Carl Broemel — 4th of July (2 LP Deluxe, June 19th, 2017)
•¬• “Broemel nevynáší do plenéru své vlivy. Vše, co vytahuje z rukávu, je otevřené, ale ukazuje referenční body, které spíše naznačují, než definují. Když psal titulní píseň, přemýšlel o spánku, snění a ostražitosti a mezi různými fázemi toho procesu. Deluxe signovaný vinyl obsahuje 4 písně navíc: Coffee And Wine, 2 věci ze základního playlistu alba v živém provedení z Mexika + Questions z prvního sóloalba All Birds Say také živě [28:49 navíc]. V otevíráku Sleepy Lagoon se představují jeho extatické vokály a bohatě navrstvené kytarové stěny, které si budou všímat milovnící My Morning Jacket, včetně jeho osobní geniality v tom pocitu příjemnosti, jaký máme u Calexico nebo alba Leap of Faith od Timothy B. Schmita. Neměli bychom věnovat pozornost jednotlivým nástrojům tolik jako kompozicím a náladě alba jako celku. Je však těžké ignorovat krásně vytavené akustické linie, vyplňující celý prostor, melancholické pasáže z titulní melodie nebo způsobu, jak dosahuje nálad, klouzajících jako u Pink Floyd a stoupajících jako nejlepší věci z pozdních 70´ kalifornského popu. Úroveň alba potvrzuje vokální účast smetánky: Neko Case, Laura Veirs, Tim Warren, Emily Ritz, Shelly Colvin a především Kacey Johansing. Kytarová sóla na jeho nejmilejších modelech Gretsch Country Club (akustické) a v závěru elektrické na Gibson Les Paul Standard (eben s Bigsby struníkem) v titulní kompozici 4th Of July jsou luxusní. Působí to jako jeden z vrcholů nápadité hudby své generace v oblasti chytré kytarové písně. I když toto může být u člena My Morning Jacket nějakým překvapením jen stěží. To, co odděluje Broemela od mnoha jeho současníků: paprsky optimismu patrné prakticky všude v jeho písních. Tedy něco, co mnoho jeho souputníků mohlo shledávat jako sentimentální nebo dokonce s vykulenýma očima. Je jedním z mála umělců, kteří nemají ty tendence být depresivní, ale dar podívat se na všední věci s oceněním (Snowflake) a tak je jeho hudba o to více osvěžující. Navíc Snowflake odhaluje kytaristovo ucho s citem pro staré světové melodie/symfonie jako třeba Novosvětská, vše pod všeobecnou, mlhavou rouškou rock ‚n‘ rollu. [Neil Armstrong vzal její nahrávku na Měsíc, když tam v roce 1969 poprvé přistála kosmická loď Apollo 11.] Je více než pravděpodobné, že k úspěchu dojít muselo, vzhledem k jeho dovednosti jakožto hráče a aranžéra, který se snaží dát posluchači multidimenzionální zkušenosti. Jemné, takřka tančící rytmy a fixace či fascinace 70´ lety může být přínosem všem věkovým generacím.” — Ben Tais Amundssen
© Photo credit: Brian Stowell
•¬• “Another very well done album by Broemel. If you are a MMJ fan, this one is a no~brainer. If you love well~written lazy summer rock, mostly chill tracks, this is definitely for you.” — M. Brooks
•¬• “Not a bad song on the album. Incredible album start to finish. Listen to it, and then listen again. Not a bad song on the album. The sax note at the end of “Best Of” sums it up. Didn’t want it to end. Great cd to just have on. Laid back and beautiful.” — Jeff B 214
•¬• “Broemel cycles through one buttery solo after another, each richer and more textured than the last.” — Pitchfork
•¬• “Sanctuary of soft pop” — Spin
•¬• “Serious sonic fireworks” — Consequence of Sound
•¬• “4th of July is a stunning record — or more accurately, a beautiful compilation of short stories.” — The Revue
•¬• “It’s the kind of music that takes on life’s heavy burdens and lays them down for a short while.” — Jambase
Born: January 30, 1974 (age 43)
Origin: Indiana
Location: Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres: Psychedelic rock, indie rock
Instruments: Guitar, pedal steel guitar, vocals, saxophone
Notable instruments: Gibson Les Paul
Album release: August 19, 2016 / June 19th, 2017
Recording date: 2012 ~ 2015
Recording Location: Creative Workshop, Barrio, Nashville, Tennessee / Mountain View Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Format: Autographed Vinyl, 2 LP
Record Label: Stocks In Asia Records
Duration: 43:18 + 28:49 => 72:07
Tracks:
01 Sleepy Lagoon 5:56
02 4th Of July 10:02
03 Rockingchair Dancer 3:57
04 Snowflake 4:03
05 Landing Gear 5:38
06 In The Dark 4:12
07 Crawlspace 2:23
08 Best Of 7:07
Deluxe Material:
09 Coffee And Wine (Bonus Track) 2:29
10 Sleepy Lagoon (Live In Mexico) 6:58
11 4th Of July (Live In Mexico) 12:16
12 Questions (Live In Mexico) 8:15
℗ 2016 Stocks In Asia Records
Producer: Carl Broemel, Teddy Morgan
Written by:
• Carl Broemel 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12
• Carl Broemel / Bo Koster 4, 8
Credits:
• Tom Blankenship Bass
• Carl Broemel Composer, Engineer, Guitar, Keyboards, Mixing, Pedal Steel, Producer, Saxophone, Sleigh Bells, Vocals, Whistle
• Jordan Caress Bass
• Neko Case Vocals
• Shelly Colvin Vocals
• Richard Dodd Mastering
• Jeff Hime Calligraphy
• Eric Hopper Inside Photo
• Kacey Johansing Vocals
• Jason Kingsland Mixing
• Bo Koster Composer, Keyboards, Piano
• Jesse Lauter Mixing
• Richard Medek Drums
• Teddy Morgan Engineer, Mixing, Producer
• Russ Pollard Drums
• Bill Reynolds Mixing
• Emily Ritz Vocals
• Jack Spencer Back Cover Photo
• Laura Veirs Vocals
• Tim Warren Vocals
Description:
•¬• Autographed sleeve. Pressed on black vinyl and includes a full album download card. 4th of July is Carl Broemel’s 2nd studio album, released on Carl’s own Stocks in Asia Records. Recorded at Creative Workshop, Barrio, and Mountain View Studios, 4th of July boasts 8 new originals. Produced and Engineered by Teddy Morgan and Carl Broemel. Mastered by Richard Dodd. My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel has been release a Deluxe Edition of his third solo record, 4th of July. In our review of the record, we hailed the album for its “serene folk~rock: twangy pedal steel, brushed drums and daydreamy lyrics,” The new digital edition presents the original eight songs along with four new tracks: three live songs record in Mexico, along with “Coffee and Wine,” a studio cut that we premiere today.
•¬• Co~produced by Teddy Morgan, 4th of July features fellow My Morning Jacket members Bo Koster and Tom Blankenship, with Koster co~writing a few tracks. Additional guest appearances include Neko Case, Laura Veirs, Russ Pollard, Shelly Colvin, Richard Medek, and Jordan Caress. Recorded between album and tour cycles, 4th of July is a reflective meditation. It examines the passage of time marveling at how different our lives look now from the engrained images of ourselves that we’ve held onto from the past.
•¬• Broemel tells Relix, ““When I was working on the songs for 4th of July I was struggling with getting enough sleep. So I was thinking about sleeping, dreaming and alertness and the in between stages between all of those when I wrote this song. It is kind of a silly song, written in a few minutes, but I really meant it when it came out! I was abusing coffee and wine and wondering how to kick both because they are just temporary fixes. I ended up keeping it off of the original album so the other songs would fit comfortably on the vinyl, but am excited to have it see the light this time around.”
•¬• “My Dad, Robert Broemel, who is a retired symphony musician, played clarinet and viola on the song as well. I have wanted to put out in the world at some point, if only for that reason, as it is something we got to work on together.”
Review
JEDD BEAUDOIN ι AUGUST 17, 2016 / Score: ***½
•¬• Broemel holds his own on his latest album.
•¬• http://spectrumculture.com/2016/08/17/carl-broemel-4th-july/
Review
by Evan Rytlewski, Aug 26, 2016 / Score: 6.3
•¬• On his second solo album, the My Morning Jacket guitarist finds comfort in the slow lane of life, eschewing guitar fireworks for easy~chair folk.
