The Goodish – Music Blog -

Our intrepid roving reporter, Andrew Blake, is out in Europe seeing the sights and drinking massive amounts of German beer. Last week, he ran around Zurich, Switzerland, with Delta Spirit.  Here is his travelogue.

Delta Spirit, Zurich, Switzerland, 4-9-09… from Andrew spearman blake on Vimeo.

It started off at the bar in the hotel. I was having a beer when the band began to roll in one by one, each ordering the only beer the bar offered. Shortly after we had all gathered, we roamed the streets of Zurich, Switzerland, until we reached a whiskey bar that we talked about earlier. Through ritzy glass doors across glimmering polished tiles, down stairs and through doors, we finally arrived at a hidden gem in Zurich. The menu held over 450 types of whiskey… we indulged. The night rolled along gracefully while each person engaged in sporadic conversation from one to another. Brandon and I talked for awhile about the state of music today and “making the hits,” and all that that entailed. We spoke of bands and how their albums were produced, mixed and reviewed. What I took from each member is that none of them are willing to sell out on any aspect of their music solely to get a “hit.”  How their album is mixed and mastered and the style and quality of their songs, must be true to what they believe.

Each man looked tired from being on the road since January. Matt, Kelly, Brandon, Sean, Jon… even Olly, their epic European tour manager, were all ready for home.  Most of them had girls back home just waiting for them to return from the road. Most of them kept their iPhones close by in case their girls called or sent a text. The road can be a lonely place, they say.

I caught Delta Spirit in San Luis Obispo two years ago when they were pushing their first EP. April 9th was the first time I had heard them play live since then. I can confidently say two years of touring and one album later, the band has only became tighter, both personally and on stage.  Brandon said, “As trite as it sounds, we really are a band of brothers,” giving praise to each of his band mates.

The tour ends in a day or two. They are all looking forward to a month off. Each person will fly back to America and drift to their respective homes to recover from a whirlwind of work, life, and dream. Once recuperated, they will record their new album. Matt says it is time. He says they have played these songs for so long, in so many places, for so many people… it’s time to share what life has showed them these past two years.

Delta Spirit… a new age band in a new age. Check ‘em out.

Delta Spirit’s latest album, Ode to Sunshine, is out now on Rounder.

Since forming in Brooklyn in 2001, The Damnwells’ have lead a dynamic existence to say the least. After recording its first album in a Manhattan mini-storage, the band was signed and dropped by a major label (as chronicled in the documentary Golden Days), released the acclaimed Air Stereo and toured extensively-both as a headliner and opening for some big draws like Cheap Trick and The Dixie Chicks. The Damnwells released their third full-length, One Last Century, on Tuesday, Feb. 10, via free digital download.

Through it all, Singer-Songwriter Alex Dezen has been at The Damnwells’ center. He told us about creating and releasing One last Century on his own terms.

The Goodish: How was your mindset different going into this record?
Dezen: I didn’t want to worry about anything except making the record. I didn’t want to wonder if the record label would like it. I didn’t want to put any pressure on it. I had these songs and I just wanted to make a record. So, we went to Oxford (Mississippi) to record a bunch of tracks at a friend’s studio and just kind of kept it real, one or two takes for a song-just tried not to take ourselves so seriously. We worked hard and tried to make a record that reflected where I was, which is not where I am now and not where I was before.

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