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Artist: Two Gallants
Album: We Are Undone
Bitrate: 245kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: ATO Records
Genre: Rock
Size: 79.42 megs
PlayTime: 0h 43min 15sec total
Rip Date: 2015-02-05
Store Date: 2015-02-03
Track List:
--------
01. We Are Undone 4:24
02. Incidental 2:28
03. Fools Like Us 3:25
04. Invitation To The Funeral 5:27
05. Some Trouble 4:55
06. My Man Go 5:40
07. Katy Kruelly 2:57
08. Heartbreakdown 4:00
09. Murder The Season / The Age 4:30
Nocturne
10. The Strange Is Gone 5:29
Release Notes:
--------
On February 3rd, the San Francisco based guitar-drum duo Two Gallants are set to
release their 5th studio album, We Are Undone, on ATO Records. While singer and
guitarist Adam Stephens and drummer Tyson Vogel have stayed true to the
two-person format since their acclaimed 2004 debut, The Throes, their sound has
evolved considerably over the intervening years. Following 2012Æs The Bloom and
the Blight, We Are Undone is the bandÆs second release on ATO. Thematically, the
album ranges from songs that attempt to make sense of the dramatically shifting
social landscape of their home town, to the illusion of authenticity, impending
environmental collapse, and romantic estrangement. Sonically, the thrash blues
of songs such as ôWe Are Undoneö and ôSome Troubleö is balanced by the austerity
of ballads such as ôMy Man Goö and ôThereÆs So Much I DonÆt Know.ö
Reached at home, Stephens and Vogel talked about finding inspiration in
admitting you donÆt have the answers. You recorded this with Karl Derfler in
Panoramic Studio in Stinson Beach; what was working with Karl like? For this
one, he just acted more as an engineer than a straight producer, correct?
Adam Stephens: The limitations of playing with essentially two instruments has
probably been the most driving force for our sound over the years. ItÆs like
this wall that we continually bump up against and every time it repels us in a
new direction. Karl pulled off some incredible things within those restrictions.
KarlÆs been involved in some amazing records and with a lot of musicians we look
up to: Tom Waits, Roky Erickson, The FlaminÆ Groovies, just to name a few. The
three of us pretty much saw eye-to-eye immediately on what we wanted to hear. I
think he was able to capture our sound in a way that was very familiar and very
real but somehow new to us as well.
So on the opening song and title track ôWe Are Undone,ö YouÆre talking about the
marketplace, youÆre talking about the dry and barren field. And you also say
ôyou sing to the choir/and they know every line.ö What was sort of on your mind
as you were making the song?
AS: I guess that song is about the illusion of thinking that what youÆre doing
is of some significance simply because people come out to your shows or because
you are told that you make something that moves people in a certain way. But the
song is definitely not a statement. I donÆt know. It was more of an exploration
I guess.
Like, trying to find an answer through a song. ItÆs not like you have a definite
answer. YouÆre sort of thinking about things out loud.
AS: Yeah. I donÆt believe in writing songs with a plan in mind. That saps all
the impulse out of it when it should be more like following a lead. The lead I
was following with ôWe Are Undoneö was, without being too blunt about it, trying
to make sense of this unending pressure to acquire and consume, and usually as
conspicuously as possible, that has taken a hold of our culture. Consuming
actual material items and consuming the belief system behind it: that our lives
and our happiness are absolutely dependent upon those very items. Everyone is
aware of the destructive nature of the way that we live, but nobody wants to do
away with all of its comforts. And if you, for a second, start to tell someone
that the only way weÆre going to solve a problem is if we do away with a certain
comfort that theyÆve grown up with or grown so accustomed to, then people are up
in arms and donÆt want to do anything about it.
Were you thinking about anything in particular when you wrote this song? Because
youÆre from San Francisco. Was that something on your mind while you were
writing?
AS: Not this song as much. Actually, the last song on the album, ôThereÆs So
Much I DonÆt Know,ö has a lot more to do with that.
How so?
AS: ItÆs a bit more about the feeling of becoming estranged from the city, from
San Francisco. The place that has always been our home has become rather
unwelcoming for the very people whose eccentricities had defined the city for so
long; people who want to live simply and make art or music or just be weird
somewhere. Every place that has housed or staged that oddity and diversity has
basically become extremely exclusive or been shut down. The strangeness is gone.
ThatÆs kind of the centerpiece of the song I guess.
Tyson Vogel: If you listen to all of our records, we never have ever tried to
portray anything that wouldnÆt really be there if you were to go see us play
live. And I think a lot of that is in the process of creating the songs, too.
Also just having faith in that space, but also, giving the simplistic nature of
only two members its full due. You have to commit to it fully.
So tell me about the cover? I hear you have something interesting planned.
AS: ItÆs a drawing by Kevin Earl Taylor of a 160,000 year old fossilized human
skull. As far as the fossil record reveals, itÆs basically considered to be from
the last stage of evolution that preceded modern humans. The idea was to hint at
humanity before it had fully developed its self¡-awareness. When its
consciousness was just budding. A stage, obviously, all of us go through in a
lifetime when we first begin to realize that weÆre actually individuals,
separate from our parents and our surroundings.
You and Tyson have been working together for around 12 years, and youÆve known
each other for much longer than that, right?
AS: Yeah, weÆve known each other since we were five.
So, as you and Tyson have been doing it for a long time, do you sort of have to
push each other in order to keep it fresh? Do you guys have to guard each other
and let yourselves fall back on old habits?
AS: Well, I would say the one thing that we try to remind one another of is to
not overthink what weÆre playing. A lot of times when we have a new song that
feels pretty good, weÆll decide to not keep working on it because we donÆt want
to lose that initial feeling. ItÆs sort of inevitable that we will. But itÆs
really important to kind of keep that initial feeling, to be able to maintain
that part of the song that was there before it could really be considered a
song.
TV: I think thereÆs something especially raw about being in a band with only two
people, thereÆs a certain set of chemistry or energy that happens. This sort of
transferal. And I think that ever since the beginning, itÆs been super intimate.
Because itÆs only us two. And so, with that there comes a lot of freedom. And
then there comes a lot of spots where we both have to be able to acclimate to
maybe a difference of approach or a creative idea that is new to our process.
And thereÆs a volatile love that comes with that process. I think that with this
album, in reference to the albums previous, I think it steps in line with this
other sort of expansion of both our personal lives, and our relationships
personally. WeÆre both growing together and in different ways, and learning how
to find that balance.
This NFO File was rendered by NFOmation.net
Artist: Two Gallants
Album: We Are Undone
Bitrate: 245kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: ATO Records
Genre: Rock
Size: 79.42 megs
PlayTime: 0h 43min 15sec total
Rip Date: 2015-02-05
Store Date: 2015-02-03
Track List:
--------
01. We Are Undone 4:24
02. Incidental 2:28
03. Fools Like Us 3:25
04. Invitation To The Funeral 5:27
05. Some Trouble 4:55
06. My Man Go 5:40
07. Katy Kruelly 2:57
08. Heartbreakdown 4:00
09. Murder The Season / The Age 4:30
Nocturne
10. The Strange Is Gone 5:29
Release Notes:
--------
On February 3rd, the San Francisco based guitar-drum duo Two Gallants are set to
release their 5th studio album, We Are Undone, on ATO Records. While singer and
guitarist Adam Stephens and drummer Tyson Vogel have stayed true to the
two-person format since their acclaimed 2004 debut, The Throes, their sound has
evolved considerably over the intervening years. Following 2012s The Bloom and
the Blight, We Are Undone is the bands second release on ATO. Thematically, the
album ranges from songs that attempt to make sense of the dramatically shifting
social landscape of their home town, to the illusion of authenticity, impending
environmental collapse, and romantic estrangement. Sonically, the thrash blues
of songs such as We Are Undone and Some Trouble is balanced by the austerity
of ballads such as My Man Go and Theres So Much I Dont Know.
Reached at home, Stephens and Vogel talked about finding inspiration in
admitting you dont have the answers. You recorded this with Karl Derfler in
Panoramic Studio in Stinson Beach; what was working with Karl like? For this
one, he just acted more as an engineer than a straight producer, correct?
Adam Stephens: The limitations of playing with essentially two instruments has
probably been the most driving force for our sound over the years. Its like
this wall that we continually bump up against and every time it repels us in a
new direction. Karl pulled off some incredible things within those restrictions.
Karls been involved in some amazing records and with a lot of musicians we look
up to: Tom Waits, Roky Erickson, The Flamin Groovies, just to name a few. The
three of us pretty much saw eye-to-eye immediately on what we wanted to hear. I
think he was able to capture our sound in a way that was very familiar and very
real but somehow new to us as well.
So on the opening song and title track We Are Undone, Youre talking about the
marketplace, youre talking about the dry and barren field. And you also say
you sing to the choir/and they know every line. What was sort of on your mind
as you were making the song?
AS: I guess that song is about the illusion of thinking that what youre doing
is of some significance simply because people come out to your shows or because
you are told that you make something that moves people in a certain way. But the
song is definitely not a statement. I dont know. It was more of an exploration
I guess.
Like, trying to find an answer through a song. Its not like you have a definite
answer. Youre sort of thinking about things out loud.
AS: Yeah. I dont believe in writing songs with a plan in mind. That saps all
the impulse out of it when it should be more like following a lead. The lead I
was following with We Are Undone was, without being too blunt about it, trying
to make sense of this unending pressure to acquire and consume, and usually as
conspicuously as possible, that has taken a hold of our culture. Consuming
actual material items and consuming the belief system behind it: that our lives
and our happiness are absolutely dependent upon those very items. Everyone is
aware of the destructive nature of the way that we live, but nobody wants to do
away with all of its comforts. And if you, for a second, start to tell someone
that the only way were going to solve a problem is if we do away with a certain
comfort that theyve grown up with or grown so accustomed to, then people are up
in arms and dont want to do anything about it.
Were you thinking about anything in particular when you wrote this song? Because
youre from San Francisco. Was that something on your mind while you were
writing?
AS: Not this song as much. Actually, the last song on the album, Theres So
Much I Dont Know, has a lot more to do with that.
How so?
AS: Its a bit more about the feeling of becoming estranged from the city, from
San Francisco. The place that has always been our home has become rather
unwelcoming for the very people whose eccentricities had defined the city for so
long; people who want to live simply and make art or music or just be weird
somewhere. Every place that has housed or staged that oddity and diversity has
basically become extremely exclusive or been shut down. The strangeness is gone.
Thats kind of the centerpiece of the song I guess.
Tyson Vogel: If you listen to all of our records, we never have ever tried to
portray anything that wouldnt really be there if you were to go see us play
live. And I think a lot of that is in the process of creating the songs, too.
Also just having faith in that space, but also, giving the simplistic nature of
only two members its full due. You have to commit to it fully.
So tell me about the cover? I hear you have something interesting planned.
AS: Its a drawing by Kevin Earl Taylor of a 160,000 year old fossilized human
skull. As far as the fossil record reveals, its basically considered to be from
the last stage of evolution that preceded modern humans. The idea was to hint at
humanity before it had fully developed its self-awareness. When its
consciousness was just budding. A stage, obviously, all of us go through in a
lifetime when we first begin to realize that were actually individuals,
separate from our parents and our surroundings.
You and Tyson have been working together for around 12 years, and youve known
each other for much longer than that, right?
AS: Yeah, weve known each other since we were five.
So, as you and Tyson have been doing it for a long time, do you sort of have to
push each other in order to keep it fresh? Do you guys have to guard each other
and let yourselves fall back on old habits?
AS: Well, I would say the one thing that we try to remind one another of is to
not overthink what were playing. A lot of times when we have a new song that
feels pretty good, well decide to not keep working on it because we dont want
to lose that initial feeling. Its sort of inevitable that we will. But its
really important to kind of keep that initial feeling, to be able to maintain
that part of the song that was there before it could really be considered a
song.
TV: I think theres something especially raw about being in a band with only two
people, theres a certain set of chemistry or energy that happens. This sort of
transferal. And I think that ever since the beginning, its been super intimate.
Because its only us two. And so, with that there comes a lot of freedom. And
then there comes a lot of spots where we both have to be able to acclimate to
maybe a difference of approach or a creative idea that is new to our process.
And theres a volatile love that comes with that process. I think that with this
album, in reference to the albums previous, I think it steps in line with this
other sort of expansion of both our personal lives, and our relationships
personally. Were both growing together and in different ways, and learning how
to find that balance.
This NFO File was rendered by NFOmation.net
