have just released SO YUH DON’T LIKE MODERN ART on Steve Vai’s Favored Nation label. The album is a Mothers-like free-for-all, incorporating some of Zappa’s more adventurous compositions (“Dupree’s Paradise” and ”Sinister Footwear, Second Movement,” among them) alongside band originals that are definitely in the “Frank Zappa” musical mold (the raunchy “Freeway Vigilante” and the politically incorrect “Christian Coalition Blues,” included). Having long been fans of whatever musical entity that Frank would use to present his music, we here at the Mule simply could not let an opportunity to speak to Bruce Fowler get past us. And, so… we give you… the Man, the Myth, the Legend… Bruce Fowler (circa 2002).

PART TWO: THE INTERVIEW

THE MULE: Hey, Bruce. Let’s talk about a new album, some old albums, and some old memories. First, Banned From Utopia. One of the things I have noticed through speaking to various other members of Zappa’s former band, you guys… it’s almost like a club.

BRUCE: That’s right. It’s like, in the blood. I just went over to Gail’s (Zappa, Frank’s widow) house the other day. It was really, really fun. We listened to some stuff from ‘72, from the GRAND WAZOO band. We looked at this documentary that’s in progress of being made by… in Amsterdam… a guy named Frank Shepherd. It’s really great. It’s a work in progress. He’s has been here twice and he’s coming back again this year – trying to finish this thing.

It goes all the way from the beginning. He interviewed all these different people from the band. It’s really, really interesting. You know… even from being in it, I didn’t really know what his influence was on some of the other guys. So after seeing that, it was great. George Duke was talking about how Zappa opened him up to music and the synthesizer… it was amazing. You’d have to say that everybody who played in the band became a much better musician, first of all. For some guys, it was the only real training that they had. You could have been a self taught musician and come into his band, and by the end of it, you’ve been through the whole thing… you’re highly competent to do other music. You know, we can read and everything.

THE MOTHERS, live late 1973 (BRUCE FOWLER, CHESTER THOMPSON, NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK, FRANK ZAPPA) (uncredited photo)

THE MULE: I understand that he was pretty rough, in the sense that he demanded the best out of everybody. By the same token, he gave everybody a chance to shine in his band, a chance to move beyond a standard Rock and Roll, Jazz, Blues format.

BRUCE: That’s true; he was interested in every kind of music you could think of. He combined Classical influence, Indian music, Tibetan music. He talked about it on the video. All of that stuff is conglomerated into his music. Zarinsky combined with Varese, for instance. He talks about how something in between… a missing link between Zarinsky and Varese. He talks about that for a second. Let’s see… what was the question exactly? I kind of went off. Oh yeah… he was a taskmaster, to be sure. He would say – I saw in print many times – guys can be in this band as long as they can play the music, but if they can’t, they gotta go. It was nothing personal; he just had to have his music performed right. And it’s true, that members of the band – the personalities of the individual guys, had a lot to do with the music that he wrote. Always… from the beginning. He wrote music that those guys could shine bright; he could use the personalities of the individuals in the band. Duke Ellington was like that.

THE MULE: I think all great composers… musicians… have a little bit of that in them.

BRUCE: Yeah. Even if you go back to Strauss and the Classical guys… the guys that were playing with them definitely influenced the way they wrote.

THE MULE: I’m looking at the disc and the people that were involved – besides yourself and your brothers – most of the people involved are latter day Zappa musicians.

BRUCE: That’s right. I came in in ‘72, with THE GRAND WAZOO, before the George Duke/Jean Luc (violinist Jean Luc Ponty) days… actually, it was in between, because he was in there during Flo and Eddie, I believe. I’m not sure about it… I’m not sure that’s actually true, but maybe it is. At any rate, the band with Jean Luc Ponty that began in ‘73, that was really a strong instrumental band, so the guys could play really hard music. The first band… the original Mothers… those guys were entertainers. They had great personalities and they were funny and everything, but they weren’t heavily trained musicians in the technical sense. The music he wrote later on… during the Flo and Eddie era… when the guy threw him off the stage in London and he broke his leg. He was in a wheelchair for a year… during that time he wrote a lot of really hard stuff. He was looking to have really well trained guys, and the character of his band changed drastically. I’m good friends with some of those original Mothers… (keyboard/synthesizer player Don) Preston and Ian (Underwood, keyboards and woodwinds). Ian, now he was heavily well-trained; and Preston is well trained, but the other guys… not really. They’re more beat guys. The music that we learned so well by playing it a million times is that Jazzier, modern Classical, technical stuff. Sure, we played the earlier pieces, too… a lot of them. But, there was a strong emphasis on the more complicated music. Plus, it’s a lot of fun for a musician to play that stuff.

I think it’s interesting to note that a lot of these tribute bands, they’re all playing that stuff from the ROXY… record (ROXY AND ELSEWHERE, an infamous live album from 1974). The same stuff we played. So we kind of found out… we don’t play the same stuff as everyone else. But that’s the fun stuff to play. And also, Frank… his personality is so strong on some of those tunes, that it’s kind of weird to do it without him singing it. Even “Montana,” for instance… we didn’t do that for the longest time because it just seemed like it wasn’t going to be right. There are a couple instrumental tunes… guitar tunes that we don’t do because they really were Frank’s features on the guitar and we don’t want to do it. And… I don’t think he wanted people to do it, either. A lot of people miss him… it’s not a matter of having a tribute band and having that being some kind of a thing. It’s just a matter of having a lot of fun. It’s such an integral part of our history and we’re just drawn to do it.

FRANK ZAPPA AND THE MOTHERS: ROXY AND ELSEWHERE

THE MULE: There are 10 songs on the album and half of those are original numbers.

BRUCE: That’s the other thing. We don’t just want to just be a tribute band; we want to have our own thing. The tradition of speaking out against the establishment, especially now with what’s going on… it seems the world needs some people who are going to stand up and tell it like it is. Instead of being a commercial… talking about your girlfriend or whatever and have a sort of nothing music. In the tradition of Frank, you have to get in and battle it out with the forces of evil. I think part of the reason we were hired in the first place by him, was that we sort of felt the same way he did about censorship and politics. And, as he says on this tape… he says, “Deviant behavior is necessary because you have to deviate from the norm in order to do something different” and, who knows… it might even be an improvement. That’s really well put. And plus… we like comedy; it’s fun to make fun. It’s kind of taken in fun, but we’re truly horrified by what we see going on around us. What was your reaction to those tunes?

THE MULE: The originals? Listening to the disc all the way through its almost seamless… you guys obviously got your chops.

BRUCE: One of the hardest things about that record was getting the right order of tunes. We tried a million of them out. And that’s probably the best we could do. We had a few other tunes that didn’t make it onto the CD. I think it came out pretty good, considering. And, you’re right… guys like Chad… he’s such a great drummer. All you have to do is stick with him. We recorded the rhythm section and then, we overdubbed just about everything else… although we kept all the original rhythm tracks and then we added additional rhythm stuff; like a lot of the original guitar tracks and keyboard tracks are there, but there might be another one added.

THE MULE: I think that you guys have definitely captured the spirit of Frank’s adventuresome nature and his desire to present what may possibly be alternative viewpoints in a method that people are going to actually listen to and – whether they realize it or not – they are receiving this message. Does that make sense?

BRUCE: Yeah. I think it’s important to have some message. It’s interesting that my daughter’s a musician… and she’s 14 and she’s talking the same way. I think that maybe this generation that’s just coming up might be more interested in genuine music… with actual players. We have so many machines running around doing everything… in music, too. Not that I have anything against it; believe me, I use it all the time.

I really like the way machines have entered the music world. They have made a lot of things possible that weren’t before. I can just imagine what Frank would be up to if he had the current machines. But still, you got to have a guy who can play it to have the true expression. Our thing is that we can still do it… I don’t know… we’re getting older, you know. It’s been along time since ‘72… 30 years ago! We played that stuff so many times that it’s just not that hard… even though it’s really hard to do it. We’ve already been through that. And a guy like Chad, he can come over here and we can pull out a tune like “Sinister Footwear,” which is incredibly complicated, and he plays it right down. Like we just did it yesterday. That’s amazing.

THE MULE: Yeah, definitely. The guy is incredible.

BRUCE: He is incredible. I think one of the traditions of Frank is to have this drummer who is just a monster and then he’d have a bass player who holds down the fort and keeps this solid-as-a-rock time going on while Frank and the drummer go crazy. That’s something that all these great drummers that started out on the scene, about the time of Flo and Eddie… about ‘70 or so… Frank was an R and B guy when he was younger. He was loving R and B… and he played R and B guitar, too. That’s very interesting, you know? I think that he got more interested in Jazz… more interested in Classical music and the rest is history. We’ve all kind of been that way, even before we met him. My father is a music professor and he taught me about those rhythms before I met Frank. That’s how I was able to pass the audition… because I had already had some practice superimposing one rhythm on top of another.

THE MOTHERS, 1973 (GEORGE DUKE, BRUCE FOWLER, TOM FOWLER, IAN UNDERWOOD, FRANK ZAPPA, RALPH HUMPHREY, RUTH UNDERWOOD, JEAN-LUC PONTY) (photo credit SAM EMERSON)

THE MULE: The one thing – we’ve already touched on it – is you’ve got to be able to play the stuff. I was lucky enough to see Frank later on, in 1980. Arthur was in the band… Steve Vai was along with him… Ike and Ray (guitarists/vocalists Willis and White)… Ed Mann… Tommy… they would pull out these songs from seemingly nowhere. And Frank would lead them through it. It’s just like – you know… I mean, you were in the band – a wave of the hand or a nod of the head and… you’re off.