•¬• In certain circles, My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel is a bona fide guitar hero, especially among guitar magazine subscribers and jam music enthusiasts most likely to appreciate an inventive solo. It was only after Broemel joined the group for 2005’s Z that they cemented their reputation as a powerhouse live outfit, and his dynamic shredding has propelled their most memorable shows, including the rain~drenched, nearly four~hour 2008 Bonnaroo set that’s taken on nearly legendary status among fans. Among casual listeners, however, Broemel is virtually unrecognized, and even many My Morning Jacket fans don’t give his contributions to the group much thought. Despite the mountains of evidence that My Morning Jacket is a true band, Jim James looms so large over his peers that it can be hard to think of the group as anything other than a vehicle for its enigmatic singer.
•¬• For his part, Broemel has shown little interest in challenging that perception. If he wanted to make the case for his talents, his solo albums would give him the outlet to prove that he’s the clear savant of the band — that he deserved his own entry in that Rolling Stone New Guitar Gods list, rather than having to share one with James. Yet Broemel seems perfectly content where he is, even if that means being in James’ shadow. Instead of showing off the same guitar heroics he brings to My Morning Jacket’s Das Boot~length live shows, Broemel opted for a more understated, songwriterly approach on his 2010 record All Birds Say, and his follow-up 4th of July is a similarly folksy affair, another pleasantly low~key outing from a musician with absolutely nothing to prove.
•¬• Just once does 4th of July toss some red meat to My Morning Jacket fans, hinting at the guitar lover’s record it could have been. On the panoramic, 10~minute title track, Broemel cycles through one buttery solo after another, each richer and more textured than the last. With Neko Case bolstering the soaring chorus, the whole thing feels that much more decadent. Those fireworks are the exception, though. Opener “Sleepy Lagoon,” with its drowsy tempo and sighing keyboards, is more representative of the record’s sticky, late~night feel (he kicks off the record by literally greeting the moon). From the finger~picked “Snowflake” to the Elliott Smith~esque “Rockingchair Dancer,” a lullaby that Broemel wrote for his young son, the whole thing sounds like it was recorded in an extremely comfortable chair.
•¬• Laura Veirs lends some harmony vocals to that last song, while My Morning Jacket keyboard Bo Koster and bassist Tom Blankenship sit in on much of the record. And although James is absent, it feels like he’s there in spirit. Broemel’s serviceable tenor may not have the feral majesty of James’ howl, but his cadence and phrasing are similar enough that many of these songs feel like they were written with James’ voice in mind. Mellower numbers like “Crawlspace” and “In The Dark” invite listeners to color in the empty spaces in their head, imagining how these songs might have been fleshed out if My Morning Jacket had tried to slip them onto The Waterfall.
•¬• It’s a safe bet they would have been a lot wilder. 4th of July makes the case for Broemel as the classicist of the band, avoiding the experimental detours into prog, psychedelia, and funk that have made My Morning Jacket’s records so rewarding and/or frustrating. Its pleasures are modest but dependable. Even Broemel’s lyrics are easygoing, dotted with repeated observations that things are just fine the way they are. •¬• “I keep telling myself that it’s all the same/ Whether someone is humble or big and grand,” Broemel sings on “Landing Gear.” It’s not the same at all, of course, but where the rest of the world celebrates music’s most restless spirits, 4th of July offers the gentle assurance that there’s merit in being the guy who gets a solid eight hours a night, too. •¬• http://pitchfork.com/
Solo albums:
•¬• Lose What’s Left (2004)
•¬• All Birds Say (2010)
•¬• 4th of July (2016)
•¬• 4th of July (2 LP Deluxe, June 19th, 2017)
With My Morning Jacket:
•¬• Z (2005)
•¬• Evil Urges (2008)
•¬• Circuital (2011)
•¬• The Waterfall (2015)
Website: https://www.carlbroemel.com/
Website: https://mymorningjacket.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlbroemel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlbroemel/
•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•¬•♦¬•♦
•¬• “Another very well done album by Broemel. If you are a MMJ fan, this one is a no~brainer. If you love well~written lazy summer rock, mostly chill tracks, this is definitely for you.” — M. Brooks
