If you haven’t guessed by now, psych rock is our current passion. As far as revivals go, few have been rekindled with such creativity and vitality. The Vacant Lots embody that spirit in spades. At once minimalist, yet intense, in bleeds into our soul and fills us with a sense of vertigo and adrenaline. Which is one of our favorite sensations….. TDOA writer, Sania talked to Brian and Jared about their experiences at Austin Psych Fest, playing with Spectrum and much more.

TDOA: So, the name, The Vacant Lots, what’s its story, and why was it chosen?

JARED: I got it from inside a William Burroughs novel. I happen to write down a lot of notes and ideas when I read and that phrase always stuck out to me. I like the duality of it, how it looked and how it sounded.

TDOA: What is the music scene like where you guys are based, Burlington, Vermont? Do you feel the atmosphere is a good one for inspiring artistic creativity? How do you feel the environment of your current home seeps into the pores of your sound?

BRIAN: When we first formed, there was a sort of Artist Collective by the name of Tick Tick that was really helpful with setting up some of our first shows and doing a lot of screen printing for us. We haven’t done much within Burlington for a couple years now, but it’s a college town — so plenty to see and hear.

JARED: I don’t believe it does. I think the inspiration for what we are doing comes from elsewhere. There’s no one in VT making the kind of music we are making. And we’re certainly not going to embrace some kinda false community milieu simply because we live here. I don’t believe in that. Brian grew up here, I was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey. However, we do recognize this is where we formed the band and our first shows were performed here. We are grateful for that.

TDOA: You ended up touring with Spectrum last year, which is pretty amazing. What do you feel you walked away learning from that experience?

JARED: That was our first time touring the U.S. and to tour with Spectrum was one of the best experiences ever. It was pretty amazing. We learned a lot on that tour from Sonic Boom. And we feel very fortunate to have had that experience. They are 3 of the best musicians I know. Sonic Boom, Roger Brogan and Jason Holt. It was also very surreal for us to be there on tour with someone who we’ve admired for so long. It was like, there we were setting up our instruments and Sonic Boom was sound checking and tweaking the dials on the amps. There were definitely other memorable moments too where we couldn’t believe we were there, you know? The amount of concentration and discipline he puts into his music is incomparable. He’s an architect of sound. Sonic Boom has inspired us in many ways and continues to be a really positive and supportive influence to the band.

TDOA: The first time I saw you guys it was the pre-remodeled Hotel Vegas for the Sinister Foxy SXSW showcase last year. Just a dark room, and white sheeted stage. I have this theory about late hours in Austin having a strange magic to them when it comes to finding music. Something about the bareness of that place, mixed with the low lights, and the perfect amount of echo working with the reverb off your guitar was just really cool. Or maybe, everyone was just, really, really tired at that point, I don’t know. Either way, you guys were such a great find that week. How was your first SXSW experience? Your first time in Texas, too, wasn’t it?

JARED: Thank you. SXSW is quite different from what I had expected it to be. I suppose the fewer expectations one has the better. It was a lot of fun but my experience of Austin was eclipsed by the fact that we were there for only 1 day. We had 24 hours to get in all 4 shows amid the chaos and confusion before we flew back home. It was more like a whirlwind experience. I enjoyed myself and got to meet some great bands and people but it was more like a flash delirium. Austin Psych Fest the following month, however, was incredible and I had a chance to check out the city more as well.

TDOA: Lets talk about Austin Psych Fest! Are you as in love with it as I am? This year was your second time coming back, how was it? I saw a photo of Anton of The Brian Jonestown Massacre holding a record with your band’s name on it, pretty cool, right? Also, I miss last years power plant so much, and kind of wish I could just be locked away in there with amazing music forever, do you miss it too?

JARED: Yes, we are big fans of the festival. Each year seems to get better than the year before. Yeah, one of the highlights of Psych Fest this year was meeting Anton Newcombe of BJM. I have been a fan of the Jonestown for a really long time. It was an honor to finally meet him and we saved our last copy of the 7″ we put out on Mexican Summer last year to give to him. So that picture is of Anton holding the last copy of our single. Words can’t explain. I thought the Power Plant was intense and cool and nothing beats walking into something that looks like the ending of a David Lynch movie but I thought this year’s festival took it to another level and I am sure they will one up themselves next year.

TDOA: You guys are releasing a 7″ through Austin based The Reverberation Appreciation Society, co-brains with The Black Angels behind Austin Psych Fest, can you tell us a little about that?

JARED: Yeah, we are really looking forward to releasing some new music. It will be our second 7″ release. Last year we put out our Confusion 7″ with Mexican Summer. When we played Austin Psych Fest 4 last year we had the opportunity to meet The Reverberation Appreciation Society and The Black Angels. And they asked us if we’d be interested in putting out some vinyl. So, the 7″ should drop sometime before summer this year.

TDOA: You’re also in the midst of putting together a full length album, how is that coming along? 

BRIAN: We just got done with a week of tracking down at Water Music with NYC engineer/producer Ted Young. Now it’s a matter of giving everything a good listen through and working towards getting all the tracks mixed and mastered.

TDOA: There seems to be a lot of art, and literature tied to your lyrics, and it reads in a poetic way. What are the influences involved?

JARED: There have been a lot of literary influences. The idea of combining a poetic angle with rock n roll really appealed to me early on. Some books I couldn’t live without are Baudelaire’s “Flowers Of Evil” and Lautreamont’s “Maldoror.” If I had to grab a handful of books or records in a fire – I would go for those two. I’ve also be reading Nietzsche, Kafka and Rimbaud. Mondrian, Warhol, Rothko, Anthony Ausgang on the art side have been influential too. As well as the films of Ingmar Bergman, Robert Bresson and Jim Jarmusch.

TDOA: What are you currently listening to?

BRIAN: Singapore Sling’s Never Forever LP, Mike Mind’s Resonate EP, & Fire Engines’ Lubricate Your Living Room LP

JARED: Aufheben by BJM, Sweet Heart Sweet Light by Spiritualized, Phosphene Dream by The Black Angels, Grave 7″ by The Meek, some Link Wray, Little Richard, Joe Meek, Albert Ayler.

TDOA: The visuals involved in your live sets are really fantastic. Your music is cinematic in nature as it is, and with the images, everything is really set in motion. Actually, any visuals involved with this band in general, from band photos to album artwork fit perfectly. How are those put together, and do you feel they’re an important element to what you are trying to present?

JARED: Thanks. I really enjoy working on the design element. The visual element has always been important to me and we’ve always managed to have a lot of say with the band’s imagery. I make the visuals together or our live set from selecting carefully selecting each image and then edit them together with my girlfriend to add another element to the performance. We recently made some projections for Sonic Boom’s shows in NYC and France a couple months ago.
I like the multi media idea of having visuals going when we are playing. It’s kinda like the subconscious element behind the music. The visuals are abstract but symbolic and can produce the same effect on the listener as the words or music. Each person can interpret the images in their own way and give meaning to it from their own life. That is usually how I approach the lyrics too. That is the kind of experience we are after — inspiring others, changing lives. I see a lot of bands using projections for their live set but a lot of the time it’s just a series of images looped or some kinda boring 60′s reinterpretation of an oil light show thing. I don’t find that very relevant to our times. And I don’t find it interesting trying to redo what has already been done. I think we are continually searching for new ways to explore different things.

TDOA: Some may call your sound, oh I don’t know…. a bit dark, maybe? Lots of minimalism, low lying drone, and noir. What helps you to find balance when putting songs together so that everything doesn’t just fall into a giant sinkhole? When I listen, I feel it’s the melody involved. Despite everything, it remains light, and almost sweet. What do you think?

JARED: I think there is a lot of darkness as well as a lot of light. Duality has been a consistent theme and has seeped into the veins of our aesthetic since the beginning. Balance is key. The whole thing is a balancing act between madness and order. That it is the idea behind what will be our debut LP.

TDOA: What’s next for The Vacant Lots?

BRIAN: We were just invited to play with Wooden Shjips at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on June 24th. And we are headlining the first annual Psych Fest at the Bug Jar in Rochester, NY in July. We just recorded our debut album with NYC engineer/producer Ted Young and we are getting ready to mix the new record as well as releasing an upcoming 7″ single on The Reverberation Appreciation Society by summer 2012. Then we are planning for a Fall ’12 tour.

To learn more about the band, check out their website or visit them on Facebook or Twitter

Other Lives is here to prove that you can keep your integrity and still make great music. Is there a greater sign of credibility than being pegged for the supporting slot on a tour with Radiohead? In this world of PR-driven music, how do we trust anything that is foisted upon us by the indie music machine? The nifty, little band from New York City that’s battling the machine to get heard? Yeah, their music is in Tommy Hilfiger ads now. But when a band like Radiohead, who don’t have major label support, ask you to open for them on their U.S. tour, it’s because they like you. Not because they’re bowing to the wishes of their label, promoter, bottled water sponsor. Other Lives lead singer Jesse Tabish talked to Todd from The Dumbing of America about the path they’ve traveled and the challenges of writing, post-Radiohead.

Todd: At the time that Tamer Animals came out, you said that upon hearing it, there were things that you wanted to do differently. What did you mean by that? Musically, production-wise…..?

Jesse: Tamer Animals was fairly idealistic and I think in some ways it came off a little short in certain areas. We kind of created a new musical language for ourselves. As a whole I think it works really well as a record, but there could have been more tonal dimensions. Tamer Animals is such a warm, big record, but on the next one I want a little more space and more detail. Less folk and less song-based.

Todd: Did you have those same kind of feelings after the first record? Is this a common theme for you?

Jesse: After our first record I was kind of bummed out. I was ready to start record number two right away. But that’s not how it works!

Todd: It took you fourteen months to make a second record!

Jesse: I know! That’s just how it was and I had to live with that.

Todd: When you talk about tonal changes, are you talking instrumentation?

Jesse: Not necessarily. As I said, we created a new language for ourselves on the last record and I really enjoyed it. The instrumentation will be about the same, but it’ll be more about how it’s written and arranged and recorded. I think it’ll be a lot more with instruments close to the mic, less reverb and a little cleaner. Not as big.

Todd: One of the Pitchfork reviews criticized the vocals on Tamer Animals. Did you agree with that analysis?

Jesse: I really disagreed with that. It’s something that’s been criticized and I think it’s a fair comment because they’re underplayed and understated, but that was intentional. I wanted to let the vocals sit and co-exist with the music. I wanted less of a personality in the vocals, less of a “front-man” mentality. I really want to push that even farther on the next record, where the vocals are really just “another one of the boys”, like another instrument.

Todd: One of the things that is frequently mentioned is your fondness for Philip Glass and his influence on your music. First, do you think it’s fair for writer to put such an emphasis on this influence and do you see it impacting your writing in the future?

Jesse: He’s been a huge influence and is one of my favorite composers. It is an element and one of the things I’ve always heard in our music. I find that some of his techniques have influenced me, but it’s not like I’m trying to write a Philip Glass record! I think he’s influenced a lot of modern music. But I don’t think his influence on me has been overplayed.

