FEATURE INTERVIEW with Samantha Urbani of Friends

Interview by Corrine Jensen
November 17, 2011

Friends are a playful indie-cool band with an old school Brooklyn vibe infused in their sound, music videos, live performances, and in each one of them. Comprised of real-life friends Samantha Urbani (Vocals), Lesley Hann (Bass, Percussion, Backing Vocals), Oliver Duncan (Drums), Nikki Shapiro (Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion), and Matthew Molnar (Keyboards, Percussion, Bass), the rhythm heavy dance-loving quintet has been generating lots of attention on sites like Spin and Stereogum.
The band is currently on a globe-trotting tour that kicked off in Amsterdam this past weekend and will end in the Midwest shortly before Christmas, but mesmerizing front woman and former Mystic resident, Samantha Urbani took time to talk to WailingCity.com about Friends, Music, and New London.

WC: Friends have been playing together for just over a year but in that time you’ve created a fresh sound with fun songs and funky beats. What inspires you musically?
SU: I can feel inspired by other music but I don’t necessarily feel directly influenced by it. Things I am influenced by are all kinds of sensory things and when I am making music I think about visual art and stimuli. I’m usually inspired by relationships I have with people in my life and myself and nature and my sense of reality.

WC: The music videos, ‘Friend Crush’ and ‘I’m His Girl’, in which you were either co-editor or director for, are very artistic. Did you take the same approach when making them?
SU: Yeah, I definitely like a certain type of aesthetics and production quality. I don’t like the sound or look of things being produced right now. It’s very over polished and kind of a hyper-reality that doesn’t sound or look like real life; it’s an HD version. I think it’s more interesting when you’re creating a piece of art. For the ‘Friend Crush’ and ‘I’m His Girl’ videos I was thinking of a 70’s playboy photo shoot/80’s home video look and it worked out and I really like both videos.

WC: You’ve been getting attention not only here in the states but overseas as well. You’ve played in the UK and also, this past weekend at the London Calling Festival in Amsterdam and there is a Europe Tour scheduled this February. How does it feel to be going international? Surreal?
SU: It’s very surreal. It’s hard to have any perspective on it right now. Two years ago, seeing my life, I would have been really excited and impressed and blown away but the way that things have progressed it just seems natural and it’s hard to suddenly realize I’m doing what I’m doing and what I’ve always wanted to do. I think the world feels smaller, a lot of people probably realize that feeling, especially with having access to the Internet and being able to communicate with each other. Now, traveling and playing for thousands of different people from different places and easily being able to reach out, kind of proves that everything is connected.


WC: Ok, but there’s still no place like home and this Friday you’ll be playing at The Oasis Pub in New London, CT.... growing up in Mystic, this must definitely feel like a homecoming show for you. Are you excited? Nervous?
SU: I’m excited because I don’t get to come home that often anymore and see all my old friends. I love to play in New London and I have been hanging out at The Oasis since I was way too young to hang out there. Ha, hopefully no one gets in trouble! It was definitely a home base for me before I moved to New York and I’ve seen a bunch of really cool shows there. To someone who didn’t grow up in New London, maybe The Oasis just looks like a regular, small-fries bar but to me it’s infamous and tons of people in New London still feel like hometown celebrities. It always feels really good to come home and have everyone be really excited about what I’m doing and not only about my music but about me, personally. Everyone there really inspired me and I really appreciate that they gave a shit enough to have a ton of touring bands come thru the area and have shows all week and didn’t kick me out of the bar.

WC: Hilarious! So, tell me about the New London music scene that you remember, any bands or musicians that stand out?
SU: When I was younger there was a punk scene and all these cool bands. Specifically, I used to hang out with The Electric Noise Act when I was 18 or 19. It was with some of my best friends, these guys named Jared and Michael... and Randy who died a few years ago. Hanging out with those guys was kind of the high point for me. There was also Fatal Film, I love those guys and they’re really good friends of mine, and Brava Spectre, those kids always have a million different products going on but they’re great, and, of course, The Royale Brothers. But another thing that’s hard for me is a few of my favorite people from New London have died over the last few years so it’s a bittersweet feeling coming back because I miss those guys and it’s never going to be the same as it was. But I have faith that New London is going to continue to survive because there’s always people there who really, really care about and are trying to bring the city up and they’ll keep doing what they’re doing. It’s kind of an amazing place.

WC: You’ve been writing songs your whole life and now you’re lead vocals for a band that’s on the cusp of something big, what advice do you have for those bands/singers/musicians out there who are just getting starting or wanting to start?
SU: I think it’s important to remember that you don’t have to “know” how to do something to do it. You don’t have to be taught. You can do it intuitively and if you’re passionate about it and it makes sense to you creatively and it works in a way that you want it to work, make it happen. Also, it’s really, really important to go on tour and expose yourself. If you have a band and some songs, don’t wait around until it feels perfect, just get out there and do it because it’s never going to feel perfect. Don’t be scared ever. Make music in your room until you’re not scared anymore and then play it for real. Do it. And living in New York doesn’t hurt either. As much as I love New London and I totally support smaller cities and their scene, I can’t lie, it’s way easier to get attention from labels and booking agents or other bands and network in a bigger community. It’s in no way a put down to a smaller city like New London but it doesn’t hurt to move. Once you feel like you need to get to the next level and you’re really serious about having a band, you need to figure out if you need to stay or go.

WC: Alright, so tell us, what can we expect from Friends in the future?
SU: We’re going to put out our full-length album in the spring of 2012 and go on tour in Europe and in the U.S. around that time too. I just think, ‘don’t have any expectations, we could do anything’. I don’t know what we’re going to do in the future just like I didn’t have any idea what we were going to do when we started the band. My whole life’s philosophy has sort of been to take things as they come and recognize opportunities. Everything is fluid, just go with it and see what happens. This is all I can really say about what we’re going to do next because I don’t really know. Hopefully it will make a positive impact in some way.



CD Review: Raise The Rent - Dig and Be Dug

Published October 29, 2011
By Adam Wujtewicz

There is a certain amount of struggle between modernizing a style of music in order to evolve the genre and staying true to the roots and original intention of it.  This struggle is especially true when you’re playing Jazz, Country and or Folk. There are Jazz purists that would call the music of Cecil Taylor noise, Country purists that say Hank III is a disgrace to the family name and Folk purists that still curse the name Bob Dylan.  With Dig & Be Dug, Daphne Lee Martin & Raise the Rent have made it clear that they have no intentions to playing to the purists.

There are 4 Tom Waits-esque songs that land somewhere between The Heart of Saturday Night and Blue Valentine that set up the framework for the album.  They have a loungey vibe but with an electric and more lush instrumentation.  The intricate mix takes the songs out of the smoky basement bar and puts them on the silver screen.  It's not so much about the authenticity of the sound as it is using the sound to tell a story with grand, vivid images.  The other songs on Dig & Be Dug run the gamut between the southern swing pop of "Pull My Daisy" to the New Orleans trumpeting of "In Lieu of Flowers" and floating country ballad "Saratoga Rain".

Confused on how these sounds all fit together?  The simple answer is Daphne Lee Martin.  Her voice and charisma pull you through the album easing your mind about the different sounds and structures you're hearing behind her.  There is a full range of emotion on the album but Daphne never loses composure and allows a boisterous chorus to pull her out of her range or a somber verse to dull her to whisper, she shows control rather than restraint.

The work ethic of both Daphne and her orchestra of Americana musicians shine like a beacon to those wondering how to make a good album.  The sounds on Dig & Be Dug are not a shot in the dark.  These are the sounds of effort, vision and drive.





FEATURE INTERVIEW with Daphne Lee Martin

Interview by Corrine Jensen
October 26, 2011
Daphne Lee Martin, of Raise the Rent, is a free spirit harboring a wise soul and a genuine smile for everyone she greets. Her lyrics and voice have been enchanting folks all over the country and New London is no exception. Recently, the lovely Daphne took time out of her busy life to answer a few questions for WailingCity.com.

WC: So let’s talk about Daphne Lee Martin. You grew up in a very musical family and you even performed together. What was that dynamic like?
DLM: I was lucky enough to have parents who were both musically inclined, and there were instruments and records around all the time. When I was 8, my mom caught me singing along to "Chapel of Love" and I had just intuitively started singing harmonies without really knowing what they were. We started singing together, old country and folk songs and when my sister was old enough, she joined in as well. We did that off and on up until I was in my early 20s, but we all grew up and moved apart, it's tough to keep a group together from 900 miles away. We still have a good time singing songs on those rare occasions when we're all in the same place; it holds a really neat nostalgia for us, almost weepy at moments. And now that I have a baby nephew, the whole family is surrounding him with music. He'll probably blow us all out of the water!

WC: You were born in Ohio and wound up traveling all over the country performing but obviously made New London your home. What is it about NL that drew you to ultimately stay?
DLM: I moved to Brooklyn in my teens and started performing at open mics, in the subway, at folk clubs and doing living history interpretation for South Street Seaport Museum. I was really star struck by the boats and maritime music, it was all so romantic that I signed up and ended up working for over three years on various schooners, teaching environmental education based on Pete Seeger's Clearwater program. It was a nice hand-in-hand adventure with some music mixed in. I ended up on all 4 coasts of the US for chunks of time, playing sporadically, but I never got to develop anything or work in an ensemble and eventually I really ached to get myself into a place where I could knuckle down and do music more seriously. I'd had friends here in Connecticut at Mystic Seaport who had been a big part of my life through the maritime music community and a few of the schooners I'd worked on had stopped through New London for OPSAIL and Boats, Books, & Brushes. The crew had stumbled into the Dutch Tavern and checked out places like the Hygienic and the town seemed to have the most beautiful potential. Then I saw my house, and I couldn't sign the papers fast enough. Some people look their whole lives for that place they can really call "home", whether or not they were raised there, and New London is it, it's home for me.

WC: I’m sure New London, having such an amazing and diverse music scene, didn’t hurt. What have you observed about it in your years here?
DLM: New London is absolutely chock full of brilliant artists: visual, performance, con... errr... ha ha! The music scene is of the caliber of a city like Omaha, Portland, even Austin, a real music destination. Our biggest problem as a scene is that we're all far too comfortable here, and we seldom get our acts on national tour routes to help spread the gospel of New London to the rest of the country. We like playing in our back yard, and though the enthusiasm in the scene has ebbed and flowed over the years, I've seen a huge sea change over the last couple of years with bands beginning to look at music as their business, as an actual career rather than a side project. Bands are developing websites, producing albums, and reaching out for more recognition in ways they hadn't in years before. And if that keeps growing the way it has and we get some bands on the road, New London will be a household name across the land in no time. That's one of the most unique things about the scene; we really are all in it for the community. And more and more, acts that might never have mixed are collaborating to innovate some sounds that I think will make us an even more interesting group of musicians. I have a remix coming out with my western swing album that leans on dub and includes Erik Lamb rapping; it doesn't get any more collaborative than that!

WC: That sounds so interesting and I can’t wait to hear it! Ok, are there any local groups/singers that you're digging right now?
DLM: I'm really into those rappers at the moment; their energy is so fresh and positive. Their lyrics are really well thought out, the music is hypnotic and fun, and they're the hardest working promoters around. I hope the rest of the scene takes note of these cats: Erik Lamb, Skobie Won, Poe Swayzie, Camacho, and their crews. On the Americana side of the scene, I'm really impressed with what John Fries has been up to. He's not only working hard, but I think he's finally shaped his sound and his band into one of the tightest, most pro acts in town. And of course, my two favorite songwriting mentors endlessly amaze me: Jim Carpenter & Chris Castle. My one request: more chicks! Anybody want to start a girl rock band with me?

WC: So, you happen to be married to Mr. Rich Martin who has been a vital part in helping to grow and promote New London’s music scene through out the years and is a highly talented musician in his own right (Low-Beam, Brazen Hussy), what kind of role has he played in the creation of ‘Dig & Be Dug’?
DLM: Well, from inspiring songs to tweaking art files for the replication company to helping nail down PR and radio campaigns, he's been there for it all. There's no way this scene would be what it is today without him and his ventures (Hygienic Art, The Telegraph Recording Company, T.A.Z.) and a few other key folks in town, especially Sean Murray (The Oasis Pub, I AM Festival, Whalie Awards) and Meghan Killimade (WailingCity.com) trumpeting the art that the whole town produces. I could say clichéd stuff like 'thank goodness he keeps my head on straight' and 'I couldn't do it without him', but honestly, none of us could! He really kicks ass.

