I've already posted on this blog about my band Western Blot's new single and our Sidebar show coming up this week, but this is the press release I just sent out about it with a little more info about the whole project:
Western Blot is Al Shipley's first project as principal songwriter, after playing drums in several little-known bands in and outside Baltimore, and taking several years off from performing to focus on his writing career, including a forthcoming book, and starting a family. As a result, songs like "Button Masher" and "Child of Divorce" reflect the experiences involved in turning 30 and becoming a husband and father. "It's strange to be putting out my first record when I'm this old, and having all these songs about a phase of life that a lot of musicians start talking about on their fourth or fifth album. But that ended up being a really crucial aspect of these songs," he says.
"Button Masher" is a bombastic, anthemic punk song, featuring synthesizers pushed into the red, flurries of crash cymbals and Wilson's rapidfire vocal. By contrast, "Child of Divorce" rides a bass-heavy drum machine track, with gently melodic keyboards and Siskind's plaintive performance building up to the song's climactic bridge. "I knew I had to release two songs at first, just to establish that this project wouldn't have the same singer on every track, and to demonstrate the range of sounds," Shipley explains. "It might not make sense to write such personal lyrics and then have someone else sing them, but the people I worked with on this did an amazing job, I wouldn't have been able to do my songs the same justice they did. Having these different voices under one banner gives it all these dimensions, makes the project feel richer and less predictable."
Both the cover artwork for the "Button Masher" single and the flyer for the Sidebar concert feature the work of Baltimore-based artist Donald Edwards, whose unique mixed media sculptures combine found objects and household materials into vivid, imaginative new shapes. "Donald's art has fascinated me for years, and it was an honor that he gave me permission to use some of those visuals for this project," says Shipley.
Baltimore band Western Blot announces debut single, live performance
The band, featuring an ensemble of multiple vocalists, performs at The Sidebar in Baltimore on December 20th
December 17th, 2012 -- Western Blot, a group of Baltimore-based musicians formed by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Al Shipley, has released a debut single, "Button Masher" b/w "Child of Divorce," in advance of their first live show, at the Sidebar in Baltimore on December 20th. Both songs have been made available for free streaming and downloads on Bandcamp and SoundCloud.
Shipley, long active in the Baltimore music scene as a critic, journalist and blogger with numerous local and national publications, began Westerm Blot as a studio project. After years of recording instrumental tracks with an old friend, Mat Leffler-Schulman, producer and co-owner of Mobtown Studios in Charles Village, Shipley decided to seek out help in adding vocals to his songs. "Over the years, I've loved so many bands in Baltimore that people outside of town don't necessarily know about, and knew of some great singers that I realized would be a good fit for some of my songs," he explains. "And since I didn't want to sing on all the tracks, I thought it'd be fun to ask some of those people." The first two Western Blot songs to be released are both results of such collaborations: "Button Masher" features Kathleen Wilson of Thee Lexington Arrows, and "Child of Divorce" is sung by Scott Siskind of the band Vinny Vegas.
Western Blot is Al Shipley's first project as principal songwriter, after playing drums in several little-known bands in and outside Baltimore, and taking several years off from performing to focus on his writing career, including a forthcoming book, and starting a family. As a result, songs like "Button Masher" and "Child of Divorce" reflect the experiences involved in turning 30 and becoming a husband and father. "It's strange to be putting out my first record when I'm this old, and having all these songs about a phase of life that a lot of musicians start talking about on their fourth or fifth album. But that ended up being a really crucial aspect of these songs," he says.
"Button Masher" is a bombastic, anthemic punk song, featuring synthesizers pushed into the red, flurries of crash cymbals and Wilson's rapidfire vocal. By contrast, "Child of Divorce" rides a bass-heavy drum machine track, with gently melodic keyboards and Siskind's plaintive performance building up to the song's climactic bridge. "I knew I had to release two songs at first, just to establish that this project wouldn't have the same singer on every track, and to demonstrate the range of sounds," Shipley explains. "It might not make sense to write such personal lyrics and then have someone else sing them, but the people I worked with on this did an amazing job, I wouldn't have been able to do my songs the same justice they did. Having these different voices under one banner gives it all these dimensions, makes the project feel richer and less predictable."
Both the cover artwork for the "Button Masher" single and the flyer for the Sidebar concert feature the work of Baltimore-based artist Donald Edwards, whose unique mixed media sculptures combine found objects and household materials into vivid, imaginative new shapes. "Donald's art has fascinated me for years, and it was an honor that he gave me permission to use some of those visuals for this project," says Shipley.
The live lineup of Western Blot, which made an unannounced live debut in January with an brief, impromptu set at Shipley's 30th birthday party at the Windup Space, will play its first headlining show on Thursday, December 20th at the Sidebar in Baltimore. The band includes Andy Shankman of Jumpcuts and John German, as well as appearances from Wilson and Siskind. The bill at The Sidebar also includes enigmatic solo performer The Bow-Legged Gorilla, and the bands Bryson Dudley & Downbound and Minimus The Poet. Tickets are available from MissionTix.com. More new Western Blot tracks and live performances will follow in the new year, leading up to the release of the band's debut album in 2013. Booking and press inquiries can be directed to westernblotmusic@gmail.com.
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