Listen To B-Sides From Baobab's Upcoming EP "In 7.59 Billion Years, We're All Gonna Die"

I've made no attempts at hiding my fanboy-isms for Durham's Baobab.  Phil Torres brilliantly blends an electronic approach with traditional folk sentiments to create a sleek finished product.  Baobab has already released one of my favorite albums of 2013 with BAYOHBAHB, but the songwriter isn't quite done yet, as we'll be getting an EP later this year with the bleak title of In 7.59 Billion Years, We're All Gonna Die.  For those of you that checked out my interview with Phil on WKNC's Artist of the Month feature back in February, this is no news to you.  However, it is exciting to hear previews of the upcoming EP in these b-sides from the forthcoming release.

These two new tracks showcase to very different sides of the prolific Durham artist, one highlights Torres' innate ability to craft free-flowing melodies with a particular sense of nonchalance while the second track brilliantly brings attention to his ability to build a dense, atmospheric soundscape to immerse yourself in.

"The Boy Shot The Man With The Gun" is the lead-off track for this short collection of B-Sides, it opens with a bare-boned acoustic riff and gradually builds into a rich track filled with reverb-washed harmonies, mood-building whistling and bright melodies that perfectly counteract the darker lyricism.  The song toys with rustic influences re-packaged with a contemporary approach, smooth slides provide grand dynamics while the ending vocal refrain nods towards gospel influences.

"We Exist In The Present (But Only Ever Experience The Past)" shows off Torres' intellectual, heady approach to his music.  Field recordings of rushing water and reversed synth lines add an atmospheric blend of texture to this tune, taking the backseat to a vocal exploration of astrophysics and Earth's relation to the universe that surrounds it.  The title of the track suddenly morphs into an explanation of this speech as the song goes on, the importance of the music and vocal sample trading off.  By the time the track is fading away with a simple guitar riff, the listener feels as if they've undergone an aural adventure into the depths of not only their mind, but the world that surrounds them.

If this is what we can expect from Baobab's upcoming EP then color me excited.  Listen to the new tracks below:

The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1

After a long wait the day is finally here!  I'm incredibly appreciative of all of the wonderful artists who were gracious enough to contribute their music for this compilation.  It's been a long time coming, and while some tracks that I adored didn't make the cut for complicated reasons I'm still very proud to present these eleven songs from some of my favorite North Carolina artists.

As a preface to this, there was a gorgeous Baobab track that was slotted for this compilation that wasn't available for streaming on Soundcloud due to copyright issues with Hand Eye Records.  Sadly the business side gets tied up in these things sometimes, but alas you can soak up the entrancing sounds of "Ganymede" below:



For the rest of the tracks though you can look towards our Soundcloud page.  Since January I've been contacting local acts from across North Carolina and requesting them to contribute tracks, be they old or new for this compilation.  The reception was overwhelming to say the least.  On top of my favorite musicians contributing tracks, the incredibly talented Dan Barbour lended a hand in the project as well by producing the beautiful artwork (which is actually hanging in my room now.)

I must thank everyone involved once again for their contributions.  It's been a treat putting this release together and I can't wait to bring you more!  Below you can find the entire tracklist with a brief summary of the artists.

The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1 to be released April 9th

The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1
will be released on April 9, 2013
Artwork by Dan Barbour

No, this isn't some poorly organized April Fools joke.  Next Tuesday I will finally release the long-awaited, heavily labored over compilation that features some of my absolute favorite up and coming artists in the state.  It's been a mighty long, but incredibly invigorating process of getting all of these tracks together but I'm so excited to share all of this with you guys.  While it may be coming a bit later than expected, it's given me an actual grasp on how long it can take to get these things together!

When I started The Bottom String I did it because I wanted to be able to share the local music that I love with people I care about.  Nearly three years have passed since then and this has blossomed into something far greater than I could have imagined and it brings me great amounts of pride to know that so many people care about this incredibly talented crew of musicians that call North Carolina home.  While this may be the first compilation we release, it certainly won't be the last!  It's been an absolute joy to create conversation between musicians and fans within the area and I hope to continue this process for many years to come.

Around The Triangle: Tame Impala, Virgins Family Band, Frontier Ruckus and Brand New Life

Photo by Agatha Donkar

2013 has proven to be a busy year for shows in the Triangle and it doesn't look like that tradition will be going anywhere soon.  While it's been some time since we've posted an Around The Triangle, this influx of incredible music can't go ignored!  So alas, Around The Triangle has returned once more with another stack of awesome photos from recent shows around the area.

