Clogs (band)
Encyclopedia
Clogs are a mostly instrumental project led by Bryce Dessner
and Australia's Padma Newsome. Their existence predates Dessner's other band The National
. Clogs have released five albums on Brassland Records
-- Thom's Night Out (2001), Lullaby for Sue (2003), Stick Music (2004), Lantern
(2006) and The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton
(2010).
, Rachel's
, and Bell Orchestre
.
The band members met in the late 1990s while studying at the Yale School of Music
. Newsome started his career as a concert violinist in the Sydney Symphony, before a six-year detour took him to an ashram
in the remote region of New South Wales. He began composing in the 1990s at the University of Adelaide, when he was awarded a Fulbright Program scholarship that took him to America. Elliott is a proud Vermonter and active freelance musician. Kozumplik is a master percussionist familiar with almost any style. Dessner is an established soloist and composer in his own right. He has served as a sub in veteran contemporary ensemble Bang on a Can All-Stars
and written for Kronos Quartet
, activities which have put him in contact with major 20th century minimalists Steve Reich
, Philip Glass
and Terry Riley
.
Bryce Dessner
Bryce Dessner is a Brooklyn based composer, guitarist, and curator primarily known as a member of The National. In addition to his work with The National, he is a founding member of Clogs, and the founder of the MusicNOW Festival. Bryce has a master's degree in classical guitar from Yale University...
and Australia's Padma Newsome. Their existence predates Dessner's other band The National
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
. Clogs have released five albums on Brassland Records
Brassland Records
Brassland is an artist-operated independent record label started in 2001 by Alec Hanley Bemis and Aaron and Bryce Dessner. On their 10th anniversary, The Guardian said of it that it is at "the centre of New York's other music scene."...
-- Thom's Night Out (2001), Lullaby for Sue (2003), Stick Music (2004), Lantern
Lantern (album)
Lantern is an album by Clogs, released in 2006.-Track listing:#"Kapsburger" – 2:05#"Canon" – 4:15#"5/4" – 2:42#"2:3:5" – 5:14#"Death and the Maiden" – 6:22#"Lantern" – 5:47#"Tides of Washington Bridge" – 4:07#"The Song of the Cricket" – 4:44...
(2006) and The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton
The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton
The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton is an album by Clogs, released in March 2010. This is their first non-instrumental album, featuring several guest singers, including Shara Worden, singer and songwriter of the indie rock band My Brightest Diamond, Matt Berninger, lead singer of Clogs'...
(2010).
Formation
When Clogs formed they were an oddball classical ensemble in indie rock clothing. Today, however, they're at the forefront of a scene including friends in groups The BooksThe Books
The Books are an American duo, formed in New York City in 1999, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Nick Zammuto and cellist Paul de Jong. Their releases typically incorporate samples of obscure sounds and speech...
, Rachel's
Rachel's
Rachel's is an American chamber music group that formed in Louisville, Kentucky in 1991. Former Rodan guitarist, Jason Noble, played music individually and referred to himself as Rachel's but then began collaborating with now core members, violist Christian Frederickson, and pianist Rachel Grimes...
, and Bell Orchestre
Bell Orchestre
Bell Orchestre is a six-piece instrumental band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.In late 2003, they recorded their first album, at the same time and in the same studio that Arcade Fire recorded Funeral. However, Arcade Fire's popularity was just beginning to break when they asked Bell Orchestre to...
.
The band members met in the late 1990s while studying at the Yale School of Music
Yale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the twelve professional schools at Yale University and one of the premier music conservatories in the world....
. Newsome started his career as a concert violinist in the Sydney Symphony, before a six-year detour took him to an ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
in the remote region of New South Wales. He began composing in the 1990s at the University of Adelaide, when he was awarded a Fulbright Program scholarship that took him to America. Elliott is a proud Vermonter and active freelance musician. Kozumplik is a master percussionist familiar with almost any style. Dessner is an established soloist and composer in his own right. He has served as a sub in veteran contemporary ensemble Bang on a Can All-Stars
Bang on a Can
Bang on a Can is a multi-faceted classical music organization based in New York City. It was founded in 1987 by three American composers who remain its artistic directors: Julia Wolfe, David Lang, and Michael Gordon...
and written for Kronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
, activities which have put him in contact with major 20th century minimalists Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
, Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
and Terry Riley
Terry Riley
Terrence Mitchell Riley, is an American composer intrinsically associated with the minimalist school of Western classical music and was a pioneer of the movement...
.
Style
Clogs' "classical" music is composed by a combination of improvisational practice sessions and performances and formal arrangement by Newsome, who arranges the core ideas with reference to diverse classical and folk influences.Members
- Padma Newsome – viola, violin, melodica, voice, piano
- Bryce DessnerBryce DessnerBryce Dessner is a Brooklyn based composer, guitarist, and curator primarily known as a member of The National. In addition to his work with The National, he is a founding member of Clogs, and the founder of the MusicNOW Festival. Bryce has a master's degree in classical guitar from Yale University...
– guitar, ukelele - Rachael Elliott – bassoon, melodica
- Thomas Kozumplik – percussion
Albums
- Thom's Night Out (2001)
- Lullaby for Sue (2003)
- Stick Music (2004)
- LanternLantern (album)Lantern is an album by Clogs, released in 2006.-Track listing:#"Kapsburger" – 2:05#"Canon" – 4:15#"5/4" – 2:42#"2:3:5" – 5:14#"Death and the Maiden" – 6:22#"Lantern" – 5:47#"Tides of Washington Bridge" – 4:07#"The Song of the Cricket" – 4:44...
(2006) - The Creatures in the Garden of Lady WaltonThe Creatures in the Garden of Lady WaltonThe Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton is an album by Clogs, released in March 2010. This is their first non-instrumental album, featuring several guest singers, including Shara Worden, singer and songwriter of the indie rock band My Brightest Diamond, Matt Berninger, lead singer of Clogs'...
(2010)
External links
- Official website
- Clogs on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Clogs on Brassland Records
- Clogs live on WOXY.com, April 28, 2006