WC: What can fans expect from ‘Dig & Be Dug?’ What kind of inspirations were you feeling when you wrote most of the songs on the record?
DLM: The songs came from all over, some from the old days, and you can still hear some of Phil Agins' influence on how I wrote them. There's a lot of nostalgia on this record, childhood memories and family members appear in a bunch of places. Especially my grandfather, Carlo. My mom's dad was quite a character, rough around the edges and full of folk wisdom. He's become my favorite muse and “Saratoga Rain”, which is based on a Langston Hughes short story, is all for him. Most of my songs grow out of some kind of literary reference, I read fanatically. “Me & My Boots” is based loosely on James Thurber's ‘Is Sex Necessary?’ “Pull My Daisy” is something of a schoolyard rhyme run through the beatnik ringer. I've always wanted to cull down some of the old forms, to re-invent traditional music so that it stays alive in new shapes.

This being the first real record we've put out, we fell into the trap of spending way too much time in the studio working out arrangements. But at the end of the day, going about it that way forced us to all look very hard at the sound we were trying to create and it wound up being pretty unique. I always knew I would want it to be a cross-over record- appealing to both roots music lovers as well and more pop minded people. It was mostly our producer, Jim Carpenter's vision that whittled down a lot of wild ideas into a cohesive album. But needless to say, I can't wait to get cranking on the next album.

WC: We have to mention Raise the Rent’s Kickstarter campaign. How did it feel to have so many of your family and friends and fans go online and donate money to support you guys to have this CD made because they love your music?
DLM: It's a pretty amazing feeling to have that much support after really only ever-playing live shows for these guys. They believe in it enough to chip in to be part of our first recording. Usually what happens is that people fall in love with music they've listened to over and over on a CD in their car or their iPod, but we've never been able to offer people that before and still I have people come up to me and sing me back my choruses- people are paying attention to the live shows. It's the best feeling in the world, and we're so grateful. That's why we're developing so much more media to go along with this album, to thank you everybody for showing us so much love. There'll be that remix with “Sexual Healing”, Hatch Show Print posters, tees, and a series of music videos as well as a special mixtape of songs by other members of the band (we're almost all songwriters) to give everybody some fun stuff to dig on while we work on the next one. Not to mention vinyl! Blue vinyl at that! Big thanks to everyone that made it happen!

WC: Ok, so very last question, to all the singers and bands and musicians out there who want to make it in this town, any words of advice for them from one of New London’s finest…
DLM:  Believe in what you do enough to work as hard as it takes. Think of it as a business, one that needs your constant care and attention, reasonable goals and pure motives. Be ego-less and realize that the only way to "make it" is to make it happen a little more and a little better every day because you believe in your art. None of us are going to make a million dollars at this, and none of us are any more valid than the others. Remember that it's our job to be the storytellers, the dreamers of dreams if you will. Music is what makes bad situations bearable, helps us fall in love, gets us through our workdays and our tragedies, reminds us of things that are true, and things that aren't. We're the vessels; we're here to make everybody else's lives better. It's a tough way to make a living, but it's one of the most beautiful ways to spend your life.


For more info on Daphne Lee Martin:




CD Review: DeafDisco - Purple Noise


Published October 16, 2011
By Adam Wujtewicz

After a cursory listen Purple Noise gives you a sort of Hollywood car chase feeling.  The songs portray movement and have a rhythmic nature that would allow for cuts between drivers and different camera angles. Even as I write this I realize that is probably also why this makes good dance music.  What else, besides movement and rhythm, could you ask for in a dance song?  Not being much of a dancer myself I'm much more inclined to judge this on its sonic merits.

