![]() “That’s what a lot of the thematic element is in the great classic country,” Stewart said. Drinking songs and truck songs and hometown songs are often just a way of leading back to the same subject. ![]() Country music is especially good at devising thematic permutations to cover all the varieties of heartsickness. Or, at least, people never grow tired of singing about it and listening to songs about romantic turmoil, faded love, somebody doing somebody wrong, or just crying from lonesomeness. I spoke with Arnez and Stewart by phone recently from their home in Chapel Hill. 15, with Sinners & Saints, and Vilai Harrington & the Hamptones. They’ll play Petra’s in Charlotte on Feb. The band functions as a duo much of the time at live outings, though their studio material is wonderfully fleshed out with a rhythm section, pedal steel and impressively restrained tempos. They had been through breakups of long-term relationships when they began working on the material that made up Blue Cactus’ self-titled 2017 debut. The singing pair of Mario Arnez and Steph Stewart had worked together in another project, a string band, before forming Blue Cactus. But it is one of their areas of expertise. Gillian Welch is especially aware of her old-time and bluegrass influences, and I love the way she hints to them in her songs while bringing new meaning to them.Blue Cactus, a retro-tinged country band from Chapel Hill, don’t only sing about heartbroken pain. #BLUE CACTUS MUSIC STEPH AND MARIO FULL#I admire Anais Mitchell and Gillian Welch in much the same way– their ability to spin a familiar feeling or old saying in a way that it’s never been put before or to come full circle in the length of a four minute song. They start out with a strong hook from the top (my favorite is probably the opening line in “Hold On”) and take you through a tangle of beautiful imagery and metaphor, the grotesque and serene all in one scene, and then spit you out in an entirely different place, hungry for more but strangely satisfied at the same time. I love to read short stories, and Neko Cases’s songs have all of the elements that I enjoy in my favorite short stories. I’d say that Neko Case is another big influence for me both in terms of her voice as well as her songwriting. I think in terms of vocals, I am drawn to Patsy Cline– her voice is powerful and subtle in the same breath, which is a perfect companion for the dynamics in her vocal range as well there is absolutely no mistaking her sound. ![]() I think that plane informs a lot of what I listen for. Blake Mills has been a part of some great albums with that kind of experience. The vocals are wholly connected with the arrangements, every musical & lyrical piece of it is crucial, and everything feels right. ![]() I’ve spent a lot of time listening to Radiohead, Gram Parsons, Gillian Welch/Dave Rawlings, and Ray Charles. However, getting punched in the gut by great lyrics and performances is another favorite pastime. Their craft and imagination continue to affect the way I think about music and writing. In college, I studied instrumental and symphonic works from the past three centuries, and got into 20th century composers like Bártok, Debussy and Stravinsky. We have a lot of influences within those genres, but also have just as many in other kinds of music. After a few years of playing and writing with each other, we arrived at Blue Cactus while refining our songwriting approaches. ![]() Mario: I think anyone who seriously pursues music will hone their own sound, and thankfully, Steph and I work well together. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |