Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores — Sister Death (2012) |
Portrait by William Schaaf
Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores — Sister Death
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Album release: September 25, 2012
Record Label: Cuneiform Records
Duration: 54:23
Tracks:
01. Fire Shuffle (7:55)
02. Unawake (2:24)
03. The Seven And Six (5:41)
04. Longreach (3:04)
05. Amplifier Hum (2:24)
06. Black Ice (3:33)
07. Exhumed (4:21)
08. Scratch (4:08)
09. Hashishin (7:51)
10. St. James Infirmary/Headless Emcee (5:43)
11. Wings Of The Magpie (4:21)
12. In The Morning (2:58)
Credits:
• Brad Blackwood Mastering
• Chris Sadlers Bass (Electric), Contrabass
• Jimmy Devin Fiddle
• Hannah Devine Cover Model, Fiddle
• Frank Difficult Electronic Sounds, Percussion
• Orion Rigel Dommisse Arranger, Composer, Hammond B3, Vocals, Wurlitzer Piano
• Mark Elliott Doumbek
• Bill Ellsworth Layout
• Laura Gulley Violin
• Coutrney Brooke Hall Artwork, Photography
• Clint Heidorn Guitar (Electric)
• Yanna Kiriacopoulos Violin
• Don Larson Banjo
• Seth Manchester Engineer, Mixing, Producer, Synthesizer
• Matt McLaren Drums, Percussion
• Domenick Panzarella Guitar (Electric)
• James Quigley Vocals (Background)
• Alec K. Redfearn Accordion, Arranger, Artwork, Baritone Ukulele, Composer, Photography, Producer, Synthesizer, Vocals
• Lauren Sadlers Vocals (Background)
• Ann Schattle Horn
• Keith Souza Engineer, Mixing, Producer, Vocals (Background)
• Traditional Composer
• Chris Turner Harmonica
© Boston´s Underground Music Festival, Temple Sound and Stage, Boston, MA - 2010-10-16 - Ann Schattle
Reviews:
≡ "A gorgeous amalgam of 20th Century Americana, cabaret and theater music, Eastern European folk, noise rock and minimalism." -- Signal To Noise
≡ "The sad, haunted songs of Alec K. Redfearn bloom into mini epics in the hands of the Eyesores" -- Time Out New York
≡ "Lyrics are artful and evocative...arrangements are graceful throughout.... They offer experimental future folk with elements of real dirt and sweat and a touch of mania. Highly recommended." -- All Music Guide
Product Description:
≡ Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores have been making uniquely rewarding music for over a decade. Sister Death is their 7th album, their most widely accessible and features striking artwork! The group's unmistakable sound is the result of Alec's songs, which have poignant melodies and lyrics filled with doom-laden imagery. These songs are performed by a band who use unusual instrumentation (male and female vocals, accordion, double bass, French horn, organ, drums, electronics) in interesting and creative ways. The group will be touring the US and Europe in support of this release.
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/aleckredfearnandtheeyesores#! / Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aleckredfearnandtheeyesores / Label:
≡ They are one of the great uncategorizable, creative ensembles of our time, crafting a music that is distinctly theirs alone.
≡ Many buzzwords have been used to describe the band’s playing and Redfearn’s composing and arranging, but they all fall short of conveying the dark beauty of the music and lyrics. Sister Death explores the mysteries of life, death, love, loss, creation and destruction, subjects that have informed Redfearn’s songwriting since the early 90s. It is their 7th album, their most widely approachable release and features striking artwork and photographs!
≡ The group's unmistakable sound is the result of Alec's songs, which have poignant melodies and lyrics filled with doom-laden imagery. These songs are performed by a band who use unusual instrumentation (male and female vocals, accordion, double bass, French horn, organ, drums, percussion, electronics + many musical guests) in interesting and creative ways. The music touches on elements of Americana, folk, European cabaret, minimalism, noise, and progressive rock, but it ultimately transcends all categories except for 'excellence'.
