Review: Over the Rhine-The Trumpet Child
August 26th, 2007
A year before the album was released, Karin Bergquist quipped in a concert that they weren’t “working through any heavy crap” in the writing and producing of the album. However, the sheen and musical depth of The Trumpet Child belies the deeper undertones of the album. Bergquist and her husband may have found peace after sorting through the complications of their marriage in their previous album, Drunkard’s Prayer, but there is yet more ground to cover.
Even from the very beginning, Over the Rhine displays their always overly earnest attitude with the opening lines “I don’t want to waste your time with music you don’t need.” Clearly, for an album that is full of lighter material the band still believes they have something important to say. So, the album begins and the opening track introduces the listener to the richest instrumentation of any Over the Rhine album yet made. Trumpets, trombones, clarinets, and strings give “I Don’t Wanna Waste Your Time” a rag-time light-hearted sound accompanying the important thesis for the album.
The light-hearted fun continues with a bossa nova jaunt in the song “Trouble.” The bouncy fun of the lyrics is contrasted with wonderful swooping strings in the chorus. By the time the next song, “I’m On A Roll” begins, the listener is realizing that for the first time in a long time, listening to Over the Rhine is again fun. This gives Bergquist and Detweiler to perfect opportunity to add gravity to the album. “Nothing Is Innocent” and “The Trumpet Child” anchor the album down with a little bit of whimsy, but a nonetheless serious tone. “Nothing Is Innocent” warns us first to wake up from prevailing apathy, whether it be the government, the environment, or our friendships. In the words of Linford Detweiler, “The Trumpet Child” addresses the question “What would be on God’s iPod?” as it name checks jazz and music greats of the past as they bring in the final trumpet sounds of the end times.
Bergquist and Detweiler have long plumbed the depths of their marriage for writing material and a sizable chunk of the album in the middle continues to explore experiencing romance and sexuality within the context of marriage, a subject sorely lacking in current music, where seemingly anonymous one-night stands are far more popular on the radio. The songs speak longingly of finding new ways to express love to one another or just forgetting the world for the day and staying in bed all day long.
Detweiler delivers his first spoken word piece since the concert favorite “Jack’s Valentine” on Good Dog, Bad Dog with a tribute to Tom Waits in “Don’t Wait for Tom.” The song has delightful turns of rhymes with unusual phrasing and vocabulary. The end of the album once again returns to the whimsy of the rest of the album with the political “If A Song Could Be President.” The song name-checks some of folk-music’s greats and muses how things would be different if artists were in charge of our government.
The themes of politics, romance, and religion are all touchy subjects and Over the Rhine has always enjoyed dabbling in all three. The lush instrumentation keeps the topics which normally could be divisive and argumentative from weighing the album down too much. A listener may not agree with everything they say (or maybe the listener will agree), but their poetry and grace makes their points too artistic to ignore. Of course, there is Karin’s sultry voice, which at different times recalls the past greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee all the way to present artists like Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow. With the Trumpet Child, Over the Rhine reminds us again that they have something important to say and they are going to find the most artistic way possible to say it.
Where is the story of your life?
August 22nd, 2007
Up in the rafters of my parents garage holds my childhood possessions. One in particular contains a shoebox full of notes from my friends in middle school. Next to this precious shoebox are old journals I used to keep. I only had one as a little girl that actually had a lock to help protect my written down thoughts. Slowly it went from cute photos and bright colors on the front to a simple spiral binder. I was just as protective if not more, of those journals the older I got. No one could read them, which of course only egged my brother on to try and find where I hide my journals (of course under my pillow, never know why he didn’t think to look there). Read the rest of this entry »
This Time The Bullet Cold Rocked Ya
July 30th, 2007
Don’t you hate it when someone talks to you condescendingly about how they are superior to you? Or what about those times people tell you one thing, but you know they’re probably lying to you? Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the Rage Against the Machine reunion tour! Read the rest of this entry »
Heads Carolina, tails California
July 19th, 2007
Just about a year ago I moved from Southern California, where I have lived most of my life, to North Carolina. North Carolina and California both have advertised to draw tourist that their state have both the sea and the coast to visit. That is one of the few things these two states that hold special places in my heart have in common. I’m here however to offer you different things I have experienced between these two great states.
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You Don’t Need a Rock Show to Get Involved
July 8th, 2007
I spent some time yesterday watching the Live Earth concerts. It was your typical “concert for a cause” thing that has been played out in the past. Nothing yesterday was unique. Watching the political “segways” between bands made me think of the documentary i saw a few years ago on the Tibetan Freedom Festival. They were talking about how most of the crowd probably didn’t know enough about the cause, and as they are talking and showing the crowd entering the gates, one guy gets his ticket torn, starts jumping up and down and looks into the camera and goes “FREE TIBET!” People who go to these shows for the most part don’t care about the politics behind them. Honestly, I’d be in the same boat with them. I mean, I care about global warming or AIDS in Africa, but when I’m going to an all day show to see 10 different bands, seeing some guy explain the science behind carbon monoxide isn’t going to be one of the highlights. Read the rest of this entry »
Kings of Leon in New Orleans
May 12th, 2007
Last night I went to see one of the only true rock bands left in music, Kings of Leon. Jacob and I discussed post show about how they’re not trying to meld genres, they’re not using a DJ, they’re not using emo guitar riffs, or singing about how they were made fun of in 3rd grade. It is just rock and roll, and it is awesome. Read the rest of this entry »
Does “Great” Still Apply?
April 28th, 2007
Rage Against the Machine’s “reunion†has excited me, because I thought the band broke up when they were still relevant. What they’ve done could be genius if things come off okay, because they’ve been away for 7 years. The return to the scene has people interested because they missed them and some people just want to see who the band is who could be credited for pioneering the thrash metal sound. But like the summer before Jordan came back a second time, you have to wonder “Do they still have it?” Read the rest of this entry »
Ruthie Foster, last night was amazing!
April 11th, 2007
by Greg Ackerman
I arrived late to Ruthie Foster’s album release party for her latest, The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster at the now legendary Antone’s in Austin, Texas. After walking briskly through unusually cold temperatures on what appeared to be a quiet night in Austin’s upscale Warehouse district, it was rockin’ inside Antone’s with a nearly full house of blues devotees. Read the rest of this entry »
Arcade Fire in NYC
February 25th, 2007
When I try to remember how I first heard of the Arcade Fire, memory escapes me. All I know is that somehow the music from their first album, Funeral, ended up on my ipod and I have been listening to tunes like Rebellion (Lies)and Haiti for at least two years now. One thing is certain, there was a buzz surrounding this Canadian band that led me to explore what they had to offer. Read the rest of this entry »
A Tale of Two Fans: Friendship at the Edge of Reason
February 6th, 2007
We’re friends, but February and March are kind of hard for us. Here are our stories of fandom.
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