Vetiver with opener The Buffalo Killers
The Southgate House
24 E 3rd St, Newport, KY
www.southgatehouse.com
8pm doors, $10 adv $13 dos, All Ages
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American rock ‘n’ roll has retreated to the depths of the underground. For the bands that continue the time-honored tradition of smooth talking swagger and stiff lipped cool, they exist only in the eyes of the people who have discovered their clandestine reverberations.
Cincinnati, Ohio’s native Buffalo Killers struts with the moan of a blues-laden trio who mix vintage tone with growling guitars to formulate passionate testimonials of lost love, desperate aggression and reckless endangerment. It is the underbelly of American rock ‘n’ roll, and with the release of their sophomore album, Let It Ride (released July 8 on Alive Records), the Buffalo Killers have been hatched upon the age in a time of desperate need.
Sleek in a tattered way and possessing a ferocious assault, the Brothers Gabbard (Zachary – bass and vocals, Andrew – guitar and vocals, joined by Joseph Sebaali – drums) have channeled a wrinkled, raspy-toned muse who was too purposely intoxicated to catch the train of trend. This is a story about defiance and destiny, the snarling moan of a scene crawling beneath the bustling avenues. – Martin Halo / JamBase
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Tight Knit is the fourth full-length album from Vetiver—singer/songwriter Andy Cabic’s ever-evolving musical home base. Luminous and surprising, Tight Knit unfolds like a road trip down Highway 1, towards Cabic’s home in San Francisco. It represents a summation of the different styles and directions heard on past Vetiver releases, while it introduces some unexpected twists.
“I think I was able to make the most of the different moods of each song,” Andy confirms. “Several of the songs have been staples of Vetiver’s live show for some time in much the same form as they appear on this recording. Other songs were given a last polishing in the studio. And a few songs were radically reworked from the way they were performed on the road.”
“There are songs here that allude to elements of everything I’ve done so far, and songs that have something which heretofore I maybe only hinted at.”
Some songs are so stripped down, Cabic played almost all the instruments himself; others work to capture the sound of Vetiver performing live. Tight Knit is layered and rich, with subtleties and nuances that will be more fully appreciated only after repeated listening. While there’s also more immediate gratification than on past Vetiver releases, Tight Knit is an album that rewards your attention. As Andy lets us know, “There’s still the ‘way-homer’ vibe that I’ve come to understand is intrinsic to what I do.”
Vetiver’s songs have been described as “dreamy, gentle songs that George Harrison would have written in some sunny country garden.” Happily, that element is alive and well on songs such as “Rolling Sea” and “Everyday.” Tight Knit also introduces new aspects of the band’s sound with the light bop of “Sister” and “On the Other Side,” as these songs glide along with a steady bounce and groove. Tight Knit also contains the faraway and ethereal “Down from Above” and “At Forest Edge,” which conjure up images of misty mornings simultaneously filled with sunlight and fog.
Recorded in Sacramento at The Hangar and in LA at Melva, Tight Knit was produced by longtime Vetiver collaborator Thom Monahan and features Andy Cabic on lead vocals and guitars, guitarist Kevin Barker (aka Currituck Co.), Sanders Trippe on guitar and vocals, drummer Otto Hauser, and bassist Brent Dunn. Special guests include Eric Johnson (of Fruit Bats, The Shins, and an occasional touring member of Vetiver), Jonathan Wilson, “Farmer” Dave Scher, and Adam Peters.
