Song of the South
Tulsa Drone recently released its sophomore album.
photo courtesy Tulsa Drone
Pictured from left to right are band members Jim Chandler, Erik Grotz, Kevin Cornell, Scott Hudgins, Peter Neff
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John Rickman
Richmond.com
Friday, June 15, 2007
Richmond changes with the times but always seems to maintain certain outward appearances. The Richmond of old can be seen in residential architecture and restored commercial buildings, historic landmarks and military memorials. It’s the southern trappings that make Richmond livable, but they also lend a kind of ghostly atmosphere to the city.
It’s this haunted, historic façade from which local, slow-rock five-piece Tulsa Drone draws much of its inspiration. Eric Grotz and Peter Neff formed the band in 2001 out of a shared appreciation for punk and old roots music. Combining acoustic guitar and bass-hammered dulcimer, respectively, the pair forged a shimmering sound suggestive of yesteryear, but intended for fresh ears.
Rounded out by guitarist Scott Hudgins, bassist Jim Chandler and new drummer Kevin Cornell, the duo’s plucky, dusty road sound is often transformed into a heavy Southern blues with the addition of less traditional, electric instrumentation. Plodding and impressionistic, the group’s mostly instrumental music evokes both beauty and sadness with equal grace.
It’s a sound best appreciated close to home, according to Grotz. "We learned fast to stay as regional as possible," he said. "Plus, we’ve seen too many bands travel to far off places and break their backs on the road."
Each member of the band has lived in Richmond for 10 years or more, which means they've established deep roots in the local music scene. Their collective experience includes such notable local bands as Aurora Paralysis, Sliang Laos, The Hard Ride and Alter Natives. The band members also have other roots in the area, with marriages, work and such.
"[We have] normal, regular lives," said Grotz.
The band recently held a record release party for its new CD --Songs From A Mean Season"-- at the Hyperlink Café. Hudgins said it went over well. "It pays to rehearse," he said half-jokingly.
Recently, the group has been busy promoting the new album, which was produced locally by Scott Minor of Sparklehorse. They've also been working in new drummer Cornell, who recently replaced Jim Thomson.
"Mean Season," which reflects on a city ravaged recently by unforgiving weather occurrences and unspeakable personal tragedies, follows up on Tulsa Drone’s 2004 critically-acclaimed debut, No Wake, which legendary British DJ John Peel praised as one of the best of 2004. Both releases highlight the group’s penchant for winding melodies and hard-hitting rhythms.
And the group continues to expand its palette of sounds. "We plan to write more songs, but lately we’ve been writing music not geared towards live performance," said Hudgins.
According to Grotz, the latest Tulsa Drone experiments are more reflective of the latter half of the band’s name. "We’re working on a new proper album, but in the interim we’re looking to release an EP of mostly noises and drones," he said.
For a band too often tagged as atmospheric and soundtrack-y, taking a wholly abstract approach would certainly turn heads. In the meantime, Mean Season reveals a band expanding the area’s musical roots into more contemporary territory.
Tulsa Drone is taking its music revue on the road to Greensboro, Knoxville and Asheville in July, before returning to play Starr Hill in Charlottesville (July 5) and the Expansion Joint in Richmond (July 14).
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