Hot Lava Monster-Some Call It Hell

Hot Lava Monster is back, and they brought their huge… erm, guitars, with them.

That’s right, it’s the first loud and in your face release from Columbia’s classic rock gurus since their Live record, and man is it good.  The 4 song EP is the long awaited release of their group’s Weed sessions.  No, not smoking weed, Weed, California (maybe a little of both?).

For those with short memories when it comes to awesome local rock music, the band took a pilgrimage out that way oh, well it was long enough ago that I covered the trip for Scene SC, and I’m pretty sure it was before most of Scene SC’s current staff was born.  The point is, way back when the band recorded this EP with producer Sylvia Massey (Tool, other people not as cool as Tool) and they have finally decided to release it to the masses.

And thank Heavens they did.

The four tracks are four of the band’s best work yet.  They are raw, loud, passionate, and dang if they don’t sound great.  Fans will recognize the tracks from their epic live shows, but this is the first time we’ve heard them in their full studio glory.

Where past Hot Lava Monster recordings have showcased a layered, more produced feel, this one captures the band in it’s live element.  There are very few overdubs, allowing the instrumentalists to shine.  Andy Dumiak and Wes Pellerin give a solid rhythm base for the classic rock shenanigans, filling out the sound with all the tightness you’ve come to expect.  Hot Lava Mike is ever present, content to show the world that he can both shred and deliver fantastic rhythm lines.

This EP though, I have to say, is Patrick Baxley’s moment.  The sexy man with the big voice has always fronted the band with the utmost confidence, but this recording captures him at his best vocally.  Channeling Plant, Mercury, and a bevy of hair metal singers, he delivers every vocal line with the conviction of a man who knows these are some of his band’s best songs to date.

And that, in fact, is what these are.  Hot Lava Monster has always been a great band with an incredible live show, but this time, it is the songs that come through more than anything else.  They are complete, exciting, and captured in their best form – raw and ballsy.

Great work guys, now don’t make us wait so long for next time.

Treadmill Trackstar releases its comeback album I Belong to Me to the public today. To some that may not mean much, but for those of us who were paying attention to the Columbia music scene in the late-90′s it means a lot. Treadmill Trackstar was the next big Columbia band. Despite only sharing a hometown and an acoustic guitar with Hootie they were picked up by Atlantic and began to tour the nation. Unfortunately, the outcome would not be as glamorous. Treadmill’s sound was simply too unique for the mainstream, and the album did not sell like Atlantic had wanted. The band was dropped and disbanded quietly. When they returned three years ago and packed out Five Points Pub many of us wondered if there were any plans to record a new record. Thankfully for us, and for new fans, they were. Three years and thousands of dollars donated by fans later we have a new Treadmill record to enjoy!

So the big question is, is it awesome? And my answer is “you’re dang right its awesome, go buy a copy.” Let me explain. Treadmill was best known for acoustic based rockers that featured a cello backing as lead singer Angelo Gianni’s one of a kind vocals. The 2009 Treadmill is something entirely different, and you’ll know it as soon as the first low synth and drum machine sounds cross your ears. The band made this record for themselves and their fans; and it shows in all the right ways. Namely, this album is one of the more unique local releases you are going to hear this year. It numbers at 16 tracks, with several serving as wonderful mood setting interludes while the others show the marks of a band that has stretched itself to create lengthy cuts that stay engaging from start to finish.

The opening track “Call to Prayer” doesn’t pull any punches, showing off blended synth strings, drum loops and dynamically haunting cello lines. “I Belong to You” is one of the catchier songs on the disc, demonstrating a pop sensibility while refusing to soften Gianni’s vocals for the positive vibe of the song. “Euphoric” returns to the mood of the opener by providing a mellower tone mixed with sweet organ sounds, a backwards masked guitar solo, and all bolstered by a mellow groove. At times the album is downright bitter and fortunately for us that is when the band seems to be at its most energetic. This is evidenced in stand out track “Hands Off,” where Tony Lee’s delightfully syncopated drumming is highlighted by a beefy floor tom designed to blow your speakers. The song builds and builds to a feverish point, the mark of a great song for this reviewer. True to the form of the album, it is followed instantly by beautiful piano ballad that shows off the best of Carey’s cello lines. Even rocker “Least I’m Feeling” drills out some killer cello work, and the stringed instrument never becomes an unnecessary burden for the band to fit in. Finally, the album’s 8 minute closer never falls short of the progressive anthem it strives to be.