Todd: You’ve talked about your fondness for playing small venues. As you prepare to embark on an arena tour with Radiohead and a date at Coachella, what challenges and feelings to you have perceive? How do you approach it musically?

Jesse: We’ve played on the West Coast at some larger venues and one thing we noticed is that there’s a different connection with the audience. Maybe you can’t see anybody, but you focus inwards as a band. I find myself in my own head more. The challenge is to take that and focus on us as a group and yet still let loose and have fun, expressing it to the audience. One of the challenges that awaits us is to express that emotion to an audience. I don’t think we’ve fully grasped that yet.

Todd: For several years, you’ve talked about your love of Radiohead. Now that you’re getting an opportunity to tour with them, do you have an incredible sense of jubilation or is it a bit nerve-wracking because of this prospect of playing a large venue.

Jesse: It’s definitely nerve-wracking, but it’s more excitement than anything. The nerve-wracking thing isn’t necessarily bad. I’ve found that sometimes a stressful environment can make for some great live shows. Sometimes you play some shows and you feel great and not stressed and you get on stage and it just isn’t there. Whatever comes with all of this, I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to shape the band because it’s a life-changing experience.

Todd: Will you have the same lineup?

Jesse: We’ve added a violinist Daniel Hart. He gives it just a little bit larger touch to the sound.

Todd: You had a long break between the first two records and now you’re heading back out on tour. Have you done any work on a new album?

Jesse: Very much so. I’m a good deal in as far as writing song ideas. We haven’t done any serious recording. It’s all in the songwriting stage, but I always love this place. You’re not trying to get anything done but write. There’s no editing and you’re just alone. I’ve always enjoyed that part. There’s no sending off mp3′s to anybody. It’s a fun place to be. For the next year, I’ll be writing in the van. I

Todd: So 2013 is the earliest we’ll see a new album?

Jesse: Yea, for sure. We’re hoping to put out an EP by the end of this year. Maybe in the fall. We have five weeks off in April, so maybe we’ll record something then.

Todd: You’ve said that lyrics is one of the last things you do, is it fair to assume you haven’t written any lyrics for the new music you’ve done?

Jesse: (laughs)No no no. It’s one of those things that kind of escapes me. It’s mostly intentional, but I think I’m just busy on technique. The lyric comes with the vocal and the vocal is generally just nonsense at first. Lyrics are mostly a painful process, something that shouldn’t be a careless thing. It just seems to come a little farther along in the process.

Todd: I assume you’re in an certain emotional place when you write your music. You’ve already done a lot of writing, but you’re getting ready to go on what you’ve described as a potentially, life-changing tour with Radiohead and Coachella. Do you worry that this music that you’ve been writing the past few months is coming from a place that you won’t be able to relate to, once you get through the tour? When you sit down to write lyrics six months from now, do you worry that the music you’ve already written won’t mesh with the lyrics and the state of mind that you’re feeling?

Jesse: It wasn’t a concern before, but now it is (laughing). Thanks for that! I know what you’re saying. I think the thing that I try and keep in my head every day, no matter where I am, at home alone or on a stressful tour across the sea, every moment is part of the experience of life. Whether I was in a certain place, a different dynamic might change that. I just try and stay positive and just be open to it, recognizing that it can come any moment.

Follow the band on Twitter or Facebook.

West Palm Beach, Flordia?! Yup, the band in Heaven hail from a section of the U.S. that isn’t known as a hotbed for shoegaze. Yet with their perfect amalgam of the sounds of The Black Angels and My Bloody Valentine, they meld dense melodies and atmospherics that make afternoons disappear once the needle hits the vinyl. The band took a few moments to talk to us, prior to heading to Austin Psych Fest in a few weeks.

TDOA: We’ve done a few interviews with Florida-based bands and they’ve said that it’s a tough “scene” to catch on in. What’s your perception of the Florida music scene? Is there, in fact nifty shoegaze scene that every is missing out on?

TBIH: Not a shoegaze scene, but West Palm Beach in particular has a lot of great bands in one small area that all play at the same two venues. Great DIY bands, like Cop City/Chill Pillars, Weird Wives, Guy Harvey, Dewars, Love Handles, The jameses.. There are lots more. But lots of shows are bands playing for bands, and some friends. There isn’t some crazy music scene. Just a nice little community.

TDOA: The video for High Low is amazing. How involved in the storyboarding/development of the concept of the video did you get? More videos in the future?

TBIH: In that particular video I feel I played director. That video (and song) is based on a night my sister and I had to drive a girl home after she had taken mushrooms for the first time, and the reaction was horrible, violent even. The video is a kind of watered down recreation of that night.
Working on music videos has kind of been more fun that working on songs. Surely there will be more to come.

TDOA: Obviously it’s the music that drew us to you. Can you talk a bit about the bands that inspire your sound?

TBIH: There are so many bands we love, but the ones that inspire our sound are the fuzzy, dreamy ones, with buried vocals, buried everything. We like to bury things too.

TDOA: Some bands hate being compared to the shoegaze/dreampop bands of the 80′s/90′s. What says you?

TBIH: We love that stuff, we’re inspired by it, why not? Spacemen 3 is probably our favorite.

TDOA: Let’s talk songwriting! Can you talk about the development of the songs on the new EP? What generally comes first: lyrics, vocal melodies, guitar melodies, a beat….?

TBIH: Usually a guitar riff, then a melody, then some words, then some beats. But it’s not always that way. Sometimes a few words first.

TDOA: And for those of us who are tech geeks, please tell us about your setup: pedals, amps, etc.

TBIH: I use a Fender Twin Reverb and my friend Mark of SynthMonger pedals made me a custom distortion which I love and then he modded my EHX Memory Boy so I can control the feedback with my foot. I also use a Boss RV-5 for reverb and a EHX Pog for some organ sounds.