The album starts with what sounds like bad cell phone reception and static over a steady kick drum rhythm and low end synth line.  The static cuts away and other interlocking synths enter along with some... "porno noise" I guess is the best way to describe it.  You then get a pretty constant build until the song is cut to nothing but 15 seconds of a singular ascending note and then you're blasted   back to full volume.  The ups and downs for songs under or around 3 minutes are pretty impressive.  I didn't expect a lot of dynamic changes in a dance record but Purple Noise is brimming over with them.


The synth sounds all have a familiarity to them.  If you're looking for off the wall electronic noise this is probably the wrong genre for you anyway.  "Zombie Swagger" my personal favorite song on the EP, has the weirdest sounds but still nothing obnoxious just a little spacier.  The reason I like it the most though is the half time sections.  Equivalent to a hardcore breakdown this is right up my alley and a truly pleasant surprise.

I suppose what most people think makes a good dance record is how much it makes people want to dance.  A steady bass rhythm and high end bleeps and bloops will make a bunch of drunken kids get off their barstools.  Purple Noise is more substantial than that.  It's danceable for sure but the intermingling of sounds rhythms within these 4 songs is in a higher class than most.



CD Review: Estrogen & Tonic - The Story Of The Brecord

Published October 11, 2011
By Adam Wujtewicz

Another record by Estrogen &Tonic?  Yes, apparently during the midst of some weekend shenanigans at Breck Kearns' house they recorded The Story of Brecord... a semi-live, totally stripped down mix of new and old songs.  Matt Potter of Fatal Film is credited as manning the controls but pretty much allowed the crazies to run the asylum.

Twenty minutes or so of high energy fun without a single bell or whistle.  It's just Estrogen & Tonic being Estrogen and Tonic.  The CD is worth having just for "Fatal Film Rocks" which is a bizzaro cover of "Rocks" by Fatal film and "Bobby Crash on the Merry Go Round"... with the only words in the song being "Bobby Crash on the merry go round". Happy 15th guys!



CD Review: Franklin Brothers - Lifeboat To Nowhere

Published September 29, 2011
By Adam Wujtewicz

Vintage pop rock of a polished variety is almost completely extinct.  Carl and Jay Franklin are starting a reserve for this endangered species and the musicians that believe in it.  Lifeboat to Nowhere by the Franklin Brothers is the first record born on this reserve and they are proud to let it out into the wild to show that it can survive on its own merit.

The Franklin Brothers blend big production pop; ala Billy Joel's piano soaked soul, with the rootsy rock n' roll sounds of bands like The Eagles. The songs are clean, crisp and clear and completely inoffensive to the ears.  This is an exercise in song craft and musicianship not of pushing sonic boundaries.

The album starts off with the Whaley nominated "New London Blues".  While it does have elements of the Chicago style it's much cleaner and jumpier than most.  "No Time to Live" is a similar sound, emphasizing the big pops from horns or guitar while the keys jangle the melody and rhythm section moves the song along.  These songs are a testament to just how many sounds you can get in a song without muddying it up.

The album has some slower roots rock/folk ballads like traveling "I’ve been to the Waters" and "Her Ringtone" which bears quite a resemblance to the Beatles classic "Blackbird".  "Lifeboat to Nowhere" ends with a Peanuts-esque jazz jam aptly entitled "State Street Jam", (Carl Franklin’s Pwop! Studios where the album was recorded, is located on State Street in downtown New London).  Let it never be said that The Franklin Brothers wear their influences on their sleeve because if they did their arms would have to be 6 or 7 feet long.This diversity is what makes the album so pop-centric.  It uses a lot of styles while never over committing.  Give them a little bit of everything and always leave them wanting more.

To preview tracks from the CD, or to purchase and download the album, please visit: http://www.franklinbros.com/

CD Review: Estrogen & Tonic - Project Involvement

Published September 17, 2011
By Adam Wujtewicz

Project Involvement sounds to me like some kind of corporate slogan. Like a tag line on a yearly review that says whether or not you did more than just what was on your job description.  With Chris playing bass for A Honey Wagon and Wrist Like This, Steve playing bass for Missing Cat and Todd fronting Wrist Like This... the members of Estrogen & Tonic get an "Exceeds Expectations" for their extra efforts musically.  With all this going on it's a testament to their commitment that they were able to put together a product as cohesive and thought through as Project Involvement.

