Hospitality (SOLD OUT)
Glass Ghost, Dustin Wong (from Ponytail & Ecstatic Sunshine)
Fri, February 3, 2012
Doors: 8:30 pm / Show: 8:30 pm
Glasslands Gallery
Brooklyn, NY
$10.00
Sold Out
This event is 21 and over
http://www.popgunbooking.com/event/78485/Hospitality (SOLD OUT)
The angular, intricate, and intelligent compositions of Hospitality signal a sophisticated new pop voice. Singer Amber Papini’s idiosyncratic songwriting and incisive lyrics coupled with the band’s rich arrangements on their self-titled debut explore youth, New York, and the bittersweet commingling of past and present in a way that feels just right, right now.
From the opening phrase of “Eighth Avenue,” guitar hooks are balanced with a cultivated melody. Papini’s singing has a wisp of an English accent via Kansas City (she learned to sing by imitating Richard Butler on The Psychedelic Furs’ Talk Talk Talk) and her lyrics create a moonstruck, even cinematic vision of New York City, where the band formed in 2007. The production by Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells) and band member Nathan Michel (guitar, drums, keyboards), who released his share of experimental “bedroom” pop, culminating in 2005’s The Beast (Skipp/Sonig), imbues the entire record with an intimate yet prodigious sound, layering period keyboards with horns, synthesizers, and treated guitars.
Hospitality the album has an overarching vision and should be listened to as a whole, though every song registers as a single. (Will Merge take a cue from Epic’s Thriller campaign and release seven singles? They should!) “Friends of Friends” could break the Hot 100 with its heavy intro, swingin’ breakdown, and horn riffs; “Betty Wang,” the lynchpin of their live set a few years back, is impossibly catchy, the story of one of Papini’s real-life colleagues at a financial day job; and “The Right Profession” is a power-pop burst of an anthem with Papini chanting the immortal line, “It’s hard to change!” (Isn’t it?) And “The Birthday,” with a sinuous, dissonant lead guitar, the lockstep rhythm of the drums, and Brian Betancourt’s nimble bass, wouldn’t be out of place on The Police’s debut record, but its epic coda makes it decidedly CinemaScope. Hospitality, while hearkening back to ’70s/’80s pop—both Elvis Costello and Kate Bush are influences—has an ambitious vision: its big promise is nowhere more evident than on the gorgeous anthem “Julie,” the album’s centerpiece which already sounds like a classic. The song’s lush, glorious build is coupled with lyrics inspired by Papini’s great-grandfather, a Pennsylvania coalminer.
Reprising some songs from a self-released 2008 EP recorded by Karl Blau (K Records) allows Hospitality to nod to its beginnings as a more lo-fi outfit; that early intimacy can be found in the arrangement of the cheeky and distinctly NC-17 “Liberal Arts.” Since recording its LP, the band has become a quartet, filling out its live sound with Kyle Olson on drums and Michel moving to lead guitar duties. And after patiently honing its craft, playing concerts (and gaining converts), Hospitality has reached what will be its first apex with many more heights to come; from their modest debut in a Red Hook row house, the band has evolved from four-track low-fidelity to a luxury five-star future.
For their forthcoming debut LP (due in January), Hospitality have widened the iris with the help of producer Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells), letting in new colors and textures while continuing to pack an impressive degree of musical and lyrical sophistication into the pop song structure, along with a refreshing fondness for experimentation that should turn the heads of casual listeners and merciless critics alike.
Since recording, Michel has traded his trap kit for electric guitar (an instrument he’s been known to wield on his various brilliant solo efforts [Google him]), and the band has added drummer Kyle Olson to the lineup, transforming the once minimalist trio into a fully orchestrated quartet with quite the engaging live show.
From the opening phrase of “Eighth Avenue,” guitar hooks are balanced with a cultivated melody. Papini’s singing has a wisp of an English accent via Kansas City (she learned to sing by imitating Richard Butler on The Psychedelic Furs’ Talk Talk Talk) and her lyrics create a moonstruck, even cinematic vision of New York City, where the band formed in 2007. The production by Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells) and band member Nathan Michel (guitar, drums, keyboards), who released his share of experimental “bedroom” pop, culminating in 2005’s The Beast (Skipp/Sonig), imbues the entire record with an intimate yet prodigious sound, layering period keyboards with horns, synthesizers, and treated guitars.