BRUCE: Yeah… the signal. He would make up a set of signals and we’d write ‘em all down; then, we’d have this list of stuff that it meant. It might be changed from tour to tour. We had to know them well enough so we could go from anything to anything else at the drop of a hat. Also, there would be certain things that he could insert in the middle of any tune just by putting up his little finger or some other signal… two or three or four or five, even… or some other thing, like the sign for the “C” chord… you know, the little “C” with his hand. That “C” chord was very useful and poppy in places. I was noticing, in fact, that this 1972 GRAND WAZOO, which had 22 people in it… they were in the middle of this one tune and there were three different free sessions that went on for 10 minutes. It was wild. I had forgotten all about it.

He really got into some stuff… he was obviously just conducting us on the spot. I like to do that… freeform conducting. It’s really fun. I did it in Amsterdam for this orchestra a couple of years ago. We wrote a bunch of orchestral tracks that were based on WAKA/JAWAKA and that kind of stuff. After the big Holland festival, which featured Frank that year. They actually did 200 MOTELS live… we did “Gregory Peckory” live with Ensemble Modern… then we had this third group, the Metropol Orchestra, and we did our concert… which was pretty loose and I just started conducting, because the conductor couldn’t do it… there was no way! You had to see Frank do it in order to have some idea of what he wanted. So, I just started conducting them and then I just turned around and started conducting the audience and they were right with me. I didn’t have to tell them what to do or anything about it… what signals meant… they just did it. It was great! That thing was recorded, but they’re hiding the tape. They won’t even give it to Gail. They’ve got it hidden, you know? It’s weird. I’d love to see that come out.

I think, along the lines of music and Frank – and us, too – I’d like to see the stuff retain its spontaneity and not go the way of some Jazz, which is now like a highbrow music… with tuxes and everything. I hope this doesn’t do that. That’s one thing that I kind of wonder… Frank, the greatest composer of the 20th century… kind of turns me off because of that. For instance, when guys do arrangements of the music, there might be stuff that we improvised… and now it’s written down, like its gospel. Like, guys put music in front of me – “Play this!” – but that’s stuff that I made up. That’s my stuff… I can’t do that!

THE MULE: Within the current group, do you have the opportunity to do any of that… orchestrating on the spot?

BRUCE: Oh yeah. We do it. Ike was in our band and he drifted out before we did this record. I have a feeling that certain guys will probably be in and out of the band. Like him… Ike would do it. He would conduct in that Zappa manner. I can do it… different guys can do it, but it’s important for somebody to stand out there and do something because it keeps everything together. On the other hand, we can just play free… and that’s sort of the same thing. You do it by just listening, where nobody is actually leading us. But somebody needs to get out there and actually lead us in order to get that to work. It’s like… There’s one tune, “Christian Coalition Blues,” the last tune (on the SO YUH DON’T LIKE MODERN ART album). That’s our jam tune. It’s just a Blues, and then it goes into this sort of rap thing. It’s actually Rob Reed rapping… as if Rob Reed was a rapper. He’s the guy who started the Christian Coalition in the first place. He looks like he’s about 12… he doesn’t age… ever. Now he’s a big wig in the Republicans, you know… he’s an advisor and everything. This was actually written a long time ago; it was when we did a tour, at least five years ago. It’s a little out of date, but its never out of date because they keep doing the same stuff.

THE MULE: There are certain things that don’t go out of vogue.

BRUCE: No… if we play that tune, we go with whatever current event is happening. Like when Clinton was having all his troubles, we had the blue dress. I went to the thrift store and got a blue dress and I put a bunch of Elmer’s Glue on it… so that it would look right. And that was on-stage and, you know, it was fun! We invent these vignettes… we’ll start talking about something and it gets into like, a little play. Frank started that early on. When he first started doing his stuff at the Derek Theatre in New York, he experimented with the audience… he went to London and did this kind of a play, where the group all broke up on stage because some of the guys wanted to actually have notes to play; then they brought an orchestra out and had a big fight between the band and the orchestra. This was on this video that I just bought the other day. That’s the kind of thing you definitely want to do. That makes our gig so much more fun for us… rather than just going out there and playing.

The other thing is – as with Frank – where a set list is only presented to the band moments before we go out… like five minutes before we’d go out, we’d get the set list. We’d be squealing, “Oh, my God! We haven’t played this one for weeks! How does that go again? What’s my part?” Take a quick look at your part because we’re not supposed to have any music out there… and we had 125 tunes in ‘88. It was hard to remember ‘em all… and the thing is, it was the opposite of a touring band that goes out and does the same exact show for an entire year or something. Like the current way of doing a show… which is cool, too… it’s a totally different thing, with all the lights… everything’s programmed… the stage moves and all that stuff. That’s the opposite of the way Frank liked to do stuff. I like both scenes really but, man, if we had to play the exact same thing every night, I don’t know why we’d do it. Which is never going to happen with this band. We’re doing it because we really enjoy it… that’s the bottom line. We’re not great businessmen, though. We’re going to need some help. That’s why I appreciate you calling me.

BRUCE FOWLER (uncredited photo)

THE MULE: I’m looking at an album that came out on Rhino in ‘82, by the Grandmothers. I see that your brothers are in the band but, at that time, you weren’t involved. Were you ever involved with them and how would you compare that band of ex-Mothers – ex-Zappa sidemen – to the current group, Banned From Utopia?

BRUCE: This is a similar thing to us, in a way. Those guys are more of the earlier guys. The difference between us and them is that we’re playing more of the later stuff… not that we shouldn’t do that. We did play some of the stuff from WE’RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY… we’ve played that before… and we’ve played some stuff from FREAK OUT before… “Help, I’m a Rock,” we played that. So, we’re not, like, exclusive or anything. We’re not going to not do that stuff… it’s just that we didn’t put it on the record. I think, interestingly enough, the Grandmothers are playing the stuff that we were playing when we were in the band… it crosses back and forth.

Those guys had a history with Frank; the business of it caused a big problem. So, they’re not really in great favor with the Zappa family. And… I don’t know how important this is or isn’t… basically, we want good relations with the Zappa family. You have to be kind of careful about the way you use the name Frank Zappa and stuff like that because… we don’t own it. It’s him… it’s the family that deserves it and owns it and everything. In a way, the Grandmothers are more split up from the family… they had a pretty bad fight with Frank. I think its valuable that those guys are playing. They’re fine and… I think they’re going to actually go play in Europe real soon. They have some guys that I know that are in the band… some LA musicians that are friends of mine. They’re trying to get a better band… their band is getting better, all the way around… the instrumental playing of it. They weren’t that great at first, technically; now they are getting some other new players that are really good. They’ll be good and I think they’re going to Germany soon.

We’ve got to come out and play; we’re working on that now. We’re going to go play… we HAVE to go play. My problem is that I work in the movie business; I’m an orchestrator… so I get busy. I can’t do this… I can’t organize the band and still do the work I do. I’ve got to have help. Having a big group is what we need… we need the percussionist… we need the singing, which takes three guys really… and how could we do it without the horn section? That’s what’s different about us; we’ve got the horn section.

BANNED FROM UTOPIA: SO YUH DON’T LIKE MODERN ART

PART THREE: THE CONCLUSION

That wasn’t the end of our conversation with Mister Fowler, boys and girls, but it was the end of our tape. So engaged were we with this interview that we forgot to turn the tape over and lost probably another fifteen minutes of reminiscing about Frank and some of the other players involved in this and other projects that Bruce has been involved in. Banned from Utopia’s current release, SO YUH DON’T LIKE MODERN ART, features ten tracks – five originals, five Zappa compositions – all played as only a group of Zappa-nurtured musicians could play them. I’m certain that Frank would be proud.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Features/Interviews | Darren Tracy | |   2002 Arthur Barrow Artist Interview Banned From Utopia Blues Rock Bruce Fowler Chad Wackerman Don Preston Favored Nation Recordings Frank Zappa Gail Zappa George Duke Ian Underwood Ike Willis Jean-Luc Ponty Napolean Murphey Brock Progressive Jazz Rock Ray White Rhythm and Blues Rock am Ring ROXY AND ELSEWHERE RuthUnderwood Steve Vai The Mothers of Invention Tom Fowler Tommy Mann Walt Fowler

TALKING HEADS: TALKING HEADS 77

(RHINO RECORDS/SIRE RECORDS; 2024 box set reissue)

Not many New Wave bands of the ‘70s and ‘80s have the sterling reputation and dedicated fan base of Talking Heads. There are reasons for that. The quartet – lead singer and guitarist David Byrne, ace rhythm section Chris Frantz on drums and wife Tina Weymouth on bass, and multi-instrumentalist (often keyboard player) Jerry Harrison – had uncommonly good instincts, just the right amount of quirky unpredictability in their music, and the good fortune to do their most significant collaborations with other master artists (Brian Eno and filmmaker Jonathan Demme among them). I can’t think of another band from their era whose first five albums are all brilliant, fresh and still intoxicating to listen to, and sealed their reputation by making what is likely the greatest concert film of all time (STOP MAKING SENSE, which Demme directed), a giddily thrilling piece of work that was recently reissued to universal acclaim. Many bemoan the fact that the group called it quits in the late ‘80s due to Byrne’s restlessness and desire to go it alone, but this ensured that they would never become a watered-down or compromised musical entity, and that the reverence for their eight studio albums and two superb live albums would endure. T Heads fans are DEVOTED, and only some inter-band sniping here and there about perfectly understandable differences, caused some to scratch their heads in dismay.

TALKING HEADS (JERRY HARRISON, CHRIS FRANTZ, TINA WEYMOUTH, DAVID BYRNE) (photo copyright: MICK ROCK ESTATE)

While the Heads have been anthologized a few different times, a proper box set reissue of their first album TTALKING HEADS 77 is a welcome and wondrous release. The four-disc set comes with a handsome book that features essays by each member about the early days and the circumstances behind the recording of this album, with Tina Weymouth’s lengthy piece being particularly detailed and illuminating. The original album has been remastered beautifully… the innovative arrangements on stunning songs like “New Feeling,” “Tentative Decisions,” the utterly peerless “No Compassion” (one of my personal favorite songs of their early period) and the completely original “First Week, Last Week… Carefree” sparkle with clarity and musical pizzazz. You can marvel all over again at Weymouth’s distinctive bass, the disciplined arrangements and, of course, David Byrne’s undeniable attention-getting vocals and lyrics. The guy was and remains a stunningly original creative visionary. And yes, it’s fun to imagine those early CBGB’s attendees getting to hear “Psycho Killer” in its infancy, though it sounds fa-fa-fa-fa better here.

TALKING HEADS Live at CBGB’s, 3 March 1977 (JERRY HARRISON, CHRIS FRANTZ, DAVID BYRNE, TINA WEYMOUTH) (photo credit: EBET ROBERTS/GETTY IMAGES)

But speaking of the famed Bowery venue where the Heads and other legendary artists got their start, there’s an entire disc here that captures the group’s final appearance at the club. It sounds marvelous, actually… not tinny or inferior in any way. Byrne energetically shouts out the name of most of the songs in his inimitable manner (“The name of this song is ‘Don’t Worry About the Government!’”) and yells “Thank you!” to the excited crowd afterwards. You can definitely feel the vibe of the tiny but historic locale. And the highlights are many from this performance: I particularly dug such numbers as “Take Me to the River,” the rare “A Clean Break,” “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel,” “Pulled Up” and “Stay Hungry.” The band were totally ON IT here, probably very well-rehearsed knowing this was for a radio broadcast. A third disc in this set is a welcome collection of rarities and alternate takes, including “Sugar On My Tongue,” “Love (Goes To) Building On Fire” (their first single), “I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That” and two alternate takes of “Psycho Killer” among other cool cuts. And the obligatory but still great 5.1 surround mix for Blu-Ray rounds things out.

TALKING HEADS (DAVID BYRNE, JERRY HARRISON, CHRIS FRANTZ, TINA WEYMOUTH on THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON, 13 June 2024) (photo credit: ROSALIND O’CONNOR/NBC via GETTY IMAGES)

Everything from the bright red cover and strikingly minimal green typeface, to the essays and diverse photos in the book, to the still intoxicating musicality of this powerhouse band, is memorable and more than worth your attention. As much as I played this album when it first came out, I must say that diving into this reissue was revelatory all over again, thoroughly capturing the emergence of one of the greatest and most original quartets of all time. Rumor has it there may be a box like this to come for each of their classic albums. Talking Heads are one of the few entities that deserve that kind of comprehensive approach.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI DVD/Blu-Ray Music Reviews | Kevin Renick | |   Alternative Rock Bonus Material Box Set Brian Eno CBGB's Chris Frantz David Byrne Demo Recordings DVD/Blu-Ray Jerry Harrison Jonathan Demme Live Recording Music New Wave Music Punk Rock Reissue Rock and Roll Rock and Roll Hall of Fame STOP MAKING SENSE Talking Heads Tina Weymouth

JON ANDERSON AND THE BAND GEEKS: TRUE

(Frontiers Records; 2024)

The advance word came quickly with this album: It sounded like a new Yes album, and Jon Anderson’s voice was in remarkable form. Could one dare hope that both those things were true? In a word, YES! When Anderson teamed up with some enthusiastic New York musicians to make an album that would reflect his renewed songwriting enthusiasm and belief in the lush electrifying sound he helped make famous in the ‘70s, you’d be forgiven for a little skepticism. His parent group had failed to recapture the proggy glory days of classics like CLOSE TO THE EDGE and GOING FOR THE ONE in their post-Anderson projects, and Anderson himself had been mostly inconsistent in his solo releases, though all had their moments. But wow, is this thing impressive! Close your eyes and listen to a few minutes each of epics “Counties and Countries” and “Once Upon a Dream,” and I guarantee you that you’ll be happily taken back to the bygone era when Jon, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman and Alan White (or Bill Bruford, if you prefer) powered the “classic lineup” to stratospheric prog heights that may never be surpassed for their overall impact. You’ll swear that some of the guitar lines could be Howe or that the pulsing bass in “Shine On” is not an imitation, but certainly a nod to the great Chris Squire. “Take me to this world of energy,” Anderson sings in that particular song, seemingly not just aware of his unmatched legacy but knowing that his listeners long for this kind of sound again. The ten-minute “Counties and Countries” has the tried and true musical changes Yes were known for, with an ear-pleasing main melody, insistent lyrics about “the truth yet to come” and “the love yet to come,” an ethereal section that starts at about the four-minute mark and a Wakeman-reminiscent keyboard part in the final third that precedes a stirring, soft Anderson vocal piece that is absolutely lovely, and familiar in the best possible way. “You Are Everyone” (a perfect starter), “Build Me An Ocean” and “Still a Friend” are remarkably economic songs that uncharacteristically stay around the five-minute mark or less, with Anderson showing amazing good taste in the arrangements and not getting too cosmic on us. “Make It Right” is an instantly likable song that features the practically iconic combo of a sparse acoustic guitar and Anderson’s clear voice, with Anderson winking at long-time Yes fans with a lyrical reference to “where the mountains touch the sky.” We all know the kind of sonic majesty that can occur when Anderson has mountains and the sky on his mind! And do you like Jon’s romantic side? How about the song “Thank God” here, which may be his most simple and direct love song since “Yesterday and Today” way back on the first Yes album. “Thank God I’m here, thank God I’m home, thank God you’re in my life,”” Anderson sings in the most touching ode to his partner imaginable. Bet this one will turn up in some couple-centric scenarios.

JON ANDERSON AND THE BAND GEEKS (CHRIS CLARKE, RICHIE CASTELLANO, ANDY GAZIANO, JON ANDERSON, ANDY ASCOLESE, ROB KIPP) (photo credit: STEVE SCHENCK)

But for old-school Yes aficionados, if “You Are Everyone,” “Shine On” and “Counties and Countries” haven’t already reeled you in fully, the 16-plus minute “Once Upon a Dream” oughta do the trick. This is an incredibly dynamic, chugging piece of Yes-ish glory that is truly majestic, featuring intricate overlapping vocals, a band playing with ABANDON, a stunning mood shift at about the 7-1/2 minute mark that is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as a masterpiece like “Awaken” and even featuring another keyboard solo in its final portion that you could mistake for the great Rick Wakeman. “The dream is clear/Lifting you up higher and higher,” Anderson sings in his patented outward-looking lyrical aesthetic, absolutely succeeding in taking us “higher and higher.” And the simple phrase “the angel of your story” in the heavenly musical context here, ought to induce a few shivers. It has to be said that Anderson sounds absolutely warm, wise and WONDERFUL throughout this amazing album. Hard to believe the guy is 80; he sounds half that age! Anderson’s operating at a level of inspiration that I bet he himself would say he hasn’t felt in years. The nine songs here move quickly, with nary a dud, and with just enough genuine Yes stylistic elements of old to combine organically with a newfound economy of purpose displayed by Anderson and his merry band of totally sympatico geeks. This thing absolutely delivers on all fronts, honestly. In all but name, it’s genuinely a Yes album. “See it now ascending,” Anderson sings early on in the record, and later in the epic “Counties… ” you can hear him clearly sing the lyric “I said I would deliver.” That he does, in spades. TRUE is a good name for this record: It’s true to Anderson’s singular muse, true to a legacy that has endured for over half a century, and true to the wishes of Yes fans who might’ve doubted they would ever hear Anderson gifting us with music like this again.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews | Kevin Renick | |   Acoustic Music Andy Ascolese Andy Gaziano Chris Clarke Classic Rock Jon Anderson Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks Music Progressive Folk Rock Progressive Rock Richie Castellano Rob Kipp Rock and Roll Yes

BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY: NINE HUNDRED NIGHTS

(EAGLE VISION/EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT/MULTIPRISES/PIONEER ENTERTAINMENT (59 minutes; Unrated); 2004) A REVIEW FROM THE VAULTS

Before I get into specifics, just let me say… this is an absolutely awesome package! The main section is a very informative, nostalgic 2001 hour-long film, documenting the rise and fall of one of the seminal bands of the San Francisco psychedelic era; the extras include four complete (and obviously digitally remastered) live performances, a rare audio track (pre-Janis?) of “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” interview outtakes from the surviving members of the band and others (which add a lot of history and insight that, while not necessary to the story, are nice to hear), and a bunch of other archival oddities (photos, concert posters, etc.). Ironically, the full band name on the case is “Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin,” an appellation that plays heavily into the history of the band. So, having (hopefully) piqued your interest, let’s get into those specifics.

BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY (Sam Andrew; Peter Albin; Janis Joplin; Dave Getz; James Gurley) (uncredited photo)

The documentary includes a lot of music, a lot of archival material (including interviews), and a lot of reflections on the late ’60s emergence of Sam Andrew, Peter Albin, James Gurley, David Getz and Janis Joplin. The new interviews untangle the myth from the history, making for an intriguing look at a band and a society continually on the brink of collapse. Additional interviewees include music historian and Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye and psychedelic gadfly and post-Joplin Big Brother singer/producer Nick Gravenites (Nick also spent time in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Electric Flag, among others). Much is made of the Monterey Pop Festival and its backers, and their reasons for asking Big Brother to play. Everyone knows that the festival was basically a tool to package the San Francisco scene for mass consumption, via a documentary by filmmaker DA Pennebaker. What most people didn’t know (at least I didn’t) is that the musicians in Big Brother refused to be filmed; they’d agreed to perform non-gratis at the free show (as had all of the acts), but would not give the producers and backers the chance to earn a big payday at their expense. The powers that be went to Janis after the band’s performance and got the naive vocalist to sign a release by telling her that the band went over so well (that part, at least by all indications, wasn’t a lie) that they wanted them to do another set… this one for the camera. Janis, who may not have been as naive as everyone thought, may have been thinking ahead to her future… without Big Brother and the Holding Company. Contractually obligated by Joplin’s signature, the band performed the second set for the cameras, delivering a smoldering performance that actually set the band on the road to ultimate destruction. Digitally remastered clips from the film – “Ball and Chain” and the previously unreleased “Combination of the Two” – focus on Joplin, with the other four members pictured as nothing more than background dressing. Today, the band (and historians) cite the Monterey Pop Festival as the beginning of the end. But… I’ve already said too much! I don’t want to give the whole thing away, or you won’t want to go out and pick up the excellent NINE HUNDRED NIGHTS (the name refers to the nearly two-and-a-half years that the band’s most famous configuration was together).

BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY (Live at the Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, 1968: James Gurley, Sam Andrew, Dave Getz, Janis Joplin, Peter Albin) (photo credit/copyright: Elliot Landy/landyvision.com)

I will tell you about the extras that I alluded to earlier, however. The four complete songs featured are “Down On Me,” “The Coo Coo,” “Ball and Chain,” and “Piece of My Heart.” The latter two are from the Monterey film; the first two are black and white performances from, I believe, a German television show. Each shows the incendiary qualities of the group. One of the great misconceptions about this band – often cited over the last three decades as a reason for Janis’ departure – was that they couldn’t handle things musically and their ineptitude was holding Joplin back. This film, and especially these performances, debunk that long-held theory. True, the band may never have reached the heights it attained with Janis Joplin, but Getz, Albin, Gurley and Andrew were amazing musicians and had already carved a niche for themselves as one of the premiere groups in the San Francisco area. They were signed to Mainstream Records, a small but influential label, and were getting attention beyond the Bay Area. While no one can deny the talent and charisma of the Texas whirlwind named Janis Joplin, the boys weren’t exactly hacks. They were good! Most of the other extra stuff here just kinda reiterates what we learned in the film. Some of the background info from the interview outtakes adds to the story but, accessing them is sort of a pain: You can’t just play the entire sequence, as each question to each interviewee has to be played separately. That’s annoying, but a minor problem; not one that should keep you from picking up this package. The rest of the “bonus features” include a discography, photo gallery, biographical timelines and “Psychedelic Treats.” Even without the extras, this is a great addition to anyone’s DVD and music libraries.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI DVD/Blu-Ray HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Music Reviews | Darren Tracy | |   Big Brother and the Holding Company Blues Rock Bonus Material Classic Rock DA Pennebaker Dave Getz DVD/Blu-Ray James Gurley Janis Joplin Lenny Kaye Monterey Pop Festival Music Documentary Nick Gravenites NINE HUNDRED NIGHTS Peter Albin Psychedelic Rock Rock and Roll Sam Andrew San Francisco

SWING SET: LIFE SPEEDS UP (REMASTER)

(BLACKBERRY WAY RECORDS; 2024)

Mad genius Michael Owens is at it again! He has remixed Swing Set’s 1986 debut, LIFE SPEEDS UP, and then traveled to Abbey Road Studios (yeah… THAT Abbey Road Studios!) to oversee Andy Walter’s remastering of the 10-track masterpiece. Now, for all to enjoy (and the faithful who owned the original, to reminisce over), the album is available from Blackberry Way Records in all of its “purdied-up” grandeur. And… it only took nearly 40 years!

SWING SET, circa 1985 (DAN PROZINSKI, MICK WIRTZ, RIC STUDER, DAVE NUSSBAUM, MIKE NILLES) (publicity photo)

The Twin Cities’ Swing Set – formed in 1983 – were singers/guitarists Mike Nilles and Dan Prozinski, singer/bassist Ric Studer, keyboardist Dave Nussbaum and drummer Mick Wirtz. By the time they recorded LIFE SPEEDS UP two years later, they were a well-oiled Rock ‘n’ Roll machine and upon the record’s 1986 release, the band found their way onto the Top 50 college charts. Clearly, Swing Set were a group on the rise. Unfortunately, the success was short-lived and, though they released two more albums, the quintet went their separate ways in 1993. In recent years, there has been a mini-resurgence with several tunes showing up on the soundtracks to such hit television fare as STRANGER THINGS and YOUNG SHELDON. So, to quote the cunning linguist Bugs Bunny, “What’s all the hubbub, Bub?” Well, I’ma tell ya, Mister Bunny.

The album kicks off with the atmospheric “Blackout,” a mid-tempo rocker with a memorable, jangly guitar riff, haunting piano and some of the smoothest vocal work (with leads by Nilles) this side of Motown. The track was used in the second episode of Season Two of STRANGER THINGS. On “Laying Low,” Wirtz punches up his delivery with a more forceful approach behind the kit and the guitars take on a Cure-like feel while maintaining a fresh charm that appears to be Swing Set’s signature sound. Studer continues to impress on bass and his lead vocals are equally as solid. The vocalist merry-go-round is completed on “Runaway” as Dan Prozinski takes over those duties here, which offers a rather tribal backbeat and minimalist – but quite effective – instrumentation. “Victim” is pure New Wave Power Pop, hitting on all cylinders with a throbbing bass line, a couple of nice guitar solos and an emotive Mike Nilles vocal. This is the first lyric on the album to actually connect with me. The first of two “bonus” tracks is Dan Prozinski’s “Knock Knock,” recorded in 1988 with bassist Kevin Foley (Kevin, who played in Tommy Stinson’s post -Replacements band, Bash and Pop, passed away in 2011). The song features one of the best lines I’ve ever heard: “Knock me down/I’ve seen that fist before/Knock knock/Comin’ back for more.” If you’re a fan of the show YOUNG SHELDON, “Knock Knock” may sound familiar, as it appeared on the soundtrack. “Walking In the Night” closed out the first side of the original vinyl. It’s another Nilles-authored tune, with his vocals riding along the chugging, percolating bottom end supplied by Mick Wirtz and Ric Studer. There’s an unspoken danger in the lyrics… more implied than any literal threat of violence. It seems that this Swing Set is intent to up the ante just a little more with each song.

SWING SET today (DAN PROZINSKI, MICK WIRTZ, RIC STUDER, DAVE NUSSBAUM, MIKE NILLES) (photo credit: HUTCH)

Lyrically, “Lost Track” has a lot happening. With allusions and imagery of trains and railroads, the number also evokes a kind of mental anguish over a lost love (or love lost) and, maybe even a sense of hopelessness… or determination. Like I said, Dan’s lyrics, while powerful, are so (purposefully?) open-ended that the meaning may very well be dependent upon the listener’s mood. Or… you know, to paraphrase Freud, “Sometimes a train is just a train.” “The Dance,” with its odd, waltzy feel and pace, finds Ric back on lead vocal duties. Every instrument is played in exactly the proper way that a New Wave-Power Pop waltz should be played, from the understated (yet somehow powerful) stick-work of Mick Wirtz to Studer’s minimal approach to the bass, from the twin lead guitars of Prozinski and Nilles to Dave Nussbaum’s keyboard work underpinning it all before rising to the fore with a short, beautiful piano solo toward the tune’s end. Mixed only slightly louder than the instrumentation is Ric Studer’s voice, a virtual haunting from spirits past. The chorus adds to the forelorn, wispy feel: “And you know what I Know/And you see what I see/And I know what you know about me.” Next up is “I’m On Fire,” the hardest rocking number here; given that, it doesn’t abandon Swing Set’s Pop leaning. Mike’s vocals are not over-the-top aggressive, but Wirtz’s more adventurous drumming alongside Ric’s pumping bass lends that impression. And… was that an accordian back there somewhere in the mix or just a bit of Nussbaum keyboard trickery? Either way, it definitely works well within the confines of this track. “Sincerity” is the second and final bonus cut, with Dan on lead vocals and, once more, the late Kevin Foley on bass. It’s another hard-hitting rocker that somehow puts me in mind of U2, but without that annoying Bono guy (I must say, though, that I did like the stuff he did with Cher). The final Ric Studer vocal lead is “Rain On Our Parade,” a slow-simmering piece of Pop confection. While the tune evokes the feeling of a rainy Saturday, watching TV or playing games or… whatever one does to pass the time while waiting for the rain to stop and the sun to emerge from the clouds, it definitely is not the downer that the title implies. Last and certainly not least is “So Long.” The slowly-paced double entendre works, as any good double entendre should, on a couple of levels: “I’ve waited so long for you” or “So long, gonna miss you.” A fitting end to another solid release from Blackberry Way Records.

SWING SET, 2024 Abbey Road Studios mastering session (Michael Owens, Terri Owens, Andy Walter) (publicity photo)

The newly-remastered LIFE SPEEDS UP is available from Blackberry Way Records on CD or as a download.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews Streaming Video | Darren Tracy | |   Andy Walter Bonus Material Dan Prozinski Dave Nussbaum Kevin Foley Mick Wirtz Mike Nilles Mike Owens Minneapolis Music New Wave Music Pop Music Power Pop Reissue Ric Studer Rock and Roll Streaming Video Swing Set

ENO

(FILM FIRST COMPANY/TIGERLILY PRODUCTIONS (85 minutes; Unrated); 2024)

It was absolutely NOT a predictable thing that Brian Eno would ever agree to having a documentary film made about him; he’s on record as stating that he hates most musician biopics, and he has little interest in discussing or examining his own past. But when director Gary Hustwit approached the wunderkind artist/producer/lecturer/thinker/modern philosopher about a project in this realm, it was NOT the ordinary pitch. Hustwit had already worked with Eno on his previous film RAMS, a documentary about influential German designer Dieter Rams, for which Eno did the score. Hustwit had already been working on ideas for a “generative” approach to filmmaking, a way for film to NOT always be the same when watched. In the pamphlet handed out for his film about Eno, very useful in understanding the project, he says this: “When everything went digital, both filmmaking and exhibition, this constraint of a film having to be the same every time or having to be a fixed piece of art was gone. So I reached out to my friend Brendan Dawes, this amazing digital artist and creator who I’d known for 15 years. And he was game to try… First we started experimenting using all the raw footage from RAMS, including Brian’s music. We both realized that Brian would be the perfect subject for a generative documentary and ended up showing Brian a demo using the RAMS footage. He was excited to get involved. I don’t think he was excited about having a documentary about himself, but I think he was excited about the possibilities around the generative film system.”

ENO (BRIAN ENO) (screenshot)

It goes without saying that there was going to be tons and tons of potentially interesting footage of Eno’s artistic odyssey from which Hustwit could draw to make his experimental doc. You’re talking about the guy who was a founding member of glam rock pioneers Roxy Music, the groundbreaking artist who made crazily inventive albums like HERE COME THE WARM JETS and ANOTHER GREEN WORLD in the mid ‘70s, the man who gave a name to and contextualized the fresh new genre called ambient music, the groundbreaking producer who put his name on some of the most important albums to emerge in the ‘70s and ‘80s by artists like Talking Heads, David Bowie, U2, James, Coldplay and many more; the guy who began creating unprecedented changing light sculptures and exhibitions throughout the world, and a truly visionary creative “philosopher” and thinker who raised many significant questions about the purpose of art, and the complex nature of the world’s problems, and how we should try to think about solving them. Brian Eno is easily one of the most influential artists in music history, and has had a hand in more things than most people might realize. Did you know, for example, that his collaboration with David Byrne, MY LIFE IN THE BUSH OF GHOSTS, was one of the first records to use sampling, and that it influenced many early hip hop artists? That he composed the Microsoft Windows startup theme in the early days of the internet? And that despite the early scorn that some critics heaped on ambient music back in the ‘70s, the genre became a truly significant phenomenon by the late ‘90s, and exploded into new relevance during the pandemic. It is now inescapable throughout the world, and is closely married to the world of film scoring, giving Eno regular work in that realm with projects such as FOR ALL MANKIND, THE LOVELY BONES and Michael Mann’s HEAT. So it would be a daunting task for ANY filmmaker to put a doc together on Mister Eno. But it sure helped that Eno gave Hustwit hundreds of hours of rare, often never before seen footage to utilize and that the generative program he developed was able to ensure that no showing of the “final” film would be the same as any other showing. Weird and unprecedented, eh?

ENO (BRIAN ENO) (photo credit: CECILY ENO)

Screenings of ENO have sold out in most cities where it is shown, and I wondered if I would ever have the opportunity to experience it. But when the Speed Art Museum in Louisville announced a single screening of the movie, my chance arrived. And wow, was it a fascinating, often breathtaking event! Each version of the film is set up with little technological “triggers” that cause certain other sequences to come up next, without filmmaker or audiences knowing what that will be. The film itself contains these transitional “indicators” that let the viewer know a change is about to happen. So yes, you might get some special footage of the early days of Roxy Music, like I saw in MY version of the film, with the glammed-up Roxy boys singing “Virginia Plain” and showing what absolute originals they were. But you might NOT. And even if you are thrilled to see the footage, it’s gonna end before you’ve had your fill, probably. Up next? Will it be Eno’s early video for “Seven Deadly Finns?” Something featuring Laurie Anderson? A discussion of “Oblique Strategies” and how Eno used them to work with David Bowie on his “Berlin Trilogy?” YES, to those latter two things for the version I saw. We get to learn all about the formation of the specialized deck of cards intended to help break creative stalemates. Eno talks about how he and Bowie drew conceptually opposing cards when they were recording the track “Moss Garden” on HEROES. Wryly, we see David Byrne reading a couple of simple cards, and Byrne is featured prominently in a discussion of MY LIFE IN THE BUSH OF GHOSTS. Not much about Talking Heads, however, which was disappointing. But there is a lengthy and amusing segment on U2 and some of the tension that had to be worked through during the production of THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE, and in particular the song MLK.

ENO (BRIAN ENO) (screenshot)

I was perhaps most delighted by the amount of talking we get to experience Eno doing, such as his discussion of “why we like music” and how ultimately most humans are driven by “the need to feel you belong.” And about how he tended to always question his own habits, asking the enduring question, “What if we DON’T do it that way?” That ends up having relevance not only for music, but for complicated moral and technological issues as well. My version of the film featured a lot of footage of Eno in his garden, talking about the influence of the natural world on his music, and how what became known as “ambient” was the result of Eno wanting to create a “place” and “inhabitants” and changing movement in his sonic creations. He demonstrates some sound-building efforts in his studio, and I was riveted by these scenes. “I want a sky,” he says of one evolving composition. “What ELSE do I want in this world?” He discusses his enduring interest in “more and more complex and beautiful things,” and shows us his plethora of detailed notebooks that he’s been keeping for decades, to help organize and capture “new ways of explaining things.” And frequently there are memorable scenes such as when the legendary producer admits to breaking down in tears during the creation of the track “Spirits Drifting,” as it came about during a terrible period of insecurity when he was certain he was wasting money on expensive studio time and did NOT have (seemingly) the ideas or impetus to get anything finished.

ENO (BRIAN ENO) (screenshot)

Wow, that happened to ENO? The guy who has finished more groundbreaking projects and fresh ideas than arguably anyone else in the industry, over time? So, there are indeed some cool revelations like that as well as plenty of music, discussions about art and the problem of being a morally concerned citizen of Planet Earth. We have some options for making things better, Eno says, but we also may just screw it up in the end. My piece here summarizes what I got to experience at this particular screening, but if you are lucky enough to see the film somewhere at some time, you may catch completely different segments. At any rate, for any fan of the truly legendary Eno, this film is a must-see. No, it is likely NOT going to be a comprehensive overview of his whole career, and as my companion pointed out, some may be bothered by the lack of narrative consistency or “arc” in this experimental movie. But boy, I ate it up. And I can hardly wait to see a bunch more versions of the film, should I get that chance.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies | Kevin Renick | |   Ambient Music Brian Eno David Bowie David Byrne Dieter Rams Documentary Experimental Filmmaking Experimental Music Gary Hustwit Generative Movies Louisville Kentucky Movies Music Documentary Rock and Roll Roxy Music Soundtrack Music Speed Art Museum Talking Heads U2

NILUFER YANYA/ANGELICA GARCIA/LUTALO

(13 October, 2024; THE BOTTLENECK, Lawrence KS)

Sunday nights are supposed to be boring, right? A time to relax and re-energize for the coming work (or school) week. This particular Sunday night was anything but as Lawrence, Kansas became a melting pot of musical talent, featuring three compelling acts – Lutalo, Angelica Garcia, and headliner Nilüfer Yanya. Each brought a distinct sound and energy to the stage, making the night an unforgettable experience for the packed venue.

LUTALO (LILY SEABIRD, LUTALO JONES, MICAH RUBIN) (photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

Kicking off the evening was Vermont-based artist Lutalo Jones, an alternative singer whose music blended slow, moody rock with indie Blues. Lutalo was joined by Micah Rubin on drums and Lily Seabird on bass, creating a rich yet intimate sound. His set moved through a variety of vibes, with each song offering something different – ranging from introspective lyrics to more upbeat rhythms.

LUTALO (LUTALO JONES) (photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

Though Lutalo’s performance felt understated at first, it quickly gained momentum. His emotionally raw vocals connected deeply with the audience, who responded more and more as the set progressed. When a guitar string broke during the final song, Lutalo didn’t miss a beat, continuing the performance with the grace and professionalism of a seasoned artist. The diverse textures in his music showcased his versatility, leaving the audience with an appreciation for his evolving sound.

ANGELICA GARCIA (ANGELICA GARCIA, VAL SEPULVEDA) (photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

Angelica Garcia, from Los Angeles, brought an entirely different energy to the stage. With only Val Sepulveda on drums backing her up, Garcia’s voice took center stage, blending elements of Latin Punk and bilingual alternative electronic Pop. Her powerful, well-regulated vocals filled the room, captivating the crowd. Garcia’s vocal range is impressive, effortlessly moving from deep, rich tones to high, piercing notes – an indication of her natural talent and technical skill.

ANGELICA GARCIA (VAL SEPULVEDA, ANGELICA GARCIA) (photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

Garcia engaged the audience from start to finish, her bilingual lyrics resonating with many in the crowd. She described her second-to-last song, “Hey, Paloma,” as “cute” and invited the audience to join in, creating an interactive, fun moment. The final song was a fusion of electronic beats, drums, and her signature Spanish vocals, leaving a lasting impression. With only vocals and drums, Garcia proved that she didn’t need a full band to captivate the crowd – her voice and presence were more than enough. As her set concluded, a large portion of the audience immediately headed to her merch booth, eager to purchase her CDs and support her growing career. It’s clear that Angelica Garcia is an artist who knows how to leave a mark on her audience, and her upward trajectory seems inevitable.

NILUFER YANYA (photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

Headlining the evening was London-born Nilüfer Yanya, whose indie/alternative sound has been steadily gaining her a dedicated following. From the moment she stepped on stage, accompanied by a stellar band, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. Nilüfer herself played guitar, alongside fellow guitarist Will Archer, Ellis Dupuy on drums, Beth O’Lenahan on bass and Jazzi Bobbi on saxophone, keys, and backup vocals. The chemistry between the band members was evident, their tight musical coordination enhancing the already polished performance.

NILUFER YANYA (JAZZI BOBBI, NILUFER YANYA, BETH O’LENAHAN) (photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

Nilüfer’s vocal delivery was hauntingly beautiful – her soft yet powerful voice combined with her band’s intricate sound created a mesmerizing atmosphere. Tracks from her latest album, MY METHOD ACTOR, were standouts, with “Run Away” eliciting particularly loud cheers from the audience. The live version of this hit showcased Nilüfer’s incredible vocal control, her voice soaring over the lush instrumentation.

NILUFER YANYA (NILUFER YANYA, WILL ARCHER) photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

As the show progressed, the audience moved closer to the stage, completely immersed in the performance. The mix of saxophone, layered guitar riffs, and atmospheric keys gave Nilüfer’s set a unique sound that felt both timeless and modern. Her music is difficult to categorize – at times, it recalls the soulfulness of Amy Winehouse, but with a more experimental, indie twist. The crowd swayed in unison, visibly moved by her hypnotic melodies and powerful stage presence.

NILUFER YANYA (BETH O’LENAHAN, NILUFER YANYA, WILL ARCHER) (photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

As the set came to a close, Nilüfer Yanya left the audience wanting more. With her US tour wrapping up in Los Angeles later this month, there’s no doubt that she’s on the verge of even greater success. Her sold-out vinyl and merch at previous venues, including hoodies and t-shirts, are a testament to her rising popularity. The support of her bandmates and manager Owen McAllister, who spoke fondly of their time touring across the US, only adds to the feeling that Nilüfer’s star is still on the rise.

NILUFER YANYA (NILUFER YANYA, WILL ARCHER) (photo credit: KASEY LEHMKUHL)

This concert was a perfect blend of styles and genres, each artist bringing something unique to the night. The opening trio, Lutalo, set the tone with an introspective and evolving sound, while Angelica Garcia’s bilingual Punk-Pop performance, firmly supported by drummer Val Sepulveda, lit up the stage and Nilüfer Yanya closed the evening with a mesmerizing set that showed why she’s quickly becoming a major figure in the indie music scene. All three acts showcased raw talent and left a lasting impression on the Lawrence crowd. As these artists continue to tour and release new music, there’s no doubt that their names will only grow more familiar. This show was a reminder of the magic that happens when artists truly connect with their audience, and it’s safe to say Lawrence will be talking about this show for a long time.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Live Music Reviews | Kasey Lehmkuhl | |   Alternative Rock Angelica Garcia Beth O'Lenahan Blues Rock Ellis Dupuy Jazzi Bobbi Lawrence Kansas Lily Seabird Live Music Lutalo Lutalo Jones Micah Rubin Music Nilufer Yanya Pop Punk Pop Rock Rock and Roll The Bottleneck Val Sepulveda Will Archer

DYER SHOTS, EPISODE ONE

SOUL ASYLUM: SLOWLY BUT SHIRLEY (BLUE ELAN RECORDS; 2024)

So, apparently Soul Asylum has a new album out called SLOWLY BUT SHIRLEY, their first since 2020’s HURRY UP AND WAIT. I have never understood this band and I still don’t. It was a period of music that I just couldn’t get into. Here we are at the end of 2024 and I don’t hear anything new, just a rehashing of the same sound that they have had since “Runaway Train.” Production on this seems a bit mono, but that could be because of the way they perform their music… there is really no punch in the recording, just a bland production. If you are a fan of their music from back in the day, then I suppose you will like this but… for the life of me, I don’t know why you would. 1 out 5 stars! It’s too bad that the “Runaway Train” didn’t take this with it!

CARNAGE ASADA: HEAD ON A PLATTER (HISTORICAL RECORDS; 2024)

Carnage Asada, a band out of LA, has been making noise since 1994. They have a heavy Punk influence and is similar in sound to Rage Against the Machine. Lead by founding members David Jones on bass and George Murillo on “words” (Murillo doesn’t sing, it’s more spoken word) alongside guitarist Tony Fate. The new album, HEAD ON A PLATTER, comes right out of the gate punching with LA Punk fury! Fate is relentless with his guitar sound. I like the production on this album as it works well with the style of the band. A few of the songs are in Spanish which adds to the coolness of Carnage Asada. I will give this a solid 3 out of 5 stars! It’s a fun album from a fun band, so give it a listen.

RON KEEL: KEELWORLD (RFK MEDIA; 2024

KEELWORLD is a newly recorded compilation album consisting of songs from Ron Keel in the many variations of himself, from his first recordings with Steeler in the early 1980s to the present incarnation of the Ron Keel Band. At first listen, I had to remind myself that I was listening to a Ron Keel record and not a new Bon Jovi album; I never realized how much they sound alike! Once I finished the album, I thought to myself, “Well, it’s not too bad, but not great. I probably won’t listen to it again.” I’ve listened to it over four times now. There is something about it that gets into your soul. The album starts with a track called “Hollywood,” which is a really good Country-style song from that period of his career, so it’s a good start and, by the time we get to track number four, we are treated to a Ron Keel Band song called “Five O’clock Shadows,” a banger of a tune that is very infectious. From there, it keeps going with rocker tracks like Steeler’s “Give Me Guitars (Or Give Me Death).” Later in the album, we get a version of Black Sabbath’s “Children of the Grave” performed by Keel and Emerald Sabbath (one of his many side projects), consisting (on various tunes) of at least ten ex-members of Black Sabbath (go figure, huh?). I will say that Ron has quite a voice and handles the track very well. The album ends with the song “The Last Bottle on Earth,” a slow, heavily Country-influenced number. On my scale, I will give this album a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Give this one a HARD listen. I think you will be surprised… I sure was!

My name is Dave and I love music!

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews | Dave Dyer | |   Alternative Rock Carnage Asada Country Music Country Rock Emerald Sabbath Garage Rock Hard Rock Music Punk Rock Rock and Roll Ron Keel Ron Keel Band Soul Asylum Steeler

IN PRAISE OF EPHEMERA’S MONOLOVE, A CLASSIC NORWEGIAN POP GEM ON ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY

KEVIN RENICK REFLECTS ON MUSICAL PERFECTION

“We live in a cynical world.” That famous line was uttered by Tom Cruise’s titular character in the movie JERRY MAGUIRE, and it pops into my head sometimes. There’s a lot of distrust, unhappiness and social division out there these days, and it’s hard to find your own personal “throughline” in a world that seems to be constantly struggling, with more and more individuals feeling trapped in some way, or just plain alienated.

EPHEMERA (Ingerlise Storksen, Christine Sandtorv, Jannicke Larsen Berglund) (photo credit BENT RENE SYNNEVAG)

“Only chaos/Only empty days/Only thin skin/Only tension/Only make-no-sense,” sings Ingerlise Storksen of the divinely talented Norwegian girl trio Ephemera at the beginning of their fifth album MONOLOVE. The irony behind these seemingly gloomy lyrics, which are just as apt as ever 20 years after the album first came out, is that they are sung in an absolutely GORGEOUS and riveting pop song, “Chaos,” which opens with one of the most deleriously chiming keyboard flurries I’ve ever heard on a modern pop album. Sheer sonic beauty was already a hallmark of Ephemera’s career when MONOLOVE was released in late 2004; members Christine Sandtorv, Ingerlise Storksen and Jannicke (Larsen) Berglund had established themselves as supremely gifted songwriters and rapturous three-part harmony singers through the course of four previous discs, including successful outings like BALLOONS AND CHAMPAGNE in 2001 and AIR in 2003. But their winning formula only locked into place when they teamed up with producer Yngve Leidulv Saetre for an album called SUN in 2000. I will be upfront and say that this “formula” (an inadequate word to convey the lush and organic purity of this music) soon became one of my favorite sounds in the entire musical universe. And by the time I fully absorbed the depth, variety and spine-tingling perfection of the 13 tracks on MONOLOVE (an album that had a tendency to SLAY me on long road trips in my car), it managed to become my favorite album of all time. Yes, it’s THAT good and THAT personally significant to me.

“It was a really fun album to record,” Jannicke told me via email correspondence this summer (I contacted all three women to get their feedback when I was planning this piece). “I loved all the songs that the other two had written at that time and it was very giving and exciting to record them. Harmonies and arrangements came easily and our producer (Yngve) understood really well what kind of sound we wanted to express.”

Of course MANY groups might say such things about the process of making an album they are justifiably proud of, but some kind of transcendent magic had to be taking place in the studio to result in songs like “On the Surface” and “Thank You,” two exquisite Ingerlise Storksen compositions that send shivers up my spine whenever I play them. Ingerlise’s vocal approach on these songs is “blue diamond” stuff in my book… breathy, intimate and heartfelt. Add the delicate string arrangement on “Thank You,” the enthralling three-part “mm mm” harmonies and the haunting lyrics about a person in the singer’s life who helped guide her journey (“You left your footprints in the snow/A guideline for me so I will know/The day I get lost/Which way to go… ”), and you’ve got yourself a positively transcendent art song. The harmony interlude that follows that first chorus is literally one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard on any record. And it affects me the same every single time I hear it. THAT’s magic!

But one of the notable things about MONOLOVE is how all three of the band members contribute peak, spellbinding songs to the mix. Jannicke gives us two of her very finest, “City Lights” and “Paint Your Sky,” stunningly arranged soft rockers that always change my mood for the better the instant either begins. And a secret, underlying component here – something I bring up in a songwriting class I teach – I would characterize as “aesthetic vagueness.” That’s when the listener gets the imagery and overall feel a songwriter is aiming for without knowing all the specific details of what the song is truly about, so you can insert YOURSELF into it. “I can put up a show, so simple and lame/It’s far from the same/But the line is thin/Between failure and success/There’s either more or less/You’re either out or in/The line is thin… ” Plenty to relate to here, especially when Jannicke sings the lyrics in a clear, plaintive voice and is soon joined by her two cohorts on a deceptively simple chorus: “Under the city lights I fail/Under the city lights I’m pale.” I have been positively transfixed by that chorus since the first time I heard it, and I am profoundly MOVED by the sonic blend the group and their genius producer achieve here.