I Belong to Me also serves as a calling card for Kenny McWilliams of Baumer fame, who now resides at Archer Avenue Studios. His production, engineering and mixing takes the already strong songs and makes them hit in all the right ways, creating a seamless and clear listening experience. Gianni’s vocals consistently punch through with the right amount of aggression, and the combination of those vocals and the cello work make the whole of the album unique.

There is a surprise waiting at every turn, and it is all connected by the solid rhythm section of Tony Lee and Mike Mills who create solid support to the instrumental chaos occurring atop their parts. In the end this is not just an album, it is the piece of art that the band desired for it to be. I’d be willing to wait ten years for the next album if it is going to be this good.  Pick up your copy at the band’s website or on itunes!

Switchfoot returns to Asheville and Charlotte with a brand new album and DVD.

Lately at Scene SC there has been a lot of discussion about the music of the past decade, and no such discussion would be complete without Switchfoot. The band broke into the mainstream in 2003 with A Beautiful Letdown, riding hit single “Meant to Live” to double platinum status. The success of the album propelled the band to national tours and four more releases in the 2000′s, including an independently released “Best of” album. The guys recently followed up their 2006 release Oh Gravity with Hello Hurricane, and by all accounts it is another solid effort.

Switchfoot was first recognized for their unique blend of synth and energetic rock. While Oh Gravity bucked the drum machines and synth sounds for a raw approach, Hello Hurricane is a return to form. This is evidenced from the start, as the opener “Needle and Haystack Life” teases a big rock explosion but transitions seamlessly into a drum machine backed verse. It doesn’t take long for the song to reach the energy expected from Switchfoot, and from there the album rarely lets up. John Foreman’s signature vocal style shines throughout, especially on rocker “The Sound,” which is possibly one of the best “fist pumping in the air” songs that Switchfoot has put out. These high flying rockers are what Switchfoot is perhaps best known for, but they are as comfortable making noise as they are with the stirring string laden track “Always” and the somber, yet dynamic synth driven track “Sing It Out.”

Speaking of “Always” and “Sing It Out,” the band has always been one of the best, if not the best, Christian acts to make waves in the mainstream. They accomplished this through positive messages with spiritual undertones, and long time fans will be glad to know that they haven’t stopped yet. All in all it is a relief to hear a band still being true to themselves as artists. The album is holds to the band’s synth rock style, but features more than enough surprises to show that the band is still growing.

In addition to Hello Hurricane, the band has also recently released their third live DVD as a follow up to their The Best Yet release. While fans will certainly enjoy the DVD, this week there are two opportunities to see them live as they arrive in Charlotte, NC on Thursday and Asheville, NC on Friday. The band has taken a different approach with this tour, abandoning the traditional opener in favor of two sets of their own material. One set will be the entirety of Hello Hurricane with the other being hits and fan favorites from their long career. With seven albums of material to pull from, the shows are sure to please fans both new and old.

December 3rd, 2009

Amos’ Southend, Charlotte, NC: Tickets

December 4th, 2009

The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC: Tickets

-Stephen Russ, Scene SC Staff

This list is one louder than the others, it also doesn’t represent the opinions of all members of The Fire Tonight.  However, it does represent that I clearly loved this past decade far more than David did.  He showed me his list and Darius Rucker’s solo album is the only thing on it.

11. Muse – Absolution: This probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has checked out The Fire Tonight, so I thought I would get it out of the way early.  While in my opinion Muse peaked with this album, that doesn’t change how ridiculously good it is.  The epic songwriting, insane instrumental chops, and huge, yet raw production make this album a fantastic rock opus.  In this day and age it is really nice to get punched in the face by the sound of a rock album.

10. The Bad Plus – Give:  You might not have ever heard of grunge jazz, but you have now.  It is a distinct fusion of jazz, rock, country, big band, I mean really, whatever these guys want to do they do.  The sound may offend jazz purists but  like most jazz musicians they are insanely talented and their abandonment of conventional genre boundaries really sets them apart.  For an introduction, check out their cover of “Iron Man.”