Hospitality the album has an overarching vision and should be listened to as a whole, though every song registers as a single. (Will Merge take a cue from Epic’s Thriller campaign and release seven singles? They should!) “Friends of Friends” could break the Hot 100 with its heavy intro, swingin’ breakdown, and horn riffs; “Betty Wang,” the lynchpin of their live set a few years back, is impossibly catchy, the story of one of Papini’s real-life colleagues at a financial day job; and “The Right Profession” is a power-pop burst of an anthem with Papini chanting the immortal line, “It’s hard to change!” (Isn’t it?) And “The Birthday,” with a sinuous, dissonant lead guitar, the lockstep rhythm of the drums, and Brian Betancourt’s nimble bass, wouldn’t be out of place on The Police’s debut record, but its epic coda makes it decidedly CinemaScope. Hospitality, while hearkening back to ’70s/’80s pop—both Elvis Costello and Kate Bush are influences—has an ambitious vision: its big promise is nowhere more evident than on the gorgeous anthem “Julie,” the album’s centerpiece which already sounds like a classic. The song’s lush, glorious build is coupled with lyrics inspired by Papini’s great-grandfather, a Pennsylvania coalminer.
Reprising some songs from a self-released 2008 EP recorded by Karl Blau (K Records) allows Hospitality to nod to its beginnings as a more lo-fi outfit; that early intimacy can be found in the arrangement of the cheeky and distinctly NC-17 “Liberal Arts.” Since recording its LP, the band has become a quartet, filling out its live sound with Kyle Olson on drums and Michel moving to lead guitar duties. And after patiently honing its craft, playing concerts (and gaining converts), Hospitality has reached what will be its first apex with many more heights to come; from their modest debut in a Red Hook row house, the band has evolved from four-track low-fidelity to a luxury five-star future.
For their forthcoming debut LP (due in January), Hospitality have widened the iris with the help of producer Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells), letting in new colors and textures while continuing to pack an impressive degree of musical and lyrical sophistication into the pop song structure, along with a refreshing fondness for experimentation that should turn the heads of casual listeners and merciless critics alike.
Since recording, Michel has traded his trap kit for electric guitar (an instrument he’s been known to wield on his various brilliant solo efforts [Google him]), and the band has added drummer Kyle Olson to the lineup, transforming the once minimalist trio into a fully orchestrated quartet with quite the engaging live show.
Glass Ghost
Mike and Eliot met at a wedding gig. They shared a moment of absurdity as the bride and groom danced in zombie-like motions across the hotel’s shiny ballroom floor. For their next gig, the two played in Best of Boston, a loose-jawed jazz band that performed at such odd venues as the clothing store Louis Boston, VFW halls, and community centers for ex-convicts and for kids.
Eliot moved to New York and Mike moved to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. In 2005, Eliot co-created the band Flying and Mike joined soon after. In March 2008, Flying had dissipated. Inspired by jam sessions that took place under Mike’s loft bed, Eliot and Mike formed Glass Ghost. They quickly discovered that the music was able to speak even with only two band-members, yet they made it a point to strive for bigger sounds using only keyboards, drums and vocals.
In the summer of 2008, in a brownstone in Fort Greene, Glass Ghost recorded the album now known as Idol Omen with producer Tyler Wood, (Joan as Police Women, Luke Temple, Chester French). Idol Omen, (which features Sheinkopf on some tracks), was released in October of 2009 on Western Vinyl recordings. The song “Like a Diamond” was featured on the final episode of the HBO show Bored To Death. Jason Schwartzman makes out with a girl while the smoke from his joint fills the room; in the background are the sounds of Glass Ghost. In 2009, Glass Ghost toured the country with White Rabbits and played shows with Deerhoof, Dirty Projectors, and Here We Go Magic. Glass Ghost is currently gearing up for a new album.
"The overall tone of the band's debut album, "Idol Omen," is one of gorgeous patience and stepping lightly into this new world that's painted silver and frozen blue, white and light pink, a world that begins and ends with someone before a fire, trying to warm themselves back to an operative state, where they can enjoy the tea that's on the stove, the laughter and fresh air in the distance and the way that it makes you feel to recover from a numbing" - Daytrotter
Eliot moved to New York and Mike moved to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. In 2005, Eliot co-created the band Flying and Mike joined soon after. In March 2008, Flying had dissipated. Inspired by jam sessions that took place under Mike’s loft bed, Eliot and Mike formed Glass Ghost. They quickly discovered that the music was able to speak even with only two band-members, yet they made it a point to strive for bigger sounds using only keyboards, drums and vocals.
