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Tag Archive for 'r keenan lawler'

Tonight in Louisville – Tape, Mountains, Shedding, and R Keenan Lawler

l_2c7a648249421d7bc2d3c9f7a1a3cb3c Tonight in Louisville - Tape, Mountains, Shedding, and R Keenan Lawler

Almost forgot that this show was around the corner. As in, tonight around the corner. Joel’s got another good one tonight. Here’s the scoop:

Shedding has been a solo project for Connor Bell since 2001, though in 2009 Tim Furnish (Parlour, Crain, Papa M, The For Carnation) and Joey Yates (The Loved, Parlour, Sapat) joined as the rhythm section in Shedding’s new lineup. Solo, SHEDDING has already released a few albums, and the new band lineup plans to release a 7″ or 2 over the winter and spring of 2009-2010. (MySpazz)

Mountains is Brendon Anderegg and Koen Holtkamp, friends since their middle school days. The duo were brought together by mutual artistic and musical interests, and both ended up at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It was during this time that they began exchanging musical ideas and compositions which led to them founding the Apestaartje label in 1999. As their collaborations and individual projects blossomed, they decided to create Mountains as a vehicle for live performance. The group has 4 albums: their first self-titled release and second album Sewn were both on Apestaartje; the third and fourth, Choral and Etching, on Thrill Jockey. Mountains is often compared to artists such as Brian Eno and Fennesz, citing their extended melodies and their unique broad guitar work. Mountains seamlessly blend pastoral electronic sounds with field recordings and a plethora of acoustic instruments. (MySpazz)

Swedish trio Tape was set up in 2000 by brothers Andreas and Johan Berthling with Tomas Hallonsten. Taking cues both from pop, experimentalism and minimalism, their sound has become recognized internationally and is clearly something of its own. Their first album Opera was released on the Häpna imprint (which Johan is a co-owner of) in 2002. With an array of electronic and acoustic instruments at hand they recorded at a small stone barn on the island of Öland, east of Sweden. 2003 saw the release of Milieu, recorded at the very same barn. In 2005 they went to Cologne to have Marcus Schmickler produce and record their third album Rideau. Over the past few years, their touring has taken them to places like Japan, Taiwan, USA and most parts of Europe. (MySpazz)

R. Keenan Lawler is a musician and sound artist based in Louisville Kentucky. For over 25 years his musical journey has taken him from early experiments with reverb tanks, noise and tape decks to all manner of avant-garde, “new” music, psychedelia, electro-acoustic, drone, ethnic and sampler-based work. LAWLER is best known for developing a highly personal and exploratory language for the metal bodied resonator guitar which Baltimore’s John Berdnt called “Cosmic, monolithic and deeply American.” Indeed his work is informed by carnatic classical, Charles Ives, Albert Ayler, blues, minimalism and non-western trance musics. Primarily a solo performer, he is also known for collaborative work. The “Keyhole II” album he recorded with Pelt and metal worker Eric Clark is one of Pelt’s most beautiful and memorable recordings, and his guitar playing is also heard on releases by Paul K., Jack Wright, My Morning Jacket and most visibily on Matmos’ “The Civil War.” He has collaborated or performed with a wide range of forward-thinking musicians and mavericks including Rhys Chatham, John Butcher, Eliott Sharp, Charalambides, Ignaz Schick/Perlonex, Kaffe Matthews, Burning Star Core, Jason Kahn, Ut Gret, Thaniel Ion Lee, Ed Wilcox, Ramesh Srinivasan, Kevin Drumm, Arco Flute Foundation, Helena Espvall, Ian Nagoski, Connor Bell, Andy Willis, Alan Licht, Taksuya Nakatani, Tom Carter, Bhob Rainey, Aaron Rosenblum, Joe Dutkiewicz, Evergreen, Eric Carbonara and Joseph Suchy. (MySpazz)

Tape, Mountains, Shedding, and R Keenan Lawler
Wednesday, February 3rd
Skull Alley
1017 E. Broadway (map that shizz)
7 p.m. / All Ages/ FaCeBoO!K invite

MP3 :::
Shedding – Disconnect
Tape – Sand Dunes

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[Photos + Video] Oblisk, R Keenan Lawler, and Softcheque – 8.19.09, DCE, Louisville

 [Photos + Video] Oblisk, R Keenan Lawler, and Softcheque - 8.19.09, DCE, Louisville

Last Wednesday was a beautiful evening of music. The most significant testament to the show was how well three somewhat disparate genres meshed in an aesthetically sensible way. Many thanks to everyone who came out!

 [Photos + Video] Oblisk, R Keenan Lawler, and Softcheque - 8.19.09, DCE, Louisville

The evening kicked off in a dream state thanks to Softcheque. This was my first time seeing them (I missed them when they opened for Phantom Family Halo), and I was extremely impressed. Though they were missing a member due to a last minute work conflict, the group sounded thick and tight. Though Softcheque is often known as a group of Sapat members, Sapat in no way overshadows what Softcheque brings to the table. While Softcheque toggles between many genres, the soft, pointed vocals of Dane Waters over slow-tempo, orante instrumentation evokes a serious Broadcast and/or Pram vibe, minus some of the retro kitsch. I’ll let the video speak for itself:

 [Photos + Video] Oblisk, R Keenan Lawler, and Softcheque - 8.19.09, DCE, Louisville

R Keenan Lawler was up next, and killed it as usual. Lawler is a one-man act, using hollow-body guitar, a bottle neck, a mixer, and effects pedals to create Martian mountain folk. Lawler plays it claustrophobic and intense – you don’t need visuals or distractions to keep your attention focused on the man sitting on the stool noodling away.

 [Photos + Video] Oblisk, R Keenan Lawler, and Softcheque - 8.19.09, DCE, Louisville
 [Photos + Video] Oblisk, R Keenan Lawler, and Softcheque - 8.19.09, DCE, Louisville

Detroit’s Oblisk closed the evening with the loudest performance. Walls shook, the strobe light blinked, and there was lots of smiling before a few faces melted off. Super resonant Big Muff distortion makes me emotional. I almost cried. I’ll be reviewing the group’s latest, Weather Patterns, later this week. So good. Enjoy a couple of minute-long nuggets (I wish the video was longer, but alas, camera fail):

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[Reminder] R. KEENAN LAWLER, OBLISK, and SOFTCHEQUE tonight!

oblisk_flier [Reminder] R. KEENAN LAWLER, OBLISK, and SOFTCHEQUE tonight!

It’s gonna smoke. Two visionary locals and one band from Detroit to seriously start watching. Doors at 8 p.m., music at 8:30 p.m. or so (give or take a rock and roll curve of 15 minutes).  And DCE has a shit-ton of new craft beer. See ya there!

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The Decibel Tolls presents… OBLISK with R. KEENAN LAWLER and SOFTCHEQUE

oblisk_flier The Decibel Tolls presents... OBLISK with R. KEENAN LAWLER and SOFTCHEQUE

Totally stoked to bring in Detroit’s psych/shoegaze/kraut machine Oblisk with visionary freak folk noodler R. Keenan Lawler and Louisville’s Softcheque, featuring members of Sapat. This is an all ages show at the funky Derby City Espresso. See you there, dorks!

MP3 :::
Oblisk – Beirut
R Keenan Lawler – Live on ‘Phoning It In,’ WELH Providence

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