I was immediately drawn to "Rye Whiskey" because of the song's upbeat nature and down home bluegrass sound. It feels very authentic, like an updated version of the 1800s dittys I was learning when I attempted to learn to play the fiddle. To give you a frame of reference, I've embedded a version of "Old Joe Clark" (one of the songs I learned to play) by a familiar name, the Avett Brothers.
Note its structure and repetitive themes mixed in with lots of improvisation. You can listen to a million different versions of these classics and they never sound the same. That's because while the basic structure of the song remains intact, the words (which some versions leave out completely) and the improvised parts are always unique. Bluegrass is like some forms of jazz in that way. "Rye Whiskey" has a very specific structure. The same sounds throughout the song signal turns. There are distinct parts that are the same in ways, and tweaked for a unique twist in others. It's very "technically on" yet, it still feels laid back and fun.
After making these observations to myself, I found out this weekend while reading up on the band that the Punch Brothers aren't just a progressive bluegrass band - they are classical musicians, which explains a lot, really. I had thought about picking these guys before but on that note, which I found particularly interesting, I decided to take the leap. I don't know what you guys will think about the band or about this album in particular, but I hope it shows you a little something about bluegrass that you can take with you.
A couple of final thoughts -
- To me, nothing sounds more like "summer music festival" than bluegrass.
- If you saw "The Hunger Games," the Punch Brothers contributed the track "Dark Days" to the soundtrack. If you didn't, you should really see the movie and/or read the books, immediately. If you did, bluegrass is definitely District 11&12 type of music.
- The band gets its name from a Mark Twain short story. No one's last name is actually "Punch."
- The band is the subject of a documentary called "How to Grow a Band," so if you're interested in them, maybe check that out.
- "Antifogmatic" is named after a type of 19th-century alcoholic drink that was meant as a cure for the effects of fog and other inclement weather.
Here goes:
When I think of the music that is truly the heartbeat of the Bonnaroo Arts and Music Festival, for me Antifogmatic might just be the perfect example. In its infancy, Bonnaroo was simply a tight gathering of folk, Americana, jam, hip hop and bluegrass artists; it has reached out exponentially in the way of more mainstream and eclectic acts alike throughout the years. The sounds of fiddles, banjos and mandolins bursting through that hazy Tennessee heat is what I closely relate to being “at home” on the farm in Manchester; it is the essence of my Roo experience.. I think the term “progressive” is handed out too lazily in the realm of music, but I feel that description is deserved for the Punch Brothers. With the interplay between the band members, the soloing and what appears to be improvisation at times, the jazz parallels are there, which is another reason I really appreciated this week’s listening experience.
ReplyDeleteThe musical proficiency displayed by all parties involved is what stands out the most to me on Antifogmatic. Chris’ voice cuts through whirlwind of strings at times and is pleasant throughout. When I listen to bluegrass, especially gifted acts like Punch Brothers and the Steep Canyon Rangers who play with Steve Martin I find myself getting hypnotized by the precision of their playing and not so much the music that is being created. I felt the more I listened to this album, the more I could just sit back and just let he music wash over me and it was much more enjoyable. I find this to be the exact same way I take in great jazz albums as well. The harmonizing was nice and brought me back to Avett Brothers week. Once again our blog has succeeded in introducing me to another great band, terrific pick Laura.
Favorite tracks: Welcome Home, You Are, Missy
This was an interesting week(s) for me. After the first 4 tracks, I was really digging it and couldn’t wait to hear what was next. The middle of the album about put me to sleep. There’s one last glimmer of hope, then two more snoozers. So I suppose the best way to describe this week was hit or miss.
ReplyDeleteI actually really like ‘You Are’, ‘You Don’t Need To’, and ‘Rye Whiskey’. The flow of these songs in particular, the upbeat style, Chris Thile’s voice, and the magnitude of hooks all remind me of what I love about Panic!’s debut album. I wasn’t 100% sure I was listening to blue grass, which is probably why I enjoyed these. The classic musician background is prevalent in You Are and the chorus is one that really sticks with you. ‘Rye Whiskey’ is just as Laura described, a staple summer anthem.
I am typically not a big fan of slower paced songs unless the lyrics touch a nerve. Unfortunately I do not connect with ‘Me & Us’, ‘Missy’, and ‘Welcome Home’. ‘The Woman and the Bell’ was the highlight of the second half for me. It wasn’t too upbeat, but the classical musician background showed back up and I was able to connect with the lyrics.
‘Next to the Trash’ was just plain goofy, but the last track in ‘This is the Song’ was a close second for second half highlight.
As previously stated, I really like several of the tracks this week. The album wasn’t as cohesive as I would have liked, but I think the tracks will fit in well and add diversity to the Music Togetherness playlist. Thanks for the introduction and my sincere apologies for the delayed write-up.
Favorites were ‘You Are’, ‘The Woman and the Bell’, ‘Rye Whiskey’