It was by complete chance that I came across this release. The chain of events that led me to it are not worthy of a mention, honest. My initial thoughts were that I must have missed something somewhere, I did. There’s nothing worse than finding a release to get all excited about to then plug it into google to realise you were sat on the wrong side of the wall at the curtain call. Anyway, that aside, I’ll put my annoyance aside and get back to Clogs. I’ll get over it.
Clogs are four musicians from the U.S. and Australia whose work traverses time and place and through which seemingly disparate influences are seamlessly drawn in. They compose and improvise using sounds and textures from across the musical spectrum—the immediacy of folk and rock music, twisted Americana, the complexity of modern composition.
This is their fifth album and they have really gone to town on the guests: Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond, Sufjan Stevens, and Aaron Dessner and Matt Berninger of The National. OK, the addition of Matt and Aaron is no surprise really as Padma Newsome of The National is a permanent members of Clogs. This is a truly beautiful album. I loved it!
-tracklist-
1. Cocodrillo (feat. Shara Worden)
2. I Used to Do
3. On the Edge (feat. Shara Worden) download
[audio:http://www.clogsmusic.com/mp3/clogs_on_the_edge.mp3|titles=On the Edge|artists=Clogs]
4. Red Seas
[audio:http://www.box.net/shared/static/xsbei8jepr.mp3|titles=Red Seas|artists=Clogs]
5. The Owl of Love (feat. Shara Worden)
6. Adages of Cleansing (feat. Shara Worden)
7. Last Song (feat. Matt Berninger)
8. To Hugo
9. Raise the Flag (feat. Shara Worden)
10. We Were Here (feat. Sufjan Stevens and Shara Worden)
Bio:
Bryce Dessner – Guitar
Bryce Dessner (US) performs as a solo classical guitarist and in rock & new music settings on the electric guitar. He has been a featured artist at the New York Guitar Festival, including a commission for the 2006 Festival. In 2008, his first large-scale ensemble composition, Rafael, was premiered at The Kitchen. Last year, Bryce collaborated with brother Aaron Dessner and visual artist Matthew Ritchie to create The Long Count, an origins story told in myth, music and video, commissioned by BAM for the 2009 Next Wave Festival.
Bryce is perhaps best known as a guitarist with The National. The National’s critically acclaimed fourth album, Boxer (Beggars Banquet, 2007) generated two years of extensive touring throughout the world. Their newest album is currently in production for release later this year.
Also active as a music curator, Bryce has programmed the festival line-ups for MusicNow in Cincinnati since its inception in 2006, and is also involved in programming for the 2010 Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Bryce has performed and collaborated with some of the world’s leading musicians including cellist Erik Friedlander, composer Michael Gordon, pianist/composer Philip Glass, Kronos Quartet, Bang on a Can All-Stars and others.
Rachael Elliot – Bassoon
Rachael Elliott (US), bassoon, is a founding member of Clogs and an active chamber musician in classical & contemporary music. In addition to Clogs, she is a member of Tuple, Heliand Trio and the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble. She produces the biennial Bassoon Project in Burlington, VT with an ear toward new & modern repertoire. For more information on her upcoming concerts & activities, visit www.bassoonproject.org.
Thomas Kozumplik – Percussion
Thomas Kozumplik (US), percussionist, is an active performer in many musical styles, appearing with his percussion group, Loop 2.4.3, as a solo artist, and as a guest with orchestras, chamber groups, jazz combos, and popular music groups. In the current concert season, Thomas has given concerts and master classes at such venues as The University of Connecticut, The University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Dayton University, The University of Bowling Green, Mott College, and Chicago’s Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, and has been presented by the Composer’s Concordance (NYC), The MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music, and New Haven Worx. A strong proponent of new music, he has given numerous world premiere performances and has recorded many new works, including those by such prize-winning composers as David Maslanka and David Gillingham. Thomas has appeared at the Prague Music Festival, Montreux/Detroit Jazz Festival, Notre Dame Jazz Festival, the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and at conventions for the Percussive Arts Society and the International Association of Jazz Educators. He performs regularly in New York with Loop 2.4.3, the Ron Parmentier trio, and Uncle Jimmy’s Dirty Basement.
Thomas was a member of the world renowned Robert Hohner Percussion Ensemble with whom he toured extensively and appeared on seven highly acclaimed recordings, which included work with guest artists such as Joe Morello, Bob Mintzer (the Yellow Jackets), and Grammy-Winner Dave Samuels. In addition to his work with Mr. Hohner, Thomas has studied with the marimba virtuoso Robert van Sice and performed in master classes with George Crumb, Steve Reich, Zoltan Racz, and Cloyd Duff.
Padma Newsome – Viola
Padma Newsome (Australian) is a composer, performer (violin/viola/voice), and arranger. He was recently named a 2004 Commissioning and Residency award recipient from the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University. Padma is currently developing a new series of pieces for Clogs.
He has a broad musical palette, composing for traditional small and large ensemble, electro-acoustic media, and improvised chamber ensemble. His works have been performed by ensembles such as the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of Melbourne, the Locrian Chamber Players, and the Da Capo Chamber Players.
Padma is a founding member and composer of Clogs, and has also performed with the Seymour Group, Fresh Air, Eggplant, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, working under numerous conductors such as Sir Christopher Hogwood, Sir Charles Makkerras, and Stuart Challender.
Other commissions and grants include an Artists Fellowship from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, the Australia Council for the Arts, the Vermont Arts Council, Fulbright Post-graduate Award, Symphony Australia, Arts SA, the Helpmann Academy, and numerous private commissions.
Buy CD: Amazon UK
