popwreckoning » Adam Turla http://popwreckoning.com without music, life would be a mistake. Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:15:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Murder by Death w/Builders and the Butchers and Damion Suomi and the Minor Prophets at the Tractor Tavern, Seattle http://popwreckoning.com/2011/02/22/murder-by-death-wbuilders-and-the-butchers-and-damion-suomi-and-the-minor-prophets-at-the-tractor-tavern-seattle/ http://popwreckoning.com/2011/02/22/murder-by-death-wbuilders-and-the-butchers-and-damion-suomi-and-the-minor-prophets-at-the-tractor-tavern-seattle/#comments Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:30:07 +0000 Abby Williamson http://popwreckoning.com/?p=31937

Heading into on Wednesday for my first show at the proved to be quite an adventure. Somehow I had made myself believe that the headliners that night were the . However, once I stepped up to the door, I saw that they were listed second after and , neither of which I’d heard.

No matter, as the show was amazing even if the order wasn’t what I’d expected. The Tractor is a small venue, with old signs lining the walls and a row of cowboy boots hanging from the ceiling – exactly what you’d think when you hear the “Tractor Tavern.” I felt like someone was going to start clogging on the bar or walk in with a cowboy hat, but what I got was quite a rocking show with lots of beer slinging.

Damion Suomi and the Minor Prophets were up first, fitting more band members on this tiny stage than seemed possible, and they got the room moving more than any opener than I’ve seen in awhile. The upbeat rhythms and 2-step folk rock often didn’t match the dark lyrics, but it made for an interesting listen. I mean, we were dancing around to incredibly depressing lyrics, but on the schedule for the night, the Tractor had listed it as “.” Sounds pretty odd, right?

Odd, but great.

I strongly suggest you find their stuff on iTunes, and if you’re cheap, go take a listen on their MySpace. “Burn the Pain” is a particularly spectacular tune, on record and live. If I’d known the song before, I’d have surely been singing along like the crazy drunkards standing beside me. Another of my favourites was “Save Your Ass,” which included a pessimistic, but great philosophy of life – “Nobody’s gonna save your ass, except for you.” Seriously, watch out for these guys – they’re going places.

After the surprisingly good set, the tiny floor filled up quite a bit more for the Builders and the Butchers, the band I’d come to see.

Jumping right into a few songs off their new album , this show served as a release party, as front man Ryan Sollee proclaimed. So not only did we get a sneak preview of the album live, but copies were sold at the merch table.

Starting with “I Broke The Vein,” the energy in the Tractor Tavern went up exponentially, with PBRs spilling everywhere as the crowd danced along to the dark folk music Builders and the Butchers have so mastered.

It was just like I remembered from September. I will seriously say that Builders and the Butchers is one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen. Not all the songs were new, however, as the highlight of the set was probably “Golden and Green,” with an epic finale with both drummers frantically beating at the floor toms as Sollee belted out the chorus. It’s definitely not the level of rock that you’d expect from an acoustic guitar and a plugged in banjo, but everything about this band is unexpected and amazing. I’d even say that they outdid the headliners Murder by Death.

Okay, I think I’m done gushing now.

As they stepped off stage, the floor became even more crowded and the people became more inebriated. It was fitting, because Murder by Death has plenty of songs about Whiskey and other drinks of the like.

I’ll tell you, I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t know Murder by Death before this show, but it was pleasant surprise how good they were. It’s nothing like what you’d expect from a band called Murder by Death. Think of Johnny Cash and punk rock all mushed together, and that’s what you get.

I felt like I was in an Irish pub and Western all at one time. The lead singer had the most interesting deep voice, but not raspy at all. It was reminiscent of 60 years ago when jazz and country pervaded the music, and it was surprisingly sexy. And along with Turla’s deep and understated voice was on electric cello (yes, electric cello). That’s something you don’t see every day. But it was cool, very cool.

Since I didn’t know any of their music, the highlight of their set was when Turla took to the stage by himself and did a killer cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down).” I’m not kidding. It was awesome.

While the energy in the room wasn’t something I was used to, with all the drunk people that spilled their beer on my back and my camera bag, I enjoyed Murder by Death’s music a lot more than I thought I would.