9. Kevin Martin & The HiWatts – The Possibility of Being: The mid-90′s were a great time for rock music, and I always felt that Seattle-based band Candlebox was one of the more underrated acts.  In the late 90′s the band split and the lead singer Kevin Martin formed the HiWatts.  Their one album retains all the energy of grunge and introduces it to the strongest batch of songs that Martin has written.  It is a nice burst of mid-90′s energy for the 2000′s, I guess I never outgrew being a teenager after all.

8. Nickel Creek – Why Should the Fire Die?:  The last album (for now) from the well known bluegrass trio was the first album that really seemed to capture the most unique elements of their sound.  It is dark, eclectic, and hopefully not the last we’ll hear from them.  If I had to pick a favorite song of the decade, “Helena” would not have much competition.  Also, that youtube video just proves that some people need more to do, but at least it does it with gusto.

7. The Dismemberment Plan – Change: Evidently this is the part of my list where I grieve over bands that have moved on.  The Plan was one of the greatest indie bands of the late 90′s and their career was all too short.  Their last effort may be a bit less edgy than earlier releases, but it is a fitting swan song full of jazz and funk inspired rock.  If you haven’t heard this band, look up “The Face of the Earth” to get an idea of what you are missing.  It is even accompanied by a really pretty picture of our dear planet.

6. Rufus Wainwright – Want One: If there ever were an album to be turned into an amazing musical, this would be the one.  This is clearly Rufus’ most well funded release and the layers of orchestration make this album a listening experience like few others.  There are times when I wonder how all of the sound was captured with such clarity, and Wainwright’s signature vocals are always at home in the lush instrumentation.

5. Angie Aparo – The American:  The American was to be the start of something huge for Angie Aparo, but unfortunately not as a performer.  As an artist he has remained in obscurity but has written some extremely popular songs.  Problem is, they all pale in comparison to his solo work.  The American shows off Angie’s absolutely amazing voice and the completely over the top (in a good way) production of Matt Serletic, back when he knew how to make a unique record.  The production takes well written pop songs and turns them into versatile anthems by combining a little creativity with 80′s flare.  At the heart of the effort is Angie’s amazing vocals, which you can experience here.

4. Outkast – Idlewild: Yeah, the movie was terrible, but the album is fantastic.  For the most part the rap music of this decade has been sex-crazed, auto-tuned nonsense, but Outkast has still managed to put out albums that combine innovation with lyrics that are as humorous as they are intelligent.  Idlewild is no different, and it exists as an unexpected yet pleasing ode to 50′s big band and thumping beats.

3. Matthew Good – Hospital Music:  Canadian Matthew Good put out six great efforts with a band and without, and  none of them hold a candle to Hospital Music.  The move from sleek rock to Johnny Cash influenced dirty acoustic sounds may be jarring, but not as jarring as the content of the album itself.  Word is, Good wrote the album following a divorce, being diagnosed as bipolar, and nearly overdosing.  Its a weighty album, but a raw testament to the power of authentic and emotional music.

2. The Mars Volta – The Bedlam in Goliath:  Honestly, I could have put any of the five albums released by the Mars Volta in this spot and been perfectly happy.  They are all unique, rhythmically interesting, and above all non-stop progressive rock.  Before I heard the Mars Volta I didn’t think I would hear a new band that could compete with my absolute favorites of classic rock, and they proved me wrong.  Bedlam shows them at their musical best, and the dark nature of the story takes the band to places it hadn’t gone before.  It also restored hope that good music can still win a Grammy.

1. Ben Folds – Live: For my money, Ben Folds owned the 2000′s.  A live album, a live DVD with an orchestra, an in-studio Myspace DVD, 3 EP’s, a fake album, three real albums, an a capella release, a soundtrack, a reunion, a “mix it yourself” re-release, and even some nice production work (Amanda Palmer anyone?) made Ben Folds a legend in my book.  He has shown himself to be a consistent innovator and one of the most talented pianists around.  Of all his work this decade I picked the Live album because it captures him at his very best.  Folds’ songs shine in a sleek, produced format, but even more so in their native piano environment.  Kudos to Ben Folds for continually pushing the boundaries and perhaps most of all for always doing it without taking yourself too seriously.

