Communion Artist Spotlight: On An On

Cause A Scene —  November 11, 2013 — Leave a comment

onanon1

Prior to last year, Nate Eisland, Alissa Ricci, and Ryne Estwing were 3/5 of acclaimed indie act, Scattered Trees. When the band broke up in 2012, with studio time already scheduled, the trio decided to forge ahead and began recording for their own project, On An On. Those recordings went on to become the band’s debut, “Give In,” a hazy, synthy, pop dream of an album.

Following the release of the art house single from the album, “Ghosts,” the band began to see a growing buzz; they were featured as iTunes’ “Best New Artist” of the month, received glowing reviews in Paste and rocketed to the very top of Time Magazine’s top artists to check out this year.

On the deservingly hyped album, the three members combine their talents to create something unique. Ricci’s said that she contributes her enthusiasm for sound art and design, while Estwing brings in his bass technique and Eisland his sense for great pop music. Ricci sites Bjork and Radiohead as some of her influences and says that their music grows from sounds they experience combined with their intuition for how it should feel. She says the band’s greatest inspiration is simply their desire to be creative.

Recently, the Chicago-based band toured Europe for the first time and is on the current Communion tour along with Tennis and Nathaniel Rateliffe and the Night Sweats. On An On’s live show is one not to be missed; they generate the same hazy feel of the album but manage to make the songs fresh and unique each night.

You can catch them this week at Nashville’s Communion show at the Mercy Lounge on November 14th.

– Meagan Lawson

On An On- ‘Boy From School’

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Show Preview: Poema, Cameron McGill, Mel Washington, The Bird and the Bear & Kel – 11/9

Cause A Scene —  November 8, 2013 — Leave a comment

November 9 Show

What better way to prepare for the forthcoming holiday season than to kick back with the Cause A Scene crew for another night full of some of the best rising talent from all across the country. This Saturday we return to Edgehill Cafe, one of our new favorite spots to showcase new great music.Poema, comprised of sisters Elle and Shealeen Louise Puckett will headline the evening. Now based in Nashville, this sister duo grew up in Albuquerque, NM, where music was always a dominant presence in their tight-knit family. The chemistry between this duo is one that can only be found in the bond between siblings, and it is evident in each note and lyric of their music. Poema’s sound is rooted in classic country, paying tribute to the likes of Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, and peppered with hints of acoustic folk and pop, giving way to a musical identity that is truly wonderful and unique. Since moving to Nashville, Poema has spent the last several years writing and touring. They have released multiple EPs and in 2012 the duo released their first full-length album, Remembering You.

Returning for what will be his second CAS appearance is Chicago-based singer songwriter Cameron McGill. Writing and recording songs since the late 90’s, McGill has played in a number of different bands and released multiple solo records in the early 2000’s. The past several years of McGill’s career have been devoted to his most recent band, Cameron McGill & What Army, who released their last album in 2011. In the last two years however, McGill has focused his efforts once again on his solo material, releasing his most recent album, Gallows Etiquette earlier this year.

Also on the night’s bill is another duo, this time of the mixed gender variety. With a sound that has been compared to The Civil Wars, the folk duo The Bird and the Bear is the culmination of singer songwriters Mirthe Bolhuis, who hails from The Netherlands and Wyoming native Garry Wood. The two met here in Nashville in 2011, where a musical and personal relationship was quickly formed. The duo quickly began writing together and soon after recorded their debut EP “Breathe” in early 2012 at Prime Cut Studio in East Nashville, under the name of The Bird and the Bear.

Completing the evening’s lineup are two other artists who are sure to put on one hell of a show. Mel Washington, the soulful troubadour and former member of All Get Out, and Indianapolis-based singer songwriter and current Belmont student Kel will certainly add to the excitement and make this Saturday an evening you will not want to miss. Get your tickets here for $5 in advance, as space is limited. Doors open at 7:00 PM with the music soon to follow.

–  Christian Lerchenfeld

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Communion Artist Spotlight: Tennis

Cause A Scene —  November 8, 2013 — Leave a comment

tennis2

Husband and wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore, more commonly known as Tennis, first entered the music scene back in January of 2011 with their album Cape Dory.  Since then, the couple has cultivated their fine ear for melody and rhythm into something really rad.  What I would be most inclined to classify as retro-beachy pop, Moore and Riley use 1950s inspired melodies and riffs mixed with just enough of a modern feel to make me wish I was spinning their album on vinyl while hanging out on a beach somewhere.
 
Tennis’ most recent album Young & Old was written and recorded over a mere three month span with The Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney overseeing its production.  Much like their first project Cape Dory, Tennis’ sophomore record is filled with the same singsong vocals, nostalgic lyrics, and solid beats.
 