Jay our bassist uses EHX Bass Big Muff and a Sans Amp foot pedal and this monstrous Ampeg bass amp I can’t remember the name of. It’s discontinued, but it’s honestly the heaviest sound I’ve ever heard.

TBIH: You’re playing Austin Psych Fest in a few weeks. What bands are you hoping to catch while you’re there?
Brian Jonestown Massacre above all, then Dead Meadow, and Amen Dunes and the rest are great but we’ve actually seen a ton of the other bands a few times already.

TDOA: You’ve been getting great reviews for the new EP and there seems to be some momentum. What’s the plan to capitalize? Full-length? Endless touring? More videos?

TBIH: We are working on the full-length now. Not sure if we’ll ever capitalize, we’ll see I guess.

Follow the band on Twitter and Facebook.
You can download their music at Bandcamp.

Every year, we listen to mp3′s of every band scheduled to appear at SXSW. We then present you with an A to Z preview of the bands that we think should earn your attention. Whether you’re coming down to SXSW (recommended!) or just looking for new music, there’s no better time of year. There’s a variety of music here, so buckle up for some different sounds.

Who: A.Dd+
From: Dallas
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Who: Agent Ribbons
From: Austin, TX
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Agent Ribbons – “That’s Not Edgar’s Heart” from Ryan McCoy on Vimeo.

Who: Alberta Cross
From: Brooklyn
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Who: Allah-Las
From: California
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Catamaran from Allah Las on Vimeo.

Who: Anais Mitchell
From: Brooklyn
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Who: Andrea Balency Trio
From: Paris
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Who: Antoine Reverb
From: Guadalajara
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Who: Arborea
From: Maine
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Who: Aunt Martha
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Who: The Black Ryder
From: Australia
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Who: The Blind Shake
From: Minneapolis, MN
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Who: Botany
From: Weatherford, TX
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Who: Boy Friend
From: Austin
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Who: Black Pistol Fire
From: Austin
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Who: Campodonico
From: Peru
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Who: Cannon Bros
From: Winnepeg
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Who: Capsula
From: Buenos Aires
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Who: Chamberlin
From: Vermont
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Who: Chappo
From: Brooklyn
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Who: Cold Showers
From: California
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Who: Crocodiles
From: San Diego
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Who: Cruddy
From: Austin
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Who: The Curious Mystery
From: Seattle
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Who: The Dandies
From: London
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Who: The Darcys
From: London
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Who: Daughter
From: London
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Who: The Devil Whale
From: Salt Lake City
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Who: Dignan
From: McAllen, Texas
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Who: The Drowning Man
From: Oceanside, CA
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Who: Elle King
From: Brooklyn
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Who: Erin McLaughlin
From: Redlands, CA
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Who: The Ettes
From: Nashville
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Who: Fenster
From: Berlin
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Who: FIDLAR
From: Los Angeles
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Who: Finn Riggins
From: Boise, ID
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“Benchwarmers” by Finn Riggins (10+1 pt. 3, fall 2011) from Jason Sievers on Vimeo.

Who: Firehorse
From: Brooklyn
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Who: Follow That Bird
From: Austin
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Who: The Foreign Resort
From: Denmark
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Who: Fungi Girls
From: Cleburne, Texas
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Who: Furguson
From: Barcelona, Spain
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Dusty, sun-beaten psych that swirls around the listener with droning organ, phased out guitar, and seriously spaced out atmosphere are what the Psychic Ills offer up with their latest, Hazed Dream. If this album were to come with a set of instructions for optimal consumption, they would simply read: “tune in, and drop out.” It’s kind of music that requires immersion, and is the perfect soundtrack for doing absolutely nothing at all. Tres (vocals/guitar), and Elizabeth (bass) talk to us about their freshly pressed sound. Interview by Sania.

TDOA: Hazed Dream is a beautiful album. It was on our top of ’11, so obviously we thought it was great. What are some of your thoughts on the final product?
Tres Warren: Thanks man, glad you like it. I think it’s cool. There are a couple things I might have changed, but there always is! In general I like it. It came together pretty quickly and in a natural way.

Elizabeth Hart: Yeah, I’m happy with it. It was a step in a different direction, the songs felt more specific.

TDOA: What is your writing, and recording process like?

TW: I was just doing a lot of home recording—hashing things and adding parts to them.

EH: Yeah, Tres was writing a lot of songs and I would add bass parts. It was cool working this way. When it came time to go to the studio, we had already recorded every song in T’s bunker with every part already written. Brian had moved away about a year earlier, but came into town and we played him the demos, practiced a few times, and went into the studio and tracked it all in two days. Tres overdubbed the rest and we mixed it in the bunker.

TDOA: Sonically, Hazed Dream stands on it’s own from past efforts, what lent itself to the more dream sequence vibe, and put together sound? There’s no crazy improve going on it seems, but a more thought out plan of action.

TW: I got worn out on that whole thing in some respects and wanted to work on more song type ideas. You know make some music that could be enjoyed a little more immediately.

TDOA: Currently, you call New York home. How do you feel about various music scenes present there?

TW: New York is great. I can’t really comment on the scene thing, but there’s a lot that you can be exposed to. You can take what you want and leave the rest alone. But I’m not sure if you have to come to New York for that kind of thing the way that you used to.

EH: There so many music scenes in New York, I would not be able to explore them all even if I wanted too. It’s cool though, New York just has an energy that makes you want to make stuff, I think. I love being introduced to new music by friends or through the label because I just don’t go out and try to find out about as much anymore.

