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Best NYC EmErging Artists 2012 oF #3 Widowspeak Morricone inspired Mysticism By Ed Guardaro / Photo by Danny Krug Widowspeak emanates a strangebeautiful mysterious nostalgia that only lingers deep within old souls. Their music is unobtrusive – it takes its time and slowly Molly Hamilton’s vocal melodies seep through Robert Earl Thomas’ searing leads and Michael Stasiak’s steady groove. the deli_18 Spring 2012 RiYL: Mazzy Star, Cowboy Junkies, XX Old musical acquaintances from Tacoma, Washington, Michael and Molly decamped to New York after a label that they contributed to fell apart. Many moons later Michael urged Molly – who had little faith in her electric guitar skills and showmanship – to acquire a used Danelectro and start writing songs. Through mutual friends, Rob was called in to a living room practice session, plugged his guitar into Molly’s stereo, and the band was born. The three, who were still searching for an appropriate name, began to write a large amount of music.
For most songs, Molly writes the lyrics and vocal melodies, while Rob and Michael tinker with the canvas that she lays down. Other tracks, like “Gun Shy,” come from a “kind of backwards process,” says Molly. “Gun Shy,” a song that began as only a chord progression the band liked, features a subdued lead in the chorus that Molly thought, “was intimidatingly suited to the song,” and struggled to create a vocal melody that complimented such an intriguing instrumental track. “After procrastinating for a while, I finally had something, and we recorded it. But then I was worried it wasn’t exactly perfect, and wrote a completely different set of lyrics and a different melody.” Later on, as they listened to the two versions, it was clear. “The first version was the definitive version. It just felt right.” On the recordings and at numerous stand out performances at CMJ and SXSW this year, Widowspeak – a band that is still finding it’s footing as a group of people coming together through sound – demands your attention and enchants your soul. Their sound is a mixture of ’90s angst, early ’60s pop, and contemporary urban alternative. It is reminiscent of so much in American music over the last 60 years that their songs seem to emanate from a place that is all too familiar, yet in reality is all their very own. Robert Earl Thomas is a nuage pastiche of all that was wonderful before samplers and synthesizers binarily deconstructed human ears. In all analog glory, Rob lets his lines rip, with a refreshing twist of the old and new. Part spaghetti western – in the vain of Enrico Morricone – and a little Link Wray – who used to poke holes in his amp’s speaker cones – Rob connects the bands irksome charisma to posterity. His tone – that of a dusty Fender reissue turned up beyond its means – calls to former Cold War Kid guitarist Jonnie Russell, and a stripped-down Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Molly’s swooning timbre is the kind that sends shivers down your spine when you see it live. What you hear is what you get with Molly. She does not hold back when she performs live, and the result is a refreshing reminder of what a unique and talented performer can do with a little bit of guts and organization. Widowspeak has a noteworthy presence well before they start to make loud noises together. This fall, playing in front of the haute, so hip-it-hurts crowds, A&R reps and music industry peeps at CMJ, Widowspeak took the stage at Ace Hotel with the same timeless cool that hooks you on “Gun Shy.” Setting up in a basic power triangle, Rob and Molly command a large amount of space – both physically and sonically – while Michael is the thread that weaves their sound together and keeps it moving – at just the tempo that titillates you enough to get your feet moving. One would think Widowspeak’s lack of a bassist would provide a problem of groove. The sound is raw, high frequency and strippeddown. However, utilizing a utilitarian amount of clean Fender overdrive and reverb, Molly and Rob hold an interesting dynamic that doesn’t feel lacking in the least bit. In fact, somehow even to trained musical ears, one forgets there is nearly no bottom end whatsoever. Widowspeak’s recent rise to fame is a Cinderella story amongst the throngs of talented troubadours trying to make it in New York. Just after the band’s sixth live performance, their self-released, GarageBand produced October Tape had fallen into the hands of Brooklyn indie label Captured Tracks. Their subsequent shows were energetic – played with a passion and precision that made their ambitions clear. In keeping with the public’s demand of something more than a couple bootlegged iPhone-recorded live shows, Widowspeak laid down “Gun Shy” the aforementioned 7” cut that showcases their postmodern Wild West sound. In August of 2011, Widowspeak released their self-titled debut LP via Captured Tracks. The album’s opener, “Puritan” is an energetic romp down memory lane and is followed “Some try to love you, but it’s never long before you shake them off.” up by “Harsh Realm” and “Nightcrawlers,” which were also previously released as 7” singles. Thematically, the full-length album remains consistent throughout. Robert Thomas’ guitar work proliferates a lonesome sense of desperation, complimented by Molly Hamilton’s haunting vocals that come in and out of the sonic spotlight at all the right moments. The finished product is a psych pop masterpiece with cathartic lyrical passages like “Some try to love you, but it’s never long before you shake them off.” Molly’s lyrics tell a tale of unhealthy devotion, to the point of obsession all in the guise of love. Rob’s lead lines make it clear that whatever Widowspeak is sonically and thematically after, it feels so good, but hurts just the same. Widowspeak, since CMJ, has continued to gain buzz, and it’s suffice to say that we are all a little excited to see what this Brooklyn (by way of the West) trio can do in the not so distant future. Artist Equipment Check!!! Danelectro Guitar Molly used a second-hand Danelectro guitar to write most of the songs in the album. the deli_19
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