(photos courtesy of Amy Hartman)
Cincinnati rock band State Song are just about ready to drop their first album, but getting their name out there may not take quite as much effort as went into the actual making of the album – at least around the tri-state area. But for those of you who aren’t yet familiar with them, here’s a little bit about their history and formation.
Cousins Scot Torres and Matt Hemingway, and George Jesse, all have backgrounds in the local music scene. All three come from punk and hardcore bands; the classically-trained pianist Torres (also the band’s vocalist and guitarist) played with The Invitational; Hemingway was a drummer with the Dopamines and Black Tie Bombers but has turned to bass; and Jesse (drums) played with Saturday Supercade, Short Millie and By the Grace of God. After these bands either dissolved or took a hiatus, the three came together to form State Song in late 2008. It wasn’t long after they formed that they built up a strong rapport with the local and regional music communities. Having only put together a three-song demo, and still in the process of putting together several other songs, State Song earned spots opening for national touring acts like Constantines, Crystal Antlers, Via Audio and Star Death & White Dwarfs, as well as spots on local festivals like MidPoint, CincyPunk and the Northside Rock ‘n Roll Carnival. They even earned a nomination for “Best New Artist” in November of 2009 at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards.
In the summer of 2009, Torres, Hemingway and Jesse went into the studio (Cincinnati’s New Fidelity Productions to be exact) to record the material that would eventually make up their full-length debut, Dear Hearts & Gentle People. One year later, State Song are ready to share their art, and the magic, that went into creating the ten songs that make up the album.
(On a side note: as of early 2010, George Jesse has left the band and been replaced with Justin Sheldon, formerly of The Rescue Effort and Lightweight Holiday)
Having seen State Song perform more times than I can remember, I knew there would be little room for surprise on Dear Hearts. For me, it was more about seeing (hearing actually) how these songs sounded in a studio setting – and then going back to see how they are translated to the live setting. In the past, Torres has mentioned that they try to get as many sounds out of a three-piece and don’t do anything in the studio that they can’t do live, and that says a lot because whether you’re listening to this album or seeing them on stage, you would be surprised to find that the three members are able to even keep up at all in the heat of playing music. You’d even be surprised to hear some of the screams that come from the short and often-humble Torres.
Even after all of the times that I have seen them perform, I still have trouble pinpointing exactly what type of band this is. I guess all that really matters anyways is you know what you like when you hear it. Personally, I like to think that they are more of a “post” kind of band; post-punk, post-rock and maybe even post-metal. I say this because they seem to go against the norm by having complex song structures and rhythms, as well as a heavy use of atmospheric dynamics and distorted guitars that showcase the interplay between the soft and melodic, and dark and aggressive.
It’s been said before that albums are a lot like a rollercoaster ride. Lots of highs and lows, and unexpected twists and turns. While Dear Hearts may feel a little bit like that, I like to think of it more as climbing a mountain. I can tell that a lot of thought was put into the making of this album, not just with the music (clearly) or even the high production values, but in the way that the songs seem to be strategically placed. The album builds (or climbs up that mountain), with each song being better than the last. The first few songs seem to go back and forth a bit, rotating between short and sweet heavier songs like the opener “Blank Lake” and the third track,”Paper Ghost”, and softer, extended, piano-driven jams like “Oceanaire” and “Skeleton Key.” But make no mistake - just when you think State Song are getting too soft, they’ll hit you hard when you least expect it.
It is early on in the album, specifically at the end of “Paper Ghost”, when the album seems to really start building, bringing the band within steps of the top of the mountain. This may be because the third track gently flows into the fourth song, “Oceanaire”, thanks to the electronic sampling from Torres. From this moment on, and through the next several songs, State Song seem to be riding a huge wave, having placed some of their strongest songs like “4 to 6prn” and “Highway Machine” right in the middle of the album. The final three tracks of the album may have been placed towards the end because they all appear to be a little more softer and relaxed, maybe even reflective, as you think about the view from atop the mountain (or the songs you’ve heard thus far) while making your way back down to the bottom. The album couldn’t have ended on a better note, than with the six-plus minute gem, “The Concierge.” It is the strongest track here because it is the most diverse, having everything from a lounge-like sounding piano, and a very brief stint of electronica and dance sounds just before they do a complete 180, ending with thumping bass, fuzzy guitars and erratic drumming behaviors.
After hearing the album, and as impressive a debut as it is, there is nothing like watching the magic unfold as State Song brings these songs to life in concert. Like I said before, they were nominated for a CEA Award in 2009, and my guess is that it won’t be the last time. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they’re nominated or even win “Album of the Year.”
Dear Hearts & Gentle People will be released on the locally-based Phratry Records, on Tuesday, August 10th. But for those of you who can’t wait to hear the album, they will be celebrating the release on Saturday, August 7th, with a whole house show at Newport’s Historic Southgate House. Admission is only $5 and includes your very own copy of the CD – or you can trade that CD in and pay an additional $5 to get the vinyl version, which features an alternate “soft” version of “Highway Machine.” Joining State Song for the release show will be friends and local bands like mallory, The Guitars, Kasparov, The Frankl Project, Lifelike, Rob Barnes of Slow Claw, Margaret Darling of The Seedy Seeds, Umin and Billy Wallace & the Virginia Blues.