TDOA: What are your ties to Texas, and where can that be found in your music?

TW: Born and raised. It’s always in the mind I guess. I like a lot of music from Texas.

EH: Yeah, my family is in Texas and I was born and raised there. I’m really into a lot of the musicians who have come out of that place, not sure if that is entirely evident in our music or not.

TDOA: You guys will be playing SXSW this year, and you have before, how was that experience for you guys, and are you looking forward to coming back?

TW: Yeah we’re looking forward to it. We’ve had good times there and any chance to hang in Austin is fine with me.

EH: That week is kind of crazy down there, but good fun for sure. I always look forward to catching up with old friends and eating Mexican food!

TDOA: What is the vibe like at a Psychic Ills show? What have been some of your favorite experiences sharing your sound live?

EH: I’m really psyched on the group right now. The energy just feels right dudes with the dudes we are playing with right now. A couple of years ago when we played in San Diego, a couple came up to me at the merch table after we had played, they bought a record and said that Ills would be the first music that their child would listen too. The woman was 8 months pregnant. That was a pretty awesome thing to hear.

TDOA: What are you currently listening to?

EH: Compound Eye – Origin of Silence

TW: Spirit – Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus & Föllakzoid – Föllakzoid EP

TDOA: Give us a quick 5-song playlist of your current fav listens?

TW:

Silk Road – Magical Power Mako

Amarillo Highway – Terry Allen

Artificial Energy – The Byrds

Miget Submarines – Swell Maps

Kokomo – Beach Boys

EH:

That’s How Strong My Love Is – Steve Young

D-I-V-O-R-C-E – Tammy Wynette

I Wanna Be Your Mama Again – Sir Douglas Quintet

I am a Hermit – Jonathan Halper

The Shah Sleeps In Lee Harvey’s Grave – Butthole Surfers

TDOA: What can we look forward to next from Psychic Ills?

TW: We’re doing another record with Sacred Bones that we’ll probably record later in the Spring/Summer.

EH: We also have another Frkwys release from RVNG Intl. coming out in the spring. It was sort of a late night session we did with Gibby Haynes(Butthole Surfers) a couple years back. It was a weird good time.

Psychic Ills will be appearing at 35 Denton, SXSW and the Austin Psych Fest.

For more information about the band visit their Facebook page.

Arborea is a musical duo from Maine, formed in the summer of 2005 by wife and husband Shanti Curran and Buck Curran. Since 2007 they’ve toured extensively throughout the US, UK, and Europe, curated two various artists compilations; We are All One, In the Sun: A Tribute to Robbie Basho and Leaves of Life, and released several full length albums including their latest Red Planet which made Rolling Stone ‘Best Under-the-Radar Albums of 2011′, Top Vinyl Pick in Mojo Magazine, and Editors Top Pick in Guitar Player Magazine.  Portland Mercury writer Ned Lannamann recently described their music…”If you could take a shiver and slow it down so that it lasted for 50 minutes, you’d have Red Planet, the fourth album from Arborea. It’s folk music that runs through your veins ice cold, but in a way that’s so compelling and irresistible you can’t help be moved by it. Red Planet is released by Portland label Strange Attractors Audio House, but Arborea actually hail from a spot much closer to the other Portland; the husband-and-wife duo of Shanti and Buck Curran live in Maine, a state of rugged beauty, endless forests, summertime bugs the size of hummingbirds, and a cold and rocky coastline. Shanti’s voice rises above sparse instrumental backing like a cool fog, and while the pair has earned comparisons to acts like Pentangle and Alela Diane, to me Arborea sounds utterly unique and entirely captivating.”

TDOA:  We really like the twanginess and dissonance in the first track on Red Planet, The Fossil Sea. What was that intended to convey?

Buck: The Fossil Sea is an improvisation meant to set the atmosphere for Red Planet.  The sustaining notes and overtones of the wood and steel of the guitar conjuring it’s own music. We like to use the banjo in that way too.

TDOA: I hesitate to use the term “indie darling,” but it seems apt in this case. What do you think of the critical swoon over Arborea? Buck- We work incredibly hard and have toured non-stop since the end of 2006.  We put everything we have mentally and physically into the music and performances and getting positive feedback definitely affirms that we are on the right path.

Shanti: I think it’s important to recognize that critical success doesn’t necessarily mean we win the popularity contest. I think it’s wonderful that we’ve had virtually no bad reviews of our music and I often joke that we are ‘straight A’ students’, but we’ve had to work incredibly hard booking most shows ourselves and traveling almost non-stop since 2006. We’ve done all of the recording of our albums at home on a very limited budget and we’ve done 90 percent of the artwork and videos as well.  What I’m trying to say is that we don’t have a team of people working for us who believe in what we do or who think they can make money off of us- we have some good and solid friends who love us but we’re basically lone wolves. I’m definitely not complaining. I think we’ve done this long enough to be able to appreciate the benefits of being in control of our artistic vision. I like going to bed at night knowing that we have the power to shape our future as we see fit.

TDOA: I think the name Arborea is really apt – vocally, the sound is really ethereal and natural. Was that intentional, or has it just worked out that way?

Buck: The name was chosen to represent infinite possibilities.  We are very aware of history and society, nature and the universe.  Our music is the primary vehicle for our creativity, but we there’s also our writing, photography, and video making.  We bring all these elements together when we create our music.

Shanti: The name Arborea seems to have an open ended quality to it- It feels like it could change with the wind and water and seasons.

TDOA: On the vocals, what influences that style most?

Shanti: When I first started singing, I was highly aware of the physical feeling of moving air over my vocal chords and I naturally sought the path of least resistance. I’ve kept that philosophy and always sought to sing within my capabilities. I never push my vocals or try to go places that cause discomfort or strain. I have a pretty wide range but I’ve mostly stayed in the upper registers except in songs like Spain or our version of This Little Light and I’m certainly into the idea of exploring more, but for now my inspiration for my vocals has been the visualization of water flowing or of seeds blowing in the wind- I look for the channel or the stream and try to become a part of that, to dance and twirl effortlessly but only WITHIN the current. I also pay close attention to my emotions when singing, nothing bugs me more than to hear a song with heartfelt words and tear inducing melodies but then the singer feels nothing and sings as if they are dead inside. My soul can immediately tell the difference and I’m sure everyone else can too. You have to feel the blues even if it’s not the blues you’re singing!

TDOA: I think that it’s clear that there’s the influence of nature on the sound, both the instruments and the vocals – what does that come from?

Shanti: I think people are coming to an understanding or realization or discovery perhaps that there is way more to our universe than what we can see and hear and taste and touch. I’m talking resonance man! What I mean is that I think that music and nature are the same thing, or they resonate with the human soul on the same frequencies.  They are after all made from the same base material, wood and flesh and air and sunlight and water…sprinkled with a bit of human intention.

Buck: A lot of the music is created in the Maine wilderness or by the Ocean. When we take the time to get away from the mad rush of modern society…a lot of ideas, visual and musical, seem to come very rapidly.  Hikes along the Maine Coast or in the woods, or staying at our family cabin…these are the places and times that are so very important for us.  Nature is an extremely busy place itself, though it’s buzzing on a completely different plane of existence from that of towns and cities. It’s so nice to be able to tap into a separate stream of existence.

TDOA: The instruments you guys play are very unique – can you tell us about the ban-jammer and other instruments that you use?

Buck: The ban-jammer is a banjo mountain dulcimer hybrid.  Shanti fingerpicks the instrument and also plays it with the Ebow.  It’s a very unique instrument and can sound like many different things. With the Ebow it can sound like a flute, and fingerpicked it has the qualities of a Japanese Koto.  Shanti also has a harmonium that was made in India.  The harmonium has an amazing sound with it’s volume, all the drones, and it’s enigmatic waves of sound.  We do some very ethereal and experimental improvisations with the harmonium and electric guitar.  I also made two of the acoustic guitars we play.  They were designed to be played in alternate tunings and to be super responsive and very resonate.

Shanti: The ban-jammer is a hybrid instrument, a cross between a mountain dulcimer and a banjo. It has the scale of a mountain dulcimer and is play across your lap, but the head of a banjo, so it’s much louder and had a twang to it that a mountain dulcimer doesn’t have. I also play the harmonium- an organ type drone that is used in classical Indian music and I also play the banjo, ukelele and acoustic and classical guitar.

TDOA: How has the band evolved from Wayfaring Summer to Red Planet?

Shanti: I look at Wayfaring Summer as a raw and unpolished stone that was found along the path, sparkling in the sunlight in all it’s earnest innocence. Red Planet is that very same stone, worn over and polished smooth from loss and heartache and bitter disappointments and then buffed to a golden glow from risk and adventure and soulful joy and universal resonance.

Buck: Arborea has evolved in so many ways since those first improvisations in the summer of 2005 that led to the recording and release of Wayfaring Summer.  Our music is often created in two different ways…one take improvisations or through a crafting process.  We are always striving to create and after nearly 7 years of doing this together, our musical skills and the intuitive musical communication between us have only gained strength.

TDOA: Husband-and-wife musical duos are relatively rare – how does that dynamic work? Surely it has its ups and downs?

Shanti: If no growth or change could occur without friction then I’d say that working together has allowed us to really grow and change.  United we get to experience so much more than an average couple who lives together but works separately and has different interests and hobbies. We experience an abundance of the good and the bad and we have so much at stake, not just our careers and our artistic passions but we also have two children and a whole life that we’ve worked hard to build together. It has value and tremendous worth but it takes allot of communication and compromise- maybe that’s why it’s rare?

Buck: Being together as a couple for over a decade and working together on Arborea, we really have the advantage of developing and crafting something over time…something that is not very common in this world.  I can definitely say that at the end of the day, sometimes that hour or so on stage can be the most amazing and blissful place in the Universe to be.

For information about Arborea visit their website or check them out via Facebook.

Nathan Binford- Marketing Director at Texas Entertainment Services

We’re very fortunate to have met a lot of great musicians over the years.  Each December, we reach out to a few of them and ask them to tell us what were their favorite albums of the past year.  This year, we’ve also gotten a few writers and other music industry folks to contribute their lists.  To us, it’s fun to see what music our favorite musicians have been listening to.  While some of the selections were obvious, others had us scrambling to find and listen to.  Some musicians chose to rank the albums, while others asked that they not be listed in a specific order.  Essentially, this is your opportunity to hang out with us and see what inspired those who inspire us with their music.  As with our picks for the best of 2011, we’ve given you an opportunity to listen to some of these records while reading the article, thanks to our friends at Rdio.  Unlike that list, we didn’t make every album available to you, but we’ve picked one album from each list.

