[mp3] Hook Moon // Fear (with Alex McDonald)

Tag Archive: Black Elk Speaks

[mp3] Hook Moon // Fear (with Alex McDonald)

Written on September 1, 2011 by Andy in Local, Music

We’ve talked about Hook Moon before; they’re an offshoot of Black Elk Speaks, who, if you’ve followed the blog for a while, should be familiar to you as well. They played a show of ours last October, and they’ve sent over their various side projects since we met them. (They’re side projects because half the band moved to New York City while the other half is still located around here. I believe that’s going to change soon, but I’m not certain when.) Anyway, Hook Moon is Jack Frederick and Gavin Price, and where Black Elk Speaks is kind of experimental blues-garage fusion, Hook Moon is more experimental pop in the vein of Animal Collective and all its members’ side projects.

Jack sent along the duo’s new track, a kind of acoustic, glitchy number with competing voices throughout the whole thing. The guys description of their own music nails what I would want to say about it: “echo trills at the edge of a cave, suggesting the presence of a great force existing deep within the breathing earth.” It doesn’t get much more perfect than that.

Jack also informed me that the duo will be back in Rochester to play a show on September 21st at Bug Jar – the night before our just announced show with The Static Jacks – so it looks like it’s going to be a busy week for me. I’m excited.

Connect with Hook Moon // Facebook | web

Hook Moon // Fear (with Alex MacDonald) [mp3]

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[mp3] Mister James Diver // Fire & Brandy

Written on June 13, 2011 by Andy in Music

The guys in Black Elk Speaks are a busy bunch; with two of the members of the band living in New York City (and performing under the Hook Moon moniker), the two guys left in Rochester – John and Nick – aren’t content to sit idly by. They sent along their recent musical output – a three song EP called Money Faces released as Mister James Diver.

Money Faces bears all the hallmarks of Black Elk Speaks material, with a penchant for the offbeat both lyrically and musically; this one descends into shouting and wailing at points, but mostly it feels like it’s the product of an evening’s jam session; the guys seem like they played the EP as a single long session, recorded it and subsequently broke it up into manageable pieces. There’s snippets of conversation filling in the gaps between the songs while they switch instruments which lends credence to my theory, but that’s neither here nor there. The music itself is allowed to develop at its own pace, ebbing and flowing as the EP progresses; as a result, the three songs are best digested as a single listen.

If you’re around Rochester, Mister James Diver has a show this coming weekend – the 18th – at Flying Squirrel Community Space. John tells me that this may be Mister James Diver’s only show, but I hope that’s not the case since I’m going to have to miss it. You can head over to the band’s Bandcamp page to grab the other two songs to the EP, and get the first track from it – “Fire & Brandy” – below.

Mister James Diver // Fire & Brandy [mp3] from Money Faces

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[mp3] New from Black Elk Speaks // Fukushima

Written on April 3, 2011 by Andy in Local, Music

The boys in Black Elk Speaks announced new music on their Facebook a couple of weeks ago, which turned out to be a (free) five-song EP entitled Meltdown. The whole release is marked by the band’s penchant for oddity; they can go from sounding like a lounge act to hip-hop over the course of the song. Their loose nature allows them to incorporate any influence they choose at any point. If they want to play jazz fusion for a while, they do it.

And while their free range style is on display for the majority of the EP, the real centerpiece here is the nearly eight-minute “Fukushima.” I don’t know if the band has any personal connection to the prefecture or their current crisis beyond the concern we all share, but the sprawling track that shares the same name is as good an expression of solidarity as any of the others.

We talked about the side project of a couple of the members of the band, Hook Moon, not too long ago, but it’s nice to hear that the four of them are still playing and recording together, despite the fact that half of the band now resides in New York City. Head to their Tumblr to download the whole thing. Just click on the cover with Marion Crane.

Connect with Black Elk Speaks // Facebook | Twitter | web

Black Elk Speaks // Fukushima [mp3] from Meltdown EP

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[mp3] Introducing // Hook Moon

Written on March 29, 2011 by Rich in Local, Music

l [mp3] Introducing // Hook Moon

I’m always excited to listen to bands that come out of my hometown of Rochester, and even more excited when they hail from the same town as my alma mater, Geneseo. Black Elk Speaks made their debut on tympanogram back in September and have since been workhorses when it has come to getting their name out around the Rochester area and beyond.

Six months after the inaugural tympanogram post and a spawn has emerged from the Black Elk in the form of Hook Moon – a two-man act made up of Gavin Price and Jack Frederick. The sound that they have crafted is not a stark contrast to Black Elk Speaks, but it shines a light on what’s perhaps a darker, more brooding side of quartet.

Hook Moon has a mood that seems fitting in a dimly lit lounge, with red lights providing the dull glow. A collage of instruments make up each of the six songs on their self-titled debut E.P., tattooing characteristics in each piece so that no song can be confused with the one following or preceding. Whether it is the xylophone mixed with electronics in “Patience,” acoustic ladened electro-folk in “Patton’s Final March,” or crooning lo-fi vocals mixed with the twang of guitars in “Ghost Town,” these two guys know how to pull you into their story. And it all begins by setting the scene and tone.

Their debut is well-worth a listen and you can grab it for free on their website. And while you’re there, be sure to check out Black Elk Speaks if you haven’t heard them either. They fall more on the rock side of things, but bring as many different instruments and sounds to the mix as Hook Moon does, and are just as enjoyable to listen to.

Connect with Hook Moon: MySpace | Facebook | web

Connect with Black Elk Speaks: MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | web

Hook Moon // Ghost Town [mp3] from Hook Moon EP

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[mp3/concert] tympanogram presents… Friday, October 22

Written on September 24, 2010 by Andy in Live, Local, Music

We’ve already announced two of the three bands who are playing our upcoming Tympanogram Presents show at Bug Jar on Friday, October 22, but if you’ve either missed it, or haven’t been paying attention, let’s recap:

Opening the show is Rochester’s Black Elk Speaks, followed by Hosannas, who are out of Portland, Oregon. And while that would have been a great show in and of itself, we booked a third band just yesterday who we’re extremely excited to add to the bill: Toronto’s Young Empires.

The show is going to be $6 – a pittance for the amount of excellent music you’re going to hear. There’s no ticket presale; if you show up at Bug Jar on the night of the show, it’ll still be $6. (Unless you’re under 21, in which case it’ll cost you $8.) So, come on out, have some drinks with us and listen to a triumvirate of great bands.

We’d like to thank Tim at Bug Jar for letting us bring shows in and giving us a kickass place to do it, and we’re looking forward to doing it more often from here on out. Our next shows are already in the works, so be on the lookout for future announcements regarding those.

In the meantime, check out a track from each of the bands right here to get you in the mood, and if you have questions/need information, feel free to get in touch. We’re excited. We hope you are too.

Black Elk Speaks – Chain Gang (mp3) from Cycle One EP

Hosannas – When We Were Young (mp3)

Young Empires – Against the Wall (mp3)

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