Even though my list goes to 11, there were still albums that were left on the floor.  As a result, I definitely give this decade a gold star for great music.  Hopefully the next one will be just as good.

The Restoration Studio Journals – Part 2 – By Daniel Machado

With the Nashville rhythm sessions behind us, the second stage of production for The Restoration’s debut album began in early September 2009 on-location in Lexington, South Carolina. Head engineer Collin Derrick and producer Stephen Russ arrived on a Friday night to set up gear in the rustic, wooden out-building that sits near the house I grew up in. Surrounded by pine trees and chirping insects, we fell asleep excited to begin recording violin and piano the following morning. The sessions that followed were mostly productive and enjoyable, however the album’s closing track “The Lynching” once again became a point of contention as we struggled to arrange new parts and further streamline its abrasive structure while retaining the desired impact of the song’s refrain: “it all comes back ‘round again”.

To me, writing and recording an album always feels a bit like living in a cave – or perhaps a nuclear bunker. Working on The Restoration’s debut album has been exemplary of that. Add the historical research that’s gone into the project and my bunker has felt as if buried even further beneath the surface. As I mentioned in the first studio journal [read it here], this research has been a grim, reflective illumination of my hometown’s dark history of racial violence and my state’s legacy of supremacist politics.

So, why do all this research for a local pop album – such disturbing research at that?

1. I’m a history nerd. 2. If one aims to depict a fictionalized version of their town lynching their characters in an act of racially-motivated vigilante “justice”, one should have their history straight.

South Carolina’s larger political history has embarrassed me since I was a child – and thematically, that lifetime of embarrassment was a major incentive for forming The Restoration and writing this album. If you’re new to South Carolina or just don’t enjoy studying political history all that much, let me share some of our finest moments:

1837: Senator John C. Calhoun delivers a speech on the floor of the Senate pitching slavery as a “positive good” in an attempt to keep the federal government out of the slavery issue. [1]

1856: Congressman Preston Brooks uses his walking cane to permanently cripple Senator Charles Sumner on the emptied floor of the Senate over Sumner’s speech condemning slavery in the South. [2]

1900: Governor “Pitchfork Ben” Tillman proclaims “We have done our level best [to prevent blacks from voting]…we have scratched our heads to find out how we could eliminate the last one of them. We stuffed ballot boxes. We shot them. We are not ashamed of it.” [3] Tillman championed Jim Crow laws in South Carolina. He said of Booker T. Washington’s visit with Theodore Roosevelt: “The action of President Roosevelt in entertaining that nigger will necessitate our killing a thousand niggers in the South before they will learn their place again.” [4]

1911: Governor Coleman L. Blease is elected on a platform of “individual freedom”, opposing public health programs and public education while winning large support from poor mill workers and other working class voters by presenting himself as an “average Joe”. Notorious for race baiting and stoking fears of “black insurrection”, he defended lynching: “Whenever the Constitution comes between me and the virtue of the white women of the South, I say to hell with the Constitution.” [5]

1936: Senator Ellison D. “Cotton Ed” Smith – an opponent of women’s voting rights and challenger (in the name of states’ rights) of Franklin Roosevelt’s post-depression Works Progress Administration and National Recovery Agency – storms out of the National Democratic Convention in Philadelphia when a black minister rises to pray. He said of his walk-out: “…as I pushed through those great doors, and walked across that vast rotunda, it seemed to me that old John Calhoun leaned down from his mansion in the sky and whispered in my ear, ‘You did right, Ed’…” [5]

1957: Senator Strom Thurmond helps block federally administered desegregation with the longest filibuster in U.S. history (24 hours and 18 minutes). [6] An excerpt from a speech during his 1948 presidential campaign: “I wanna tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that there’s not enough troops in the army to force the Southern people to break down segregation and admit the nigger race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches.” [Listen] [7]

2000: Pro-segregation barbeque baron Maurice Bessinger launches a public crusade attempting to paint the removal of the Confederate flag from atop South Carolina’s State House as a loss of his civil rights, a slam to southern heritage, and a victory for the federal government and its march toward “the New World Order”. [8] Bessinger on slavery: “God gave slaves to whites.” [9]

2009: We’ll get to that later…

[Note: John C. Calhoun, “Pitchfork Ben” Tillman, and Strom Thurmond are all immortalized in bronze statue on the grounds of the South Carolina State House.]

While South Carolina’s endless parade of white men making asses of themselves in national politics has troubled me for years, the violent local acts that fueled, and were fueled by those politics have been kept far deeper beneath the rug. Details of local lynchings, for example, do not find much light in mainstream history lessons and did not come to my attention until my fictional narrative’s inevitable conclusion reached tangibility. Juggling writing and production responsibilities, I mulled over that conclusion as Collin diligently captured Lauren Garner’s enchanting violin and Sharon Gnanshekar’s grandiose piano arrangements over two days of non-stop recording.

Stephen and I produced those sessions from a small side-office, microphone cables spilling from Collin’s desk and meandering under the glass-pane door into the larger hardwood-floored tracking area. Despite the long hours, we were energized as Lauren and Sharon’s orchestral flourishes began to bring a new magic to the recordings. No longer bare, the now lush “Heavy Ring” suddenly carried the atmospheric mood I hoped it would. “Henry’s Letter from the Front” reached new levels of sonic irony with the addition of Sharon’s jaunty piano arrangement, and I could not contain my delight as Stephen, Collin and I coached him in adding a ragtime-style solo to the song.

When off duty, I continued research, reading John Hammond Moore’s Carnival of Blood: Dueling, Lynching, and Murder in South Carolina 1880-1920 in my attempt to accurately represent South Carolina and Lexington’s histories of racial turmoil and violence. Meticulously compiled from surveys and historical records, Moore’s findings show 144 verified lynchings in South Carolina between 1880 and 1947 resulting in 186 confirmed deaths – 8 such deaths occurring in Lexington County. [10]

During one incident, in my hometown of Lexington on May 5, 1890, approximately thirty men forced their way into the town jail to lynch Willie Leaphart – a black man accused of assaulting a white girl, Rosa Cannon – who was still awaiting trial. Armed and many wearing masks, the men forced the cell key from the sheriff and attempted to remove Leaphart to hang him. When Leaphart resisted, the mob shot him in his cell. Three ringleaders – each white and locally prominent – were tried and acquitted, despite one lyncher having publically bragged about his involvement in the mob. The families of these men are still in Lexington today – if it’s any consolation to them, my great-grandfather was an asshole too.

According to Moore’s research, “many SC lynchers sincerely believed they were ‘correcting’ faulty courtroom decisions or doing work they were certain local juries would not do.” Moore caveats that it can be problematic to directly tie individual lynchings to larger politics, however, the historical role of politicians and commentators as enablers – through inflammatory rhetoric and judiciary inaction – deeply troubled me as I read Moore’s book and several other sources. Since our inception, South Carolina seems to have been caught in an endless cycle of self-destruction, fueled by racially-motivated paranoia. Moore’s paraphrasing of historian Sheldon Hackney sums up the cycle perfectly, attributing it to a “siege mentality”:

“– a mind-set developed first to protect the region’s peculiar institution against abolitionists and then adapted to oppose the Union army, carpetbaggers, the federal government, civil rights agitators, daylight saving time, feminism, Darwinism, socialism, communism, atheism, and any other dreaded “ism” that might bring change, ever so slight, to a carefully constructed realm run by and for the benefit of whites.”

Before I knew it, I found myself in an empty house again. Lauren and Sharon had finished their parts; Collin was back in Virginia, and Stephen in North Carolina. We would be reunited in a few weeks to record vocals and additional layers, but in the interim I aimed to relax. I emerged from my nuclear bunker, turned on the television and surveyed the world around me:

Angry mobs of whites – under the banner of individual freedom and civil rights – were bringing handguns, assault rifles and lynch-themed signs to speeches by America’s first black President. [11] Prominent national commentator Glenn Beck (a white man) had called the Obama administration’s proposed health care and economic reforms “reparations” for slavery, and claimed the President had a “deep-seated hatred for white people.” [12] [13] Internet rumors of an armed “black insurrection” were circling the outer rim of my own extended family. Town hall health care meetings were erupting all over the country in unprecedented screaming matches – displays of unbridled belligerence usually only seen in sporadic outdoor protests – and following suit, with classic South Carolina style, Congressman and Confederate flag advocate Joe Wilson, red-faced and hollering, branded the President of the United States a liar in the middle of a nationally televised speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. [14] [15] [16] The Congressman – who in 2003 labeled the existence of Strom Thurmond’s black daughter Essie Mae Washington-Williams a “smear” on Thurmond and a “diminishment” to his legacy – balked when some heard racism in the tone and nature of his outburst. [17]

