Pipes's Picks: Top Albums of 2018

2018 brought with it an array of great albums from familiar artists and new faces.  In particular, this was a year where Milwaukee artists really shined on a local and national level.  In fact, four of the artists on this list call our fair city their home. Milwaukee rocks, as we know, and it gives me great pleasure to see our music scene in the city flourish.  Special thanks to Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch for all of the photos in this piece unless otherwise noted. Blending together my favorite releases of the year, I hope you enjoy this year's Pipes's Picks Top Albums of 2018.  

Kurt Vile- Bottle It In

Vile delivers his most eclectic and diverse array of tunes to date with Bottle it In, a record of 13 songs that spans an hour and twenty minutes- a rarity in today’s music landscape.  Blending folk sensibilities, fuzzy jams, psychedelic arrangements, and quirky storytelling as only Kurt Vile can deliver, Bottle it In invites the listener into Vile’s world and provides new surprises with each and every listen.  Who else could write, “Christmas in Siberia with a little bitty case of the delirium tremens, for some reason I picture Roger Clemens, but Mike Schmidt’s more of the city I came with.” Seriously!  What’s best about Bottle it In is that these melodies and odd lyrical comparisons simply bore into your head and stick there.  

Notable tracks include, “Loading Zones,” “Bassackwards,” “Cold As the Wind,” and “One Trick Ponies.”  

Collections of Colonies of Bees: HAWAII
Making a bold move to add vocalist Marielle Allschwang into the mix proved to be a genius move for Chris Rosnau’s experimental rock outfit, “Collections of Colonies of Bees.”  HAWAII marks the band’s most innovative and accessible album to date.  Rosnau is a mad scientist with guitar pedals and along with his band creates some dazzling sounds on a record that I found myself revisiting time and time again this year.  The great thing about HAWAII is how well it works both as a whole piece, as well as stand-alone tracks.  

Notable tracks include, “Killerers,” “HAWAII,” and “Ruins.”

Liz Cooper and the Stampede: Window Flowers

The debut LP from Nashville’s power trio, Liz Cooper and the Stampede, pushes all of the right buttons mixing blues-rock, psychedelia, strong narrative lyrics, and even creative use of vocals (Cooper fluctuates from using a distortion mic and her natural singing voice).  Cooper is a one-woman wrecking crew on the axe, delivering jams that sound like vintage My Morning Morning or Jefferson Airplane. The grooves are infectious and Window Flowers just plain rocks.

Notable tracks include, “Dalai Lama,” “Outer Space,” and “Mountain Man.”

Jeff Tweedy: WARM

Wilco’s songwriter is perhaps at his most intimate and exposed on WARM as he’s ever been as an artist.  With songs that sound like they could fit in on really any Wilco record to date, albeit in a different form, Tweedy delivers a collection of strong, provocative and moving tunes.  Reading Tweedy’s autobiography Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) at the same time as listening to this record certainly gives the listener/reader a very personal insight into Tweedy’s mind and psyche as an artist. The collection of eleven songs certainly stands up or surpasses much of Tweedy’s more recent Wilco recordings and shows that the artist has a boon of more stories to share with his audience.

Notable tracks include: “Let’s Go Rain,” “I Know What It’s Like,” and “Bombs Above.”

Buffalo Gospel: On the First Bell
Buffalo Gospel is like a broken-in flannel shirt; relaxed, warm, and above all else, sincere.   There is a palpable sense of compassion and earnestness that emanates from Ryan Necci’s vocals. Their second LP On the First Bell sees the Milwaukee-based group at the top of its game blending elements of country, rock, and Americana to create a unique sound that invites listeners to shine their boots, sit back and basque in a truly soulful band.

Notable tracks include, “High Time to Hang Fire,” “Lonestar,” “On the First Bell,” and “18 Wheeler”

photo courtesy of Bangordailynews.com

The Mallett Brothers Band: Vive L’Acadie

Vive L’Acadie is a record that embodies all things that make Americana music great.  Catchy fiddle licks, mandolin fills, sing-along refrains, strummy guitars and full-bodied vocals are evident on each of the tracks of this ten song LP.  There is a gritty soulfulness that draws listeners into this band and makes them revisit Vive L’Acadie more and more.  With trading off lead vocal duties between several musicians, each track takes on its own unique flavor on the record.

Notable tracks, “Vive L’Acadie,” “Losing Horses,” “Too Much Trouble,” and “Headed Home.”  

Dead Horses: My Mother The Moon

Dead Horses in many ways is a band that purely captures the modern Americana sounds. With Sarah Vos’s warm soaring vocals and Daniel Wolff’s steady upright bass, My Mother The Moon is a record that you can envision being performed in your living room while listening to it.  The addition of mandolinist Ryan Ogburn has helped add depth and rich timbres to the group’s music and makes My Mother the Moon a start-to-finish introspective modern Americana classic.

Notable tracks: “On and On and On,” “Darling Dear,” “Swinger in the Trees,” “Turntable.”

Courtney Barnett-Tell Me How You Really Feel

On her most recent record, Tell Me How You Really Feel, Barnett continues to hone her chops on the guitar and paint vivid stories for her listeners.  Often fuzzy and grungy, Tell Me How You Really Feel is a more introverted and introspective record, as the songwriter wrestles a bit with her rise in popularity internationally.  Great lyrics drive the record, but the guitar work is noticeably more rocking than on her previous releases.

Notable tracks include: “Hopefulnessless,” “City Looks Pretty,” “Nameless, Faceless”

Field Report: Summertime Songs

Field Report’s third album finds the band in a tighter and brighter place. Christopher Porterfield is on top of his game as a lyricist, using creative similes and masterful imagery to bring Summertime Songs alive for the listener.  Field Report continues to mature and get tighter as an ensemble and this collection of songs showcases the band exploring its sonic landscape like never before.

Notable tracks include: “Everytime,” “Healing Machine,” “Summertime Songs, “Tightrope”

Father John Misty: God’s Favorite Customer
There is no other artist on the planet like Josh Tillman.  As Father John Misty, Tillman embodies a sound that melds classic “AM Gold,” with progressive rich soundscapes and quirky lyrics that draw listeners into Misty’s world like a Hunter S. Thompson tale.  The prolific Tillman has released a series of stellar albums recently, and God’s Favorite Customer is no exception.

Notable tracks include, “Mr. Tillman,” “Date Night,” and “Hangout at the Gallows.”

Jim James: Uniform Clarity/Uniform Distortion

In a totally “Jim James move,” Jim James released a pair of records that are both similar and uniquely different at the same time.  Uniform Clarity showcases the compositions with just James and a guitar, whereas Uniform Distortion showcases the same tunes with electronic instrumentation and backing musicians.  No matter which way you slice it, James writes darn fine songs that relate to our present state of human affairs. These two records catch James in a very raw state as a songwriter and musician and in a very weird way, these songs work almost equally well in both an acoustic and electric arrangement. Funny how that works with a great artist!

Notable tracks include: “Just A Fool,” “Yes to Everything,” “Over and Over,” and “Throwback”

Phil Cook: People Are My Drug
Phil Cook personifies the word soulful.  The Americana singer-songwriter’s second full solo recording, People Are My Drug, finds Cook digging deeper into gospel music. The nine tracks that comprise People Are My Drug range from ballads to juke-joint boogie tracks.  It is hard not to smile, nod or tap your foot while listening to Cook’s music.  His positive energy and vibes are infections.

Notable tracks include: “Another Mother’s Son,” “Steampowered Blues,” “Now That I Know”

King Tuff: The Other

Kyle Thomas, aka King Tuff, delivers one of the more fun and funky releases of 2018 with The Other, a downright groovy record.  Thomas’s songwriting is on point and takes the listener on a tour of modern times while having a darn good time in the process.  Catchy hooks and clever melodies dot The Other from start to finish.

Notable tracks include: “Infinite Mile,” “Psycho Star,” “Raindrop Blue”

The Decemberists: I’ll Be Your Girl

The Decemberists push beyond their nautical boundary waters with a collection of songs that draw on pop sensibilities and also push their traditionally acoustic sound forward.  I’ll Be Your Girl is a refreshing return to form for one of indie rock’s most tried and trusted groups.  Colin Meloy and company sound as fresh as ever, and I’ll Be Your Girl live translated even better than on the album.  “Rusalka, Rusalka/Wild Rushes” holds up as one of the band’s best songs from any era.


Notable tracks include: “Once In My Life,” “We All Die Young,” “Rusalka, Rusalka/Wild Rushes”


Enjoy this Spotify playlist featuring the artists on this list along with many others who made kiler music in 2018!

Field Report and Friends "Home for the Holidays"- Turner Hall Ballroom, 12/14/18

2018 has been a huge year for Field Report.  In March the band dropped their stellar third album Summertime Songs and performed two sold-out shows in the Back Room at Colectivo in support of it.  The group toured across the country and Field Report added guitarist and vocalist Caley Conway into the mix which added a whole new layer and dimension to their sound.  In celebration of their year as a band, the holiday season, and the end of their Summertime Songs touring cycle, Chris Porterfield and company masterfully curated a one-of-a-kind "Home for the Holidays" show focusing on Field Report material, interpretations of holiday songs, and celebrating the rich tapestry that has become Milwaukee music.  When Porterfield tweeted last month that he had some "chestnuts roasting" he wasn't kidding!

The evening began with Chris Porterfield by himself performing "Evergreen" from the band's 2012 debut record.  He was soon joined by bass player Barry Clark and his friends, the Tontine Ensemble.  The Tontine Ensemble played a spacey, deconstructed and improvised version of "Silent Night," which set the stage for the myriad of sonic surprises and musical presents that the audience was in store for.  The string section accompanied Field Report for the first part of their set, adding rich musical timbres to tracks off of Summertime Songs including "60 Second Distance Run," "If I Knew," and "Blind Spot."  Field Report as a core quintet nailed "Tightrope" from Summertime Songs and the classic Marigolden number "Decision Day" showcasing them at their tightest as a band.

Porterfield is a master of creating lasting and impactful visual images through his lyrics that transport his listeners into his songs.  His use of similies is second to none.  The reworked rendition of perhaps his most popular Marigolden track, "Home (Leave the Lights On)" showcased this, especially with the lyric, "the downtown's dolled up with tinsel and angels, season sneak like haircuts teased apart and tangled, we're praying for a while and we took it all down, like garland hanging on traffic signals."

Caley Conway who for the past two years has released solo EPs showcasing her take on holiday classics was up next for a short set of yuletide tracks that offered up an ethereal rendition of "Jingle Bells," "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."  Tight crisp renditions of Marigolden cuts "Cups and Cups," and the heartwrenching  "Pale Rider" followed, with Conway offering beautiful vocals on "Pale Rider."

Multi-instrumentalist and electronic music specialist Thomas Wincek offered perhaps the most surprising holiday cover of the night, a Manheim Steamroller version of "Deck the Halls."  He was joined by his daughter Althea, Barry Clark, Devon Drobka and a very fitting light arrangement.

Field Report rejoined for a truly remarkable version of "Everytime," which showcased some of Porterfield's best vocals of the evening.  The poppy Summertime Songs single "Never Look Back," came next before Devin Drobka was up for his holiday interpretation portion of the set.

Drobka chose "Little Drummer Boy," with a vocal explanation of having to play the track many times as a percussionist over the years for family and friends.  His rendition, which featured horns and Barry Clark on bass took the tune on a different and very jazzy direction and provided a highlight of the evening.

Chris Porterfield came back on stage with Ryan Necci and Michael Rosetto of Buffalo Gospel to perform an Elvis Presley inspired "Blue Chrismas," featuring Necci's smooth and booming vocals and Rosetto on banjo.

The evening was winding down as Porterfield returned alone on stage for a version of "Ilcomunicado," a deep cut off of Field Report followed by "On Christmas Eve," a song he wrote in part about a priest in Milwaukee who claimed to have had UFOs damage his church.  It was the show highlight in my opinion and a masterful piece of storytelling like only Chris Porterfield can deliver.  Check out the TAP Milwaukee version of it here.

