This TuesdayBorn and raised in Sweden, Gonzalez has been creating music for fifteen years in various forms. To the surprise of many, Jose has not always dealt in whispers and gently-strummed classical guitars. The soft-spoken Swede actually cut his teeth in punk and hardcore bands in the early-nineties, not settling on the folk genre until earlier this decade. In his solo work, Gonzalez exchanges the scream and distortion for a hushed, reserved voice that retains all of the raw emotion and energy of his former projects. Perhaps this explains why his music sounds so wildly different, many might say better, than your average acoustic singer-songwriter. Gonzalez barely dwells in the same realm as other singer-songwriters, for the music he creates defies the limitations of what one should be able to do with an acoustic guitar and a whisper. What he accomplishes is unique and defies easy labels. Just check out his gorgeous interpretation of fellow Swedes The Knife's Heartbeats for an example of Gonzalez' genre-bending abilities. If you aren't familiar with the original (which is stellar in its own right), have a listen here.
At this Tuesday's show, Gonzalez shares the bill with Twi the Humble Feather, a band that seems to share his appreciation for quiet, dynamic music that explores the parameters of folk. This three piece from New York City could be seen as a softer, more acoustic counterpart to the new school of freak-folkers such as Animal Collective, Excepter and Panda Bear, taking a similarly cyclical, rhythm-centric approach to pop music that focuses on movements and melodies rather than immediate hooks. Energetic, driving classical guitars and harmonic chants that seem to draw influences from all over the globe are this band's bread and butter.
No comments:
Post a Comment