≡ "I spent about 6 years writing for this record. I've trashed dozens of tunes along the way. This record is probably the most accessible of our releases so far. I spent a lot of time obsessing over kraut-rock, space rock and psychedelic rock in the past few years, so that influence is bound to be felt. I've tried to move away from the Eastern European/Gypsy sound...we've always tried to change things up as we went. Probably the biggest change in our sound is the addition of Orion on the Acetone Top 5 organ and vocals. These latest songs have been built around the keyboard and accordion, but it still sounds like us. Some things simply don't change. My melodic obsessions and idiosyncrasies remain imbedded in the music, and I suppose they always will be." – Alec K. Redfearn
Discography:
≡ Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores
May You Dine on Weeds Made Bitter By the Piss of Drunkards (Magic Eye Singles, 1999)
≡ Bent at the Waist (Handsome Records, 2002)
≡ Every Man For Himself and God Against All (Corleone Records, 2003)
≡ The Quiet Room (Cuneiform Records, 2005)
≡ The Smother Party (North East Indie, 2006)
≡ The Blind Spot (Cuneiform Records, 2007)
≡ Sister Death (Cuneiform Records, 2012)
Interview & Audio: http://www.splendidezine.com/features/redfearn/
Biography by Mark Deming
≡ Singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Alec K. Redfearn has been a fixture on the Providence, RI, music scene for years, having performed his music in a variety of projects, including Space Heater, the Amoebic Ensemble, Barnacled, and Gutterhelmet. But Redfearn has received his greatest recognition with the group Alec K. Redfearn & the Eyesores, an ensemble that fuses Eastern European folk melodies with the freedom of improvisational music and the force of rock. Formed in 1997, the Eyesores feature Redfearn on accordion and lead vocals; Olivia Geiger on violin; Margie Wienk on cello, double bass, and vocals; Ann Schattle on French horn; Erica Schattle on bassoon; Domenick Panzarella on guitar; and Matt McLaren on drums -- though the ensemble has been known to grow or shrink depending on the needs of each individual performance. While the Eyesores began as a vehicle for Redfearn's more singer/songwriter-oriented material, as the group took shape its sonic palette became broader, and since then the Eyesores have used their unusual, evocative music to accompany dance troupes and theatrical performances, as well as scoring movies for Laura Colella, an independent filmmaker working in Providence. Redfearn & the Eyesores made their debut with a split single with the band Iditarod in 1999, and recorded a cassette-only EP and two albums before Redfearn stepped forward as group leader with 2003's Every Man for Himself & God Against All. In 2005, Redfearn and the group released their second LP, The Quiet Room, through the respected independent experimental label Cuneiform Records. North East Indie issued their third album, The Smother Party, in 2006, and Redfearn & the Eyesores returned to Cuneiform for album number four, The Blind Spot, a year later. © Traer Scott
Alec K. Redfearn late 90´ Hamburg 2005 AKR with Beat Circus
© Les Baird; Philadelphia 2003
© Boston´s Underground Music Festival, Temple Sound and Stage, Boston, MA - 2010-10-16
Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores — Sister Death (2012) |
Portrait by William Schaaf
Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores — Sister Death
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Album release: September 25, 2012
Record Label: Cuneiform Records
Duration: 54:23
Tracks:
01. Fire Shuffle (7:55)
02. Unawake (2:24)
03. The Seven And Six (5:41)
04. Longreach (3:04)
05. Amplifier Hum (2:24)
06. Black Ice (3:33)
07. Exhumed (4:21)
08. Scratch (4:08)
09. Hashishin (7:51)
10. St. James Infirmary/Headless Emcee (5:43)
11. Wings Of The Magpie (4:21)
12. In The Morning (2:58)
Credits:
• Brad Blackwood Mastering
• Chris Sadlers Bass (Electric), Contrabass
• Jimmy Devin Fiddle
• Hannah Devine Cover Model, Fiddle
• Frank Difficult Electronic Sounds, Percussion
• Orion Rigel Dommisse Arranger, Composer, Hammond B3, Vocals, Wurlitzer Piano
• Mark Elliott Doumbek
• Bill Ellsworth Layout
• Laura Gulley Violin
• Coutrney Brooke Hall Artwork, Photography
• Clint Heidorn Guitar (Electric)
• Yanna Kiriacopoulos Violin
• Don Larson Banjo
• Seth Manchester Engineer, Mixing, Producer, Synthesizer
• Matt McLaren Drums, Percussion
• Domenick Panzarella Guitar (Electric)
• James Quigley Vocals (Background)
• Alec K. Redfearn Accordion, Arranger, Artwork, Baritone Ukulele, Composer, Photography, Producer, Synthesizer, Vocals
• Lauren Sadlers Vocals (Background)
• Ann Schattle Horn
• Keith Souza Engineer, Mixing, Producer, Vocals (Background)
• Traditional Composer
• Chris Turner Harmonica
© Boston´s Underground Music Festival, Temple Sound and Stage, Boston, MA - 2010-10-16 - Ann Schattle
Reviews:
≡ "A gorgeous amalgam of 20th Century Americana, cabaret and theater music, Eastern European folk, noise rock and minimalism." -- Signal To Noise
≡ "The sad, haunted songs of Alec K. Redfearn bloom into mini epics in the hands of the Eyesores" -- Time Out New York
≡ "Lyrics are artful and evocative...arrangements are graceful throughout.... They offer experimental future folk with elements of real dirt and sweat and a touch of mania. Highly recommended." -- All Music Guide
Product Description:
≡ Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores have been making uniquely rewarding music for over a decade. Sister Death is their 7th album, their most widely accessible and features striking artwork! The group's unmistakable sound is the result of Alec's songs, which have poignant melodies and lyrics filled with doom-laden imagery. These songs are performed by a band who use unusual instrumentation (male and female vocals, accordion, double bass, French horn, organ, drums, electronics) in interesting and creative ways. The group will be touring the US and Europe in support of this release.