In conclusion, and fittingly so, Field Report and friends closed with "Summertime Songs," my favorite track off of their most recent album, with their dear friend and Milwaukee music icon Mark Waldoch donning a Santa Claus hat and roaring through his vocal part on the track.  If this image doesn't make you smile and rejoice in all that is special about the Milwaukee music scene, I don't know what will.  As Porterfield stated, making music is done best with family and friends, and the Field Report's "Home for the Holidays" show demonstrated this to perfection.

Phosphorescent with Liz Cooper and the Stampede, Turner Hall Ballroom 12/2/18

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

The old adage in the concert community, "never miss a Sunday show," was gospel truth as Phosphorescent and Liz Cooper and the Stampede brought their own unique Americana music to Turner Hall; rocking the socks off of the crowd who ventured out on a rainy dreary early December Milwaukee night in the process.

Touring in support of his 2018 release, C'est la vie, Matthew Houck who is the songwriter behind Phosphorescent, pulled out all the stops with a six-piece band playing behind him.  Houck admitted that it had been "a minute" since the band played Milwaukee, which the group skipped on their 2013/2014 Muchacho tour.  The band, consisting of two keyboard/organ players and backup vocalists, a guitarist, a bass player, a drummer, and a percussionist, added a rich tapestry of timbres to Houck's introspective and often-times rawly emotive songwriting.  The psychedelic experimental indie folk-rock crew performed material drawing heavily from their latest release, but with some deep cuts sprinkled in as well.  Phosphorescent opened with "New Birth in New England," their latest single off of C'est la vie, which had an up-tempo vibe and very Paul Simon paced feel to the track.  A mid-set placement of "These Rocks," was a strong and personal tune, that came across with a level of raw earnestness, as if Houck was singing to his audience from his own living room.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

The two gems off of C'est la vie, shined the brightest live. The reflective "Christmas Down Under" was done masterfully, as was the highlight of the set, the jammed out "Around the Horn," which clocked in at nearly ten minutes.  Houck threw out some vintage tracks as well.  For his encore, Hoek played a chilling solo version of "Wolves," from 2007's Pride LP.  This is one of my favorite songs of Hoek's and a welcome addition to the setlist.  The evening finished with two cuts off of the 2013 Muchacho record, "A Song for Zula," and an upbeat jammy "Ride On/Right On."  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Opening for Phosphorescent was Nashville's Liz Cooper and the Stampede.  It is rare for an opening act that I have never heard live to steal the show, but Cooper and company did exactly that- and granted, Phosphorescent was darn good!  Backed with drummer Ryan Usher and bassist Grant Prettyman, the Stampede delivered a wall of sound that felt in large part like what would happen if Jefferson Airplane married My Morning Jacket.  Cooper is a frontwoman with flare and excellent skills on the guitar.  Rotating between a myriad of effects pedals and vocal distortion, she lead the group through a powerful support set drawing off of their outstanding 2018 debut release Window Flowers.  Opening with the first track of the record, "Sleepyhead," Cooper got the audience instantly engaged going back and forth between a straight mic and a mic that added vocal effects.  Liz Cooper and the Stampede quickly opened up their sound with a jammed out rendition of "Dali Lama," one of the stand-out tracks off of the Window Flowers.  The jams and tempo changes in this tune were remarkable and generated a well-deserved roaring ovation from the crowd which had come to their feet and towards the stage during the tune.  "Mountain Man," another stellar cut was jammed out as well, showcasing each musician's unqiue prowess.  If you have not heard Liz Cooper and the Stampede, please do yourself a favor and give them a spin. They were by far the best find of 2018 and a band who I hope is not a stranger to Milwaukee.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Jim James with Alynda Segarra, Pabst Theater, 11/8/18

There is just something about Jim James.  Few artists have more of an aura about them on stage than the long-haired, charismatic My Morning Jacket frontman. James was performing a rare series of "solo acoustic" shows in support of his recent releases Uniform Distortion and Uniform Clarity.  Both albums feature the same songs, except on Uniform Distortion they are played electrically and with backing instruments and on Uniform Clarity it's just Jim and his guitar and voice.  While most of the show stuck to the singer and guitar format, Jim James put his own take on "solo-acoustic," opting for electric guitars at times, a backing drummer for other cuts, a duet with Horray for the Riff Raf singer Alynda Segarra, and a stellar light show.  Did I mention that he jammed out tunes as well?  This is Jim James, after all, and if you've followed James throughout his career you are ready to expect the unexpected.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Dressed in all black, James took the stage opening with "The World Is Smiling Now," a soulful track off of his 2016 Eternally Even record.  He then quickly jumped into new material from his Uniform Clarity/Uniform Distortion releases with "All in Your Head."  James dusted off some deeper cuts including "Changing World," a track he recorded with the folk-rock supergroup, "New Multitudes" commemorating the 100th anniversary of Gutherie's birth.  James also played a couple of stripped-down cuts from his early work with My Morning Jacket including, "If All Else Fails," from 1999's The Tennessee Fire record and "If It Smashes Down," and "I Needed it Most," from 2001's At Dawn release.

Show highlights drew from all aspects of James's work- from solo material to more well-known My Morning Jacket songs to thoughtfully selected covers.  "Over and Over," a catchy track from Uniform Clarity/Uniform Distortion was enhanced with Hurray For the Riff Raff's Alynda Segarra harmonizing with James and adding backing vocals.  "I'm Amazed," an anthemic rocker from 2008's Evil Urges My Morning Jacket record was given a new acoustic re-working that when paired with James's sincere soaring voice gave the track a whole new sense of life.  The set-closing combo of "Here in Spirit," and "State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U)" featured perhaps James's most rocking cuts from his solo catalog, performed with a backing drummer and great lights.   James's social activism came out in his selection of the penultimate song of the evening a cover of Timmy Thomas's "Rainbow Power," a throwback to the seventies urging people to live together in harmony.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Above everything, James's voice stands out has his most powerful and unique instrument.  Simply put, the man just can belt out tunes like no one else. 

Alynda Segarra and her guitarist Jordan Hyde put on a strong opening performance drawing heavily from their most recent record with Hurray for the Riff Raff, the critically acclaimed 2017 release, The Navigator which features Segarra telling tales about growing up in the Bronx.  Her vocals, like James's, have a soulful power and quality that elevates her music to a new level when played solo.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Setlist from Setlist.fm: 

Phil Cook with Chris Rosenau- The Back Room @ Colectivo, 11/2/18

Few artists exude more joy for playing live music than Phil Cook.  Coming on stage to a roaring ovation from a near-capacity crowd, Cook appeared donning a huge Cheshire-cat grin.  Cook immediately got the crowd going with a soulful rendition of "He Gives Us All His Love," a noteworthy track off of his latest 2018 release, People Are My Drug, which originally appeared on Randy Newman's 1972 Sail Away record.  From there Cook went into another cover tune that he has put his own style on, the often requested, "1922" originally penned by Minneapolis songsmith Charlie Parr.

Cook, a Chippewa Falls native who relocated to North Carolina, is a masterful Americana artist who blends elements of gospel, blues, folk, jazz, and rock together to create a soulful sound uniquely his own.  Cook's guitar chops have landed him many noteworthy gigs in his career including appearing with the likes of Justin Vernon and Bruce Hornsby and serving as the guitarist for Hiss Golden Messanger, just to name a few.  Cook frequently gigs with gospel acts and has a passion like none other to play music, a gift he discovered as a child growing up in northwestern Wisconsin.

Touring in support of his soulfully introspective 2018 release People Are My Drug, Cook delivered a set filled with songs, stories, and above all a palpable honesty and joy.  Cook's set dug deep into the catalogs of songs from across his solo catalog and peppered in a smattering of covers.  Some noteworthy highlights in the set included "Gone," from Cook's amazing 2015 release Southland Mission, and a roaring rendition of "Steampowered Blues," the opening track off of People Are My Drug.  