Earlier this month, Tennis released a brand new 5 song EP called Small Sound for Communion Records.  Small Sound, which is still full of the same inviting Tennis-esque vibe, shows maturation and refinement of their sound.  With more experience now in their trenches, Tennis has been able to refine their upbeat melodies, hooks, and lyrics, all while staying true to their original sound and making music that they know their fans will love.
 
– Bailey Basham

Tennis- ‘My Better Self’

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Show Preview: David Ramirez with Logan Brill – 11/9

Cause A Scene —  November 7, 2013 — Leave a comment

david ramirez

Join us out at The High Watt this Saturday night as we begin our wrap up on 2013 as we enter our final stretch of shows this month, with two highly anticipated artists who we greatly admire here at Cause A Scene. Headlining the evening is CAS vet, David Ramirez, who played a sold out show to a packed house of eager listeners and music junkies back in February of this year.

Since an early age, Ramirez has himself in music. Inspired by the 90’s alt rock of his youth, later to derive artistic influence from the likes of Bob Dylan, Ryan Adam, The National and Arcade Fire, all of Ramirez’s musical influences have made their own personal mark on David as he has carefully cultivated his craft. Ramirez’s sound, an artful blend of traditional folk and contemporary indie-rock, bridges the generational gap, building himself a name and reputation that is rapidly spreading beyond his Southeast home base.

An Austin native, Ramirez has spent the last several years touring across the country and writing and recording 2 full-length albums and 3 EPs, building a devout loyal fan base. In 2012 he played over 175 shows, many of which were apart of his co-headline tour with fellow CAS alum, Noah Gundersen. 2012 continued to be a good year for David as his independently released full-length album, Apologies, debuted at #2 on iTunes Singer-Songwriter charts and #23 on Billboard Folk, and received praise from The New York Times, American Songwriter and PASTE. 2013 has proved to be just as successful year for Ramirez as 2012, with the release of his most recent EP, The Rooster, this past May. He is currently capping off the back on the road, and we are thrilled he chose to his Nashville stop a CAS show.

Opening for Ramirez, is a Nashville resident who embodies the image of what it means to be a strong woman in a modern world through her songs. Though she is only 22, Logan Brill demonstrates wisdom and poise in her songwriting that echos the soul of an artist far more seasoned. Her debut full-length album, Walking Wires, which released this year, is a true testament to what this young artist has planned for her listeners and herself as an artist. Brill is currently touring the north/south expanse of the east coast, her voice reaching more and more ears as she goes.

This Saturday is going to be a night full of the city’s best talent that you will not want to miss. The High Watt on Cannery Row is sure to fill up quickly to see these 2 spectacular talents, so secure your spot ahead of time and get your tickets here. Doors will open at 8:00 PM and the show will start at 9:00 PM.

– Christian Lerchenfeld

David Ramirez- ‘Ball and Chain’

Logan Brill- ‘Scars’

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Communion Artist Spotlight: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats

Cause A Scene —  November 6, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Just in time for the coolest nights of the year so far, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, a seven-piece soul band, will bring their warm, soulful sound to this month’s Communion show.

Rateliff has been best known for his former band, Born in the Flood, as well as his solo work and recently released his second solo album, Falling Faster Than You Can Run. The album garnered positive reviews from Vanity Fair, New York Times and Brooklyn Vegan. Rateliff has toured relentlessly, for years, in support of his solo projects, trekking all over the world and sharing the stage with artists like Jessica Lea Mayfield, Laura Marling, and Bon Iver. He’s also opened for both the Lumineers and Mumford & Sons.

But The Night Sweats are a relatively new project for Rateliff, having just debuted them in his current home base of Denver, earlier this year. The band is a complete departure from Rateliff’s previous work; the band is upbeat; the music is danceable. He rehearsed with the band just a handful of times before their first show and wasn’t sure if his fans would be accepting of the new sound. But the audience loved them and soon Rateliff’s new project was opening for Dawes.

Though Rateliff hasn’t played soul music in the past, it seems like a natural step for someone who grew up listening to Otis Redding and James Brown. Rateliff has said you have to be accepting of whatever music comes to you and with the Night Sweats, he’s not just accepted the music, but given himself to it. The performances are intense, with Rateliff losing himself to the beat, dancing, sweating, slinging his hair. Though he’s said that he doesn’t want the Night Sweats work to define him, it’s obvious that Rateliff is a real soul man, who commits himself wholeheartedly to each project he works on. You can hear Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats headline this month’s Communion Nashville show at the Mercy Lounge on November 14th alongside Tennis, ON AN ON, Savoir Adore, The 4onthefloor, VITEK, and Shelly Colvin.

– Meagan Lawson

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats- ‘What I Need’

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