“Since 2003, Brown Bird has brought subtly disturbing lyrics dressed in soothing harmonies to living rooms, art galleries, and clubs in New England and beyond; however, an ever-darkening orchestral trend has been slowly creeping into their sound.”
Today they are going to playing at Battery Park in Burlington as part of B(e) Mused
Sometime between 3pm and 6pm, depending on the lineup of the event.
In the last 2 months, I’ve seen them two times.
Today, I’ll make it 3 times in 3 months.
And I’ve barely left my block each time.
1st at the Monkey Bar in Winooski when they played with Micah Blue Smaldone.
An interesting show, a rough mix with the folks that lingered in off of the streets. At times it was hard to hear both Brown Birds set and Micahs because of the folks that rolled in off the streets after the fire works. We sat front and center so we could hear all that was going on.
I definitely enjoyed my first taste of tunes but hoped I’d have the chance to see them in a better suited setting
2nd time was upstairs at Metronome after Visitations played a set in downtown Burlington.
A much more quiet and intimate affair. Sounded amazing. This time through I was able to grasp all the sounds and the layers of instrumentation that were muffled and drowned out at the previous show.
We sat on the floor of Metronome and just took it all in.
The Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Cello, and even some kick drum from the lead guitarist/ singer David.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
FREE!
Come on out in the crap humidity today!
The other two acts performing today are
Nuda Veritas and Pale Moon Dun
Brown Bird are super nice folks, and their guitarist/vocalist/banjoist etc. David took some time to answer a few questions we threw their way regarding how they came to be, how Burlington has become a welcoming home for them, and their plans for future recordings.
Heres a glimpse.
Nick I’ve read that the band formed once you had returned from Seattle and rehashed playing music with Jerusha and Jeremy. Had you all been in similar bands to Brown Bird prior to this or was this a great departure from your previous musical collaborations with one another?
David
Jeremy and I first started playing music together in a band that was heavily influenced by brit pop. Jeremy played bass and I played drums. After that we formed a couple of other bands together that were more experimental and indie rock based. Jerusha and I started playing music on an island where we worked summers together, mostly playing acoustic covers by bands like yo la tengo, neutral milk hotel and such. Jerusha joined Jeremy and I in a band called Boat when we all lived in Portland, Maine until I moved away to Seattle. Seattle is where I started focusing on my song writing and I played lots of open mics and one show under the name Brown Bird. In the mean time Jeremy and Jerusha had gotten married and started their own band called South China. I moved back to Portland and we set up a bunch of shows together. I played drums sometimes with them and they helped accompany me on some of my songs. Eventually Jeremy and Jerusha became permanent fixtures in Brown Bird.
Nick B(e) Mused? Could you shed a little light on how this came about and who the other folks playing are? If you’ve collaborated with them in the past? I have had the chance to see Nudas Veritas peform and shes lovely.
David
Rebecca (Nuda Veritas) had been asking us to play in Burlington for a while, so we came up to play the Radio Bean back in May. We played that show with Pale Morning Dunn, and it was around that time that Rebecca set up the B(e) Mused show.
Nick Have you tried to make Burlington a regular spot for touring, or has it simply recently proved to be a spot that has welcomed you and taken a great interest in your music? I repeatedly check out your website or read the local paper and see that you are coming to town.
David
We have enjoyed playing shows in the Burlington area so when the opportunity comes up to play a show there we make a point to take it. We hope to generate a great deal of interest in our music in Burlington, we feel very much at home there.
Nick Such Unrest, your most recent album I believe was just released this past year. Was it a long time in the making? Are there plans already for the follow up?
David
Such Unrest was recorded over a period of several months last year in Brattleboro,VT, Ocean Park, ME and Boston, MA. Most of the songs had been around for a while and we’d been playing them at our live shows for most of the year leading up to the recording. Before the release of Such Unrest in April, we were invited into the studio by Ron Harrity, to participate in a 2 day recording project called the Map Room Sessions. The result was an hour long cd of improvised music that sounds like an elongated version of our usual selves, complete with improvised vocals and lyrics. Our Map Room Sessions will be released on Ron’s Portland based Peapod label this coming fall. Beyond that we have a whole slew of new songs that we’ve been working on and slowly incorporating into our live sets.
NickCould yall recommend any tunes that you have been listening to that everyone else should know about. I feel as though your album is one ill recommend and pass on to others that i run into. What are some current faves you’ve come across on your tours and shows in the last few months?
David
Some bands that we’ve been loving lately are Elizabeth Butters, Liza Kate, Micah Blue Smaldone, A Hawk and A Hacksaw,
Matt Bauer, Annie Palmer, Flying, Dead Elephant Bicycle,Marvin Pontiac, Marie Sioux, The Accident That Led Me To the World and countless others.
Nick Lastly, I feel as though I continue to read about different scenes emerging in countless cities across the country where large groups of musicians are sharing space and all breaking out into their respective scenes. I read yesterday how the Dirty Projectors,
Vampire Weekend, Castanets and Phosphorescent, and a handful of other bands live/perform/ practice in the same building. All bands that Ive come across at different times at different places, all coming from the same spot. Do you feel as though Brown Bird fits in with a certain scene of bands in either Portland or Boston?
David
We’ve always sort of floated on the perimeters of scenes. We’ve made very good friends with many different bands but we still don’t get party invitations.
Heres the general info. Hope to see you all there.
August, 25 2007 at B(e) Mused
Battery Street Waterfront Park Bandshell, Burlington, Vermont
Cost : Free
Four acts take the stage in a free concert: Eli Geller, keyboards; VJ Guarino on banjo and whatever band he scares up between now and then; Nuda Veritas; brownbird Music from 6PM-9PM.
ANGIOPLASTY MEDIA 