Throughout the set, Cook told stories like an old friend catching up with his buddies.  He recapped his drive from Door County to Milwaukee and stop in Sheboygan to see his grandparents' house, told about trying to get his church choir to "cut loose" when he was fourteen, and, in perhaps his most fun tale, shared about watching Packer games at his aunt's home, with his aunt dancing and smiling in the front row as her nephew spun the tale.  Looking around the crowd, there was a sea of smiles throughout the set admiring the earnest and sincere Cook.  By the time the show concluded with Cook's instrumental masterpiece "The Jensens" followed by Southland Mission's standout "Ain't It Sweet," the crowd was in a frenzy, as was Cook, who leaped off the stage and proceeded quickly to the merch stand to hug and thank concertgoers on the way out.  The scene of fans greeting the artist and Cook's genuine appreciation of them reminded me a bit of the late Charles Bradley who would literally walk off the front of the stage and start hugging fans.  I am sure that Charles was smiling down on us from up above on a magical Friday night at the Back Room at Colectivo.

Opening for Phil Cook was guitar virtuoso and sonic magician, Chris Rosenau.  Rosenau is a long-time friend and musical collaborator of Cook's and both artists play key roles in the Eaux Claires music festival curated by fellow friend Justin Vernon.  Rosenau is a unique performer as a solo act as one could argue that he played the guitar more with his feet than with his hands.  With a wide array of pedals at his disposal, Rosenau's set captivated the crowd with some neat loops and effects that are rarely seen with an acoustic guitar.  Rosenau did guitar interpretations of tracks from his band, Collections of Colonies of Bees's, latest work Hawaii, and closed with a cover of Cook's tune, "The Jensens."  Hearing Cook's version of this number later in the night furthered the mutual respect, admiration, and talent shared by both Rosenau and Cook.    

Sylvan Esso with Collections of Colonies of Bees- Pabst Theater, 7/21/18

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

If there was one word to summarize the night of music performed by Sylvan Esso and Collections of Colonies of Bees, it would be the word- "mesmerizing."  Being a teacher by trade, I looked up the verb, "mesmerize" and found the following definition on Dictionary.com "to hold the attention of (someone) to the exclusion of all else or so as to transfix them." Those reading this who were in attendance at this performance will most likely agree that both acts had the audience glued in from the first note to the last cheers of the encore.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Sylvan Esso, an indie electronic pop duo hailing from Durham, North Carolina consisting of Wisconsin native/ electronic sampler Nicholas Sanborn and singer Amelia Meath, performed their first of two sold-out shows at the Pabst Theater this past Saturday.  Fans were ravenous to experience Sylvan Esso in the gorgeous venue of the Pabst and lined-up well before doors opened for the best spots in the house.  The venue was packed when opener Collections of Colonies of Bees went on, and fans stood and danced during Sylvan Esso's entire set.  

In the three years since I last saw Sylvan Esso, they have released a stellar record What Now in 2017 and have grown from a buzz band to bonafide indie superstar status, selling out shows across the country, including the majority of their current summer tour which took the duo to places such as Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado before making their two night stop in Milwaukee.  Their performance, which has always been one of the highest energy acts touring today, has been turned up to eleven, and now includes a state-of-the-art light display and a new level of precision and tightness as a duo.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloc

Never before have I been part of a show that started as a dance party from the first song and kept the high level of bouncing and grooving going throughout the whole show.  Musical highlights included an early set placement of "Dreamy Bruises" (off of 2014's self-titled record)  which fired up the already electric crowd with its Meath's flowing vocals and Sanborn's drum programming and beats.  Newer material from What Now also translated well live including the poppy and upbeat "The Glow," which appeared mid-set.  "Parad(w/m)e," the duo's latest single released this year was a great groover and featured many fans singing along with Meath's lyrics, which continued for the bumping series of tunes that closed the show including "Hey Mami," "H.S.K.T" (both off of Sylvan Esso) and "Radio" (from What Now).  During the encore, Meath invited Chris Rosenau from opener, Collections of Colonies of Bees, to come on stage and play guitar with the duo for one of the rare slower numbers, "Slack Jaw."  Sanborn and Rosenau have been long-time collaborators, with Sanborn being a one time member of Collections of Colonies of Bees before moving to North Carolina. 

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Speaking of Collections of Colonies of Bees, the eclectic Milwaukee-based ensemble has recently released Hawaii this month, an amazing record full of creative soundscapes, lush instrumentals and bright timbres, and have added vocalist Marielle Allschwang into the mix as well.  Allschwang is no stranger to the Milwaukee scene, performing regularly with Americana act "Hello Death," among other projects.  Allschwang's vocals have become another instrument to the Collections of Colonies of Bees' arsenal and when not singing, her dancing paired well with the large sound created by the band.  Collections of Colonies of Bees' set featured numbers from Hawaii, all of which came off fresh and energetic.  Band leader and guitarist Chris Rosenau had a big grin throughout the set as the band reinterpreted its album live.  At one point on "Ruins," Milwaukee multi-instrumentalist and rapper, Klassik, came out and rhymed over the tune as the band jammed.  This was a tremendously high energy performance, anchored together in great part by drummer Ben Derickson's work behind the kit, keeping the rhythms going and tying the whole performance together.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Collections of Colonies of Bees and Sylvan Esso proved to be a great musical pairing that created a purely mesmerizing evening of music that will be fondly remembered for years to come. 

Collections of Colonies of Bees Delivers a Masterpiece by Recreating and Revitalizing Their Sound

Over the past twenty years guitarist Chris Rosenau has used his project Collections of Colonies of Bees to experiment with creating lush, textured, and nuanced soundscapes.  The band has evolved tremendously since its inception, paving new ground with well-layered instrumental numbers. If there is one thing that is consistent about Collections of Colonies of Bees as a musical project is that it is a group that continues to evolve by recreating and redefining its sound, and is never afraid of change in pursuit of making art that is both esthetically pleasing to the listener as well as creative and fresh for the artists.  

Currently, Collections of Colonies of Bees is comprised of Ben Derickson, Chris Rosenau, Daniel Spack, Matt Skemp, and Marielle Allschwang— and is making perhaps its biggest jump yet- adding vocals into the mix.  Marielle Allschwang, whose deeply emotive and gorgeous vocals have stood out in her work with Americana outfit Hello Death, along with several other projects, has added yet another instrument to the Collections of Colonies of Bees hive.  While vocal arrangements are new to the ensemble’s sound, they fit like a glove thanks to drummer Ben Derickson’s rig that helps pair Allschwang’s vocals with Rosenau's guitar grooves and has helped make the band’s latest release, Hawaii, a true masterpiece album- showcasing an incarnation of Collections of Colonies of Bees as fresh and innovative as ever.  

Rosenau and his group received some marquee sets recently.  Some of these have included a late afternoon set at Eaux Claires III in 2017 where the band debuted material from their latest release Hawaii.  In addition, the ensemble performed a jaw dropping opening set for Bon Iver’s For Emma: 10 Years sold-out show at the BMO Harris Bradley Center this past February. With an amazing new record out and sold-out gigs in Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Chicago touring with the indie pop-electronic darlings Sylvan Esso (which contain former Collections of Colonies of Bees keyboardist Nick Sanborn), 2018 finds Collections of Colonies of Bees on the verge of breaking though to a wider audience showcasing their art of soundscapes to a whole new group of fans.

Recently, MKE Rocks had a chance to catch up with Chris Rosenau to talk about the band, its new record, and the evolution of music in Milwaukee and beyond.

MKE Rocks: You have an amazing new record, Hawaii, that was just released.  What are you most proud of about this record?

Rosenau: I think the total reinvention of the band is something that I’m really proud of.  There are two key factors that contribute to this. The first is the vocal aspect-- clearly that has had a huge impact on our sound as well as how we approach song writing.  I’m pretty proud of that because I think we took an approach that fits with the aesthetic of what we’ve historically done as Collections of Colonies of Bees. We didn’t just start by having someone sing.  Instead we invented a new instrument for Marielle to perform with. I think it’s really resonating with people and is fun to see her vocals pair with my guitar work and function in many interesting loops as part of our collective sound.  The second thing that I am really proud of is that Ben Derickson and I came up with a new guitar rig where I can set the loops that you hear at the start of the songs on my guitar. The vocals and loops performed off of my guitar have made a significant contribution to the overall sound on the record.

