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Your Year In Spacebomb: Weekend Playlist By Spacebomb Records

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It’s been a while since RVA Mag brought you a week-ending playlist from Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions, but just this once, we’ve got a new one for ya — so get stoked.

This week, we bring you a playlist that, we must confess, was created not for us specifically but for fans of music as a whole, from Richmond and beyond, by our friends at Spacebomb Records. “2020 has been a very different & difficult year for almost everybody,” the label said in a statement. “At times, we wanted to hide away from it all, and sometimes that was all anyone could do. But in the end, we focused on what we do best and tried to share great art with the world. We couldn’t be prouder of these musicians and releases and are humbled we are partners in sound with so many talented people.”

Over the course of 2020, Spacebomb has brought the world an even dozen new albums, including highly praised new releases from local fave Angelica Garcia and folk supergroup Bonny Light Horseman. There were also releases from popular artists like Fruit Bats and Laura Veirs, musically inclined comedian Tim Heidecker, and several releases from studio mainstays the Spacebomb House Band.

This playlist will give you a tour through all the highlights of Spacebomb’s 2020 — and considering how tough the year has been for everyone, knowing this much great music came out of it right here in Richmond is a pleasant silver lining.

Enjoy, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Old Devil Moon: Weekend Playlist by Spacebomb House Band

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Every Friday night, RVA Mag brings you a totally rockin’ playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This time around, we bring you some sweet sounds from the Spacebomb House Band, the loose-knit collective of musicians who give the sounds recorded at Spacebomb Studios their distinctive soulful groove. Led by Pinson Chanselle, Trey Pollard, and Cameron Ralston, the group incorporates a huge cast of talented players. In addition to backing up Spacebomb artists like Matthew E. White, Andy Jenkins, and Natalie Prass, and also creating soundtrack music for the makers of the Serial podcast, they’ve been producing quite a bit of work bearing their own name lately.

Their ninth collection of tracks in an ongoing series of cassette releases known as Library Music, which has been coming out regularly for over two years, dropped last month. IX: The Best Played Lands is a heaping helping of their signature instrumental sounds, and features a ton of great Richmond musicians fleshing out the lineup, including Treesa Gold (Goldrush), Hector “Coco” Barez (Bio Ritmo), JC Kuhl (Agents Of Good Roots), and many more. You definitely want to dig into this one ASAP, and you can check it out by clicking HERE.

But before you head that way, make sure you take a deep dive into this collection of weekend-expanding tracks prepared especially for you by the Spacebomb House Band, who present you with everything from devilish blues to sanctified gospel, along with just about everything in between, in just 31 songs. How can you resist?

Get you some, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

30 Century Spacebomb

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With coronavirus keeping the music scene on lockdown, Spacebomb House Band present a Scott Walker tribute that takes us straight to outer space.

The Spacebomb House Band is just what it says in the name: the house band for the Spacebomb Records stable of artists, and for the label’s recording studio. However, while their day job may be to act as a backing band for the label’s many talented signees, they do a lot more than that, and they proved that this month with their cover of Scott Walker‘s signature tune, “30 Century Man.”

Walker, who originally gained fame as a baritone pop singer and grew over the course of his 50-year career into a pioneer of avant-garde musical explorations, released “30 Century Man” on his 1969 album Scott 3. Originally a barebones tune consisting solely of acoustic guitar and vocals, the Spacebomb House Band’s version puts a spacey, psychedelic spin on the Walker original. Featuring a full rock n’ roll ensemble performing the music, it retains the spirit of the original through the Walker-esque baritone vocals of guest vocalist Andy Jenkins, a Spacebomb recording artist himself.

The idea for the cover came when the band’s guitarist, Trey Pollard (who also acts as the head of the studio’s publishing department), suggested the band produce more cover songs. The group developed a list of potential options, and bassist Cameron Ralston chose “30 Century Man.” From there, the group had to figure out how they wanted to reimagine the original. In the end, their basic approach became a straightforward rock n’ roll take with a sound deliberately reminiscent of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

“I didn’t have any interest in trying to do a very true version of [the song],” said Ralston. “Just because that already exists in the world, and it was already done so well. It felt very futile, and I always heard it as a rock n’ roll song.”

The Spacebomb House Band version was recorded in just a few takes, with the entire band playing at once. They used no metronome, instead keeping time with each other.

“We wanted it to be just as fast as we could make it,” said drummer Pinson Chanselle. “[With no metronome] we didn’t have to adjust to the click.”

Chanselle says abstaining from a metronome also allowed them to “float” slightly on and off tempo in a very natural way, adding to the song’s freeform vibe. 

The only part of the song not recorded simultaneously were Andy Jenkins vocals. Ralston says he had chosen Jenkins to contribute vocals from the beginning.

“For some reason I just always heard his voice [while imagining the song],” said Ralston. “There’s something about it that reminds me a little bit of Scott Walker, so I thought it would be a good way to connect the dots a little bit to the original version.”

Andy Jenkins. Photo via Facebook

Despite the song’s release date of April 10, it was actually recorded this past winter, well before the coronavirus epidemic hit America. While the musicians at Spacebomb say they can’t pull off that kind of session during the pandemic, each of them are finding ways to keep their creative juices flowing. 

“I think for all musicians…this has been a real wakeup call. Everything has come to a halt,” said Ralston. “[But] we’ve been communicating pretty regularly… and just trying to stay creatively active, mentally with each other.”

On top of staying in touch, both Ralston and Chanselle have taken the time to produce whatever music they can inside the house. Ralston has been recording what he can while working on ambient music with friends. Meanwhile, Chanselle has been honing his percussion skills by recording raw drum parts. 

