thoughts
PRISM index
What if you could buy an entire art installation for $22 and keep it on your bookshelf? Well you can, it’s called PRISM index. A few years ago, I was asked to contribute four interviews with Twilight & Ghost Stories collaborators Mick Rossi, Bhob Rainey, Parker Paul and Ray Raposa. These interviews, discussing struggle, inspiration, and the creative process are collected and printed only in the pages of PRISM index. I am honored to have my words sit alongside sounds, images, and poetry by James Jackson Toth, Diane Cluck, Bill Plympton, and Michael Hurley. PRISM index is a hand-bound, silkscreened, mixed-media art compilation, available in a limited edition of 500. It also includes an 88 minute DVD and a 72 minute CD.
Watch the video and then buy something real.
I Heart Lung Tour Texana
A year after I Heart Lung lurched out toward the East Coast we are venturing out for one week of Big Texas Fun. According to the Austin Chronicle: “I Heart Lung – guitarist Chris Schlarb and drummer Tom Steck – is a wily creature, jumping right to left brain with amphetamine grace.” Flattery will get you two shows in Austin.
All dates feature young fire-keepers Rare Grooves. March 11th features I Heart Lung in quartet mode with special guests Chris Cogburn and C.J. Boyd.
Not coincidentally, I will be speaking on a panel at the NX35 Music Festival in Denton, Texas on March 12th. Many thanks to Michael Seman for inviting me out and making this little tour a possibility.
March 10th at Salvage Vanguard Theater, Austin, TX. Presented by Church of the Friendly Ghost.
March 11th at Hot Mamas Espresso, Austin, TX. with Chris Cogburn and C.J. Boyd. Presented by Church of the Friendly Ghost.
March 12th at NX35 Festival, Denton, TX. (Chris Schlarb Discussion Panel)
March 13th at NX35 Festival, Denton, TX. with Shiny Around The Edges
March 14th at Resonant Sound Series, Houston, TX. with C.J. Boyd
March 15th at Avant Garden, Houston, TX. with C.J. Boyd
For maps, links, and detailed show listings, check this out.
The Year In Listening (2009)
If I’m completely honest, I will admit that I listen to far more music from the 70′s than any other decade. Between masterful albums from Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, The Isley Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Donny Hathaway, Brian Eno, Steve Reich, and Devo, I get most of my nourishment from music that was made over 30 years ago. That having been said, 2009 was a solid year for new music. If my Top 10 reads like an excerpt from my address book, I make no apologies. Personally, I enjoy reading year end lists that include albums and artists I’ve never heard. Two such lists that come to mind are from Lars Gotrich and Nick Hennies.
I did not list any records that I released (personally or on Sounds Are Active) but I have included The Widow Babies second (and final) album, Jetpacks, which I produced and engineered. It’s that good.
Honrable Mentions
Deradoorian- Mind Raft
There is something about Angel Deradoorian‘s song “High Road” that reminds me of Belladonna-era Stevie Nicks. That is an incredibly good thing.
ZaneOne- L.A. Woman
With legendary underground hip-hop producer Dert handling beats and samples, Zane finally gets her moment to shine. The heavy metal guitars on the self-titled, “ZaneOne” take RUN-DMC’s “Rock Box” to the next level.
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society- Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam)
Ambitious, clean and well arranged, it took me a little while to finally listen to this album, but I’m glad I did. I have a feeling that whatever comes next is going to be incredible.
TOP 10 of 2009
10. Mos Def- The Ecstatic (Downtown Records)
Mos Def stops acting and starts rapping. Probably the best album of his career. Remarkably consistent considering all the different producers involved.
09. C.J. Boyd- Aerial Roots (Joyful Noise Recordings)
Picking up where The Greatest Weight left off, C.J. moves his solo bass tempest in any direction that his imagination desires. Meditative, grounded and gorgeous.
08. DM Stith- Heavy Ghost (Asthmatic Kitty Records)
With equal concern for texture, structure and harmony, DM Stith layers hundreds of tracks and keeps simple melody at the core. Hard to believe this is a debut album.
07. Serengeti & Polyphonic- Terradactyl (Anticon)
Two of the most misunderstood and progressive artists working in hip-hop. Terradactyl doesn’t sound like any other record released this year.
06. Nels Cline- Coward (Cryptogramophone)
Nels Cline at his most vulnerable, Coward finds him dancing through ECM territory on all manner of stringed instruments. It also contains one of the prettiest pieces of music I heard all year in “Prayer Wheel”.
05. Brian Blade- Mama Rosa (Verve Forecast)
Brilliant jazz drummer Brian Blade makes his debut as a singer/songwriter. Half of Mama Rosa‘s songs are stunning embodiments of the medium informed by the masters (Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan- the latter two Blade has performed alongside). The occasional song, like “Get There”, reminds you that he might be human after all.
04. The Widow Babies- Jetpacks (OlFactory Records)
Twelve burning, undeniably catchy songs in under 19 minutes, The Widow Babies second album finds them fulfilling all the promise heard in The Mike Watt E.P. Drummer/lyricist Tabor Allen churns through complex drum patterns while Danny Miller scrapes sunshine out of his guitar. Bassist Neal Marquez and vocalist Elise McCutchen integrate the band’s sound with powerful low and high end accents. SadlyJetpacks is also the band’s too soon swan song.
03. Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest (Warp Records)
It’s funny how “prog” used to be a four-letter word. In the last ten years bands like Deerhoof and Blonde Redhead helped reintroduce the genre with fresh aggression and now, somehow, Grizzly Bear releases the most ambitious album I have heard in years. Not only is it a well arranged and highly considerate album, it also sounds gorgeous. I would also propose that Veckatimest is the bastard love child of Pet Sounds and Close To The Edge, but that’s a conversation for another time.
02. Cryptacize- Mythomania (Asthmatic Kitty Records)
Mythomania was the first album I heard in 2009 that blew me away. Chris Cohen‘s chords are so smart, Nedelle Torrisi‘s voice so pure, and the presentation so right, I was certain that it would end up as one of my most listened to albums of year. Songs like “What You Can’t See Is” and “New Spell” made sure of it.
01. Little Dragon- Machine Dreams (Peacefrog)
I was minding my own business when I accidentally listened to the radio in Los Angeles. Little Dragon was performing live on KCRW and I was hooked. After dozens of times through Machine Dreams I am starting to understand why I love it so much: the synth-heavy 80′s production is pitch perfect (especially on the live drums) and vocalist Yukimi Nagano imbues each song with strange phrasings and melodic imagination. Highlights include the weird Zappa-esque keyboard harmonies over a stilted Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis beat on “Swimming” or the devastating melody that sneaks into the non-chorus of “Fortune”.
Far and away, the album I listened to most in 2009.
Too Much Shredding
So I went to Guitar Center today. I wanted to check out a few Electro Harmonix pedals. I didn’t buy anything.
Schlarb Family White Christmas Album 2009
The response to last year’s Schlarb Family Christmas Album was so enthusiastic that we couldn’t wait to get another one out in time for this Christmas. Things got started in October when kids really dug into a few Paul McCartney tunes on The White Album. Soon, Elisha knew the melody and lyrics to “Rocky Raccoon” by heart and Naima was whistling “I Will” throughout the house. Adriana loved “Mother Nature’s Son” and I was stuck picking a tune that would compliment the other three songs. I went so far as to start recording a solo electric guitar demo of “Long, Long, Long” but I chose “Dear Prudence” instead.
We pulled in a few ringers this year and are very happy to have family friend Tabor Allen playing drums on two songs. One of those songs, “Rocky Raccoon”, also happens to feature the talents of Andrew Durkin of Industrial Jazz Group on piano. Lastly, we present the recording debut of Amparo Lomas (Adriana’s mother) on vocals. Although not “Christmas songs”, the real gift was making music together with family and friends.
We recorded and rehearsed everything in about two weeks. Naima knew from the beginning she wanted to whistle “I Will” and she knocked it out in two takes. Elisha IS “Rocky Raccoon” and my wife Adriana, our mom Amparo and I recorded “Mother Nature’s Son” in two takes with a stereo mic set up, just the three of us playing and singing in a room. Just for the record, that’s me hitting the high notes on “Dear Prudence”. Merry Christmas!
01. I Will [mp3]
02. Mother Nature’s Son [mp3]
03. Rocky Raccoon [mp3]
04. Dear Prudence [mp3]
Download high quality mp3s in a .zip file here!
CREDITS
Naima Schlarb- whistling on “I Will” and co-lead vocals on “Dear Prudence”
Elisha Schlarb- lead vocals and harmonica on “Rocky Raccoon” and co-lead vocals on “Dear Prudence”
Adriana Schlarb- vocals on “Mother Nature’s Son” and backing vocals on “Dear Prudence”, handclaps on “Rocky Raccoon”
Chris Schlarb- acoustic and electric guitars, vocals on “Mother Nature’s Son”, backing vocals, drums, jingle bells and bass on “Dear Prudence”, handclaps on “Rocky Raccoon”
with:
Tabor Allen- drums on “I Will” and “Rocky Raccoon”
Andrew Durkin- piano on “Rocky Raccoon”
Amparo Lomas- vocals on “Mother Nature’s Son” and handclaps on “Rocky Raccoon”
Produced, Arranged and Recorded by Chris Schlarb
Recorded from November 21st through December 6th in the Red Room (next to the kitchen)