The Renderers (New Zealand) + Bill Orcutt ~ $10 ~ 7:30 pm - 9:45 pm
Come to our record release for In the Sodium Light, in San Francisco;
We will be joined by the incredible Bill Orcutt!!!
Come to our record release for In the Sodium Light, in San Francisco;
We will be joined by the incredible Bill Orcutt!!!
Brian and Maryrose Crook formed the Renderers more than 25 years ago in Christchurch, New Zealand, and their music has always expressed a longing to be somewhere else—in song they’ve dreamed of the sea, explored other dimensions, and yearned for the wide-open spaces of the American flatlands. | While their first album, Trail of Tears (Flying Nun), had a strong C&W bent, the only remnant of that left these days is the persistent twang in Maryrose’s voice—though the pair made good on their fascination with the U.S. by moving here four years ago. Based in Joshua Tree, California, the Crooks have struck up a simpatico partnership with Omaha-based multi-instrumentalist Megan Siebe and drummer Kevin Donahue, both of whom are also members of Simon Joyner’s backing band, the Ghosts. Together they’ve recorded the soundtrack for Notes to Eternity, a documentary about the plight of Palestinians that’s making the film-festival rounds, and a new album, In the Sodium Light, which Ba Da Bing will release early next year. The songs I’ve heard make a strong case that musically, at least, the Crooks have never been more at home. On “Sea Worthy” Siebe’s eerie string arrangement draws around Maryrose’s spooked voice like a bespoke shroud, while Donahue’s chain-gang groove provides a corroded frame for Brian’s acidic guitar leads. — Bill Meyer |