With Jay Curland, (drummer for A Honey Wagon and Wrist Like This), at the controls, the sound is decidedly dirtier and angrier.  The lyrics are still ridiculous and fun, i.e. "I’m gonna ride my jet-ski to court", but with the distortion on the vocals and the increased volume of the music, the lyrics are taking a back seat.  The sound has been harnessed into something that is far darker and more punk than expected.  The one two punch of "Garbage" and "Imaginary Friend" illustrates this perfectly.  "Garbage" is a feedback driven stomping/yelling crusher of a song, while "Imaginary Friend" sounds like Tales from the Punchbowl era Primus playing "White Rabbit" if the rabbit was the one from Donnie Darko.

With this kind of drastic change in sound you'd expect a great deal of musical change to accompany it.  You'd be wrong in this case.  Todd's bass is still in the driver's seat, Annemarie is still bashing the hell out of the drums and Chris and Steve criss-cross their quirky guitar lines throughout the whole record.   Most of the songs are upbeat and short so you're constantly being pulled in new directions but never slowing down.  I defy your ears to get bored or lazy while listening to this album.
Project Involvement may come as a surprise sonically but if it didn't that would be a step backwards for Estrogen & Tonic.  A hard left turn and a musical slap to the mouth should be considered a blessing.  This is a band that's completely based around being different and not giving you what you expect and that is still something that should command respect.




CD Review: Erik Lamb - Blow Up Dolls

Published July 26, 2011
By Adam Wujtewicz
 
If you're a New Londoner that is still doesn't know who Erik Lamb is then here is yet another chance for you to listen up.  Blow Up Dolls, the follow up to his Whaley Award winning album, Shoot Everything, is nothing short of spectacular. Skobie Won's Nintendo techno beatsmithing is still there even though Erik and Tom Maclean did produce 5 of the 11 songs; Skobie's influence can be heard on the whole album.  The tracks "27 MHz" and "Pandora's Box", both done by Erik, are some of the most left of center beats I've ever heard and that's a step in the right direction, but Skobie's songs take those weirdo elements and make them pop songs.  Hip-Hop is still the pop music of the 20 something set so that's an important skill to have.

While the beats sound similar to Shoot Everything, Blow Up Dolls is much more energetic.  When the tempo drops Erik's voice gets more intense and when he lays back, the track jumps up a few BPM.  I know I compared him to Aesop Rock on the last record but if you listen to the inflection and phrasing on "Arcade" you can't help but here the influence.  Erik's delivery has gotten more diverse since his last outing.  The beats are a little more poppy which makes his attack all the more important and he definitely stepped up to the plate.

Can anyone tell me what this means?  "If I was an anamorph I'd be a fuckin' snow leopard".   I’ve got to give it to Erik... he's got an almost Mclusky like ability to say completely ridiculous things and make people say how cool it was.  In a time where hip hop can take itself far too seriously he brings a personal freedom that should be applauded.  People will always listen harder when they have no idea what could possibly come next.     

Blow Up Dolls are not just for the desperate and lonely any more.  This album will move crowds, vibrate cars and completely rearrange your view on dance music.  Isn't that what this is?

CD Review: Sue Menhart - Forever EP

Published June 17, 2011
By Adam Wujtewicz

Soul music has always been a way for singers to exercise demons.   It’s personal … it’s putting yourself out there without all the trappings and it’s a way to tell people what’s in your heart and on your mind.  Forever does just that.

The music flows well, but behind Sue’s voice, it’s really just texture. The pace is slow and the content intimate justifying the relaxed feel of the band. Sue could’ve taken that as her cue to show off the vocal acrobatics that most modern soul singers use but instead Sue puts her effort into hitting her notes and making sure that each one has power and conviction.

The blues has always been a big part of Sue’s music and even though she’s not rocking it out on Forever she uses the phrasing and the vocal riffs to keep things familiar and strong.  The subtle nature of the record gives it class and allows Sue to shine in ways that those who know her wouldn’t expect and those that don’t will see immediately.

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