MKE Rocks: As a listener, Hawaii functions very well as a whole-piece from start to finish with recurring themes and sounds that pop up in different places.  When creating Hawaii did you envision it as a larger piece of music?

Rosneau: The simple answer is yes!  All of the songs were originally created solely to perform at the third Eaux Claires music festival in 2017. Since we had a finite goal it really added to the cohesiveness of the project.  The material for Hawaii was written over a couple of months instead of a couple of years.  All of the players were working towards the same goal and mindset at the same time, which helped to create a very fluid and unified sound throughout the record.

MKE Rocks: With your eclectic ensemble of musicians, how do you go about the songwriting process?  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Rosenau: Throughout much of my life, my natural inclination has been to start the songs and write a lot of my parts first-- kind of wanting to be in control of the whole songwriting process.  However, as I’ve learned over many years of doing this, my original thought process is the complete polar opposite approach of how you should write a song.

I think for me, in general, over the past 10 years or so, I’ve definitely gotten better at understanding the extreme amount of talent that surrounds me, and I have started relying on my friends that are in these bands to make the music sound way better than how I originally imagined it.  As an ensemble of musicians we are constantly reworking and tweaking things to make them sound the best we think they can.

MKE Rocks: Many members of Collections of Colonies of Bees have also been part of other bands linked to  Eaux Claires curator Justin Vernon, and to other bands in Milwaukee. How has the Eaux Claires community of musicians and musical community of Milwaukee impacted and influenced you and the group?

Rosenau: I have been a musician in Milwaukee for over twenty years.  What’s always struck me has been the collaborative approach that everyone has taken in Milwaukee.  As long as I’ve been playing, the total spirit of collaboration happening in Milwaukee was different than some of the scenes found in other cities we visited.  There were always people making music together in Milwaukee and bands take an active interest and pride in helping one another out. When I met Justin Vernon, it was 5 years before Bon Iver existed, and we played many shows with DeYarmond Edison.  It started way back at this time where we shared the same collaborative effort of having musicians sit in on each others’ sets between our band and Justin’s. We wanted to expose others to bands that no one had heard of yet. The Eaux Claires festival project is definitely the culmination of this collaborative spirit that has been part of Justin Vernon’s schema as a musician since his early days.  Eaux Claires has really solidified the sense of collaboration and spirit of bands working together.

In terms of helping each other out as bands, it’s been just part of what we do since our early days playing and creating music.  When we were in a band called Pele, back what seems like a thousand years ago, good friends of ours, The Promise Ring brought us on tour.  When Volcano Choir (a band featuring Justin Vernon and Collections of Colonies of Bees) went on tour, we invited two good friends of ours, Nick Sanborn and Amelia Meath to come out, who many folks had never heard of. Nowadays, Slyvan Esso is selling out great venues and have us along for their midwest tour. The scene is very collaborative and inclusive and we honestly just want to get good people to discover and enjoy good tunes. In Wisconsin it’s this huge generational machine that is trying to help us get recognition in both the United States and the greater world.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

MKE Rocks:  You recently have landed some high-profile gigs, including opening for Bon Iver in February, and a sold-out midwest tour opening for Sylvan Esso this summer, including a two-night run at the Pabst Theater this weekend.  Can you comment on how you approach these shows which will have many fans in attendance who may not have experienced Collections of Colonies of Bees before?

Rosenau:  There are two approaches that we take, and we have to walk a tightrope between these two approaches.  On one side, we want to use the technology that we used to make the record to ensure that the listener at the performance experiences the full record.  On the other side, the primary focus is us really loving playing these songs and that doesn’t happen when you are too preoccupied with tech. From my perspective we do as much as we can tech-wise to recreate the songs but the main focus is enjoying what we are doing.  The spirit of the song is always what’s most important.

If you are lucky enough to catch Collectives of Colonies of Bees opening for Sylvan Esso this Saturday (July 21st) or Sunday (July 22nd) at the Pabst Theater, make sure to get there early for some great tunes and surprises from Collections of Colonies of Bees-- a truly unique and innovative ensemble that helps both recreate and revitalize its sound.