In Praise Of: The Cave Singers
I’m always weary of bands that I read about initially and the press sheet or interviewer kicks things off by discussing how remarkable it is that they’ve made it to whatever level of recognition they have, considering how amateur or inexperienced they are. I watched a short online interview piece with Matt and Kim earlier this year, and was totally baffled by the approach. Matt was talking about how neither of them played instruments but wanted to start a band, so they kind of “figured it out.” The interviewer was totally thrilled about this process, and remarked on how awesome and talented they must be to have picked up their craft so quickly.
But then I watched their performance, and realized I had been hoodwinked. After bragging about how quickly they learned to play, they demonstrated exactly what playing meant to them, which was apparently little more than enthusiastic attempts at trying to play. It was fucking terrible. I watched them play at SXSW, too, and was equally unimpressed. They’re terrible.
So when I got a one sheet in the mail for the Cave Singers, I kind of bristled, because it began with a similar selling point: the band isn’t really into folk music, and the songwriter hasn’t been playing guitar for that long. It took me a couple weeks to listen to Invitation Songs based on this report, but I’m happy to related that I was pleasantly surprised. In this case, the setup is right and wrong all at once, since the songs are indeed deceptively simple. But some of the greatest songs in existence are simple compositions executed with quirks and all. Not every great band is going to be comprised of technical geniuses, performing musical feats of agility and expertise, but there’s a difference between folks who just learned their instruments (in this case, I realized later that guitarist Derek Fudesco had been a bass player for years, with Murder City Devils and Pretty Girls Make Graves, and wasn’t a total prodigy) and know how about great songs, and folks who don’t know how to play their instruments at all, but keep plugging away anyhow.
Invitation Songs borrows a little from early Will Oldham work, letting a dark and sometimes downright ominous undercurrent linger across itself alongside vocals that aren’t necessarily an example of flawless singing. Oldham’s charm was the brilliant execution of the most simple parts of a song, and in many ways this is how the Cave Singers succeed as well. Acoustic guitars, plentiful tambourine and subtle drumming remind me a lot of Viva Lost Blues-era Oldham, which is a very good thing. There are also hints of Yo La Tengo circa Fakebook, mid-’70s Paul Simon and even a little Billy Bragg. Vocalist Pete Quirk’s voice is nasally and challenging, but unaffected, and it serves as a mantelpiece to the group’s unique sound. As you finish listening to the record, his words linger and the lingering memory of his voice sticks with you .. you want to listen again.
It’s a shame this record came out so late in the year, as I have a feeling it might get passed over as bloggers start going nuts with their year-end lists, perhaps letting this one slip away. Make a note, though, and pick it up next time you see it at the record store, it’s perfect winter morning music, subtle, substantive and honest.
The Cave Singers “Seeds of Night”
Cave Singers photos from Fun Fun Fun weekend @ Mohawk, and it looks like maybe they visited the Hot Dog King, too.
The Cave Singers @ MySpace
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