Dave Miller - Guitar, Toby Summerfield - Guitar, Katie Wiegman - Vibraphone, Cory Healey - Drums, Dr. Pants - Bass
Past members/contributors: Nick Fryer - Guitar, Jeff Greene - Bass, Tim Venchus - Guitar, Darren Garvey - Vibraphone/Drums, Jamie Gallagher - Drums, Jess Birch - Drums, Hyosub "Fast Eddie" Kim - Bass
Influences
You
Sounds Like
Your head exploding in the best possible acoustic setting.
"Algernon combines gorgeous melodies with psychedelic effects and rock beats."
--Scott Morrow, Chicago Sun Times, June 26, 2008
"The tunes, all written by twentysomething guitar wünderkind Dave Miller, flutter and bob in surprising patterns...Miller plays with the refined restraint of someone twice his age, and he’s lucky to have such committed musicians on hand: Take Katie Wiegman, on vibraphone and glockenspiel, who supplies a deft and exacting touch that gives the group a magical air...File it under 'keeper'."
--Matthew Lurie, Time Out, March 2008
"There's a lot of good stuff going on here with the spacey 'Beneath The Ailing Flesh', a particular highlight, with some intricate arrangements and moments of near atonality.
It's an adventurous album from a young band who keep you listening from start to finish."
--Stuart A. Hamiltion, Zeitgeist, April 2008
"Together, they create sounds that can sound frightful, eerie, and overly exciting at the same time, at times sounding more like a classical string quartet raised on punk than an average rock band who only know about 4 on the floor."
--The Run Off Groove, March 2008
"...an all instrumental journey through feedback, blink-and-you-miss-them Beatles melodies, Zappa-inspired vibes, heavy metal outbursts and left field Syd Barrett weirdness. It's that good."
"Guitar player Dave Miller is the resident musical genius of this band, the kind of composer that music critics will refer to in the not too distant future trying to pigeonhole other maverick six string wizards."
--Hans Werksman, Here Comes the Flood, February 2008
"Talented guitarist Dave Miller is making himself known as an innovative player in the scene..."
--Brad Walseth, Jazz Chicago, February 2008
"...tautly composed lines and detailed, surprisingly delicate arrangements butt up against raucous free improvisation and splashy electronics."
"Algernon’s forthcoming second album have a definite post-rock feel, but Miller pushes them into jazzier territory—all the while avoiding anything that sounds like a traditional jazz solo."
--Neil Tesser, Chicago Reader, 12/6/07
"Alt-rock genius...Algernon is a rock band whose guitar-and-vibraphone plot twists relish in static climaxes and bass that quivers for days. It’s a layered, space-age soundtrack for postmodern groove...A pretty damn good rock show."
--Lisa Balde, Beep Magazine, 2/7/07
"...underrated post rock outfit..."
--Flavorpill, issue 125
"Like fellow guitarists Jeff Parker and Fareed Haque, Dave Miller, 24, thinks beyond a single genre...bellowing his way out of the local fringe and into the big time."
--Mark Loehrke, Chicago Magazine, Nov. 2006
"...guitarist Dave Miller has been burning this past year
in live performances, chicken-scratching like Ernest
Ranglin and wailing like Pat Metheny."
--Time Out Magazine, May 2006
"Watch out for Dave Miller. This guy's got ears,
time, chops, tone, and swing--an intelligent,
thoughtful musician with a truly open
mind. Watch out for Dave Miller..."
--Fareed Haque (Garaj Mahal, Fareed Haque Group, Sting, Joe Zawinul, Joe Henderson)
"Very heavy and musical compositions."
--Jeff Parker (Tortoise, Isotope 217, Chicago Underground, Joshua Redman)
Both of Algernon's albums ("Familiar Espionage" (2007) and "Charlie Changed His Mind" (2004)) are now available on Itunes as well as many other electronic outlets for a discounted rate!
Fostering an atmosphere that relies on composition and a larger sonic palette, Algernon creates a fusion of indie rock, jazz, and classical chamber music. The effect is that of a distinctly modern band, providing musical clues to our modern landscape. In the process, Algernon engulfs the listener in an entirely different world of its own making. With combined experience in genres from jazz to hard rock, from punk to classical, the band is well equipped to deliver on the promise.
Listening to their 2004 debut album, Charlie Changed His Mind (which then 21 year old Dave Miller (Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls) conceived of in just one week), or one of the band's fiery live performances, one is run through the entire human experience: joy, sadness, passion, exhilaration. You won't walk away the same or be likely to forget what you've heard.
Fast Forward to 2007…with only two days in the studio, Algernon has now finished their new album, Familiar Espionage, direct to analog tape. This new set of music finds the band pushing the compositional aspect of their music to exhilarating new heights. Breathtaking melodies, jazz-tinged harmonies, and cacophonous noise-scapes make the new record a milestone in the career of this young group of musicians.
In short, the band can't be summed up neatly. Algernon simply rocks too hard to be considered jazz, and they play with too much finesse and sheer musical ability to be called just another rock band. Algernon doesn't simply wish to play songs: the band is here to turn your entire world upside down.
7/24/09
@ Shea Stadium
Best Hits
Little Wing
Sondra O (from Silver Summit)
Luke Perry
20 meadow street, brooklyn
$5-7 donation
be a part of our live studio audience!
Founding member and former front man of John Brown’s Body Kevin Kinsella returns to Southern Cali August 1 to perform with Elijah Emmanuel and the Revelations. Come out and show some love!
A typical Kevin Kinsella set includes his new original reggae, 10 Ft. Ganja Plant music and classic JBB songs.
JFJO returns to CHICAGO at the House of Blues on SAT. APRIL 4th with the new quartet lineup, in support of 'Winterwood' - the new studio album available as FREE download at www.JFJO.com! Fifth World opens. See you there!
7/24/09
@ Shea Stadium
Best Hits
Little Wing
Sondra O (from Silver Summit)
Luke Perry
20 meadow street, brooklyn
$5-7 donation
be a part of our live studio audience!