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/aleckredfearnandtheeyesores#! / Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aleckredfearnandtheeyesores / Label:
≡ They are one of the great uncategorizable, creative ensembles of our time, crafting a music that is distinctly theirs alone.
≡ Many buzzwords have been used to describe the band’s playing and Redfearn’s composing and arranging, but they all fall short of conveying the dark beauty of the music and lyrics. Sister Death explores the mysteries of life, death, love, loss, creation and destruction, subjects that have informed Redfearn’s songwriting since the early 90s. It is their 7th album, their most widely approachable release and features striking artwork and photographs!
≡ The group's unmistakable sound is the result of Alec's songs, which have poignant melodies and lyrics filled with doom-laden imagery. These songs are performed by a band who use unusual instrumentation (male and female vocals, accordion, double bass, French horn, organ, drums, percussion, electronics + many musical guests) in interesting and creative ways. The music touches on elements of Americana, folk, European cabaret, minimalism, noise, and progressive rock, but it ultimately transcends all categories except for 'excellence'.
≡ "I spent about 6 years writing for this record. I've trashed dozens of tunes along the way. This record is probably the most accessible of our releases so far. I spent a lot of time obsessing over kraut-rock, space rock and psychedelic rock in the past few years, so that influence is bound to be felt. I've tried to move away from the Eastern European/Gypsy sound...we've always tried to change things up as we went. Probably the biggest change in our sound is the addition of Orion on the Acetone Top 5 organ and vocals. These latest songs have been built around the keyboard and accordion, but it still sounds like us. Some things simply don't change. My melodic obsessions and idiosyncrasies remain imbedded in the music, and I suppose they always will be." – Alec K. Redfearn
Discography:
≡ Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores
May You Dine on Weeds Made Bitter By the Piss of Drunkards (Magic Eye Singles, 1999)
≡ Bent at the Waist (Handsome Records, 2002)
≡ Every Man For Himself and God Against All (Corleone Records, 2003)
≡ The Quiet Room (Cuneiform Records, 2005)
≡ The Smother Party (North East Indie, 2006)
≡ The Blind Spot (Cuneiform Records, 2007)
≡ Sister Death (Cuneiform Records, 2012)
Interview & Audio: http://www.splendidezine.com/features/redfearn/
Biography by Mark Deming
≡ Singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Alec K. Redfearn has been a fixture on the Providence, RI, music scene for years, having performed his music in a variety of projects, including Space Heater, the Amoebic Ensemble, Barnacled, and Gutterhelmet. But Redfearn has received his greatest recognition with the group Alec K. Redfearn & the Eyesores, an ensemble that fuses Eastern European folk melodies with the freedom of improvisational music and the force of rock. Formed in 1997, the Eyesores feature Redfearn on accordion and lead vocals; Olivia Geiger on violin; Margie Wienk on cello, double bass, and vocals; Ann Schattle on French horn; Erica Schattle on bassoon; Domenick Panzarella on guitar; and Matt McLaren on drums -- though the ensemble has been known to grow or shrink depending on the needs of each individual performance. While the Eyesores began as a vehicle for Redfearn's more singer/songwriter-oriented material, as the group took shape its sonic palette became broader, and since then the Eyesores have used their unusual, evocative music to accompany dance troupes and theatrical performances, as well as scoring movies for Laura Colella, an independent filmmaker working in Providence. Redfearn & the Eyesores made their debut with a split single with the band Iditarod in 1999, and recorded a cassette-only EP and two albums before Redfearn stepped forward as group leader with 2003's Every Man for Himself & God Against All. In 2005, Redfearn and the group released their second LP, The Quiet Room, through the respected independent experimental label Cuneiform Records. North East Indie issued their third album, The Smother Party, in 2006, and Redfearn & the Eyesores returned to Cuneiform for album number four, The Blind Spot, a year later. © Traer Scott
Alec K. Redfearn late 90´ Hamburg 2005 AKR with Beat Circus
© Les Baird; Philadelphia 2003
© Boston´s Underground Music Festival, Temple Sound and Stage, Boston, MA - 2010-10-16