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2011/02/22/murder-by-death-wbuilders-and-the-butchers-and-damion-suomi-and-the-minor-prophets-at-the-tractor-tavern-seattle/feed/ 0 PodWreck featuring Adam Turla of Murder by Death http://popwreckoning.com/2010/09/25/podwreck-featuring-adam-turla-of-murder-by-death/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/09/25/podwreck-featuring-adam-turla-of-murder-by-death/#comments Sat, 25 Sep 2010 15:00:40 +0000 Casey Osburn http://popwreckoning.com/?p=28351

lead vocalist, was nice enough to let interview him. Tune in below to hear about his lone trip to the Tennessee Mountains and our typical Would You Rather’s.

In the middle you’ll hear “As Long As There Is Whiskey In The World,” a song off their newest album Good Morning, Magpie. You can also find a video on their website.

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/09/25/podwreck-featuring-adam-turla-of-murder-by-death/feed/ 0 Murder By Death – Good Morning, Magpie http://popwreckoning.com/2010/03/09/murder-by-death-good-morning-magpie/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/03/09/murder-by-death-good-morning-magpie/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:34:42 +0000 popwreckoning http://popwreckoning.com/?p=22533

It’s only March, and this year just keeps getting better and better musically. The newest Murder by Death album, Good Morning, Magpie is debuting in early April, and is sure to top the charts as one of the best indie-folk of the year. Defying current musical stereotypes and redefining what true Americana and Folk really are, the newest addition to the MBD discography will be sure to keep you enthralled for quite some time.

Although it is not a concept album, Good Morning, Magpie instead captures the eternal struggle between light and dark, containing some of the darkest and brightest material that MBD has even produced. Mostly written in two weeks in the Appalachian Mountains by , MBD’s singer, guitarist, and songwriter, the lyrics themselves are powerful, haunting, intense, heartfelt, genuine, impactful, and incredibly passionate. They are though provoking but combined with the wonderful instrumentals, the journey through the darkness and into the light is a beautiful change from the average trendy sound that we have come to expect from most modern music.

With Turla’s vocals lacing themselves among a potent blend of strings, drums, keys, and bass, comes a new breed of American rock. All elements of their sound are more than ordinary, working together to create the uniquely amazing sound that is MBD. The cello adds an ambiance full of passion and power, the drums are almost DCI worthy for their superb marching sound, and the bass line crawls across your skin with it’s own growl of rumbling low tones, and accompanied by the Johnny Cash-esque sound of Turla’s own melodic voice.

The album opens with the mellow “Kentucky Bourbon” and continued on through the slightly addictive lyrics of “On the Dark Streets Below,” a personal favorite of mine. With the horn line addition, it sets off the track, giving it an almost swing feel à la Brian Setzer. The title track “Good Morning, Magpie” holds a few charms of its own before blending into “You Don’t Miss Twice.” Up next is the superbly unique “Foxglove,” the most catchy and instrumentally diverse track on the album, and the best track on the album in my opinion. Finishing off the album is “White Noise” and “Day” both masterpieces of this new and innovative genre and finishing off the album just as good as it started.

You can be sure that this is not another mass produced album that will sit amongst the shelves of your local chain record store, but instead a gem that will stand out for years to come. Be sure to pick up this album when it hits shelves on April 6th, and catch the band at a venue near you in the upcoming months during their current US tour. Grab some friends and a bottle of whiskey, and let this superb version of homegrown Americana Folk rock take you on a whole new unique journey through the battle between darkness and light.

Track Listing:
1. Kentucky Bourbon
2. As Long as There Is Whiskey in the World
3. On the Dark Streets Below
4. King of the Gutters, Prince of the Dogs
5. Piece by Piece
6. Good Morning, Magpie
7. You Don t Miss Twice
8. Yes
9. Foxglove
10. White Noise
11. The Day

Written by Annastasia Gallaher

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/03/09/murder-by-death-good-morning-magpie/feed/ 1 Murder By Death @ The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS http://popwreckoning.com/2009/09/17/murder-by-death-the-bottleneck-lawrence-ks/ http://popwreckoning.com/2009/09/17/murder-by-death-the-bottleneck-lawrence-ks/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:00:05 +0000 Abbie Stutzer http://popwreckoning.com/?p=17386

I had no idea who Murder By Death was before their show at the Bottleneck on Saturday evening. I now pity myself because I’ve been missing out on years of Death’s musical awesomeness. Murder by Death

After grabbing a cold (as in partially icy) beer, I took a seat towards the back of the venue to listen to Cowboy Indian Bear‘s opening set. I wasn’t planning on reviewing them again because I recently saw them open for Peter Bjorn & John. After seeing their set a second time however, I felt it necessary to add a few comments about their music.