“‘City Lights’ is a song about the very unfair differences in our world,” Jannicke told me. “The background sounds and voices in the intro were recorded in Tokyo or Osaka when we were on tour in Japan. I like how it sets the atmosphere in the song, both quiet and chaotic at the same time. What I mean to express in the song is that no one is better or more worthy than the other. We are all equally small and unimportant in this big universe, or big and important in this small world. The point is that no one should put themselves above others. Be a fellow human being instead, if you have the chance… ”

Jannicke plays evocative keyboards on this and many other Ephemera songs; in video clips of the band’s performances, she’s almost always behind the keys, playing something distinctive and resonant. You’ll also notice, when you hear this album a few times, that just a simple percussion bit here and there or the way the bassline comes in at just the right moment, reveal an ensemble with exquisite taste and a unified sense of purpose. Everything sounds just so clear and right… The trio seem to be brimming with confidence throughout, apparently paying close attention to literally every detail of every song.

EPHEMERA, 2004 (Christine Sandtorv, Ingerlise Storksen, Jannicke Larsen Berglund) (photo credit BENT RENE SYNNEVAG)

“This was a really busy time for Ephemera, with a lot of traveling abroad,” Ingerlise related. “So it was really nice to have a break from it all, and that we got to stay home for a couple of weeks recording MONOLOVE at Duper Studio. We were in a very creative and productive state, I remember – and we did a lot of live recording in the studio. Most of the songs were written on the road and in between, so many of the songs were quite fresh by the time we landed in the studio. This gave it all a new nerve and feel to the sessions. I remember it being like busy, calming and lovely, all at once.”

To read those descriptive words busy, calming and lovely all at once from one of the people who actually MADE this amazing music was enormously helpful to me, as I’ve struggled through the years to explain to the uninitiated why Ephemera are just so darn brilliant. While it’s always a subjective thing to evaluate pop music (or really ANY music) – as a songwriter myself and a guy who has been doing music journalism for nigh on 30 years now, I think I have a reasonably good idea of what constitutes “good” music. But very, very FEW things have transfixed me and soundtracked my very being the way Ephemera’s music has. And I’m certainly not alone.

EPHEMERA (Ingerlise Storksen, Jannicke Larsen Berglund, Christine Sandtorv) (uncredited photo)

“Your music is what reaffirmed my belief in the possibility that people have souls,” posted one enthusiastic fan on the trio’s original web site, from which I extracted as many opinions as I could before it went defunct. He was probably responding to the same sincere vulnerability, compassion and unquestioning LOVE for the human condition that I find so compelling, and that these remarkable women inject into every song. Think of any movie scene that once gripped your emotions or any powerful moment in your life that still fills you with aching nostalgia, and that’s the sort of feeling you’ll find in almost every Ephemera composition. And MONOLOVE has more of those than usual. Christine Sandtorv, commonly the most prolific songwriter in the band, contributes six songs to the record, and they are mostly of a stylish piece, dealing with the uncertainties of relationships, the whole “trust versus love” dilemma and the simple challenge of being a vulnerable human being. Her songs feature delicate, often masterful acoustic guitar picking, tasteful string arrangements and conversational-style lyrics that anchor her songs. Even titles like “Do’s and Dont’s,” “Leave It At That,” and “Put-On-Smile” hint at the reflective approach these songs contain. That latter song contains one of MONOLOVE’s most telling verses: “I’m not in the sky/I’m not on solid ground/I cannot lie/But I know how to pretend/I’m not in the mood/Don’t feel like jumping for joy/Though I should be happier than medium okay.” Medium okay, wow! I know that condition, Christine! The primary musical element here is rather jaunty, with even Christine’s memorable vocal delivery sounding almost upbeat. But a strongly melancholy acoustic guitar arpeggio later in the song and some solemn but beautiful three-part harmony from the band nails down the real mood here for any attentive listeners.

EPHEMERA onstage (Ingerlise Storksen, Christine Sandtorv, Jannicke Larsen Berglund) (photo credit TORE SAETRE)

“I think a lot was on my mind at the time, as it often is when you are on your way to becoming an adult,” Christine told me. “It was probably a rather dark time for me. I was starting to get tired of traveling a lot. I like being close to family the most. You can see it thematically on many of my songs on this album.”

Christine related how the sparse, haunting album closer “Long” was played at the funeral of her father in 2007. “It became too difficult to play it live,” she said. “Even though it wasn’t written directly for him, I felt that a lot of emotions in the song fit.”

The existential sadness and uncertainty expressed in tunes like this helps explain why MONOLOVE steadily ascended to the very top of my list of favorite albums. Every song focuses on something relatable and timeless, something your heart was aching to hear… though perhaps you didn’t know it yet. I’d lost many loved ones myself and was constantly pondering the meaning of it all, something I tended to do a lot on long car trips. And I found that there was no better music to provide the soundtrack for such contemplation than Ephemera’s. And they truly outdid themselves in that regard with MONOLOVE. You get a real sense, song after song, of self-aware fellow human beings creating ultimate musical portraits of what it means to be a tuned-in, caring person in the “cynical world” of today. Take Jannicke’s anthemic song “Paint Your Sky,” a tune that absolutely bowled me over the first time I heard it. The subtly beautiful, lilting arrangement provides a bed for Jannicke’s clear, almost matter-of-fact vocal addressing the subject of self-doubt. The spellbinding chorus soon kicks in and I have quoted it often through the years. It plays rather continually in my head: “Those you rely on/They seem to be pretending/You’re in denial/Go out and hold your banner high/Painting your own sky… ” It’s unutterably lovely, creating one of the group’s most distinctive lyrical manifestos in those last three lines.

“‘Paint Your Sky’ is a song that shows the mood I was in at that time; happy, self-confident and ready to express myself, without being shy or afraid,” said Jannicke. “I was tired of compromising (myself), which is revealed as a layer of vulnerability in the song. I love the playful bass and the deep electric guitar, and the light, insistent mandolin.” She’s right about the arrangement; it positively dazzles. The group’s harmonies are luminous, and this is sure to be one of the songs that’ll stick in your head upon a first listen to MONOLOVE. But in a stroke of conceptual and sequencing brilliance, it’s followed by an even more unforgettable song, which doesn’t seem possible at this point. “Dead Against the Plan,” oh my lord. Absolutely unbelievable how good this song is. To this very day, after countless listens, I become positively awestruck listening to this Christine and Ingerlise collaboration. I thought about pressing them on how this track came to be, then decided I wanted it to stay somewhat mysterious. Not everything needs an explanation; it’s enough to say this is a stone CLASSIC. I’m not sure I can think of a better example offhand of a giddily inventive arrangement, peerless vocals both in the lead by Ingerlise and in the group harmonies, and the truest form of aesthetic vagueness thematically in the service of a song about something that has gone wrong in an unknown relationship. “Something happened/You could surely have done without” is about all the songwriters are going to clue you into here. There are three or four SEPARATE earworms in this track, and I’m on record already as saying the recording should be taught in music classes at universities as an example of getting every single aspect of a song just about perfect. You know those music-related queries in social media where they ask you, “If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?” If I wasn’t allowed to cheat and pick the entire ambient album of my choice, I would probably say “Dead Against the Plan” by Ephemera. Inside, I am laughing and crying at the same time when I hear this truly BRILLIANT piece of music making.

EPHEMERA (Christine Sandtorv, Jannicke Larsen Berglund, Ingerlise Storksen) (photo credit BENT RENE SYNNEVAG)

So at this point, I MUST take my hat off to Yngve Leidulv Saetre, the George Martin-like producer of Ephemera, who has shepherded every album of theirs since SUN at the turn of the millennium. He’s produced many other acts as well, including DumDum Boys and Kaizers Orchestra, and he was the lead singer of Barbie Bones in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. But I’m here to say that Mister Saetre helped this trio conjure absolute magic in the studio, and if I ever met him I’d give him a bottle of fine champagne or something to show my appreciation of his wizardry.

“Yngve is the fourth member of Ephemera,” Ingerlise declared. “From early on, with our debut album GLUE (which he mixed and mastered), he understood what we were working on. Where we wanted to go with our music. Yngve is a very creative producer, creative in the same sense as the three of us in Ephemera. We think the same (at least most of the time), and he understands and catches the depth and the sense, as well as how he challenges us. With MONOLOVE we worked quite productive and fast, because we had such a busy schedule (in between touring). This was not an issue, because we were already on the same page, and knew where we wanted this album to go.”

The famed producer was tough for me to reach; I had tried twice before, most recently with Ephemera’s 2020 comeback album SEASONS, and wasn’t successful. But I got ahold of him this time and he spoke very highly of Ephemera, calling their previous collaborations “open, playful and inspired.” While mostly in sync with the group’s intentions, Saetre said that MONOLOVE posed a particular challenge overall. “It was in many ways a very ambitious project,” he said. “There were different ambitions from many angles, also from outside the trio. It was hard to try to unite all this into the wonderful tripod balance that to me is Ephemera.”

EPHEMERA (producer Yngve Leidulv Saetre) (photo credit CHRISTINE SANDTORV)

Certainly at this point in the trio’s career, pressure was coming from not only within as to what should happen next, but from the industry as well. The discussions must have been rather lively in the studio, but whatever tension may have occurred pushed the group to their highest creative levels yet. You don’t get a masterpiece like MONOLOVE without many, many factors coming together to influence the result. Other musicians have contributed to Ephemera albums in the past, but the sometimes more complex arrangements on their fifth full-length feature contributions from well-known Norwegian players Thomas Dahl and Julian Berntsen (for whom Ingerlise recorded a duet called “The Park 1920”), among others; both are credited on some of the lush strings that the album features, though it is difficult to read the tiny credits on the CD sleeve. My favorite credit reads “Bits and pieces of sound on just about every track,” which is how one of Yngve Saetre’s credits reads. And we also learn that “Long” was recorded live at the producer’s apartment, which helps explain the ambient birdsong and other outside sounds that effectively adorn that song, ending the album with a particularly evocative flourish. Not to mention revealing what a hands-on producer Yngve clearly was. Without making this article longer than it already is, I can only declare straight up that Yngve surely has something to do with the particularly evocative details in many of Ephemera’s catalog entries, two of my personal favorites being “Maple Tree” and “Bye.” To be able to listen to certain songs over and over and ALWAYS get lost in their beauty, takes a secret ingredient in the production, and as both Jannicke and Ingerlise pointed out earlier, Yngve simply has an intuitive understanding of what their songs are aiming for, and how a detail here and there can make them even more rapturous. I can’t know what “bits and pieces” throughout MONOLOVE were his doing, but I bet Yngve had something to do with the three-tiered descending harmonies on “Leave It At That,” or how in the next to concluding song “End,” in the lyric “I see us leaving hand in hand,” penned by Christine, the word hand is memorably repeated a few times in the last minute. And in songs that achieve actual perfection like “Thank You,” “Paint Your Sky” and “Dead Against the Plan,” the producer deserves some kind of award for sonic dazzling. I doubt that George Martin ever heard this album when he was alive, but had he done so, I bet he would have nodded and smiled.

“I’m happy to hear you appreciate this album so much,” Yngve told me. “It’s always a good feeling to hear from somebody who found something of value in something one contributed to. Music has this direct connection to your feelings and you can’t argue with it. When you listen to something, you immediately recognize the way you felt when you got to know it the first time. I have it like this with a couple of other albums that were hard to make.”

I got the sense that Yngve is a modest chap, with an obviously strong work ethic. I wish I could have told him about the many, many transcendent moments on Ephemera recordings that I know he was at least partially responsible for. And to just THANK him for serving the trio so well… “Yngve always has good thoughts behind the work he does,” Christine related. “He allows us to be creative and try things out, while at the same time managing it all in a steady manner. We have never wanted to collaborate with any other producer, because we think Yngve is the best both as a producer and as a person. He understands us in a respectful way, which may have been extra important as an all-girl band.”

EPHEMERA, 2020 (Christine Sandtorv, Ingerlise Storksen, Jannicke Larsen Berglund) (photo credit: MAGNE FONN HAFSKOR)

“We always put a lot of work, all our hearts and minds into the recording of an album,” said Ingerlise. “The devil and the angel are always in the details, and all three of us really love working with the minor details, the tiny twists and turns, sounds and feelings. I think we were all very happy with how MONOLOVE came out in the end.” She added that she thought it was “more mature than some of the other recordings. A more balanced album, from low and ‘heart hurt’ things to the more uptempo and feel good songs. We like it like that, some down, some up. And some songs in between. Like LIFE… ”

As a very dedicated fan of this amazing trio, I have often mused about their working process, i.e. how could they consistently come up with such beautiful music? Their ear for melody, the often subtle sonic detours in the songs, and, I must point out, the rather intoxicating precision of their singing in English… pure musical catnip for yours truly. It’s understood that most Scandinavian artists speak English rather fluently and can make music in that language as well as their own, depending on the audience. I absolutely ADORE hearing Christine, Ingerlise and Jannicke singing perfect words and well-constructed phrases in their soft, beguiling voices. There are many reasons why Ephemera’s music affects me like few other artists, and at least one ingredient is surely their natural, intimate vocal style, which is warm and comforting, eternally. I absolutely BELIEVE everything these ladies sing; there is never a false note of any kind. Listening to “Thank You,” “Do’s and Don’ts,” “Call Me Home,” “Long” or any other tune here is like having a special friend share something important and meaningful with you. Your ears perk up, constantly. The fact that the sentiments are couched in glistening, resonant pop tunes only makes the experience more potent. It’s easy to forget that human beings with their own personal issues and separate ambitions had to perhaps struggle a bit to record this stuff.

“It was a challenging recording,” Christine acknowledged. “I remember a bit of frustration, with different opinions about where we should end up, together with a very strong desire to make something really good. Not too poppy and not too quirky. In retrospect, I think the album turned out really well.”

EPHEMERA, 2024 (Ingerlise Storksen, Jannicke Larsen Berglund, Christine Sandtorv) (uncredited photo)

Speaking for myself as a listener, I’m often fascinated by what the intentions were of the artists I like. It has not always been the case with “Artist X or Y” that their enthusiasm in public statements about their work correlated with my own level of appreciation. In the case of Ephemera and their sublime MONOLOVE disc, I soon came to the conclusion that I probably loved every single thing about this album more than they did! The platter contains timeless melodies, remarkably economical lyrics couched in rich, sparkling arrangements, gorgeous vocals both in leads and textured harmonies (sometimes occurring lower in the mix waiting to be discovered upon the umpteenth listen), and moments of such unforgettable emotional intimacy that I sometimes ended a listening session wanting to just say “thank you” to the universe and this band for, well, the SONG “Thank You” and all twelve other gems on this masterpiece. After any full listen to MONOLOVE, I end up feeling changed, and grateful. I hold the CD in my hands like it is a piece of jewelry or something, gazing at the cover photo of the three lovely musicians posing in a triangle-configured closeup of their heads, and leafing through the minimally adorned but classy booklet, soaking up every detail. And as an aside here, I want to say I still bemoan the devaluing of the CD and the “artistic presentation” in recent years. Yes, yes, I KNOW that downloading and streaming are the way most people listen to stuff, and people just don’t want to pay for physical “product” anymore. Phooey! To me, you simply CANNOT get the full experience of an album like this with a few digital downloads. Or, God forbid, “sampling” it on a YouTube video. I’d say the same about other artists I love like Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Talking Heads and more. All of whom, by the way, are also featured in my “Top 10 list of all time.” A really good album/CD is a work of art, something to be savored, something to immerse yourself in.

And that is what I do with MONOLOVE, every time. I’m aware it represented the culmination of everything this Norwegian trio were striving for. They and their crack producer worked their butts off on this thing. They were all at a peak of inspiration, coming off a major burst of attention and ambition, and they gave the world this gem. But it was to be the end of an era. No more new music appeared for 15 years from Ephemera, and while 2020’s SEASONS was a welcome return for sure, and featured the genuinely surprising classic “When the Best Ones Are Gone,” which accidentally became a pandemic-era soundtrack, plenty had changed, including their own career trajectory. On a simple level, all three ladies were just involved in growing families and their regular careers. Is that anything to be sad about? But shucks, in my “dream alternative universe,” there would be a “20th anniversary reissue” of MONOLOVE the way so many bands today reissue deluxe editions of classic albums. There’d be a stunning new booklet with unseen before photos, alternate takes of album cuts and some rarities, and perhaps even a delightful live album of an Ephemera concert, all housed in a handsome, shiny box. What a great treasure that would be in my alternative universe!

EPHEMERA (Jannicke Larsen Berglund, Ingerlise Storksen, Christine Sandtorv) (photo credit: BENT RENE SYNNEVAG)

But back here in reality… I am writing these words not knowing if there will EVER be any new Ephemera music again (hope I’m wrong), knowing that most music fans have never heard of them (unfortunately there is a Swedish heavy metal band with the same name, making any casual search for “Ephemera songs” a problematic exercise), and knowing I am probably the only writer in the WORLD, at least in America, saluting the 20th anniversary of an album you can’t even GET as a physical product anymore except from sellers on Discogs (and I highly suggest you old schoolers who are intrigued by what I wrote here to get the original album that way). I’ll finish by saying I did not want to casually just share some “top 10” list in social media or elsewhere with the Ephemera entry at the top, and then have some people scratching their heads over my entry. “He’s putting this obscure group above the Beatles and Joni Mitchell? What’s up with this dude?” Well, it was a simple evolution over time, that’s all… an emotional connection deep and enduring and truly personal. Because yes, MONOLOVE, by the Norwegian trio EPHEMERA, is indeed my very favorite album of all time, I am proud to say that. And I salute it, for all it means to me, and for the potent and enduring quality of its contents. I’ll let Jannicke (Larsen) Berglund have the last word.

“Music brings us all together. And I love it… ”

For more about Ephemera, here are links to their social media: https://www.facebook.com/ephemeragirls, https://www.ephemera.no/

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Features/Interviews Music Reviews Streaming Video | Kevin Renick | |   20th Anniversary Acoustic Music Christine Sandtorv Ephemera Folk Music Ingerlise Storksen Jannicke Larsen Berglund MONOLOVE Music Norway Norwegian Pop Pop Music Pop Rock Progressive Folk Rock Rock and Roll Streaming Video Yngve Saetre

STAR ZERO: EVERLASTING LOVE

(SELF-RELEASED SINGLE; 2024)

Star Zero is new band formed by five seasoned veterans from San Clemente, California. They have recently released several singles of what has been termed “Nu-Grunge” or “post-Grunge,” which is a not-unappealing melding of Grunge (generally exemplified by artists such as Soundgarden and Pearl Jam) and Nu-Metal (down-tuned-guitar based Metal acts such as (hed) PE, Deftones and Chevelle). The group, channeling the more melodic side of heavy music (Stone Temple Pilots and Alice In Chains immediately come to mind), features Josh Paskowitz, former vocalist for the Flys (1998’s “Got You (Where I Want You)”) alongside guitarists James O’Brien and Billy Murphy, bassist Jeff “Poppy” Poppenhagen and drummer Bernie Sanchez; they are augmented live and in the studio by keyboard player Reggie King.

“Everlasting Love” is Star Zero’s latest single. The quintet continues working with producer Cameron Webb (who has helmed projects by Linkin Park and Motorhead, among others) on a full-length album. The video, as you can see, is an artful, mind-bendingly trippy ode to the Old West; the music is stunningly melodic with gargantuan, beefy guitar and Paskowitz’ incredible vocals, evoking the memories of both Layne Staley and Chris Cornell (with a little Scott Weiland thrown in for good measure). This song, along with “You” and “King Saul,” has me excited for a full-length release! Make it so, gentlemen!

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews Streaming Video | Darren Tracy | |   Bernie Sanchez Billy Murphy Cameron Webb Hard Rock James O'Brien Jeff Poppenhagen Josh Paskowitz Music Nu-Grunge Nu-Metal Reggie King Rock and Roll Single Star Zero Streaming Video