Robert Deeble’s brand new release Heart Like Feathers lands on store shelves today (2/7) featuring appearances from Victoria Williams and Over The Rhine co-founder Ric Hordinski.
“Here is a question all artists dread, ‘Please tell us what you are listening to now?'”
“So, humbly I undress down to my creative skivvies to show my endowed collection of current influence. And in the spirit of honesty and artistic integrity, I have separated my listening into two categories; “alternative media” and “vinyl.”
In the category of Alternative Media, I am currently foster dad to an 8 month old girl. Thus, the coolness of the ol’ stereo, cassette tape come-backs and sweet warm vinyl have all fallen prey to gigantic, plastic child-toy musical monstrosities that my parents and in-laws keep buying us which unfortunately has created the soundtrack of my life, and so here they are in my order of preference.
1. The Rainforest Jumperoo – by Fisher Price
2. Around We Go Activity Station – by Bright Starts
3. Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set – by Fisher Price
4. Studious Green Alphabet Pal Caterpillar – by Leapfrog
5. Psychedelic Pull-Along Musical Caterpillar – by Megcos
My favorite is the Jumperoo which tries to mimic an elephant (in which I yell “HEEEEY” in unison to my daughter’s delight) and the Around We Go Station which seems to have some nice melodies and rhythms that have inspired some silly dad-daughter dancing goofball moments. The Psychedelic Caterpillar also does not get old, but I worry about its possible negative influence on the next generation.
In the category of vinyl, I am listening to:
1. Nina Natasia – Outlaster (Fat Cat)
2. Nina Natasia – The Blackend Air (Touch & Go)
3. Chris Schlarb – Psychic Temple (Sounds Are Active)
4. Sergius Gregory – Sounds Like People (Saint Loup)
5. Terry Riley – In C (1968, various recordings by various orchestras)
6. Steve Reich – Clapping Music for Two Musicians Clapping – 1972 (various recordings)
7. Cloudburst – New Passage EP
8. Low – C’mon (Sub Pop)
Nina Natasia – Outlaster (Fat Cat)
Nina Natasia – The Blackend Air (Touch & Go)
I first heard Nina while painting Josh Golden’s dining room (anyone remember Pedro the Lion?) I love her simplicity and attention to melody in her songwriting.
Chris Schlarb – Psychic Temple (Sounds Are Active)
This is some amazing vinyl from an ol’ LBC pal. Don’t just take my word for it. Time Out New York said the album “blurs the line between avant-garde jazz and chamber music,” while National Public Radio mused, “in its wordless pastoral journey, Psychic Temple is boundary-less.”
Sergius Gregory – Sounds Like People (Saint Loup)
I performed with Sergius and Anna Lynne Williams recently and was taken in by Sergius’s debut album – which we traded for. My understanding is that Sergius has a practice of spending a portion of his year alone in a cabin, which shows up well in this first contemplative album of songs. Definitely pulls my Cohen/Drake strings.
Terry Riley – In C (1968, various recordings by various orchestras)
I have been learning about Terry Riley’s contribution to the minimalist movement in classical music. In C is a semi-aleatoric musical piece in which blocks of the piece are interpreted by the performers to begin or end at will. I have been learning this piece on vibes as part of the Seattle Minimalist Orchestra. Riley serves as an influence for more modern composers as Arvo Part and Richard Einhorn.
Steve Reich – Clapping Music for Two Musicians Clapping – 1972 (various recordings)
Steve Reich is contemporary of Riley and Philip Glass. This is a piece performed solely by clapping. One performer claps a basic variation of an African bell pattern in 12/8 time, for the entirety of the piece. The other performer claps the same pattern, but after every 8 or 12 bars s/he shifts by one-eighth note to the left.
Cloudburst – New Passage EP
Cloudburst is our own Tim Westcott who does electronic ambience for Heart Like Feathers. Tim’s own compositions are an amazing example of what Riley and Reich’s influence have led to. Tim creates an amazing array of ambient, minimalist soundscapes that I have always been taken in by. This is his first release on very limited vinyl, this record is a split with Mike Jedlicka
Low – C’mon
No need to comment here. We all know Low, we all know they put out yet another amazing record. I’ve borrowed my drummer Jeremy Dybash’s copy of this record all year and have not returned it – and I don’t plan to.”
—Robert Deeble
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Photo: Brandon Keene
