Newspaper Page Text
MIKE WHITE deadlydesigns.com
Soda
Celebrating the Release of
O ne of the joys of recorded music
is that it offers both the artist
and the listener an alternative to
the fleeting nature of music in a
live setting. Concert-going consists mainly
of experiencing the music on stage without
the chance to recall that experience again,
but listening to records is more complex
because records isolate the source of experi
ence. Listening to a record more than once,
you react differently each time, though what
causes your reaction—the music—stays con
stant. Repeated listening allows you to reflect
on the source of experience by creating a
never-ending succession of new experiences.
You grow familiar with a record through reac
tions that are, to an extent, always unfamiliar.
All this to say that Grape Soda's debut
record. Form a Sign, serves as both a faith
ful document of the band's live show and a
cohesive statement in its own right. While the
record's success derives in no small part from
the pair's considerable talents, singer/organist
Mat Lewis also credits the recording process.
"We had always practiced and recorded in a
room in my house, and we met somebody, Bill
Fortenberry, [who] came and recorded a live
set-up of ours. He had this really cool portable
rig, [and] we really liked the way it sounded
in that big room. We had to take breaks
for noise violations, [but] we basically just
recorded the album over three days and over
the next few months..." The result is a record
that "stays truer to a fast-paced live set."
The duo, which consists of Mat on keys
and vocals and brother Ryan Lewis on drums,
have had plenty of opportunity to hone their
craft. Since forming in 2008, Grape Soda has
piayed frequently at venues around town.
The chemistry between the brothers lends an
added bombast to the concise pop songs they
play. Organ and drums interact with impressive
precision, leaving no'empty space. The nature
of a two-man-band allows for this dynamic.
As Mat explains, "It makes each person's role
in the band that much more important." Also
important is the brothers' history of work
ing with one another: "It's a lot easier to
have someone who you've known and worked
creatively with for so many years v/ho knows
what you're trying to say, especially with
something as abstract as music."
The music's structure reflects the pared-
down setup of the group. As Mat puts it, "It's
minimalist in terms of the songs. Maybe two
of them are over three minutes. We try and
take an approach that is the shortest distance
to where we want to go."
Though this formula works well for Grape
Soda, the band is not averse to changing
things up. To that end, this Friday's release
show at the Caledonia Lounge will feature an
expanded line-up. The band will be joined
by prominent local musicians Jace B, at,
Luke Fields and Jeff Tobias. Mat explains
the reasoning behind the change in terms
of exploring more options. "I think that a
problem any duo will have, especially if that
duo does not include a bassist, is that people
will tell you, 'Oh, you guys should really have
a fuller sound; you should get a bassist in
there; you should have a guitar.' We wanted to
have a record release show that was fun and
a big deal—not because it was arbitrary, but
because we were doing something new and
exciting. The idea may originally have been
Luke's. We wanted to explore the untapped
potential of a full band."
The songs on Form a Sign benefit from
added touches that are, of necessity, absent
from the live show. These additions serve to
round out the sound, providing the listener
with a more varied experience of the record.
The crowd this Friday can expect something
similar from the five-man incarnation of Grape
Soda, a new context in which the songs can
expand and take on new shapes. That isn't
to say, however, that adding bandmembers
doesn't present other difficulties. "It's funny
having full band practices; we load our gear in
for every practice and we set up. With me and
Ryan, we drink a beer, go through the set a
few times and, boom, we're done."
Marshall Yarbrough
WHO: Srape Soda,
The Hew Sound of Numbers, Dead Dog
WHERE: Caledonia Lounge
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 25.10 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $5 (21+),$7 (18+)
v
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FEBRUARY 23,2011 • FLAGPOLE.COM 15