Rotary Downs
An unlikely sound of noisy, fuzzy, psychedelic pop is emerging from New Orleans - and leading that charge is Rotary Downs. Their latest studio effort, Chained to the Chariot, was described by NPR as "a stunning collection of psychedelic art pop songs that plays like a brilliant mash up of Neutral Milk Hotel and Odelay-era Beck." When one imagines music from the Crescent City, brass bands, R&B, and jazz pianists may come to mind. But Rotary Downs is challenging this comfortable construct by creating music that is simultaneously original and classically New Orleans. Chariot is a masterpiece with commentary on many different elements of life in South Louisiana and has quickly become a favorite among fans and critics. and #2 of the “Best Unknown Bands of 2007” by NPR. In 2008, Rotary Downs had their television debut on the Sundance Channel with a performance of “Sing Like the Sun” filmed live for an episode of “Architecture School” – a series about students building houses in New Orleans
2009 has continued to build momentum for Rotary Downs, having started the year showcasing at the MIDEM World Music Conference in Cannes, France. They were named “Best Rock Band” for the 2nd year in a row in the Gambit Weekly’s Big Easy Awards. Rotary Downs took on the 2009 festival season with gusto starting with their second showcasing year at SXSW in Austin, TX, piling up 3 gigs in two days featuring a PASTE Magazine, reapandsow, and NOLA Soul showcases. They also played their 3rd consecutive year at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and are confirmed as a main act the Le Carvial Stage at the 11th Annual Voodoo Music Experience, the South's largest rock festival.
Rotary Downs have been one of the driving stalwarts in the under-praised genre of experimental indie-pop since 1999. Chained To The Chariot follows three previous albums: Quitters EP in 2004, Long After the Thrill in 2003, and their self-titled debut in 2001. They've emerged from Katrina fully formed with the addition of more drums, bass, keyboards and trumpet giving their fuzz-guitar and pedal-steel-driven sound an extra dose of texture. In 2008, the band added vocalist/percussionist Tiffany Lamson to the lineup as they head out on the road and into the studio for their next highly anticipated release, which is only a few months away.
Rotary Downs is James Marler (lead vocal/guitar), Chris Colombo (lead guitar), Jason Rhein (bass/vocal), Zack Smith (drums), Cory Schultz (trumpet/keys/guitar), and Tiffany Lamson (voc/percussion).
"The New Orleans rock group Rotary Downs has released a stunning collection of psychedelic art-pop songs that play like brilliant mashups of Neutral Milk Hotel and Odelay-era Beck." - #2 on the Top 10 Great Unknown Artists of 2007 list - NPR Music
"Singer James Marler sounds like he has been taking double shots of thesaurus, unraveling densely packed rhymes in his abstracted lyrics. Too lo-fi to be baroque, too catchy to be experimental, songs like "G-7 Hit!" and "A Feast in Squalor" swerve into woozy grooves but don't stay for long." – Rhapsody.com
"****" - Alternative Press
"The [JazzFest] set suggested New Orleans really ought to be paying a lot more attention to Rotary Downs." - Offbeat Magazine
"[Chained To The Chariot] is a diverse album that ricochets from roots-tinged psychedelia to edgier synth-pop to excursions along the spaceways, but with a sure hand on the wheel." - Gambit Weekly |