Bleary-eyed from researching, writing and recording, shell-shocked by the current sociopolitical climate and stunned by the all the parallels – I found relief in knowing that a majority of recording was done and that the endless revisions to “The Lynching” were finally complete. The conclusion to my fictional story was decided by the production team to be grisly, but truthful – and though taking place in a seemingly archaic and fictionalized 1930, sadly relevant.

Sources

1.Root, Erik S. All Honor to Jefferson? The Virginia Slavery Debates and the Positive Good Thesis. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2008. Print.

2.Goodwin, Doris Kearns. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005. Print.

3.Logan, Rayford W. The Betrayal of the Negro: From Rutherford B. Hayes to Woodrow Wilson. New York: Da Capo Press, 1997. Print.

4.Kennedy, Randall. Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word. New York: Vintage, 2002. Print.

5.Huff, Archie Vernon. South Carolina Politics: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same. Columbia, S.C: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Public Programs Division, 1994. Print.

6.Washington-Williams, Essie Mae. Dear Senator, A Memoir by the Daughter of Strom Thurmond. New York: Regan Books, 2005. Print

7.Asim, Jabari. The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t, and Why. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. Print.

8.Bessinger, Maurice. Defending My Heritage: The Maurice Bessinger Story. Boston: Lmbone-Lehone Company, 2001. Print

9.Weis, Lois, and Michelle Fine, eds. Beyond Silenced Voices: Class, Race, and Gender In United State Schools. New York: State University of New York, 2005. Print.

10.Moore, John Hammond. Carnival of Blood: Dueling, Lynching, and Murder in South Carolina, 1880-1920. Columbia: University of South Carolina, 2006. Print.

11.”Dozen Armed With Guns Protest Obama Speech – Political News – FOXNews.com.” Breaking News | Latest News | Current News – FOXNews.com. Web. 18 Aug. 2009. <http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/18/dozen-protesters-guns-outside-obama-speech>.

12.”Glenn Beck: Obama agenda driven by “reparations” and desire to “settle old racial scores” |.” Media Matters for America. Web. 23July. 2009. <http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200907230040>.

13.”Beck: Obama has “exposed himself as a guy” with “a deep seated hatred for white people” |.” Media Matters for America. Web. 28 July. 2009. <http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200907280008>.

14.”Video: Reform Madness” The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Web. 11 Aug. 2009. <http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-august-11-2009/reform-madness>.

15.”‘You Lie!’: Representative Wilson’s Outburst”TIME. Web. 10 Sept. 2009. <http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1921455,00.html>.

16.”Confederate ’swastika’ under attack.” BBC NEWS. Web. 3 Nov. 1999. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/503579.stm>.

17.Talhelm, Jennifer. “Most Say Revelation Won’t Alter Thurmond’s Legacy.” The State [Columbia] 14 Dec. 2003. Print.

The Restoration Studio Journals – Part 1 – By Daniel Machado

[For more information on the photograph above, click here]

“The Lynching” is the song that will close The Restoration’s debut album and bring an end to my story of the Vale family. As a writer, it’s a song that has taken me on a grim and reflective journey deep into the heart of my home town’s racist past (and present – more details in part 2). As a band member, it’s a song that seems to carry a dark aura (fittingly so), spurring more friction and dispute than I’ve ever experienced recording an album. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

The adventure of recording The Restoration’s debut album officially began with intensive rehearsals in Lexington, SC’s muggy July heat. The rhythm instruments would be recorded first in Nashville, the lead instruments and vocals later in Lexington. As our Nashville deadline loomed nearer and nearer, Adam Corbett (bass/vocals), Eddie Lord (drums/bass) and myself (vocals/banjo/guitar) drilled familiar songs and struggled through new ones that were still being written. For me, those weeks of furious writing and rehearsing were bittersweet – clashing feelings of excitement and anxiety as I attempted to pen a strong beginning and ending to the fictional narrative that had become such a cherished part of my own life. “The Lynching”, which I finished writing last, was particularly difficult to learn and caused some of the first serious stress in the rehearsals, forcing us to wonder if we’d actually be able to pull off the live recording technique we were planning.

