Michael Trew (guitars,
vocals) met Naomi Smith (keys) at a coffee shop in Seattle. After their first
tour they picked up drummer Dan Desrosiers off of Craiglist. They played as a
three piece for a year and then hooked up guitarist/film maker Barton Macguire.
The band has recently met their fund
raising goals at kickstarter.com and will begin recording a new CD Make Me a Tree in February. In the mean
time you can listen to their current album If
You’re Home.
The songs from this album are born
out of the experiences the band had back packing in the UK and their first
national tour in 2009.
If
You’re Home begins with the ethereal “In the
Redwoods”. The distorted guitar, cymbal rolls and vocal harmonies accented by church
bells transport you into a dreamy world of electric folk music. I enjoy the
imagery Trew paints of Paul Bunyon carving his name in to a redwood tree.
The percussion in the middle of
“Garage Rock” is a creative mix of rim shots and ratchet sounds that make it
like you are in a garage. It’s the little things like this that make me think
that these guys are probably a lot of fun to see live.
“Alasdair and the Sunwidow” is
probably my favorite track off the album. It’s very mellow. This track combines
airy acoustic guitars and snare drum and cymbals with brushes to create a soft backdrop
for haunting vocals and harmonies.
Trew’s voice is unique and the
variety of instruments: melodica (key-flute), mandolin, shakers, brushes, etc…
add a lot of texture to these songs. The production is lacking in areas, but
that’s to be expected for an indie band that can record and publish a whole CD
for less than two grand.
If you want to support a hard working indie folk band
give them a listen.
3.5/5 Stars
Key Tracks:
In the Redwoods, Alasdair and the
Sunwindow, Colorado
Kirk Bullough
|
|
Tracks:
1. In the Redwoods
2. Garage Rock
3. Wild Blackberries
4. Alasdaire and the Sun Window
5. Canyons
6. Colorado
7. The Bad Postman
8. Smarter Than Love
9. Letter from Laspatzia
10. Malmo |
Artist:
The Autumn Electric
Title:
If You’re Home
Genre:
Indie/Folk/Rock
Release Date:
November 21, 2010
Label:
Unicorn Music
Website:
http://www.reverbnation.com/michaeltrew
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