Grand Court Organ + New Soul Blind

Grand Court Music. There is no shortage of new music to listen to. However despite all of it, I find it hard to hone in on the stuff that gets me excited. In other words stuff that I may be a fan of. Here are two exceptions. First is Staubitz and Waterhouse. Second is Soul Blind. For the same reason though. I am always wondering what they will do next. Staubitz and Waterhouse are far more experimental, Soul Blind can be more zeroed in on sound wise. Both help balance out the totality of the narrow and wide scopes I listen to. Rather than go on a tangent.. Quickly, I love many genres and such. But even as an award winning blog and zine editor I still feel like I am far behind in discovering new music. Let these artists help

Let’s take a trip. A sidebar or detour away from traditional verse chorus verse music. In the past I cover Staubitz and Waterhouse. Please kindly see attached link for reference, context, and hopefully listening pleasure. https://meatsheetfanzine.com/chance-meets-instrumentation-more-new-distant-duos/

Staubitz and Waterhouse – Deluxe Romantic Suite Accessible – Regional Bears

First let’s back up. John Meat, aka , yours truly comes to know of Waterhouse aka Russ by attending his show. At the time, namely Blues Control. Ever since that day of discovering Kurt Vile and Blues Control at Brickbat or was it Big Jar, the gigs start to melt into one another.. I’ve been a fan. Through the years I keep one eye peeled for any projects involving Staubitz and Waterhouse. As you may know from the above link, combined with Mary Staubitz, the work continues and grows. As of 2020.. Staubitz and Waterhouse create the brilliant Distant Duos.

Additionally this team really go after the field recordings with fervor and zest.

Which brings us to June 2022 release. Here we go.

The latest cassette and digital offering on Regional Bears gives that escape that is much in need. That is to say if you want something a little more experimental than the status quo. Most times you find immersive recordings of various scenarios in which the audio of what is happening creates the ‘ song ‘ itself. For said audio go here https://regionalbears.bandcamp.com/album/deluxe-romantic-suite-accessible?fbclid=IwAR2hNS2YBMGXhhgXK2v_wg-ZJH6YHIvyPVmHiiSx1JRgdIDQK9Zmhjn28u4

First out the romantic suite gates is Wanamaker Grand Court Organ.

I love the title so much I reference this in the title of this very article. Historical sidebar about said organ. Located inside Macy’s in Center City in the building of the same name. This may be the worlds largest pipe organ. The movie Mannequin from the 80’s is shot in that spot. John Meat himself parked cars underground in the Wanamaker parking garage. On to the track. Beginning with audio of semi heavy steps, Staubitz and Waterhouse lead you in to the grand court. The steps sounding as if you may be coming to the end of metal steps or perhaps the bottom of escalator.

Dull and metallic. Dull in timbre, however I do not find it dull as in boring. As the steps thud, the organ playing fades in.

The audio that the field recordist(s) are capturing is literally recording the sounds of the room. You can feel the size of the room due to the growing intensity of reverb and organ volume. It’s not super loud but enough to help your mind’s eye paint a picture. Again you don’t reach for this if you are after singe songwriting tunes. This is more investigative and journey like. Each of the tracks in fact. They tell you a story, even if only a minute or so. Back to the pipe organ. Due to the recording device, its prominent in the mix but not super loud. Quite beautiful. I can almost be whisked away to Philly..

Next , Lenny’s Hot Tub jets on in. What romantic suite doesn’t have the option to soak in one of these bad boys ? The audio is literal. The percolation becomes an ambient noise soup. I can write about it long after my skin is wet and shriveled and it won’t capture the experience in the same way as listening. Clocking in at around 9 and a half minutes Lenny’s Hot Tub could be a meditative piece.

Once the jets and bubbles start it feels like there is no beginning or end.

An exception is around 4:25 the volume fluctuates. I imagine whether intentional or not, it is probably the recording equipment moving or picking up sound reflection. Bath type settings and such have their own unique reverb / echo sometimes.

Lenny’s Hot Tub reads almost like a white noise machine.

I can get lost in a good way. At the end there is a hint of human voice that signals its time to move on to ..

Moving on to Four Pidgeons and A Brown Rat. This one is short and feels like it was added to break up Lenny’s Hot Tub and the next track Fireplace in which it is sandwiched between. At the moment I have a dishwasher going and this release so I am at a disadvantage to properly hear this quick track. If you listen to Staubitz and Waterhouse previous work, Common Metals.. They do have a dishwasher field recording. Art is imitating life right now.

Back to current tape / digital release. If the hot tub offers heat and water, then Fireplace offers heat and a fire.

Two crucial elements i.e. fire and water. In Fireplace though you hear the preparation of the fire. Maybe some crinkling of paper to set things off. Also the moving of metal tools like a fireplace poker and the like. It’s a vicarious experience. Is that champagne I hear chilling in the background ?

Next Orchard Beach Strays is probably the first maybe second track from Staubitz and Waterhouse that I cannot accurately pinpoint as far as what is actually taking place in the audio. It is seeming a slice of ambient street life and the noises that go with it.

Voices, laughter, general street shuffling. This leaves alot to let each person’s imagination run amok.

Not saying that is a bad thing as the following two audio offerings are more concrete. Maybe I should say fluid as well.

Roman Shower 1 features built in natural reverb of a shower running. The reverb of a more open , larger , tiled bathroom compared to a small cramped city wash closet with a shower wedged into a corner. I can almost picture steam.

This conjures up memories of pre and post swimming, and maybe PE class in high school. Sans the trauma.. after all , this is deluxe and romantic. you can hear the breath of relief, a sigh. Common sounds as you refresh yourself. The pattering of water passing into the drain is also satisfying. If an audio shower is in order, this is a must and will be my go to track. So I reckon you are thinking. What about Roman Shower 2 ?!? I though you may not ever ask.

Roman Shower 2 starts with a more subdued warm noise. Humming with a slight gurgle. This could be a shower adjacent to the suite that Roman Shower 1 is recorded in. The reverb is gone. You can only hear what seems to be the pipes working through the wall. If this proves to be correct, it is quite an experiment in sound.

Part 1 is literal, what you hear is what you get. Part 2 is more ambient.

I cannot listen to field recordings all the time, but when I do this would be a good duo together. Pair it with Runoff and Dishintergration from aforementioned Common Metals and create your own aquatic themed Staubitz and Waterhouse playlist.

Last , this release ends with Rat Island Loop. Like Orchard Beach Strays, and maybe Four Pidgeons and A Brown Rat, these are segways and not as literal. They do stand on their own but they go by quickly. It’s as if inspiration is sparked, captured then over before you know it.

I can make out what seems to be nautical or water / coast like sounds. Cannot say for sure. Rat Island Loop, like Orchard Beach Strays allows the listener to use the audio to paint their own landscape.

Overall, if you are a fan of field recordings I cannot fathom one not checking this out.

This is very romantic and accessible to the field recording afficionados. Please tell the label and Staubitz and Waterhouse that I sent you. Buona Sera mi amor ! Ciao

Soul Blind – Stuck In A Loop

I’ve been loosely watching Soul Blind for a while now. These Hudson Valley New Yorkers are definitely dialed into the heaviness of the more percussive grunge acts on the 90’s. That is to say discarding the milk toast grunge.

Add heavy ‘grunge’ and elements of Helmet, a little sludge, and maybe on this track, 00’s stoner rock / metal riffing.

Hard to say because the sound of Stuck In A Loop may sound like 00’s stoner a little. Stoner bands are informed by very late 60’s and 70’s

Either way, this is definitely Soul Blind’s sound. Starting with dissonant klaxon like guitar notes building into wall like rifffs..more than likely tuned down. The bass gets some love as the guitars drop in and out. The guitars having brief harmonic squeals. Cen, the singer, voice is very similar to the previous stuf they have done. That is not to say formulaic, or if were.. it works for what Soul Blind is doing.

I hear Layne Staley influence in Cen’s voice, however he sounds more smooth whereas Staley may have been more raspy, abrasive, and purposely hitting all kinds of notes.

I say this matter of factly with no judgement on either. Simply put, just trying describe the sound to any new listeners. The element of Stuck In A Loop I find to be the most distinctive is a heavy riff that repeats. At the end it slows down and therefore the pitch drops. If you know the end of Kiss’s Black Diamond.. it feels like that. It is not overtly like that but I can’t help but think of it. This single is strong. I am wishing to hear more from this band and I reckon we may hear more soon.

I’ll leave you with a great indie pop band, The Beths. They release a new LP September 16. Here is a video , the self titled track from said LP Expert In A Dying Field. If you are like me, you marvel at the cool gear and random vintage stuff in this video. The song shows a sincerity (and growth; if you know their other stuff) that you don’t hear everyday. In addition to the main lead vocals, there are some three part vocal harmonies that make this track soar. Great energy. Stay tuned.

There you have it Grand Court Organ and all. August is upon us. Even for a louse like me there is plenty to be excited for in this month and September. The Orchids from Glasgow, The Beths, and many many many many more.