Our last rehearsal was attended by the album’s head engineer Collin Derrick and producer Stephen Russ. We shared notes and discussed our excitement and fears. Stephen grinned as he promised to get an amazing album out of us, whatever it took – warning that we would all hate him by the end of the process. Finally, with no time to spare, the pre-production work was done and I could be completely excited about the coming trip to “Music City”, where the actual recording would begin.

The road trip up was filled with excited talk, essential nostalgic music and Eddie’s always unexpected moving-vehicle window acrobatics. When we arrived at our beds the night before our first recording day, Adam and Eddie led Collin, Stephen and I in an impromptu jam session that began the digression of our collective sense of humor into that of a middle school boy – a mode we would retain for the duration of the trip.

Middle Tennessee State University’s recording studios were amazing: spacious, inspiring, full of character and creative energy. The control room featured a 20-foot ceiling, a gigantic sound board, beautiful wooden sound treatment and a layout like the bridge of the SS Enterprise. There was a dingy white recliner in the back of the room that Stephen immediately claimed and promised to lay in all week while crushing our spirits with endless commands of “this time do it without sucking”. We felt we could stay in there forever as we discussed the work to come and made loose plans for our visit to downtown Nashville during our down time. “Down time?” Stephen asked. “That will depend on how badly you play your instruments”. For the next few days, Adam, Eddie and I spent most of our time in three separate rooms, looking at each other through thick glass windows as we played our way through the long and detailed production list – Stephen always there to remind us that the Nashville studio musicians were waiting in the wings to replace us.

A few 16-hour days later – we had finished tracking drums, bass, guitar and banjo for 8 songs. We even had some spare time to record Collin performing a bit of Wurlitzer on “Constance”. We were amazingly on schedule and had managed to track almost everything live, “pre-1970s-style” (recording all the rhythm instruments simultaneously). In the end, despite all of Stephen’s threats of production tyranny, he actually turned out to be one of the most diplomatic, clearheaded and therapeutic creative directors I’ve encountered. He really pulled one over on us; keeping us at our musical best while always maintaining an atmosphere of humor and hilarity. Meanwhile, Collin seemed to have thought of every recording detail ahead of time; engineering, for example, the most elaborate arrangement of drum mics I’ve ever seen – capturing the “big-yet-vintage” drum sound we were hoping for, right out of the gate.

Despite occasional “Spinal Tap moments” of tension between all of us in the wee hours of the night, there were countless inspiring moments of studio energy. Eddie nailed the drums on “Little Round Shoes” at the end of an exhausting day and had us all smiling with his sweeping bass solo in “Henry’s Letter”. Adam’s new bass lines in “The Lynching” were sick and his new song “Rev. Harper” sounded completely badass. As the band grinned at each other through the glass, we all felt very lucky.

After a trip to downtown Nashville, Jack White’s record shop (it was closed) the Grand Ole Opry (it was too expensive to go inside) and a big group hug, I was suddenly back home, exhausted and missing the recording studio and the guys. I had a great break, enjoyed time with loved ones, played some Wii, and before I knew it we were all back together – this time set up in my old practice room in Lexington. The next week would consist of recording violin, piano and some lead vocals – and would also put “The Lynching” under the production microscope as we all worked to rein in the monster song both lyrically and sonically. As I revised dense lyrical narrative, researched Lexington’s dark, non-fictional history of racial violence and tied up my fictional story’s loose ends, my courage as a writer would be put to the test – and that, friends, is where my adventure picks up next time.

This Friday night Angelo and Heidi of Treamill Trackstar are appearing at the White Mule for a special acoustic set!  While the group has concentrated on playing rocking shows since reforming, this show is a bit of a throwback to acoustic performances that used to take place on the Rockafella’s deck.  The two will be breaking out favorites as well as tracks that the band no longer plays together live.  Perhaps some brand new songs will be thrown in as well!

The acoustic nature of the show isn’t the only thing that is special about it.  Last month the band wrapped up tracking of their long awaited record.  They’ll be mixing in October and preparing for a Spring release after getting the disc into the hands of those who contributed to their fundraising campaign.  If you’d like to get it early there is still time to contribute, so check out their website and make it happen!