“Anything you can do to keep that creativity and that energy stoked is positive right now,” said Ralston.

Top Photo: Cameron Ralston at Spacebomb Studios, via Spacebomb/Facebook

Spacebomb House Band, Library Music: “For the Sun and the Waters”

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Spacebomb, the independent Richmond record label which has published great acts like the Sleepwalkers, Andy Jenkins, Natalie Prass, and Darren Jessee, will release the third volume in their Library Music series on October 19. Made by Spacebomb House Band and produced by Pinson Chanselle, the Library Music series highlights the record label’s own rhythm section while offering musicians from around the city — like saxophonist JC Kuhl, and vocalist Angelica Garcia — a chance to perform in-session.

Part archive, part studio session, according to Spacebomb, Library Music is “an anthology of new recordings from the world of Spacebomb, a growing archive of instrumentals, interstitial music, and spiritual sound effects collected in Richmond, Va.”

The first track on Volume III, “Pinky,” has already been released. A blend of instrumentation, “Pinky” creates a soundscape unique to time and space — which chains the listener to an abstract resonance that is all-at-once atonal, but composed; a journey into the musician’s world where all things are possible.

Library Music Volume III is available for pre-order now.

 

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

RVA #33: Record Reviews

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These blurbs originally appeared in RVA #33 Summer 2018. You can check out the issue here, or pick it up around Richmond now. 

Natalie Prass

“The Future And The Past”

(ATO)

In the three years since Natalie Prass made her debut on Spacebomb Records, she’s been evolving as an artist — and that evolution is clear from the very first listen to sophomore LP The Future And The Past. Having made her mark with the lush analog sounds of the Spacebomb house band backing her up, her new album finds her exploring some decidedly digital sounds. It is full of deep grooves that rely on R&B-style synths and an incredibly funky bass sound that could come straight off a Cameo or Gap Band album from the dawn of the 80s. With Prass’s vocals added into the mix, there’s a decided Janet Jackson vibe that creeps in, and I for one am not complaining. Prass’s frustration with the election of Donald Trump and the corresponding threats to women’s rights comes through powerfully in tracks like female-autonomy anthem “Ain’t Nobody” and ladies-first singalong “Sisters.” Add the unforgettable jam of a first single, “Short Court Style,” and powerful ballad “Lost,” and you get an album chock full of instant classics. It might not be quite what we expected from Prass, but it is certainly welcome. (MN)

Andy Jenkins

“Sweet Bunch”

(Spacebomb)

The veteran Spacebomb collaborator makes his full-length debut in impressive fashion, with meditative, nuanced writing that calls to mind the finest singer-songwriters. Throughout, you’ll find masterful performances from the Spacebomb house band and multi-instrumentalist Phil Cook, as well as natural imagery that makes Sweet Bunch the perfect soundtrack for time spent down by the James this summer. (DJ)

Fly Anakin & Ohbliv

“Backyard Boogie”

(Mutant Academy Worldwide)

On what is actually Anakin’s first solo full-length, the young spitter goes from beginning to end over stellar production from Ohbliv. Beats and non-stop rhymes are the recipe, as Anakin mostly goes for himself throughout this project — which definitely deserves all of your attention.  (HH)

Gold Connections

“Popular Fiction”

(EggHunt)

Building on the momentum of Gold Connections’ 2017 self-titled EP, Will Marsh returns with an EggHunt Records-backed full-length that shines over a span from cathartic sing-alongs — like the final sequence of opening track “Icarus” — to balanced production that’s remarkable in how great it sounds at both loud and quiet moments. A rewarding listen from beginning to end. (DJ)

McKinley Dixon

“The Importance Of Self-Belief”

(Citrus City)

This angry young MC has been making waves around RVA; on his new album, he brings his live band into the studio for a more organic musical feel, making this release a quantum leap for an already-standout artist. His politically-informed lyrics hit harder than ever on tracks like “Circle The Block,” “Black Boy Flies,” and the title track. Essential listening. (MN)

Nickelus F

“Stuck”

(AGM Imperial)

Fresh from receiving his degree at VCU, Petey returns with his long awaited new project, Stuck. The self-produced banger of an album is full of introspective rhymes that still make you bounce. After a few listens, you’ll start to realize why this city has a mural depicting this RVA hip hop legend. (HH)

Park Sparrows

“More Peace”

(OVOLR/Debackle)

Old punks never die — they just get introspective. This EP from a veteran crew featuring members of Strike Anywhere and Landmines hits hard, mingling hardcore-punk rage with an undercurrent of melody and irreverent wit. “Maps” is the pensive singalong anthem; “Wig Out At Mojo’s” the inside-joke rager that only the old guys will get. The whole thing is great. (MN)

Saw Black

“Water Tower”

(Crystal Pistol)

One of the paradoxes of the creative life is that strength lies in vulnerability; Water Tower shows Saw Black’s intuitive mastery in this area. It’s incredibly strong, with evocative melodies and lyrics, yet the tone and vocal delivery feel strikingly raw. As “Mama Knows” puts it, “You hold your secrets close to your chest / I tell everyone.” We’re lucky he does. (DJ)

Spacebomb House Band

“Library Music I: No Space High Enough”

(Spacebomb)

Beat tapes aren’t just for producers anymore. This cassette release finds the Spacebomb House Band stretching out, crafting instrumental grooves perfect for film soundtracks and chilled-out evenings. From effect-laden funk to experiments in dub reggae and soul jazz, this talented crew of studio musicians stays in the pocket and delivers the goods. MCs seeking beats, take note. (MN)

Reviews By: Reviews by Hip Hop Henry (HH), Davy Jones (DJ), Marilyn Drew Necci (MN)

 

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond