The Subcons

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Morocco

Album: Live at the Funky Church

Released: Jul 24, 2008

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Morocco
5:45
1,199 plays
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Waterbears
3:01
392 plays
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Media Naranja
3:04
277 plays
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Upendix
6:14
1,554 plays
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Houyhnhms
5:16
779 plays

Total Plays: 14,453 / Plays Today: 1See All Featured ►

General Info

Genre: Experimental / Indie / Pop
Location Portland, Oregon, US
Profile Views: 45178
Last Login: 6/22/2010
Member Since 9/28/2004
Website http://www.thesubcons.com
Type of Label Major
Bio
.. ....Listen to our live in-studio performance we recorded on THU.SEP.25 with our dear friends at ..KPSU..: .. .. ........ .. .. .. .. .... .... .. .. ................ ....Los Arkansans Misterioso.. tracklisting:.. 01 :: Gemeinschaft.. 02 :: Houyhnhms.. 03 :: Takotsubo.. 04 :: Waterbears.. 05 :: Take That.. 06 :: Morocco.. 07 :: Upendix.. 08 :: Totipotent.. 09 :: Media Naranja.. 10 :: Sogni D'oro.... .. .. .. .. ....Rediviva.. review.... August 2008.. .. Subconsciously..... This Arkansan trio unites the heady and the heartfelt.. .. By Jon Chick.. .. I love the sound of steel guitar. I would happily drape its ethereal tones over just about any music: Gregorian chants, smooth jazz, maybe even death metal. In my opinion, steel guitar is equal to the sublime sounds of waves crashing or wind blowing through trees. TheSubcons' new album, ..Los Arkansans Misterioso.., is drenched in the languorous, seductive sound of James Mayer's steel guitar; it drifts like a charged cloud over nine of the ten songs, and gives the album a very consistent feel. It's funny though, because the lines notes led me to suspect a more eclectic listen. I didn't recognized three of the instruments listed (cumbus, doumbek and singing bowl), and one nameless Moroccan instrument, with a tone resembling both a mandolin and a bouzouki, is given the portmanteau ofMandouki. But this is not world music. The Subcons , more than any band I've heard lately, possess a sound that all but defies categorization. Lead singer Richard Bruno, in a plaintive tenor reminiscent of Nick Drake, sings of lost love and meager hope. Fletcher Foti, the group's multi-instrumentalist, leaps from bass to banjo to whatever the next song requires, including the aforementioned singing bowl. A handful of guests offer the album's many embellishments..... The first four songs of ..Los Arkansans Misterioso.. are of a piece. "Gewundlicheit" is carried along by a persistent tabla beat, sparse classical guitar lines and Bruno's melodic sentiment, "Rain is gone / the time has come / sun is up / shines on everyone." It's a perfect album-opening mood setter. The second song "Houyhnhms," introduced by a weirdly-processed field recording, delves into flamenco guitar runs, country steel guitar and a pleading chorus, "Something's grabbing at you now / forget what happened years ago / don't let it go." Lyrically, Bruno is an abstract impressionist who paints in broad, blurry strokes that compliment the album's psychedelic anti-structures. But just as the first four songs' intricate somnolence threatens to blur together, the love song "Take That" changes the mood with lively strumming, vocal harmonies andhandclaps that strongly suggest The Subcons ' indie rock leanings. "Morocco," the album's sole instrumental, features an ornamental interplay between bass and guitar. My favorite song, fittingly titled "Upendix," starts with a confident yet light groove, takes an abrupt Caribbean turn, and then exits with (forgive me) a rapturously haunting steel guitar solo..... There are a few distracting elements on the album. The instruments are too separated by channel and volume, and what could be an attractive spaciousness becomes over-isolation. It's a shame to hear so much studio manipulation behind an otherwise inviting production. I also noticed a few off-rhythms, and at times the lulling lead vocals become monotonous. These are small gripes, however. ..Los Arkansans Misterioso.. is an inspired album that doesn't sound like anything else I've heard. I want to offer apt comparisons, but perhaps I should just let it go and enjoy the music. TheSubcons have successfully united far-reaching influences into a deeply original and unified set of songs...
Members
Listen to the entire new Subcons album ..Los Arkansans Misterioso.. here:..............or.............. .. .. ........ .. .. .. .. .. ...... ..Watch the Animated ..webalbum.... .. .. .... .. ...... .. .. .. Live band includes:........Richard Bruno.... guitar/vocals/bass......Fletcher Foti.... guitar/bass......James Mayer.... frankensteel/cümbüs....Mike Calvert.. drum kit.. .. Recordings include:.... ....Richard Bruno.... guitar/vocals/bass/ghana bells......Fletcher Foti.... guitar/bass/effects/prodction......James Mayer.... frankensteel/cümbüs/flamenco guitar .. ..Chaz Hastings.. tabla/cajón/conga.. ....Alia Farah.... vocals on "Take That" & "Media Naranja".. ....Jeremy Antipolo.... drums/violin on "Sogni D'oro".. ....Cory Gray.... trumpet on "Houyhnhms".. ..Dave Barman.. harmonica on "Take That"..
Influences
..Weezer.., ..Radiohead.., ..The Flaming Lips.., ..Pinback.., ..Elliott Smith.., ..Moonbabies.., ..Neonbabies.., ..Ambulance LTD.., ..A.C. Newman.., ..Boubacar "Kar Kar" Traore.., ..Friends of Dean Martinez.., ..Immortal Technique.., ..Sam Phillips.., ..Sufjan Stevens.., ..Ustad Zakir Hussain<>, ..Wire.., ..T.Rex.., ..The Beatles.... .. ........ Add our shows to your own Google Calendar .... ...... .. .. .. .. .. .... ..(songs won't play since Myspace disabled flash embedded links, so click ..here.. for fully working treetimeline)
Sounds Like
..The Shins.., ..The Unicorns.., ..Belle and Sebastian.., faucet cleaning, maripex mid-drifts, hypersomnia.... ....T-shirts available (S,M,L) GOLD FLAKE on BROWN..Design by ..Paul Jones Jr....Screenprinted by ..Alter Ego Printing..