Tyler Williams- The Head and the Heart

1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

2. Yuck – Yuck

3. My Morning Jacket – Circuital

4. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

5. Feist – Metals

6. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for My Halo

7. Destroyer – Kaputt

8. Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire to the Mountain

9. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

10. The Antlers – Burst Apart

Ritzy- The Joy Formidable

(in no particular order)

Telekinesis – 12 Desperate Straight Lines

Gillian Welch – The Harrows and the Harvest

Wilco – The Whole Love

The Antlers – Burst Apart

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

Airship – Stuck in the Ocean

Dutch Uncles – Cadenza

Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi

The Jayhawks – Mockingbird Time

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead – Tao of the Dead

Peter Hook- Joy Division/New Order/Peter Hook and The Light

Labyrinth- Earthquake

Example- Kickstart

Noah and the Whale- Last Night On Earth

Elbow- Build a Rocket Boys

Peter Hook and The Light- Pictures in My Mind

Foster The People- Pumped Up Kicks

P Diddy- Coming Home

Master Chef- Buttery Biscuit Base

Janes Addiction- Irresistible Force

Miles Kane- Come Closer

Brandon- Crocodiles

Dum Dum Girls – “He Gets Me HIgh” EP/ “Only In Dreams” LP

Reading Rainbow – “Cover The Sky” 7″

Kurt Vile – “Smoke Ring For My Halo” LP

Veronica Falls – “S/T” LP

Hollie Cook – “S/T” LP

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “S/T” LP

Psychic Dancehall – “Dreamers” LP

The Horrors – “Skying” LP

Plateaus – “Beach Coma/Suzy” 7″

John Maus – “We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves” LP

Charles Rowell- Crocodiles

1. John Maus – We Must Become…

2. Peaking Lights – 936

3. Hollie Cook – S/t

4. Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams

5. Maria Minerva – Caberet Cixous

6. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

7. White Fence – Is Growing Faith

8. Zola Jesus – Conatus

9. Colleen Green – Kujo

10. Kurt Vile – Smoke Rings

Courtney Smith- Author- Record Collecting For Girls

Lykke Li- Wounded Rhymes

Florence + The Machine- Ceremonials

Los Campesinos!- Hello Sadness

La Sera- s/t

Washed Out- Within and Without

The Rosebuds- Loud Planes Fly Low

Pistol Annies- s/t

Friendly Fires- Pala

The Horrors- Skying

TV on the Radio- Nine Types of Light

Libyans- Kevin (guitar)

Times New Viking – Dancer Equired

M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Yuck – s/t

One Happy King – Demo

Outdates – Can’t Motivate 7″

Libyans- Dan (drums)

Ancient Filth – Demo tape

Young Offenders/ Hex Depensers – split 7″s

Wild Flag – s/t LP

Duffy – Endlessly LP

Panzram – A New Mental Disorder For Youth In Disapprovally

Panzram – Reform 10″

Astronauts – Peter Pan Hits the Suburbs (reissue)

Diet Cokeheads – Ocular 7″/ Pro CS Tape

Brain F≠ – Rough Sleep 12″

G.A.S.H./ Cleansing Wave – split 7″

Diehard

Except for a couple of these albums, we couldn’t agree on the same ten records to fill this list.  After we could no longer agree, we took turns choosing tracks.  It’s shocking how well we get along writing songs together when a fist fight could break out over what to put on the car stereo.

Wye Oak – Civilian (huge band crush action going on here)

Radical Dads – Mega Rama (fellow Brooklynites with some sweet ass tunes)

St. Vincent – Strange Mercy (Hogging all the talent)

Feist – Metals (Hogging the rest of the talent)

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Mirror Traffic (Now we all know what to get our favorite Senator for the holidays)

Quilty – Strange Matter EP (A Halloween EP from Quilty)

Wild Flag – S/T (Ezra)

Diehard – The Times We Didn’t Have Fun (Liz)

Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place (Evan)

Lou Reed & Metallica – Lulu (Zeph)

Ainara LeGardon

1- PJ Harvey- Let England Shake

2- Za!- Megaflow

3- Big Sexy Noise- Trust the witch

4- Jaap Blonk – The Splinks and  BRAAXTAAL recordings

5- Screaming Trees- Last Words: The Final Recordings

6- Lisabö . Animalia Lotsatuen Putzua

7- Thurston Moore- Demolished Thoughts

8- J Mascis- Several shades of why

9- Eddie Vedder- Ukulele Songs

10- She Keeps Bees- Dig on

//orangenoise- Talha Wynne

Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts

Thundercat - The Golden Age of the Apocalypse

Com Truise - Cyanide Sisters EP (reissue)

Battles - Gloss Drop

Incan Abraham - Sunscreen

Flaming Lips & Neon Indian  - Flaming Lips & Neon Indian

Run DMT/Happy Family - Banana Split

Chicago Odense Ensemble - Chicago Odense Ensemble

Kneebody - You Can Have Your Moment

Shattered Darlings & Liquid Kisses- S/T

Captain Polaroid

1. Johnny Foreigner – Johnny Foreigner vs Everything

2. REM – Collapse Into Now

3. The Birthday Suit – The Eleventh Hour

4. Bright Eyes – The People’s Key

5. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

6. The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar

7. Death Cab for Cutie – Codes and Keys

8. Roddy Woomble – The Impossible Song & Other Songs

9. Point Juncture, WA – Handsome Orders

10. Los Campesinos! – Hello Sadness

I’d like to point out the Male Bonding miss out because the album was too similar to Nothing Hurts and Yuck because while I like the record, I keep forgetting it exists. Warm Brains might’ve been in there but I didn’t get my mp3s with the vinyl so I’ve only had chance to listen to it a handful of times. Enjoyed the Radiohead album eventually but it’s too short and their worst collection of songs.

