Band To Watch: Singer

Their own mini avant choir, Singer write songs that allow all four members to chime in vocally, each maintaining a separate spaciousness, around which the guitars, bass, and drums remain harmonious but noncommittal. The group could be considered a "super," if the other bands they play (or played) in were bigger. Instead, Singer's a band consisting of folks from some other really great, often overlooked projects: Bassist Robert Lowe was in the excellent 90 Day Men and currently does mesmerizing solo work as Lichens, guitarist Todd Rittmann and drummer Adam Vida were in U.S. Maple, and Adam's brother Ben Vida's in Town and Country and his solo project Bird Show. The quartet's seven-song debut trips into a loose-knit, psychedelic, jazzy realm. There's tension -- lots of it -- bolstered by well-earned moments of post-rock release. You'll need to close your eyes and open your ears while things congeal (the map's torn, but it does make sense). Parts turn on a dime, then split into four bits and parcel out the change. Elegant guitars turn into shards the moment the drums dig into a solid, ass-kicking beat. The guys barbershop over sheets of drone (on the fine "Please, Tell The Justices We're Fine"). Snares crumble, but gain momentum through that deconstruction. Feedback sprouts from silence. Let's see how many more of these we can do, Letterman. Bowie trying to keep up with Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 (see "Party Lessons")? Yeasayer hollowed out by Tony Conrad-loving minimalists (look toward the opening of "Mauvais Sang")? OK, strap on your headphones for this.

[Photo by T. Albbertt Rittmann; L to R: Robt A.A. Lowe, Adam Vida, Ben Vida, Todd Rittmann]

Singer - "Dumb Smoke" (MP3)

That's some fractured virtuosity. If you've caught recent Lichens performances, you'll recognize Lowe's falsetto. It also has a Malkmus-y gate. When not imploding. If you liked that, you can listen to three additional Unhistories at MySpace. Pay close attention to "Oh Dusty."

Unhistories is out 3/25 on Drag City. They might just be coming to your town.

04/18 - Grinnell, IA @ Gardner Lounge at Grinnell Main Hall
04/19 - Northfield, MN @ The Cave at Carleton College
04/20 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
04/21 - Iowa City, IA @ The Picador
04/22 - Springfield, MO @ Randy Bacon Gallery
04/23 - St. Louis, MO @ The Billiken Club at St. Louis
04/24 - Cincinnati, OH @ Gypsy Hut
04/26 - Baltimore, MD @ Floristree Space
04/29 - New York, NY @ Knitting Factory Tap Bar
04/30 - Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands Gallery
05/01 - Buffalo, NY @ Soundlab
05/02 - Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dee's
05/03 - Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo
05/04 - New Haven, CT @ The Bar
05/05 - Allston, MA @ Great Scott

Posted at 2:41 PM in Band To Watch, MP3
Tags: Singer

12 Comments

rob lowe is one of the biggest poseurs on the planet. All I remember is seeing a bunch of his posters for Lichens around Chicago saying "featuring rob lowe formerly of TVOTR"

I think he hung out with TVOTR once or something and now uses it to promote any shitting moaning he puts out.

douche.
bag.

Posted by: ugh at 03/06/08 3:15 PM | Reply
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Singer is one of the best live acts I've seen in a LONG time. Completely mesmerizing.

Rob, Ben, and Adam will be playing with DRMWPN at the AV-Aerie in Chicago this Monday. The 12-piece also features Josh Abrams, Liz Payne, and Jim Dorling of Town and Country, Plastic Crimewave, and others. Talk about a supergroup.

Check it out.

Posted by: A.G. at 03/06/08 3:46 PM | Reply
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OK, Singer. Let's see how many friends you have.

Posted by: Roos at 03/06/08 5:18 PM | Reply
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It was the venue who put "rob lowe formerly of tvotr" on the posters and he was, for a short time in the band but is often cited as a "collaborator" as he never appeared on any recordings. douche. bag.

Posted by: b at 03/06/08 5:51 PM | Reply
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he was never in the band. that i know for sure.

Posted by: ugh at 03/06/08 6:25 PM | Reply
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i know for sure that he was, it was very brief and he would be the first to tell you that it didn't work out for either party. it is not something he ever brings up.

Posted by: b at 03/06/08 6:57 PM | Reply
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i liked it. i followed the link to the myspace page and oh dusty is even better. way more out there and hypnotic than tvotr. i might be in the minority on this, but aside from young liars i don't find anything too exciting about them.

Posted by: dave at 03/07/08 2:38 AM | Reply
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oh B

if by hanging out with them and jamming in the studio means "in the band"
then maybe

but nothing substantial came out of it

nothing more than a few days/perhaps a week?

B are you rob lowe? it's ok, you can admit it

i know it's a sore subject
but you aren't a successful musician
so stop latching on to ones that are

Posted by: ugh at 03/07/08 2:38 AM | Reply
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seven hours later b comes back to see if anyone has responded to his derision so he can continue it...

Posted by: frozen lake of tears at 03/07/08 2:56 AM | Reply
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totally meant fuckn "ugh"

sorry, b. yer cool, man. yer cool.

Posted by: fzlot at 03/07/08 3:09 AM | Reply
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wow thank god fzlot came and validated b.

one anonymous commenter telling another "yer cool" always helps

Posted by: abcdefg at 03/07/08 8:50 AM | Reply
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nothing helps as much as being tiny penis of sarcasm

Posted by: d at 03/07/08 12:53 PM | Reply
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