The show Friday is at 8pm and only $6 at the door!

The Drownout is a name that you have probably seen on Columbia music calendars over the past few years.  While based out of Atlanta they have managed to build a solid second home in the city through their fun dance beats and electric stage show.

Tonight they bring the energy to the Art Bar in the midst of their 15 date tour.  The tour hasn’t been the only recent excitement for the band.  They appeared at Warped Tour in Charlotte and are currently tracking demos for a brand new album!

If you are into dance rock you owe it to yourself to go check out The Drownout.  They’ll be performing with The Thirsties, The Next, and Sounds of Suburbia.

Hot Lava Mike checks in with an update on music and continued worry over Patrick’s mental state!  Also check out California videos on the band’s youtube!

Day ?

I finished principle guitar tracks in two days of recording. On the evening of the 2nd day, Sylvia came in, listened, and announced we’d be redoing everything that night. It was a long day, but ultimately worth it. I definitely feel we’ve gotten something better down. I also re-tracked everything with a baritone guitar. The baritone just makes everything much more evil. It certainly made me smile.

Speaking of smiling, we’ve noticed a marked improvement in Patrick’s demeanor lately. He’s taken to wearing a piece of raw meat fastened to a chain around his neck. Anytime he gets anxious he just takes a bite out of it and appears much more calmer…even sedated. However, now we haven’t seen Andy in a few days. According to Patrick, Andy went hiking and left Patrick his watch for safe keeping. Hmmm…I certainly want to give Patrick the benefit of the doubt. But I know better.

Last night news broke that This Machine Is Me, one of Columbia’s hottest acts, will be performing its last show for awhile on August 20th.  Thankfully the group will continue to write and put out music in some form.  Here is the official word from the band’s blog:

“I always knew a time like this would come.

Over the years, every time I’d search a band’s page and see a blog that said the band was breaking up, I knew it was a day closer to a time when the people in my band would have to part ways as well, as it seems most bands must do one day.

The truth of the matter is, both Scott (guitarist) and Bill (drummer) have left the band. Scott moved back to Connecticut, and Bill is moving on to graduate school. This leaves me, Jayna and Jamie to cancel our shows for August and reassess our plans for the band.

I don’t want to write some long, drawn-out self eulogy that describes how we’ve seen the Columbia music scene grow and shift over the past three years, because eulogies are for dead things, and we aren’t dead yet.

In this downtime from playing shows, Jayna and I are going to be be writing and demoing songs that have been in the woodwork but were never quite fleshed out with the full band. Over the next few months, we will be releasing those demos through this page so that all of you can have a chance to hear them, as well as selling physical copies through our online store. If you’re interested, we hope you continue the dialogue between us and you, the fans and friends we have come to gain and depend on as we grew in this band. Please keep the comments and messages up, because we are still here. Regardless of the name that’s attached to the song you are listening to, I won’t ever stop making music. It’s something I feel I was born to do.

In addition to the new songs coming your way, we will also be featuring videos from our own home studio, letting you take a further peek into the process of writing and recording songs. Those videos will be here on our myspace, updated from our youtube account as we make them.

Lastly, we will have one final acoustic show, for the time being. Rather than cancel our show, we’ve decided to play it acoustic and to provide you with one last intimate performance. We will also be having some good deals on Tshirts and CDs, naturally, so make sure to come out and pick yours up. After this show, any TMIM merch will only be available through our online store at This Machine is Me @ Big Cartel.

Here are the details for the August 20th show. Make sure to come out and support all the bands, because it will be well worth it:

8/20
Doors: 8pm
Cover: $8
Set Times:
8:30 – 9:00 – Man With A Gun
9:15 – 9:45 – This Machine Is Me
10:00 – 10:30 – The Artichokes
10:45 – Until – SAVAS

Thanks again for sticking by us this whole time, from doing promotion for us, to changing your myspace name to “This Machine is …” to even laughing at our stupid jokes while on stage, bringing your own glowsticks to shows or just noticing us in public. Ever since I was in middle school in Myrtle Beach, I’d always imagine one day I would play the stage at NBT. On August 20th, I get to do it once more.

Come to our last show (for now). We’d love to talk to you.

-Blake
This Machine is Me: