This Busy Monster
Encyclopedia
This Busy Monster is an indie band that was formed in the early 1990s. They are known for their unconventional song structures and eclectic instrumentation (including the use of a clarinet
in many tracks). Their three full-length albums, Like Icicles
, The Curious Sofa
and Fireworks
, accompany many singles and EPs. Their name is taken from a poem written by E. E. Cummings
.
The band, based in Seattle, Washington
, is composed of Christopher Possanza (vocals/guitar), Josh Rosenfeld (bass), Jason Avinger (guitar/vocals) and Barrett Wilke (drums). After the band's initial success in the early '90s, Possanza and Rosenfeld formed Barsuk Records
in 1994 to release their material. The label is named after Avinger and Possanza's dog, Barsuk ' onMouseout='HidePop("33043")' href="/topics/Badger">badger
), a black lab (the dog can be heard barking in the track "Song 69"). Barsuk Records
has since signed numerous local and national indie
artists, including Death Cab for Cutie
, Aqueduct
, Rilo Kiley
, Nada Surf
and They Might Be Giants
.
.
1994 saw the release of two singles, Belated in April with the help of Egg Studios and members of the band Posies
. The single Swing Dream was released later that year in September. The band continued playing small venues with other local acts, often with members of they yet-to-be-formed Death Cab for Cutie
. 1994 also saw the creation of the band's record label Barsuk Records
.
In 1995 the band went on a small tour with Built to Spill
around the Pacific Northwest. Summer and fall saw them finally gaining notice from various music publications and touring with Modest Mouse
. The Rocket (a Northwest music-related newspaper), the Seattle Weekly, and the University of Washington
Daily all offered good reviews, the UW Daily saying:
"This four-piece blends the conventions of 'interesting' music, replete with complex structures and difficult-sounding parts, with the undeniable pop-rock sensibility. Thus, they manage to sidestep the ghettoes of prog for something altogether catchier and more satisfying but never let matters become precious or cute. They have an undeniable power when playing live that turns on tightness and the tack-sharp, vaguely dissociative lyrics and vocal lines."
In '96 and '97 the band continued touring with Built To Spill and the now official Death Cab for Cutie, who signed onto the Barsuk label. The band also began recording their first full-length album, Like Icicles
, which was released in June 1998. The Rocket released the following review:
"With discordant guitars and uneven and unpredictable rhythms, the début CD from Seattle's This Busy Monster, Like Icicles, is undoubtedly this year's most bizarre local offering at the pop throne. By systematically and maniacally incorporating a huge range of influences (and by huge range, I do mean huge range), This Busy Monster have built a weird musical collage. There's a little bit of Built to Spill-style psychedelia, some indie-rock balladry and even Primus-style funk. It sounds like an improbable combination, but somehow This Busy Monster make it sound as natural as the five notes at the core of Beethoven's Ninth."
"Perhaps the most striking aspect of This Busy Monster is vocalist Christopher Possanza. Something about his disjointed delivery and downright weird lyrics is riveting. On 'Hoops & Hollows' he sings, 'I'm a pie to you, I'm not a hard nut to crack.' 'Honest, thinking things make me stupid' he muses on 'Hungry & Free.' Though his lyrics are abstract, they are so personal it's like accidentally stumbling onto a loved one's diary. Too intimate in its familiarity, too specific for a wide audience, but for some reason, you just can't stop reading, or listening, for that matter."
In the late nineties and early 2000s the band released their two latest albums, The Curious Sofa
and Fireworks
in 2000 and 2001, respectively. The current status of the band has not been discussed, though future albums seem unlikely.
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
in many tracks). Their three full-length albums, Like Icicles
Like Icicles
Like Icicles is the first full-length album by the Seattle indie band This Busy Monster. It was released in 1998 on the Barsuk Records label...
, The Curious Sofa
The Curious Sofa
The Curious Sofa is a classic 1961 book by Edward Gorey, published under the pen name Ogdred Weary . The book is a "pornographic illustrated story about furniture"...
and Fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
, accompany many singles and EPs. Their name is taken from a poem written by E. E. Cummings
E. E. Cummings
Edward Estlin Cummings , popularly known as E. E. Cummings, with the abbreviated form of his name often written by others in lowercase letters as e.e. cummings , was an American poet, painter, essayist, author, and playwright...
.
The band, based in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, is composed of Christopher Possanza (vocals/guitar), Josh Rosenfeld (bass), Jason Avinger (guitar/vocals) and Barrett Wilke (drums). After the band's initial success in the early '90s, Possanza and Rosenfeld formed Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a...
in 1994 to release their material. The label is named after Avinger and Possanza's dog, Barsuk ' onMouseout='HidePop("33043")' href="/topics/Badger">badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
), a black lab (the dog can be heard barking in the track "Song 69"). Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a...
has since signed numerous local and national indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
artists, including Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
, Aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
, Rilo Kiley
Rilo Kiley
Rilo Kiley was an American indie rock band based in Los Angeles. Formed in 1998, the band consisted of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Jason Boesel....
, Nada Surf
Nada Surf
Nada Surf is an American alternative rock band. Formed in 1992, the New York band consists of Matthew Caws , Ira Elliot and Daniel Lorca .-Early years:...
and They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
.
History
TBM released their first tape, Ginger, in early 1992, before they had officially formed the band. With the release of Dark Hands in April 1993, the members of TBM officially formed the group and began playing local shows. They performed numerous gigs at local Seattle venues, playing with other local bands like Sick and Wrong and The Thingmakers, and opening for the indie band TreepeopleTreepeople
Treepeople was an alternative rock band from Boise, Idaho, although it spent most of its time and was officially based in Seattle, Washington. The band was composed of Pat Brown , Wayne Rhino Flower, Doug Martsch, and Scott Schmaljohn. It also included drummer Eric Akre on the critically acclaimed...
.
1994 saw the release of two singles, Belated in April with the help of Egg Studios and members of the band Posies
Posies
Posies may refer to:*Plural of posy*The Posies, American alternative rock music group...
. The single Swing Dream was released later that year in September. The band continued playing small venues with other local acts, often with members of they yet-to-be-formed Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
. 1994 also saw the creation of the band's record label Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a...
.
In 1995 the band went on a small tour with Built to Spill
Built to Spill
Built to Spill is an American indie rock band based in Boise, Idaho. The band has released seven full-length albums. Their most recent album, There Is No Enemy, was released on October 6, 2009.-History:...
around the Pacific Northwest. Summer and fall saw them finally gaining notice from various music publications and touring with Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
. The Rocket (a Northwest music-related newspaper), the Seattle Weekly, and the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
Daily all offered good reviews, the UW Daily saying:
"This four-piece blends the conventions of 'interesting' music, replete with complex structures and difficult-sounding parts, with the undeniable pop-rock sensibility. Thus, they manage to sidestep the ghettoes of prog for something altogether catchier and more satisfying but never let matters become precious or cute. They have an undeniable power when playing live that turns on tightness and the tack-sharp, vaguely dissociative lyrics and vocal lines."
In '96 and '97 the band continued touring with Built To Spill and the now official Death Cab for Cutie, who signed onto the Barsuk label. The band also began recording their first full-length album, Like Icicles
Like Icicles
Like Icicles is the first full-length album by the Seattle indie band This Busy Monster. It was released in 1998 on the Barsuk Records label...
, which was released in June 1998. The Rocket released the following review:
"With discordant guitars and uneven and unpredictable rhythms, the début CD from Seattle's This Busy Monster, Like Icicles, is undoubtedly this year's most bizarre local offering at the pop throne. By systematically and maniacally incorporating a huge range of influences (and by huge range, I do mean huge range), This Busy Monster have built a weird musical collage. There's a little bit of Built to Spill-style psychedelia, some indie-rock balladry and even Primus-style funk. It sounds like an improbable combination, but somehow This Busy Monster make it sound as natural as the five notes at the core of Beethoven's Ninth."
"Perhaps the most striking aspect of This Busy Monster is vocalist Christopher Possanza. Something about his disjointed delivery and downright weird lyrics is riveting. On 'Hoops & Hollows' he sings, 'I'm a pie to you, I'm not a hard nut to crack.' 'Honest, thinking things make me stupid' he muses on 'Hungry & Free.' Though his lyrics are abstract, they are so personal it's like accidentally stumbling onto a loved one's diary. Too intimate in its familiarity, too specific for a wide audience, but for some reason, you just can't stop reading, or listening, for that matter."
In the late nineties and early 2000s the band released their two latest albums, The Curious Sofa
The Curious Sofa
The Curious Sofa is a classic 1961 book by Edward Gorey, published under the pen name Ogdred Weary . The book is a "pornographic illustrated story about furniture"...
and Fireworks
Fireworks (This Busy Monster album)
Fireworks is the second full-length album by the Seattle indie band This Busy Monster. It was released in 2001 on the band's own label, Barsuk Records.-Track listing:All songs by Christopher Possanza.# "What She Said"# "Loup-Garou"# "Smell of Blood"...
in 2000 and 2001, respectively. The current status of the band has not been discussed, though future albums seem unlikely.
Band members
- Christopher Possanza — guitar, lead vocals, song-writing
- Jason Avinger — guitar, back-up vocals
- Josh Rosenfeld — bass
- Barrett Wilke — drums
Discography
All releases on Barsuk RecordsBarsuk Records
Barsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a...
- Like IciclesLike IciclesLike Icicles is the first full-length album by the Seattle indie band This Busy Monster. It was released in 1998 on the Barsuk Records label...
(19981998 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
) - FireworksFireworks (This Busy Monster album)Fireworks is the second full-length album by the Seattle indie band This Busy Monster. It was released in 2001 on the band's own label, Barsuk Records.-Track listing:All songs by Christopher Possanza.# "What She Said"# "Loup-Garou"# "Smell of Blood"...
(20012001 in musicSee also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
) - The Curious SofaThe Curious Sofa (album)The Curious Sofa is the final release by the Seattle indie band This Busy Monster. It is an EP and contains re-recordings of two songs off Fireworks . It was released in 2001.-Track listing:...
[ EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...] (20012001 in musicSee also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
)
External links
- This Busy Monster official site
- This Busy Monster at MP3.com
- This Busy Monster at Epitonic
- Barsuk Records Homepage