•¬• “Not a bad song on the album. Incredible album start to finish. Listen to it, and then listen again. Not a bad song on the album. The sax note at the end of “Best Of” sums it up. Didn’t want it to end. Great cd to just have on. Laid back and beautiful.” — Jeff B 214
•¬• “Broemel cycles through one buttery solo after another, each richer and more textured than the last.” — Pitchfork
•¬• “Sanctuary of soft pop” — Spin
•¬• “Serious sonic fireworks” — Consequence of Sound
•¬• “4th of July is a stunning record — or more accurately, a beautiful compilation of short stories.” — The Revue
•¬• “It’s the kind of music that takes on life’s heavy burdens and lays them down for a short while.” — Jambase
Born: January 30, 1974 (age 43)
Origin: Indiana
Location: Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres: Psychedelic rock, indie rock
Instruments: Guitar, pedal steel guitar, vocals, saxophone
Notable instruments: Gibson Les Paul
Album release: August 19, 2016 / June 19th, 2017
Recording date: 2012 ~ 2015
Recording Location: Creative Workshop, Barrio, Nashville, Tennessee / Mountain View Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Format: Autographed Vinyl, 2 LP
Record Label: Stocks In Asia Records
Duration: 43:18 + 28:49 => 72:07
Tracks:
01 Sleepy Lagoon 5:56
02 4th Of July 10:02
03 Rockingchair Dancer 3:57
04 Snowflake 4:03
05 Landing Gear 5:38
06 In The Dark 4:12
07 Crawlspace 2:23
08 Best Of 7:07
Deluxe Material:
09 Coffee And Wine (Bonus Track) 2:29
10 Sleepy Lagoon (Live In Mexico) 6:58
11 4th Of July (Live In Mexico) 12:16
12 Questions (Live In Mexico) 8:15
℗ 2016 Stocks In Asia Records
Producer: Carl Broemel, Teddy Morgan
Written by:
• Carl Broemel 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12
• Carl Broemel / Bo Koster 4, 8
Credits:
• Tom Blankenship Bass
• Carl Broemel Composer, Engineer, Guitar, Keyboards, Mixing, Pedal Steel, Producer, Saxophone, Sleigh Bells, Vocals, Whistle
• Jordan Caress Bass
• Neko Case Vocals
• Shelly Colvin Vocals
• Richard Dodd Mastering
• Jeff Hime Calligraphy
• Eric Hopper Inside Photo
• Kacey Johansing Vocals
• Jason Kingsland Mixing
• Bo Koster Composer, Keyboards, Piano
• Jesse Lauter Mixing
• Richard Medek Drums
• Teddy Morgan Engineer, Mixing, Producer
• Russ Pollard Drums
• Bill Reynolds Mixing
• Emily Ritz Vocals
• Jack Spencer Back Cover Photo
• Laura Veirs Vocals
• Tim Warren Vocals
•¬• Autographed sleeve. Pressed on black vinyl and includes a full album download card. 4th of July is Carl Broemel’s 2nd studio album, released on Carl’s own Stocks in Asia Records. Recorded at Creative Workshop, Barrio, and Mountain View Studios, 4th of July boasts 8 new originals. Produced and Engineered by Teddy Morgan and Carl Broemel. Mastered by Richard Dodd. My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel has been release a Deluxe Edition of his third solo record, 4th of July. In our review of the record, we hailed the album for its “serene folk~rock: twangy pedal steel, brushed drums and daydreamy lyrics,” The new digital edition presents the original eight songs along with four new tracks: three live songs record in Mexico, along with “Coffee and Wine,” a studio cut that we premiere today.
•¬• Co~produced by Teddy Morgan, 4th of July features fellow My Morning Jacket members Bo Koster and Tom Blankenship, with Koster co~writing a few tracks. Additional guest appearances include Neko Case, Laura Veirs, Russ Pollard, Shelly Colvin, Richard Medek, and Jordan Caress. Recorded between album and tour cycles, 4th of July is a reflective meditation. It examines the passage of time marveling at how different our lives look now from the engrained images of ourselves that we’ve held onto from the past.
•¬• Broemel tells Relix, ““When I was working on the songs for 4th of July I was struggling with getting enough sleep. So I was thinking about sleeping, dreaming and alertness and the in between stages between all of those when I wrote this song. It is kind of a silly song, written in a few minutes, but I really meant it when it came out! I was abusing coffee and wine and wondering how to kick both because they are just temporary fixes. I ended up keeping it off of the original album so the other songs would fit comfortably on the vinyl, but am excited to have it see the light this time around.”
•¬• “My Dad, Robert Broemel, who is a retired symphony musician, played clarinet and viola on the song as well. I have wanted to put out in the world at some point, if only for that reason, as it is something we got to work on together.”