Dirtblonde

1- PJ Harvey, ‘Let England Shake’

2- Black Lips, ‘Arabia Mountain’

3- Ladytron, ‘Gravity The Seducer’

4- Lykke Li, ‘Wounded Rhymes’

5- Thee Oh Sees, ‘Carrion Crawler/ the Dream’

6- Duke Spirit, ‘Bruiser’

7- S.C.U.M., ‘Again Into Eyes’

8- John Maus, ‘We Must Become The Pitiless Sensors of Ourselves’

9- EMA, ‘Past Life Martyred Saints’

10 – Kurt Vile, ‘Smoke Ring For My Halo’

Ryan Coseboom- Stripmall Architecture

Washed Out – Within and Without

Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

Soft Metals – Soft Metals

I Break Horses – Hearts

David Lynch – Crazy Clown Time

Still Corners – Creatures Of An Hour

Teeel – Amulet

M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Widowspeak – Widowspeak

Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact

Kjartan Holm- For A Minor Reflection

1. Ceremonials – Florence + The Machine

2. Cherish the Light Years – Cold Cave

3. David Comes To Life – Fucked Up

4. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

5. Cloud Nothings – Cloud Nothings

6. The Big Roar – The Joy Formidable

7. Big Spring – Helgi Jónsson

8. Life Sux EP – Wavves

9. Strange Mercy – St. Vincent

10. Metals – Feist

The Field (Alex Willner) Favorites Of 2011 (in no particular order/not necessarily released in 2011)

Tame Impala- Innerspeakers

Gas- Zauberberg

Hans-Joachim Roedelis- Wenn Der Südwind Weht

Arthur Russell- World of Echo

Ashra- New Age of Earth

Bolywool

Explosions in the Sky – Take care take care take care

The Appleseed Cast – Middle States EP

Mogwai – Hardcore will never die

Radiohead – King of Limbs

The Horrors – Skying

The Marshmallow Ghosts- s/t

Anna Järvinen – Anna själv Tredje

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Woods – Sun and Shades

Sigur Rós – Inní

Home Video

James Blake – James Blake

M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Other Lives – Tamer Animals

Lia Ices – Grown Unknown

Austra – Feel It Break

Hess Is More – Creation Keeps the Devil Away

The Field – Looping State of Mind

SBTRKT – SBTRKT

Mark E – Stone Breaker

Penguin Prison – Penguin Prison

Brooke- East Hundred

1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

2. James Vincent McMorrow – Early in the Morning

3. Jessica Lea Mayfield – Tell Me

4. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient

5. Other Lives – Tamer Animals

6. Feist – Metals

7. The Dodos – No Color

8. AA Bondy – Believers

9. Cults – Cults

10. Drive – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Letting Up Despite Great Faults

1. Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind Of Fix

2. Tycho – Dive

3. Korallreven – An Album By Korallreven

4. Craft Spells – Idle Labor

5. Wild Flag – Wild Flag

6. Metronomy – The English Riviera

7. Cults – Cults

8. Youth Lagoon – Year Of Hibernation

9. Papercuts – Fading Parade

10. The Drums – Portamento

Apteka

Kurt Vile- Smoke Rings For My Halo

M83- Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Pure X- Pleasure

Mogwai- Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will…

Esben and the Witch- Violet Cries

Cold Cave- Cherish The Light

Explosions in the Sky- Take Care, Take Care, Take Care

Little Dragon- Ritual Union

Dirty Beaches- Badlands

Each year, we’ve posted our top ten albums of the previous year. 2011 was an intriguing year.  The best albums were fantastic, but it felt like their was a dearth of great new bands.  Bands that put out great singles in 2010, tended to follow up with mediocre albums in 2011.  You’ll certainly want to check out our list of Top 10 EP’s of 2011, as we think there’s still a few bands with great promise on the horizon.  Thanks to the bands, the labels, the promoters and most of all….the readers. Over the next week, we’ll also be bringing you the top ten lists of some great musicians, writers and music industry folks for you to peruse. Check back soon!

This year we’re presenting individual lists from the three main contributors to the site. Each brings their own tastes and we hope you’ll enjoy them all.

Special thanks to our friends at Rdio, who’ve helped us to embed virtually every album on our top ten lists, so that you can listen to them in their entirety.   Enjoy!

Todd- Editor/Writer

01  We Are Augustines- Rise Ye Sunken Ships

02  The Duke Spirit- Bruiser

03  Apteka- Gargoyle Days

Striking Violet by apteka
Listen on Spotify: Apteka – Gargoyle Days

04  Adele- 21

05  Dum Dum Girls- Only In Dreams

06  Cerebral Ballzy- Cerebral Ballzy

07  The Black Keys- El Camino

08  Libyans- A Common Place

09  The Field- Looping State of Mind

10  Johnny Foreigner- Johhny Foreigner vs. Everything

Amy- Writer

01  Adele- 21

02  Lykke Li- Wounded Rhymes

03  Cults- Cults

04  Panda Bear- Tomboy

05  The Decemberists- The King Is Dead

06  The Antlers- Burst Apart

07  Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues

08  Jay-Z and Kanye West- Watch The Throne

09  Active Child- You Are All I See

10  EMA- Past Life Martyred Saints

Sania- Writer

01  The Horrors- Skying

02  Black Lips- Arabia Mountain

03  The Black Keys- El Camino

04  The Duke Spirit- Bruiser

05  Night Beats- Night Beats

Night Beats – Puppet On A String by BurgerRecords
Listen on Spotify: spotify:album:2bKHbnyTpfVWyQDen9Pgg0

06  Bass Drum of Death- GB City

07  Battles- Gloss Drop

08  Dirty Beaches- Badlands

Listen on Spotify: spotify:album:2vW79BiE5ngvlFe7JMcBAx

09  Psychic Ills- Hazed Dream

Listen on Spotify: spotify:track:0QncJR9cLt5SgFrq7qGxO9

10  Ringo Deathstarr- Colour Trip

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