Rotary Downs
An unlikely sound of noisy, fuzzy, psychedelic pop is emerging from New Orleans - and leading that charge is Rotary Downs. Their latest studio effort, Chained to the Chariot, was described by NPR as "a stunning collection of psychedelic art pop songs that plays like a brilliant mash up of Neutral Milk Hotel and Odelay-era Beck." When one imagines music from the Crescent City, brass bands, R&B, and jazz pianists may come to mind. But Rotary Downs is challenging this comfortable construct by creating music that is simultaneously original and classically New Orleans. Chariot is a masterpiece with commentary on many different elements of life in South Louisiana and has quickly become a favorite among fans and critics.
Rotary Downs have been one of the driving stalwarts in the under-praised genre of experimental indie-pop since 1999. Chained To The Chariot follows three previous albums: Quitters EP in 2004, Long After the Thrill in 2003, and their self-titled debut in 2001. They've emerged from Katrina fully formed with the addition of more drums, bass, keyboards and trumpet giving their fuzz-guitar and pedal-steel-driven sound an extra dose of texture.
The word is traveling fast about Rotary Downs after successful trips to New York City, including remarkable shows at the Knitting Factory, Mercury Lounge, The Delancey and Magnetic Fields. They have been a guest on public radio with in-studio performances and interviews on the acclaimed programs Studio 360 and WNYC's Soundcheck, while the incredible track "False Protection" has been featured on All Songs Considered. In 2007, the band completed their inaugural trip to the West Coast which featured several memorable shows, including a sold out performance at the famed - and now closed - Sweetwater Saloon in Mill Valley, CA. During the excursion, Rotary Downs was filmed for a feature on CurrentTV – the Emmy award-winning network led by former US Vice President Al Gore – and can be seen in its entirety on current.com.
Fresh off the heels of a successful run of festival dates in 2007, including high profile slots at the New Orleans' Jazz & Heritage Festival and the Voodoo Music Experience, New Orleans' favorite indie-pop collective are gaining new fans in droves in 2008. With an official showcase at the prestigious SXSW Music Festival in Austin under its belt in March, and upcoming inaugural appearances at the 7th Annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in June, as well as the 18th Annual High Sierra Music Festival in July, Rotary Downs is poised to make its mark on modern music.
Rotary Downs is James Marler (lead vocal/guitar), Chris Colombo (lead guitar), Jason Rhein (bass/vocal), Zack Smith (drums), Cory Schultz (trumpet/keys/guitar), and Tiffany Lamson (voc/percussion).
"The New Orleans rock group Rotary Downs has released a stunning collection of psychedelic art-pop songs that play like brilliant mashups of Neutral Milk Hotel and Odelay-era Beck." - #2 on the Top 10 Great Unknown Artists of 2007 list - NPR Music
"Singer James Marler sounds like he has been taking double shots of thesaurus, unraveling densely packed rhymes in his abstracted lyrics. Too lo-fi to be baroque, too catchy to be experimental, songs like "G-7 Hit!" and "A Feast in Squalor" swerve into woozy grooves but don't stay for long." – Rhapsody.com
"****" - Alternative Press
"The [JazzFest] set suggested New Orleans really ought to be paying a lot more attention to Rotary Downs." - Offbeat Magazine
"[Chained To The Chariot] is a diverse album that ricochets from roots-tinged psychedelia to edgier synth-pop to excursions along the spaceways, but with a sure hand on the wheel." - Gambit Weekly |
