Chaz Hearne
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    • Intelligence Is Rising (2019)
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  Chaz Hearne

Chaz Thoughts

Reviews on music you may not have heard but should totally check out

My 11 Favorite Tiny Desk Concerts

1/28/2016

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I have been a huge fan of the Tiny Desk Concerts since it was a podcast that I downloaded back in 2009. NPR Music has introduced me to some of my favorite bands over the years. It's unbelievable the amount of talent they have crammed behind that desk.

This is the second year of the Tiny Desk Contest where NPR picks a winning video submission from an unsigned artist to come to their office and play their own Tiny Desk Concert. After filming my submission, I began watching the other videos on their site and I felt so thrilled that NPR gives such a great opportunity to local musicians.  This got me feeling nostalgic about some of my favorite concerts (old and new) behind the desk and I wanted to share some of my favorites.

​Here they are in no particular order.

Leon Bridges - 9.8.15

Leon Bridges sings soul. And oh my does he do it well. With a voice beyond his years over a smooth saxophone he could swoon even the most jaded listener. You can tell from the cheer when he finishes his first song that this was a concert no one in the NPR offices wanted to miss.  The comparisons to Sam Cooke are endless and completely justified.

Chris Thile and Michael Daves - 7.13.11

Chris Thile is the Tiny Desk all-star. He has done so many Tiny Desk Concerts with so many different groups. All of them are amazing but his concert with Michael Daves is still my favorite. This was my introduction to a non-Nickel Creek Chris Thile and it was the beginning of my obsession. Chris and Michael are both so talented and they have such great musical chemistry. “When was the last time you’ve traveled this light?” Bob Boilen asks them between songs. “I’ve never traveled this light,” Thile replies. They have two guitars, a mandolin and a microphone. It’s tough to pull this off but they totally do.

The Wild Reeds - 11.20.15

The Wild Reeds did not win last year’s Tiny Desk Contest but NPR liked their submission so much that they came in for a concert anyways. I am so glad they did because I CANNOT STOP playing this band. They sing gritty Americana songs in perfect harmony (and I do mean perfect harmony-my god can they sing) over clever arrangements and their songs will stay in your head all day.

horse feathers - 5.8.09

This one really takes me back. I watched this video over and over again when it came out. This is not legato strings fleshing out a simple strummed guitar part. This is dynamic guitar playing with interplaying strings that add vibrance and movement to the arrangements. If that isn’t enough they also utilize foot percussion and this was one of the first times I had ever seen someone play a saw as an instrument. They have since added a banjo player and more foot percussion and have only gotten better with time.

Lianne la Havas - 10.2.15

Who sings like this?! Lianne La Havas. Her voice has such raw power: she switches octaves easily and doesn't seem to know how to sing a wrong note. She's got a barebones backing band but the arrangements are perfectly curated to the space. With a voice like that she could totally get away with singing without an instrument but Lianne La Havas is not content to just stand and sing. Nor is she comfortable strumming idly. Her guitar playing is thoughtful, intricate and adds much to the experience.

diane coffee - 11.2.15

Who knew that Shaun Fleming, the drummer of Foxygen, had such a dynamic front man within waiting to get out. When I first heard Diane Coffee’s second album Everybody’s A Good Dog I had tremendous respect for the songwriting but I wondered how the songs would translate to live performance. *Spoiler alert* the performances are even better than the album. Putting a band of this size and complexity in an office and watching them deliver has convinced me that they could perform anywhere and it would be magical. Just please watch these complex songs come to heartbreaking fruition.

The Low Anthem - 1.20.10

The Low Anthem are a perfect fit for this space. They are an Americana band like I've never seen before. Where else can you hear a clever song about cabin fever sung between clarinet/baritone arrangements? I particularly enjoy the stunning major 7th clash between Ben Knox Miller’s voice and Florence Wallis’ clarinet at the end of the phrase “Don’t forget to comb your hair” on This God Damn House. This is a thoughtful arrangement that culminates with a whistled outro over cell phone feedback. Where else can you hear that?!

Lucius - 1.7.13

Lucius is a five piece band that uses each member to their full potential. Percussion and lots of it. Lead singers who harmonize perfectly. Songs that make dynamic switches keeping you at the edge of your seat. They perform songs about heartbreak that are so perfect it would be a crime to listen at anything other than full volume.

Paolo Angeli - 10.19.15

Paolo Angeli spent 12 years developing this instrument. I don’t really know how to describe the experience. Just watch this and you won’t regret it.

patrick watson - 5.31.12

I had the privilege of seeing Patrick Watson live once. It was amazing. So many lights and designs swirling while the  band kept the songs constantly flowing. Strip away the theatrics and put them in an office and what do you get? Still an amazing show. Watson’s infectious smile and gravelly high voice of a honky tonk angel fit perfectly over the complex arrangements to craft an amazing sound. 

Laura Marling - 7.12.12

Meet the queen of the sultry alto. Laura Marling is Joni Mitchell turned down two octaves. Her free-flowing, ever-changing songs keep the listener in rapt attention. Watch her fingers jump across the guitar neck, following her vocal melodies, and you know that you are hearing something special.
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Andy masters (anti beyond) - closet space

1/19/2016

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In a world with so many folk-pop albums it can be hard to stand out, but Anti Beyond (the stage pseudonym used by Chicago musician Andy Masters) finds a fresh sound with his self proclaimed "Meditative Indie Rock." Closet Space is chock-full of gems and intricacies that further intrigue with each listen.

Pina the second track would have to be my favorite. I respect the choice to abandon the traditional idea of the Verse Verse Chorus Verse song format and it serves this track well. Beginning with a delightfully surreal vocal loop, this song explores boundaries beyond simple folk, to say nothing of Andy's ethereal lead vocals. The loop keeps us grounded in a song that rarely repeats itself and never seems to settle or resolve. After a dreamy beginning, the harmonized electric guitar breakdown feels so purposeful and serves to communicate the last lyrics of the song: "so self assured...in an uncertain world." It is a beautiful fascinating song.

So we go into The Trojan War. A song that benefits from the lack of loops or overdubs as the rapid fingerpicked triplets dance across the guitar neck. "Who are you waiting for? Who won the Trojan war?" Andy croons in the chorus. "Was it me?” This makes me think of falling for someone so difficult to impress you would need to commit a grand gesture, such as kidnapping the wife of a Greek King and fighting a 10 year war, to prove your love. “Who are you waiting for?” sounds like an exasperated plea: who else would do all of this for you? Or consider how the Greeks won the war: by hiding their army within a large wooden horse, masquerading as a gift, in order to get in the city. Was he with someone who seemed like a gift until he saw the danger within? Lines like this song's chorus make this an EP that is really fun to unpack.

Other lines are perfectly clear but clever enough that I enjoy listening to them anyways. Such as the following line from the title track Closet Space:

"I try to catch a piece or two of your DNA
I will splice it in a song
I wont have to say your name"

Self referential lyrics in a song can be a bit oversaturated but this bit about the DNA gets me. I find it to be a clever take on an old trick. And that is exactly what this EP is: a refreshing take on acoustic folk songs. At just four songs it's a short trip into Andy's Closet Space but you will like what you find. To hear more Andy Masters (Anti Beyond) check out some his tracks on his bandcamp page. Spoiler alert: they're FREE!

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    Chaz Hearne

    Spreading the word on great local bands, local venues, good gear, album reviews and just anything inspiring.

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