Interview: Seabear
If you haven’t had a chance to hear Seabear, drop everything and go purchase their new LP. Aptly titled We Built A Fire, it’s the perfect album to keep you warm on a chilly night. With its lush arrangements and soothing vocals, you can’t help but be whisked away to “Seabearia” on a wave of trumpets, strings, and pianos.
Sindri Már Sigfússon is the creative force behind the Icelandic band’s beautiful melodies and heartfelt lyrics. He took some time out from mixing the new album for his solo project, Sin Fang Bous, to answer some questions for us. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: Boomsnake (List)
MySpace
Gabriel Rodriguez of San Diego’s Boomsnake initially met our Poetic Memory request with skepticism. In his own words, “I naturally become enthralled or influenced by the artist more than a record…I like becoming immersed in the creator: to view the world from their perspective, whatever it may be.” He adds, “The major influences of my life are probably those of most music listeners. Yes, I delve deep into the obscure, but those are not ‘life’ influences.”
For Rodriguez, though, the bottom line is this: “I enjoy music. All forms of music. If you put on ‘Thriller’ at a party, I’ll be dancing; ‘War Pigs’ at the bar, I’ll be drinking happily; ‘Sex in the Kitchen’ while making out, I’ll get freaky.”
Rodriguez’s list chronicles records that “strike the very being of the listener; records that play as if they were written for you.” His Poetic Memory is below. (more…)
Halloweening It Without Jeopardizing Your Indie Cred (An O&B How-To)
Call it Halloween, call it the day after Devil’s Night (if you’re a fan of The Crow), call it the day before All Saints Day (that’s for all you Catholics out there), or just call it a pain in the ass. Like it or not, it’s time to dress up. Whether fun or a chore, it’s more important than it seems, and wearing the wrong costume can be disastrous. The right costume, however, will not only get you through the night unscathed, but it could also do wonders for upping your rep. Most important, not wearing a costume is not really an option. You’ll be viewed as Halloween’s equivalent to Scrooge. Going to a Halloween party sans costume is like not dancing to a band that moves you. Don’t be a dick. Wear a costume. Dance. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Sam and Ruby (List)
Sam Brooker is from Wisconsin. Ruby Amanfu is from Ghana. When Ruby first heard Sam perform, she says, “I saw Sam before Sam saw me…It took me about 2.2 seconds before I thought, I want some of that.” When Sam finally got to see Ruby perform, he says she “blew [him] away.” Despite the immediate attraction, Sam and Ruby was a long time coming.
Although Ruby moved to Nashville from Ghana at age three, she remembers the change as something that awakened “this thing I had in me all along”—her musical sensibility—even though her devoutly Christian parents sheltered her from secular music. Her parents wouldn’t even let her listen to jazz, but did eventually branch out, “At age ten, my best friend gave me Madonna’s Like a Prayer, and it really opened up my world.”
Meanwhile, Sam was finding new music in a wholly American way—by raiding his brother’s record collection. Soon, he had taken a liking to James Taylor, Parliament, Bootsy’s Rubber Band, and Prince. He formed a band in high school, played shows in college, and never looked back. Eventually, he made a contact in Nashville: “The guy from the company called me and said, ‘Your CD sucks but we like your voice. Would you like to come down and record in our studio and get a little better demo?’”
It would still be several years before Sam and Ruby officially became a duo, but their partnership has now come to fruition. On August 11, they’ll release their debut album, The Here and The Now, which adheres to their mantra: “We want people to feel it like we feel it,” says Ruby.
For a taste of The Here and The Now, check out this MP3 of “Sarah“. Below are Sam and Ruby’s Poetic Memories.
Poetic Memory is a regular Owl and Bear feature in which musicians disclose their influences—whether it’s albums, songs, artists, or something random. If you’re interested in being featured here, send us an email. (more…)
Breaking: Obama Not a “Fan” of God on Facebook
An O&B reader tipped us off to a news item that will no doubt dominate the airwaves for weeks, if not years, to come; it’s likely to even surpass the recent Michael Jackson Corpse-stravaganza in newsworthiness. Yes, something dreadful this way comes, and we’re proud to be the website to unleash it. So shocking is this development that it will surely result in the collapse of America’s moral center, leading to the paralysis of our folksy extremities. But such a revelation is necessary, even if it crushes this country’s spirit and buries the American Dream under a mound of rubble and cloud of asbestos, never to be resurrected by so many diligent Christian heroes. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Alan Wilkis (List)
Brooklyn’s Alan Wilkis calls himself “a sponge type of listener” who is “influenced by many different artists, genres, and time periods” and it’s easy to tell from his music. His new EP is called Pink and Purple, and it’s a blast. To describe his taste, Wilkis says, “One day I might be listening to some death metal, next day it’s 80s hip-hop, then Bach fugues, and then it’s Elvis Costello all weekend.” His style will take you by surprise, but it’s a good thing—and it’s plain that he writes for sheer enjoyment.
We described his last album, Babies Dream Big, as “reminiscent of anything from funk to deep soul to something like the soundtrack to Ghostbusters,” and Pink and Purple operates in a similar dimension. Given last week’s passing of Michael Jackson, it seems only appropriate to publish Wilkis’ list of influences, which he readily admits is “a little 80s funk-heavy.” Below are Alan Wilkis’ top 10 influences.
Poetic Memory is a regular Owl and Bear feature in which musicians disclose their influences—whether it’s albums, songs, artists, or something random. If you’re interested in being featured here, send us an email. (more…)
