When a musical duo is a couple in real life, sparks tend to fly. Anagram has just as much passion for each other (they’ve been together for 11 years) as they have for their musical endeavors. On a trip to Berlin in 2001, Eric Holland was scoring a movie that his wife Jessica Congdon was editing. Their band Anagram grew out of this first film collaboration.
"The Lights Went Up" is the much-anticipated sophomore album for Anagram, and features guest performances by Bill Gould (Faith No More), Mike Morasky (Steel Pole Bathtub), Nathan Petty (Rogue Wave), Eric Schopmeyer (Slackjaw), Mike Lardas (Assemble Head), and Joe Goldring (The Enablers). One can hear the textured orchestration of the Beach Boys, the ethereal vocals of the Cocteau Twins, the driving beats of New Order, and pop hooks reminiscent of the Pixies, yet all the while Anagram keeps the uniqueness of their sound intact.
Anagram is neither Eric nor Jessica's first venture into the realms of modern alternative music. Jessica was a member of the all-woman San Francisco group Vervein, whose latest release, "The Weather Inside," received rave reviews including best CD of 2005 by the San Francisco Chronicle. Eric was in the experimental art-rock band Milk Cult, which released 5 albums (Basura! / 0 to 1 Records) and performed in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Anagram’s 2005 release "Songs From Far Away" received critical acclaim, and their songs have been in several feature films, including the upcoming "Speed and Angels," Sundance award winner "Dopamine," and Columbia Tri-Star’s "Big Girls Don’t Cry." Anagram tracks have been featured on episodes of NPR’s "This American Life," and an ongoing PBS TV series narrated by Brad Pitt called "Design E2". The album made its way to the top ten list of college radio stations across the country, and was featured on San Francisco’s Live 105 radio show "Sound Check."
The video for the first single off this new album, "Shelter Street" can be seen at myspace.com/anagrammusic along with other videos from their first release.
Track Listing
1. Everything I Have 2. Shelter Street 3. Drove Us Mad 4. Thrill of Separation 5. Right Kind of Love 6. Put Your Arms Around Me Now 7. If I Was a Scientist 8. 9:05 9. Washington 10. Not Broken 11. Invisible Deaths 12. 12AX7 13. Blue Atlantic
Vervein
The Weather Inside
SCR 0003 - IDC Cat # 0081
Fans and critics are buzzing with the uncommon excitement that comes from discovering something special. Not setting out to be a "girl group," the chips have fallen that way for Vervein, and audiences have fallen for their "Girl-Swirl" sound. Vervein weaves together the ethereal vocals of Mazzy Star and Azure Ray, the dreamy atmospherics of American Analog Set and Galaxie 500, the rhythmic propulsions of the Breeders, the soundscapes of Godspeed You Black Emperor!, and the melodic sensibilities of Death Cab for Cutie. The foursome creates a sound that resonates with different people in different ways while it carves a unique niche. Simply stated, what Vervein offers is difficult to pigeonhole. There’s no cloying confessional pop, T&A manipulation, or snarling riot grrl militancy here. Vervein is refreshingly free of cliches in its message and its image, choosing to focus passionately on what’s important, the music.
Like many, the four women of Vervein started out in punk bands with the desire to make music that mattered. Numerous bands and years later, they have found a distinctive way to do so. With members hailing from Ee, Smitten, the Black Cat Orchestra, and Faccia Brutta, among other San Francisco and Seattle-based bands, Vervein was founded by Jess Congdon (guitar, vocals, keyboards) and Esther Reyes (guitar, cello) in 2001. Both classically trained musicians, they were drawn together in San Francisco by a shared desire to make guitar-based rock/pop on their own terms. According to Congdon, "We wanted to be free from the usual tiresome wankery." Congdon and Reyes wear their classical upbringing on their sleeves with intricate arrangements, atypical song structures, and contrasting dynamics. They both fell fast for Rachel Stevenson (bass/baritone guitar, vocals) who joined after moving from Seattle in 2002, providing a rhythmic pulse and lilting vocals to Vervein’s sound. Emily Marsh (drums), a longtime collaborator with Stevenson, returned to the Bay Area from Seattle at the end of 2004 to add her intricately percussive chops. The band now feels the sense of completion it has been waiting for. Sorry folks, these women get along, so don’t look for any Behind the Music special to highlight catfights when they get famous - the drama is saved for their music.
The band's second album, The Weather Inside, builds on the dreamy foundation of it’s debut, Vast Low Cities. It pulls back the curtain to showcase Vervein’s exploration of its collaborative process and palette. This album is darker and more direct than its predecessor. Reyes quips, "It’s the equivalent of our The Empire Strikes Back in the Star Wars series." The eleven songs reflect exorcism and escape. Winds whip up. Storms develop and pass. The sun shines. The weather inside as Vervein sees it actively evolves through melody, arrangement and mood. Vervein is able to communicate how we can experience an ever-changing world in its music. This process isn’t about thinking, it’s about feeling thoughtfully. Quite simply, the world needs more bands like Vervein.
Famous duos have always left their mark in contemporary music. The world owes a lot to the ideas that spring forth from such a union. Jessica Congdon and Eric Holland are no exception, but this duo also has a passion for the visual arts. "I was scoring a movie that Jessica was editing, and we realized that we had a lot in common," says Eric. Once you hear the music from their CD, "Songs from Far Away," there is no doubt - visuals immediately spring to mind. One can hear traces of Mazzy Star, Sonic Youth, New Order, Ladytron, Radiohead and (a tamed) Miss Kitten, yet the uniqueness of their sound remains intact.
Anagram is neither Eric nor Jessica's first venture into the realms of modern alternative music. Jessica was a member of both Smitten and Vervein. Eric was in the experimental art-rock band, Milk Cult, which released 5 albums (Basura!/0 to 1 Records) and performed in the U.S., Europe and Japan. More recently, Anagram has enjoyed success in film soundtracks. Films include, "Big Girls Don't Cry" (Columbia/Tristar with soundtrack released on Virgin Records), and "Dopamine," an award-winning film at the Sundance Film Festival.
An important element that has enhanced the Anagram sound is their ability to artistically draw from musicians they have worked with around the globe. "We have been lucky enough to record with some amazing musicians," says Congdon. The duo plan to continue to marry their music to visuals as well as travel and record in Russia and Asia.
In the end, it seems that the duos that end up making a difference are those that combine their talents and think as one. With Anagram's genuine musical talent and encouraging attitude, it seems that success is just a heartbeat away.
"A refreshing, ephemeral electro slash indie pop record, perfectly suited to today's musical tastes and current thirst for what lies in the haze between electronic and rock. Slash your jeans, don your blazer and expect to hear from this group at a trendy bar, cinema or smoke-filled, basement level night-spot near you. Curious? You should be..."
-Brett Thompson (www.musesmuse.com)
Track Listing 1. Time Well Spent 2. Confession 3. Maybe 4. I Don't Care 5. Beautiful Confusion 6. Cry Freedom 7. Walk Alone 8. Wicked Little Suzi 9. Forever (Since that Day)
