WEEPINK

Crawling Up The Stairs – Pure X

simi — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:07:56 +0000

The new Pure X LP Crawling Up The Stairs is available now available through Acéphale Records. Co-produced by myself and Pure X. Mixed and mastered by Larry Seyer. I love this album. You will too!

Buy it here:

http://acephale.bigcartel.com/product/ace028-pure-x-crawling-up-the-stairs-lp

Read a review here:

http://www.dummymag.com/reviews/2013/05/15/pure-x-crawling-up-the-stairs/

New Pure X Single – Things in My Head

simi — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:33:54 +0000

Pure X – Things in My Head on soundcloud!

Reviews here:

THE FADER

PITCHFORK

The Language Of Flowers

simi — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 21:47:16 +0000

After five years of collaboration as Twigs & Yarn, Lauren and I have released our first full-length album on the Japanese label flau! I have never been more proud of a project than this record. The title The Language Of Flowers was borrowed from the Victorian-era practice of using flowers and flower arrangements to send secret messages, each flower representing a thought or emotion that could otherwise not be expressed. Similarly, Lauren and I traded sound files and images using ftp servers between Texas and Japan for the better part of a year. These sound clips were intimate forms of sharing, with emotional meaning that would be difficult to express in words. Naturally, this collection of sounds began to form into songs as they were layered together and manipulated. I had never worked like this before but it was an easy transition. When two different sounds are layered together randomly, especially sounds with similar intention, it is amazing how musical and expansive the results can be… Serendipitous!

The record is currently available through the flau website in Vinyl, CD and Digital format. It will be available in US shops soon so stay tuned. We were lucky enough to play with some brilliant artists during a recent two week tour of Japan. You can visit twigsandyarn.net if your curious about the artists we played with. Also, we will be playing an album release show on in Austin on December 16th at Church Of The Friendly Ghost if you would like to purchase the album then…

lessons from the listmaker

simi — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:20:26 +0000

I recently remastered my EP lessons from the listmaker. It was originally released on the netlabel Hippocamp back in 2005. It is amazing how much warmth and musicality analog tape and vacuum tubes can bring to an all digital mix. The remastered version is available for preview/purchase through bandcamp:::

http://stephenorsak.bandcamp.com/album/lessons-from-the-listmaker

weird weeds weird weeds

simi — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:19:07 +0000

What I love most about the weird weeds’ music is the subtle shift in perspective that it playfully seduces from me. Before recording the album, they played a weekly residency at Cherrywood in order to solidify the arrangements. The first time I heard the new songs was at one of these performances. I distinctly remember them playing what would become track 3 on the album: a simple chord outlined on guitar, a four-note bass drone, and the most sparse drum beat I can remember since Hag Me by the Melvins. This song has NO MOVEMENT, in fact it might not even be a song. After about 2-3 minutes of unwavering repetition I was on the edge of my seat in awkward anticipation. Then, all at once, something clicked in my head. There was a moment of understanding or maybe self awareness where I realized the absurdity of my own expectations for the music. I was trying to superimpose my own internal narrative on the music, and simply NOT LISTENING. Nothing changed musically, and they must have continued for another 10 minutes; the only thing that changed was my perspective. In retrospect, the movement of this song is not musical, it is psychological; the aural equivalent of monochome painting. I loved it!

I must have looked like a confused dog with my head cocked to the side, but when I finally broke through and really started listening, I found myself at the bottom of a giant fish bowl, submerged beneath a tourmaline sky, the people and chairs around me barely grounded and gently swaying with the music. I didn’t want the song to end. I was beaming… The weird weeds do not force a change in perspective, they invite it. No one wants to be told that they are wrong, but when they come to that conclusion on their own it can be life changing.

We recorded the album live to tape using an MCI JH16 2” 16-Track. It was then mixed and mastered by John Dieterich (Deerhoof, Gorge Trio, and more). Available through Sedimental Records: http://www.sedimental.com/catalog/index.php?ID=67

Story tapes from my childhood…

simi — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:44:02 +0000

As a child I would listen to these cassettes so often I am surprised they still play. They are a perfect companion for restless nights, tucked under the covers and waiting for sleep…

Rip Van Winkle

Gulliver’s Travels

Tom Sawyer Side-A

Tom Sawyer Side-B

on distortion and transformation

simi — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:34:16 +0000

I recently started a recording project with Shakey Graves. His first full length release was recorded using hand-held and 4-track recorders mostly in his home, which he then edited with great care. For some engineers the idea of “improving” the sound on any subsequent albums would seem easy, given the controlled environment of a studio and the use of nice microphones, preamps, tape, etc. For me however, the task of following up a well executed bedroom recording with a “studio” recording sounds like a potential disaster. Which he and I talked about at great length…

There are (at least) two distinct musical audiences that you have to consider when deciding on process: those that value honesty and imperfection versus those that value arrangement and exactness. By focusing on one you often alienate the other. One of the biggest challenges for me is to recognize and limit my own impulse to correct anomalies in a performance or recording. It has never been easier to ruin a good recording, because it has never been easier to fix all the mistakes.

I am finding that being transparent as an engineer is rarely the most interesting approach. Sometimes an awkward edit can make a boring or expected transition seem magical. It is refreshing to work with someone who can appreciate less than perfect edits as compositional tools, as musical phenomenon, and not view them simply as means to an exacting end.

We as a culture have grown to love distortion, whether we are individually aware of it or not. This is why analog still sounds better to most people. The mathematical accurateness of digital recording, reliable and convenient though it may be, is something that we can appreciate only in theory. A transparent medium is rarely the most interesting… and I find myself distorting what was perfectly clear.

I am conflicted; as an engineer I instinctively strive for some form of perfection while as a listener I am continually drawn to rough edges and personal inflection. Actually, this contradiction extends through most aspects of my life. Perhaps it is a balance we all struggle with; maybe it’s just me. Wish us luck…

You can listen and purchase Shakey Graves’ last album here:

ROLL THE BONES

PURE X PLEASURE

simi — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:38:37 +0000

…recording PURE X reminds of why I so cherished my first four-track and how easy it was to whittle away the night alone experimenting with backmasking techniques, learning to use pedals as instruments, deep listening, sneaking out of the house to smoke, and pining over my suicidal-blonde-cheerleader girlfriend. Why did I ever pretend to grow up?

They just released PLEASURE, their first LP on Acephale Records, which is a combination of new songs we recently tracked live to an MCI JH-16 2″ and older songs that were recorded remotely on a TASCAM 80-8 and remixed. I have listened to the album three times today; it has a sound that can’t quite let go of me, a welcoming sound, a sound that insistently reminds me to CHILL THE FUCK OUT.
Listen to the album here:

http://soundcloud.com/alteredzones/sets/pure-x-pleasure

Buy the album here:

http://acephalerecords.com/

Read reviews here:

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15575-pleasure/
http://www.thefader.com/2011/07/05/stream-pure-xs-album-pleasure/
http://austintownhall.com/2011/07/05/pure-x-pleasure/
http://austinist.com/2011/07/05/pure_x_-_pleasure_album_review.php

Watch a video here:

Pure X – “Easy” from Malcolm Elijah on Vimeo.

It’s a good life honey, if you don’t grow weary

simi — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 02:49:55 +0000

Alexa Woodward is an Appalachian-influenced banjo/mando player, singer and song writer based in Greenville, South Carolina. We recently finished a full-length album together titled “It’s a good life, Honey, if you don’t grow weary”, which was started back in August of 2010. Alexa has been a great supporter of the Annie Street Arts Collective and some say Leland. She is an amazing artist to work with, possessing both clear artistic vision and a warm humility; I feel very fortunate to have contributed to these wonderful songs!

Most of the tracking was done over a 10 day period at Shine Studios in Austin (after rehearsals at the Annie Street Arts Collective). The players included Linky Dickson, Andrew Pressman, Nick Hennies, Lindsey Verrill, Dan Grissom, Adam Rader, Shakey Graves, myself and many others. We recorded Digital and Mastered to 1/4″ tape at Cacophony Recorders.

You can learn more about Alexa, read album reviews, watch videos, and check tour dates at her website: www.alexawoodward.com

Buy the Album here:

CD Baby

Bandcamp

Pale Blue Line from Dale Mackey on Vimeo.

Linen Closet at Central Presbyterian

simi — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 22:11:30 +0000

Linen Closet – Snuggle Song

After two nights of warming up the Central Presbyterian Church with too little known phenomenon like some say Leland, Alexa Wooward, John Vinyard, and Lost River/Old River, the universe smiled on Adam Hilton and his group Linen Closet. Or rather, Linen Closet smiled on the universe.

I have seen Linen Closet play only a few times. Perhaps a byproduct of their rarity, each performance is different in instrumentation and dynamics but always special, always heart wrenching. Adam’s voice sounds to me like a morning light revelation, something impossible to share with anyone, the peeking in of self after days of not knowing. When he lets loose I feel suspended and alive; I remember what music is for.

Linen Closet’s exceptionally reserved players include John Vinyard, Travis Austin, Aaron Castillo, Justin Boyle, Henna Chou, Sara Berger, Lauren McMurray and Ethan Greene. I recorded the show with an AMS Soundfield Microphone (thanks Larry!). Expect an EP from Linen Closet very soon…

Linen Closet on Myspace

Buy the EP BRIGHT WING here:

http://linencloset.bandcamp.com/album/bright-wing