The Bowery Presents

The Bowery Presents upcoming shows

David Bazan

The Mynabirds

Venue:
Brooklyn Bowl
Date:
Fri 9/24
Notes:
21+
Doors: 6:00 PM / Show: 9:00 PM
$5 advance / $5 day of show
Tickets
David Bazan
official website
myspace
Known for his tenure performing as Pedro the Lion, songwriter David Bazan retired the band
moniker in 2006 to continue making music under his own name. His solo debut EP “FEWER
MOVING PARTS” finds the beloved Seattle songwriter [who was named 85 in Paste Magazine's
Top 100 Living Songwriters] roaring back to his creative roots, performing and recording
everything himself in his home studio, while expanding his sonic canvas. His signature
songwriting, voice, and melodies are framed in layered harmonies, multi-tracked guitars, and
analog keyboards. The 10-song EP includes electric and acoustic versions of five new Bazan
songs. Acclaimed graphic novelist, Zak Sally created new original artwork for the EP.
With a new batch of songs, Bazan hit the road to re-invent himself. Playing solo shows for the
past two years allowed him to change the way he approached his extensive back catalog and
his performances into a much more personal experience for himself and his fans. This new
found intimacy is evident in Bazan’s newest songs. The subject matter is more personal than
ever. His signature third-person narratives have grown into first-person statements about his
own life and experiences.
Bazan recently signed to Seattle-based record label Barsuk Records. He’s currently working on a
new full-length album to be released in early 2009.
The Mynabirds
official website
myspace
Before Georgie James, Laura Burhenn (half of the former DC duo) had spent her early years crafting music on her own. So when Georgie James split, she went back to what she knew. She gathered her favorite books, records, and people around her and wrote what would become the first album from her new band, The Mynabirds.

"What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood" was recorded in the rugged hills of Oregon in the summer of 2009 with singer-songwriter/producer Richard Swift at the helm. Laura and Richard took turns at instruments until the record was fully orchestrated. When they finished recording each night, they'd polish off a bottle of whiskey and dance to records -- Dandy Livingstone, Buffy Sainte-Marie, James Brown -- until the sun came up. That energy really shows itself on The Mynabirds' debut album, particularly in "Let the Record Go" and "Numbers Don't Lie." Other songs, like "What We Gained in the Fire" and "Right Place," are more reflective, the lyrics following a Zen trajectory, echoing the sentiment of George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass."

The album features some notable guests. Besides Richard's Swifts contributions on backing vocals and nearly every instrument imaginable, Orenda Fink (Azure Ray, O+S) and musician/engineer/producer AJ Mogis (Criteria, Monsters of Folk, Tilly and the Wall) lent their voices; Tom Hnatow (These United States) played pedal steel; and Nate Walcott (Bright Eyes) arranged the horns that underscore The Mynabirds' tight, soul-soaked sound.

Having always wanted to make a record that sounded like Neil Young doing Motown, the discovery of the near mythical 60's R&B group, The Mynah Birds, featuring none other than Neil Young (and Rick James among others), seemed all too serendipitous. Thus, The Mynabirds found their namesake. The Mynabirds certainly summon that spirit, nodding to gospel and garage and making a sound all their own, with echoes of Dusty Springfield and Bobbie Gentry bleeding through the tape.

The Mynabirds' debut album will be released on April 27, 2010 on Saddle Creek. Until then, you can download a free song from Saddle Creek.
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