If you are in search for some catchy pop/folk music similar to Built to Spill or Modest Mouse, check out the Chicago band Bound Stems. They released their sophomore album in September called The Family Afloat, and although their complex song structures are a bit too experimental for my tastes at times, there are some really good tracks on the album. I like Bobby Gallivan’s vocals, which bring to mind Ed Harcourt.
“Winston” is the folkiest song on the album, and is also ( ‘therefore?’) my favorite. The song features a banjo and back-up female vocals–two elements that my heart has a big soft spot for. I’m also a fan of “Happens to Us All Otherwise,” “Cloak of Blue Sky,” and “Clear Water & Concrete.”
In an interview with New City Chicago, Evan Sult, drummer in the band (and former Harvey Danger member), responded when asked about shaking up traditional song structures:
I always feel the need to do that. To me that was a fundamental starting point for Bound Stems. Not to be weird, but just to, measure by measure, be as interesting as possible. I think, at least in my mind, it’s funny to hear somebody talk about the left turns in the songs, because those parts seem more natural to me than a verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure… I really think it comes from the fact that we don’t have much interest in repeating something a lot of times. We have a lot of ideas.
As a fan of relatively traditional song structures, I found this to be a pretty interesting quote. Pitchfork, who gave the album a high rating of 7.8, addressed the Bound Stems attempt to be interesting, saying “For all their ambition, there are still moments on Family Afloat that feel forced– more ‘Look what we can do!’ instead of simply, ‘Look what we do well.'”
Bounds Stems is Bobby Gallivan (vocals), Dan Fleury (guitar), Dan Radzicki (bass, keys), Evan Sult (drums), and Janie Porche (multi-intrumentalist and backup vocals). The band released the EP The Logic of Building the Body Plan in 2005, and their debut album Appreciation Night released in 2006. They are signed to Flameshovel Records.
The Family Afloat (2008):
(mp3) Bound Stems – Winston
I think it’s so surreal – but very cool you are posting abut the bound stems. Mr. Gallivan is a teacher at my high school. Here I am just reading one of my favorite music blogs and I see my teachers band. Little crazy.
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