Unwed
Sailor have been innovators in instrumental rock since their debut
release in 1998. From beginnings in various post-punk and hardcore
bands, including Seattle's Roadside Monument, Johnathon Ford's Unwed
Sailor exhibits that wild power with the restraint of a seasoned
musician and performing veteran. Their signature sound is based
around Ford's leading bass melodies, melodic string keyboard arrangements,
intricate groove oriented rhythms, and sparkling chime like guitars.
As they prepare to celebrate their 10th anniversary, Unwed Sailor
are as busy as ever. At the end of November 2007, the band finished
recording and mixing of Little Wars, their 4th full-length. The
new full length, Little Wars, has been a concept for several years,
originally planned to be a special 10" vinyl only release.
Initial tracks were recorded in late 2002 and the band began playing
a track or two as part of their live set. "Copper Islands"
is a building block for the album and has become a fan favorite
from their live shows. As the band grew comfortable playing the
songs live, Ford decided to re-visit and expand the material into
a full album. The final Little Wars sessions were recorded and mixed
close to Ford's Tulsa, OK childhood home in nearby Norman, OK by
Chad Copelin (Page France, Umbrellas, Ryan Lindsey) in his new Blackwatch
Studios.
Little Wars is the band's most ambitious and complex release yet,
building on melodic lessons and recording techniques learned over
the last several albums. Not content to follow up with their energetic
2000 debut full-length, The Faithful Anchor, with a mere sequel,
the band recorded 2003's The Marionette and the Music Box, challenging
its fan base with a Peter and the Wolf inspired, classically influenced
fairy-tale. In 2006, Unwed Sailor released The White Ox full-length
and Circles ep that further departed from their live performance
sound, exploring Eno/Lanois ambient recording techniques, resulting
in a brooding, gloomy ambient opus wrapped in southwestern imagery.
Little Wars reflects both the depth and breadth that the band has
developed through these diverging releases and its live show. The
songs are energetic and highly melodic, but gently colored and focused
by layered keyboards and percussion with a delicate ambience. Unwed
Sailor has had a revolving cast of musicians in recent years, audiences
treated to various colors and flavors of the band, emphasizing its
many different aspects. The core line-up that recorded The Marionette
and the Music Box with Johnathon Ford was re-assembled, including
longtime guitarist Nic Tse who now lives in Hong Kong, drummer Matthew
Putman, and guitarist Matthew Depper, and combined with the current
live band which includes keyboardist Brooks Tipton, drummer Patrick
Ryan, and guitarist Andrew Haldeman.
The album opens with the Who influenced "Copper Islands"
which sets the pace for Little Wars, reminding fans of the live
show and immediately pulling the band back towards its earlier energetic
melodies. The title track and "The Garden" continue on
the melodic trend, carried by the energy of drummer Matt Putman's
solid complex danceable rhythms, but also bending the record back
towards lush ambience with various choir and synth keyboard parts
that bring to mind The Cure or New Order. Unwed Sailor is not afraid
to be aggressive as it moves on towards its heavy distortion influenced
"Aurora". While it is trendy to incorporate heavy/distortion
influences into instrumental rock these days, Ford has tapped into
this energy many times over his career, especially during blistering
Roadside Monument performances. On at least one occasion, Ford was
so caught up in the frenzied live performance, he ripped the four
strings off his bass with his bare hands. But even on "Aurora",
the heaviness is balanced by Tipton and Depper's lush keyboard arrangements,
creating soaring sounds that are sure to inspire, further evidence
of the Unwed Sailor dialectic. "Echo Roads" is a more
traditional rock composition, carried by a Neil Young influenced
melody. "Lonely Bulls" recalls the cuckoo-clock staccato
of The Marionette and the Music Box, mixing in dense layers of keyboards
and storybook/lullaby melodies. "Numeral" closes Little
Wars drenched in heavy effects and ambience bringing to mind Brian
Eno or Pink Floyd. Little Wars stands alone. It is truly a unique,
progressive, and challenging addition to the growing number of instrumental
albums hitting the shelves.
Unwed Sailor hit the road in a big way in 2007, touring extensively
throughout the US on multiple tours and playing shows with bands
including Murder By Death, Battles, This Will Destroy You, Twilight
Sad, mewithoutyou, Appleseed Cast, Lotus, and Daughters. Unwed Sailor
is currently booking tours for Spring 2008 in the US and early Summer
in Europe to support Little Wars, continuing to challenge and impress
audiences with their energetic live show.
Ford labors on somber, epic sound-paintings that recall Eno’s
philosophies of discreet music, but can also roll into more jazz-infused
rhythms, spearheading a more out there kind of post-rock.--Real
Detroit Weekly
Pulsing
cadences conjured up the rolling rhythm of white-capped sea waves,
complete with rushing piano work and drumbeats like sunbeams piercing
down into the blue depths. Even to a reviewer 30 feet away, their
labors shoed Unwed Sailor's members were burning themselves up,
giving their all in a tightly focused and highly coordinated effort,
sweating in the warm July night air as their surging harmonies shook
the Opolis --Adam Scott, Norman Transcript
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