In the summer of 2008, in a brownstone in Fort Greene, Glass Ghost recorded the album now known as Idol Omen with producer Tyler Wood, (Joan as Police Women, Luke Temple, Chester French). Idol Omen, (which features Sheinkopf on some tracks), was released in October of 2009 on Western Vinyl recordings. The song “Like a Diamond” was featured on the final episode of the HBO show Bored To Death. Jason Schwartzman makes out with a girl while the smoke from his joint fills the room; in the background are the sounds of Glass Ghost. In 2009, Glass Ghost toured the country with White Rabbits and played shows with Deerhoof, Dirty Projectors, and Here We Go Magic. Glass Ghost is currently gearing up for a new album.
"The overall tone of the band's debut album, "Idol Omen," is one of gorgeous patience and stepping lightly into this new world that's painted silver and frozen blue, white and light pink, a world that begins and ends with someone before a fire, trying to warm themselves back to an operative state, where they can enjoy the tea that's on the stove, the laughter and fresh air in the distance and the way that it makes you feel to recover from a numbing" - Daytrotter
Dustin Wong (from Ponytail & Ecstatic Sunshine)
Dustin Wong, like many of us, dove into the world of music and art as an unhappy youth looking to rebel against certain ideals and "absolute truths" that contrasted his own beliefs. A twisting path of punk discovery and a growing respect for sonic visionaries like Jimi Hendrix, Brian Wilson, John Fahey, and Brian Eno led Dustin to further pursue his muse. He eventually wound up at the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he met and co-founded the critically acclaimed band Ponytail. In addition to his film studies, Dustin was also a founding member of Ecstatic Sunshine, whose music hinted more at the direction he would eventually take in this his solo debut.
On August 18th 2009 the proposition of playing a solo show (August 18th, whose numerical meaning has since taken on a special meaning to Dustin as "a gleam of time between two eternities") was set before him by a friend. Dustin didn't have any material to perform, and had never before performed solo. Excited by the proposition, he sat down and started writing what would become the first 15 minutes of Infinite Love. Taking inspiration from something John Fahey once said, "I was playing guitar but I heard an orchestra in my head. So I was really composing for a full orchestra”, Dustin was deeply moved and inspired by this way of thinking about the creative process. It had a profound effect on his working with one instrument on many melodic and literal layers as well as emotional ones. Working with a simple assembly of pedals: an octave, distortion, loop, envelope filter, and a couple of delays, Dustin began to take this idea and make it his own.
In most cases his compositions start with a simple repeating melody. Dustin slowly fills the space between each note with layered and looped guitar phrases, and continues to build on this pattern until his "orchestra" fully blooms. While the textures vary greatly, the sound never becomes a cacophony, but rather a delicate web-like base to suspend his various melodic lines from. The looped layers are then further manipulated via the pedals to have an evolving set of meter and timbres for the aural narrative. The only instrument apart from guitar is a sparingly used drum machine.
On August 18th 2009 the proposition of playing a solo show (August 18th, whose numerical meaning has since taken on a special meaning to Dustin as "a gleam of time between two eternities") was set before him by a friend. Dustin didn't have any material to perform, and had never before performed solo. Excited by the proposition, he sat down and started writing what would become the first 15 minutes of Infinite Love. Taking inspiration from something John Fahey once said, "I was playing guitar but I heard an orchestra in my head. So I was really composing for a full orchestra”, Dustin was deeply moved and inspired by this way of thinking about the creative process. It had a profound effect on his working with one instrument on many melodic and literal layers as well as emotional ones. Working with a simple assembly of pedals: an octave, distortion, loop, envelope filter, and a couple of delays, Dustin began to take this idea and make it his own.
In most cases his compositions start with a simple repeating melody. Dustin slowly fills the space between each note with layered and looped guitar phrases, and continues to build on this pattern until his "orchestra" fully blooms. While the textures vary greatly, the sound never becomes a cacophony, but rather a delicate web-like base to suspend his various melodic lines from. The looped layers are then further manipulated via the pedals to have an evolving set of meter and timbres for the aural narrative. The only instrument apart from guitar is a sparingly used drum machine.
Venue Information:
Glasslands Gallery
289 Kent Avenue
Brooklyn, NY, 11211
http://glasslands.blogspot.com/
Glasslands Gallery
289 Kent Avenue
Brooklyn, NY, 11211
http://glasslands.blogspot.com/