JEDD BEAUDOIN ι AUGUST 17, 2016 / Score: ***½
•¬• Broemel holds his own on his latest album.
•¬• http://spectrumculture.com/2016/08/17/carl-broemel-4th-july/
Review
by Evan Rytlewski, Aug 26, 2016 / Score: 6.3
•¬• On his second solo album, the My Morning Jacket guitarist finds comfort in the slow lane of life, eschewing guitar fireworks for easy~chair folk.
•¬• In certain circles, My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel is a bona fide guitar hero, especially among guitar magazine subscribers and jam music enthusiasts most likely to appreciate an inventive solo. It was only after Broemel joined the group for 2005’s Z that they cemented their reputation as a powerhouse live outfit, and his dynamic shredding has propelled their most memorable shows, including the rain~drenched, nearly four~hour 2008 Bonnaroo set that’s taken on nearly legendary status among fans. Among casual listeners, however, Broemel is virtually unrecognized, and even many My Morning Jacket fans don’t give his contributions to the group much thought. Despite the mountains of evidence that My Morning Jacket is a true band, Jim James looms so large over his peers that it can be hard to think of the group as anything other than a vehicle for its enigmatic singer.
•¬• For his part, Broemel has shown little interest in challenging that perception. If he wanted to make the case for his talents, his solo albums would give him the outlet to prove that he’s the clear savant of the band — that he deserved his own entry in that Rolling Stone New Guitar Gods list, rather than having to share one with James. Yet Broemel seems perfectly content where he is, even if that means being in James’ shadow. Instead of showing off the same guitar heroics he brings to My Morning Jacket’s Das Boot~length live shows, Broemel opted for a more understated, songwriterly approach on his 2010 record All Birds Say, and his follow-up 4th of July is a similarly folksy affair, another pleasantly low~key outing from a musician with absolutely nothing to prove.
•¬• Just once does 4th of July toss some red meat to My Morning Jacket fans, hinting at the guitar lover’s record it could have been. On the panoramic, 10~minute title track, Broemel cycles through one buttery solo after another, each richer and more textured than the last. With Neko Case bolstering the soaring chorus, the whole thing feels that much more decadent. Those fireworks are the exception, though. Opener “Sleepy Lagoon,” with its drowsy tempo and sighing keyboards, is more representative of the record’s sticky, late~night feel (he kicks off the record by literally greeting the moon). From the finger~picked “Snowflake” to the Elliott Smith~esque “Rockingchair Dancer,” a lullaby that Broemel wrote for his young son, the whole thing sounds like it was recorded in an extremely comfortable chair.
•¬• Laura Veirs lends some harmony vocals to that last song, while My Morning Jacket keyboard Bo Koster and bassist Tom Blankenship sit in on much of the record. And although James is absent, it feels like he’s there in spirit. Broemel’s serviceable tenor may not have the feral majesty of James’ howl, but his cadence and phrasing are similar enough that many of these songs feel like they were written with James’ voice in mind. Mellower numbers like “Crawlspace” and “In The Dark” invite listeners to color in the empty spaces in their head, imagining how these songs might have been fleshed out if My Morning Jacket had tried to slip them onto The Waterfall.
•¬• It’s a safe bet they would have been a lot wilder. 4th of July makes the case for Broemel as the classicist of the band, avoiding the experimental detours into prog, psychedelia, and funk that have made My Morning Jacket’s records so rewarding and/or frustrating. Its pleasures are modest but dependable. Even Broemel’s lyrics are easygoing, dotted with repeated observations that things are just fine the way they are. •¬• “I keep telling myself that it’s all the same/ Whether someone is humble or big and grand,” Broemel sings on “Landing Gear.” It’s not the same at all, of course, but where the rest of the world celebrates music’s most restless spirits, 4th of July offers the gentle assurance that there’s merit in being the guy who gets a solid eight hours a night, too. •¬• http://pitchfork.com/
•¬• Lose What’s Left (2004)
•¬• All Birds Say (2010)
•¬• 4th of July (2016)
•¬• 4th of July (2 LP Deluxe, June 19th, 2017)
With My Morning Jacket:
•¬• Z (2005)
•¬• Evil Urges (2008)
•¬• Circuital (2011)
•¬• The Waterfall (2015)
Website: https://www.carlbroemel.com/
Website: https://mymorningjacket.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlbroemel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlbroemel/