Ask a Local: Nick Hennies/Weird Weeds
Though Nick Hennies is probably best known for his band Weird Weeds, he's pretty busy without that. You can hear him every Sunday on KOOP's Commercial Suicide, he works with the New Music Coop, a "community of composers and performers from the Austin area dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of new music," as well as a thoughtful voice in the discussions surrounding live music in Austin. We're happy and thankful that he had some time to spare for discussing things that he was fond of in 2008:
5. Scott Tuma - Not For Nobody (Digitalis) Perhaps because of his affiliation with alt-country innovators (and not to mention my favorite band) Souled American or because of most listeners' reactions to the sound of a lonely, creaking acoustic guitar, Scott Tuma can't seem to escape the label of "Americana." While Tuma's music most definitely possesses elements of American folk music, his solo work - especially his most recent offering, Not For Nobody - defies easy categorization, often more steeped in experimentalism than traditional folk music.
If you're familiar with Tuma's music, then aside from the opening and final vocal tracks which find Tuma singing for the first time, there are no big surprises on Not For Nobody. It is a humble series of vignettes that feature conventional tonality presented in a strange yet remarkably focused and well-realized way. Tuma formulated his own personal musical language years ago and now, having achieved mastery, is happy to work freely within the space he has defined for himself. It is inventive, tender, and achingly beautiful music - a rare treat.
4. Kurt Weisman - Spiritual Sci-Fi (Important) I've listened to this album at least a few dozen times now and I still don't know how the hell to describe it; if that's not the sign of a great record then I don't know what is. We were lucky enough to play with Weisman (also a member of Feathers and Witch) on tour last summer and we were all pleasantly surprised by his lovely solo acoustic songs and his oddly high singing voice. What he offers up on his debut solo album Spiritual Sci-Fi is something altogether weirder and even more impressive than what I saw live. The record would have easily earned a spot in my top records of the year just based on the opening track, "Cat People of the New Ice Age," one of the prettiest, most gentle songs I've heard in a long time; but what follows is a fascinating and somewhat impenetrable musical vision that has no obvious comparisons. I've never heard anything else like it.
3. Gentleman Jesse & His Men - s/t (Douchemaster) My friend Chris summed it up best when he said, "Most people can't even write one great pop song and this guy wrote thirteen." Gentleman Jesse makes '70s-style "power pop" but every single song on the album is so perfectly crafted that, much like Belle & Sebastian's best moments, the fact that it isn't wholly original doesn't matter in the slightest. It's a fun, catchy album that I have yet to stop wanting to hear.
2. {{{Sunset}}} - Bright Blue Dream / The Glowing City (Autobus) I'm happy to say that if I weren't already friends with Bill Baird, {{{Sunset}}} would still be one of my favorite bands around right now. I'm listing these two albums as one entry because they're part of the same Sandy 'cycle' and when taken as a whole they are quite simply the most impressive records made all year. Both albums are sprawling, massive epic collection of songs, though completely different in tone and pace. Bright Blue Dream is dreamy and mostly calm while The Glowing City is a non-stop juggernaut of pop songs that never seem to stop throwing out new ideas and sounds despite the almost 80-minute running time. {{{Sunset}}}'s music is funny, touching, innovative, unique and sincere. There is nothing else like it, which is more than enough to keep my interest for a long time.
1. The Shivers - Beaks to the Moon (self-released) The only reason this beats out {{{Sunset}}} for my top spot is because when I thought about how I was going to choose a favorite I asked myself which record I listened to more (both were release at about the same time). I thought back and realized that Beaks to the Moon is the only record to come out this year that I almost constantly find myself wanting to hear. Keith Zarriello is without a doubt my favorite songwriter in the world right now and the songs here are a soulful, heartfelt, and touching display. "I Wish I Was Never Born" is the most elegant anti-war song I've ever heard, "Cold in the Morning" is the best love song I've heard in years ... and that's only the first two tracks. It would be impossible for me to overstate how much I love The Shivers' music and this album (their first as a full band, and first made in a professional studio) showcases Keith's songs in their finest form yet. I can't wait to hear more.