Thanks to contributors Agatha Donkar and Emily Ritter, we've got some fantastic shots from the last few weeks of shows in the area including a sold-out Cat's Cradle show from Tame Impala, an incredible outing from Virgins Family Band for their album release, and a magical Valentine's Day performance from Frontier Ruckus.

Tame Impala w/ The Growl @ Cat's Cradle
February 21, 2013

Hear Here: February 21 - February 27

Baobab (Phil Torres & Whitney Trettien)

After a few weeks of Hear Here downtime due to that pestering obligation known as "school", it's back in full effect with an incredible week of shows.  From a sold out Tame Impala show at Cat's Cradle to a couple of highly anticipated local outins from personal favorites like Baobab and Naked Gods, there's a wide array of awesome live music for you North Carolina folks to check out.  Thankfully the shows are relatively spread out throughout the week as well, so for once there's little worry about missing one show for another or attempting to breaking the laws of time and space and being in two places at once.  Diversity and excitement is abound in the Triangle this week, so let's get to some shows!

Show of the Week: Baobab w/ Virgins Family Band @ Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC on Friday, February 22

Virgins Family Band debut "Honeylion" on The Bottom String w/ a new Bottom String Session

Honeylion by Virgins Family Band was released on
February 8, 2013.  The band will be celebrating
their album release on February 22 at Local 506
with Baobab.

Virgins Family Band are one of the most surprising acts to come from the Triangle in recent memory.  As I was scouring the web for local shows I found the Baobab double album release show with Virgins Family Band and knew that I'd be in for a treat.  However, when I first listened to Honeylion there was a visceral reaction that I wasn't expecting.  Their sweet harmonies and unpredictable melodies make each listen through an experience in which you can peel back new layers and find new moments in this music to connect with.  Ranging from frenetic soul to jazzy indie rock, Virgins Family Band have a sound unlike any other band in the state.  It's one of those bands where you can genuinely start to realize the depth of the Carolina talent pool, because seemingly from out of nowhere I've grown incredibly attached to this band.

Honeylion is as strong a statement that any band can wish to make with a debut, they've crafted a sound that's entirely unique and filled with melodic masterpieces.  Tracks like the album's opener, "Moon Breath" display the dynamic breadth displayed within this 8-track album.  Powerful rhythms drive these tunes, and they're capable of changing direction on a dime and delivering a brand new addictive melody that's filled with adventurous originality.  The best part about Honeylion though is that it always leaves you guessing, Virgins Family Band combine elements from jazz and pop music in a way that creates an inviting yet still complex soundscape that's filled with gorgeous musical moments that create for an invigorating listening experience.  The entire album is packed with fantastic musical endeavors, from the croons of "Eyes Like Troubled Dreams" to the shiver-inducing shouts that close the album in "Lily Molusco", Virgins Family Band display a mastery of dynamics and pacing.

Honeylion feels like a truly cohesive piece of work, it's difficult to not listen to this all the way through as each track beckons the listener to continue on.  The flow of Honeylion is as smooth as the title implies, this release is filled with seamless transitions and brilliant resolve.  Honeylion soundtracks my winter days and will soon do the same for my spring, mostly because it's a ubiquitous piece of music that truly feels timeless.  Honeylion has given Virgins Family Band my complete attention.  They're one of the most talented acts I've seen from North Carolina in years and I take great pride in being able to debut their first full-length.  Check out the Bottom String Session I filmed with the band below and purchase their album Honeylion on Bandcamp:

Album Review: "Baobab" by Baobab

Baobab is the self-titled self-produced debut from
Durham's Baobab, released in February 2012

There must be something in the water out here in the triangle seeing as fantastic new music has been popping up all over the place.  I became enthralled with Baobab after I came late into their set at WKNC's Double Barrel Benefit Day Party, their minimalist experimental style is compelling to say the least.  It's filled with multi-cultural influences and a wonderful blend of acoustic and electronic sounds all capped off with Phil Torres' soothing vocals and catchy melodies.

This fourteen track debut album is a self-produced gem out of Durham that combines aspects of folk, electronic, experimental, and world music.  It sounds like a conglomeration influences that could very easily produce a half-hazard release, but Baobab has outweighed my expectations completely.  Each track is a stand-out, making for phenomenal cohesion.  The juxtaposition of this wall of sound with raw acoustic guitars layered over it makes for an incredible soundscape that is far easier than expected to find yourself lost in.  Filled with reverberated worldly chants that can often sound afro-pop-ish, the duo of Baobab has done a wonderful job of making themselves stand out in the triangle music scene.  One could argue they're one of the most diverse acts in the region, while they fit a current archetype of a two-person band that sounds much fuller in studio than live, they still pull off their performances wonderfully with a backing track.