CBI’s sound is diverse. At times, the band layers light bells and tiny chimes over deep, new wave synths. CBI can quickly change gears, though, and produce songs that are influenced by old country or classic 60s spy tracks.

The second opener, Suzannah Johannes, used her water-like guitar strumming and vocals, mixed with a supporting keyboard and male vocals, to put on a quiet, ambient folk performance. Although her blues, speak sing voice flowed over her songs’ beautiful melodies effortlessly, the set didn’t hold the crowds’ attention. Johannes did mention that her drummer was absent that evening, so her performance may have been better received if the other musician was present.

When launched into their first song, “Ball & Chain,” ‘s (vocals, guitar) flame shaped black guitar carried the band into a blazing Americana rock out.

When Turla sings, it’s like he’s biting the heck out of something. His words come out heavy, while teeth gnaw and distort the song’s dark, menacing lyrics. Atop his performance, his lean frame and stoic face, dressed with dark hair and thick sideburns make it obvious that Turla is a man who shouldn’t be messed with.

The four-piece’s loud sound was superb. ‘s cello, mixed with ‘s bass, ’s percussion, and Turla’s vocals created a haunting wall of sound.

The next song, “52′ Ford,” had a massive bass line that rumbled through the venue’s walls and goers’ heads (many folks without ear plugs began to cover their ears at this point). Balliet’s cello added a sweet yet gritty overtone to the tune, and her multi-colored dress jerked in each direction the musician moved her body.

Many of the songs Death played had a Gogol Bordello franticness, and the melodies and lyrics were quirky and dark, similar to Scott Weiland’s solo work.

Early in the set, Turla said whenever the band came to Lawrence, Kan., it was impossible for them to stay sober, no matter how hard they tried.

“There’s no escape.”

“It’s like you guys have a booze lazer,” Turla said.

Turla also said the band was supposed to be taking a night off (they’re currently touring with the ), but decided to headline in Lawrence per a friend’s demand.

“There’s no sleep for the wicked.”

After concluding “Fuego,” Murder By Death began to play “Steal Away.” The song was cool, and calm. The melody elicited thoughts of a small, smokey jazz hall filled with mirrors, and lit with lamps that gave off green hues.

Towards the middle of MBD’s set, the band began to down more drinks. I’m pretty sure they consumed most of the whisky at the Bottleneck that night.

Something I enjoyed about MBD’s performance was that Turla often gave a background to the songs the band performed. One was described as a “party song” about gypsies, and their “fuck all” attitude. Turla labeled another tune as the band’s “manic song,” which incited the crowd to whoop with joy. He then said he had no idea why such a depressing song could make everyone happy, but accepted the response and went on. Turla simply said another song was just about whisky.

After walking away from the stage, the band quickly returned for an encore. Turla said tonight was a rare occasion because Balliet wanted to tell everyone a story.

Balliet said after the band played a show a few evenings back, a girl approached her to tell her how much she loved it when Balliet played the bass (pronouncing bass like the fish).

“I smiled and said thank you.”

Turla then said the band would play two old songs. The last song of the evening, an instrumental piece, was the perfect way to end the awesome evening.

Set list:
Ball & Chain
52′ Ford
The Black Spot
The Organ Grinder ?
A Masters In Reverse Psychology
Fuego
Steal Away ?
Shiola
Three Men Hanging
I will call this the “Gypsy Song”
One More Notch
Brother
Another song Turla deemed as horridly depressing
That Crown Don’t Make You A Prince
The song Turla said was about whisky
Until Morale Improves The Beatings Will Continue
Knife Goes In, Guts Come Out
///
I’m Afraid Of Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf
Instrumental

Murder By Death: website | myspace

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