Month: December 2010

Here’s Blarvuster For You!

/ mrbaxteria2008 / Leave a comment

Photo by Michael Weintrob

Sneak preview of  Matthew Welch’s project band…

“The ensemble’s border-busting music is original and catchy. . . Blarvuster is worth sticking around for.” – The New York Times

The first reaction is ‘Whaaatttt!?” You’re probably trying to say blockbuster? is that’s it? Or your mouth is just full.

No guys I am serious. It’s another band. And they are not making typos. They are even making music enough for you to create typos. The polyrhythm is just awesome. The instruments are delectable that will make your ears water had they been place in a wrong part of your face.

Matthew Welch ( bagpipes, voice, soprano saxophone) lead this 9-piece band in a tight rein that displays undeniable virtuoso. I love the way the bagpipes ride the crispy drums. A loud wind instrument needs loud percussions. But the production is slick. this is a kind of record you can play over and over to let your siblings know that there’s still hope after Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber.

Matthew Welch – bagpipes, voice, soprano saxophone
Leah Paul – piccolo, flute, alto flute
Karen Waltuch – viola
Mary Halvorson – electric guitar (High Street and Bottoms Up)
Ian Riggs – bass guitar
Ches Smith – drums, glockenspiel (High Street and Bottoms Up)
Emily Manzo – piano (Canntaireachd Masolah)
Matthew Hough – electric guitar (Canntaireachd Masolah)
Mike Pride – drums, vibraphone (Canntaireachd Masolah)

Listen to the tracks through this link: http://blarvuster.com/listen/

“Eluveitie – New Wave Of Folk Metal”..

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 6 Comments

They don’t have any Celtic bands in their collection but musically they are OK.

Ok, this thing fell on my hands . It’s Metal but it is also using Celtic styles. I hear pipes and whistles, a little bit of the fiddle jig there and yes the wonderful melodies. However I am a bit hesitant here…I checked up the band’s site and I don’t see anyone from the band giving reference to any Celtic bands that I know of. They all listen to typical metal music. So it makes you ask…are they or are they not?

Here’s one interesting info I got from Wiki: The lyrics are often in the extinct language Gaulish. Eluveitie is Helvetic Gaulish for “I am the Helvetian”, referring to an inscription dating to the earliest record of the Celtic Helvetii tribe from what is now Switzerland.

So is it really Celtic music plus Metal or are they just using Celtic music as a way to gain more acceptance from a number of people who might follow both styles of music. Either way this song really impressed me.