ericktul
11-13-2003, 11:48 AM
This is a good review from the Urban Tulsa Weekly, which is Tulsa's artsy newpaper. This is the same publication that said the follwing about NC last year:
Nickel Creek, an extremely stripped-down, breathtakingly beautiful neo-bluegrass trio, made the most popular country album of last year and became a smash success almost by word of mouth. What do you know–people are turned on by good music. Next to the chattery jittery hip-hop-dance-metal-sludge-sugar-rush-formula-pop that’s been ruling MTV, it seems so rebellious to be creative.
Nickel Creek, with their nonexistent production, accomplished musicianship, emotional expression and melodic inventiveness may as well be radical revolutionaries.
On to the review...
--------------------------
UP THE CREEK
Musical heroes could be paddling to superstardom
By Joseph Felzke
Nickel Creek have been performing together for more than 10 years. Listening to them Saturday night at Cain's Ballroom, there's no doubting it. They're locked into a mutual energy that's far beyond the trial and error of rehearsal and has reached the point of organic. Without a single percussion instrument on stage, the three, along with their upright bassist, lay down a massively infectious groove from which springs a barrage of high-lying bluegrass solos. And through it all, they're all smiles.
Of course, it would be difficult to pin Nickel Creek's stuff down as simply bluegrass. They're country-fried acoustic pickers, but they're also rock rebels in many ways. In fact, that's one of the most interesting things about Nickel Creek. They bring together a colorful blend of generations (the old and young showed up for the Cain's gig).
One minute Chris Tihle's (sic) fingers take off on an accelerated mandolin workout that brings to mind a bunch of old bluegrass guys gathered on a Southern front porch, then he's banging out power chords and tearing into an almost punk assult.
(Review talks about Jared Tyler's performance...)
Jared's openess and affable stage presence moved quickly into the arrival of Nickel Creek. Like grasshoppers, they skipped merrily on stage (seriously). Tihle (sic) offered a few hopping dance steps before they entered into a reserved, ambient opening piece. Like many of the instrumentals they would perform, I hadn't heard this one before. It was slow and lulling, with the mood set by Sara Watkin's crawling fiddle.
After that, they went quickly into tunes from their sophomore album This Side, including the bright title track. This sent them into a frenzy of bluegrass bliss. Sara and Sean Watkins were sizzling, but Tihle (sic) was a force of nature. He flew on the mandolin. Soon they erupted into dizzying intrumentals that allowed each to go nuts on solos. The crowd was right there with them.
These days we might have high-speed internet connections, but people still get off on foot-stomping folk ditties. In many ways, the modern rock concert is just an updated version of small-town barn dances.
Probably one of the most gripping things about Nickel Creek is their use of dynamics. The moods fluctuated constantly, coming down to groove real easy and slow, then going crazy again (usually at the motion of mandolin wild-man Tihle (sic)). Their tenderness is as real and aching as the most somber of folk singers, but their energy could match that of any big bad rock band.
The vocals played a similar mood-swinging role. Sara Watkins was the first to sing a note. She has a breathy, fragile voice that does a good job of being sweet and dreamy. Her brother Sean also sings pretty lightly, normally only contributing harmonies. Tihle (sic) has a more full-throated vocal style. He can be wistful on a ballad like The Lighthouse's Tale, but he's not afraid to scream either. As complex and crazy as their instrumental ideas are, the trio's vocal melodies are reletively mild and easy. Often one or two notes will do.
Loads of new songs made appearances. One almost had a slinky jazz feel to it, with Sara Watkin's singing a cute little cabaret melody. Chris seemed to sing some new tunes as well, although none of them are standing out to me right now. I guess we'll just have to wait until the new album comes out before we know for sure.
Nickel Creek, an extremely stripped-down, breathtakingly beautiful neo-bluegrass trio, made the most popular country album of last year and became a smash success almost by word of mouth. What do you know–people are turned on by good music. Next to the chattery jittery hip-hop-dance-metal-sludge-sugar-rush-formula-pop that’s been ruling MTV, it seems so rebellious to be creative.
Nickel Creek, with their nonexistent production, accomplished musicianship, emotional expression and melodic inventiveness may as well be radical revolutionaries.
On to the review...
--------------------------
UP THE CREEK
Musical heroes could be paddling to superstardom
By Joseph Felzke
Nickel Creek have been performing together for more than 10 years. Listening to them Saturday night at Cain's Ballroom, there's no doubting it. They're locked into a mutual energy that's far beyond the trial and error of rehearsal and has reached the point of organic. Without a single percussion instrument on stage, the three, along with their upright bassist, lay down a massively infectious groove from which springs a barrage of high-lying bluegrass solos. And through it all, they're all smiles.
Of course, it would be difficult to pin Nickel Creek's stuff down as simply bluegrass. They're country-fried acoustic pickers, but they're also rock rebels in many ways. In fact, that's one of the most interesting things about Nickel Creek. They bring together a colorful blend of generations (the old and young showed up for the Cain's gig).
One minute Chris Tihle's (sic) fingers take off on an accelerated mandolin workout that brings to mind a bunch of old bluegrass guys gathered on a Southern front porch, then he's banging out power chords and tearing into an almost punk assult.
(Review talks about Jared Tyler's performance...)
Jared's openess and affable stage presence moved quickly into the arrival of Nickel Creek. Like grasshoppers, they skipped merrily on stage (seriously). Tihle (sic) offered a few hopping dance steps before they entered into a reserved, ambient opening piece. Like many of the instrumentals they would perform, I hadn't heard this one before. It was slow and lulling, with the mood set by Sara Watkin's crawling fiddle.
After that, they went quickly into tunes from their sophomore album This Side, including the bright title track. This sent them into a frenzy of bluegrass bliss. Sara and Sean Watkins were sizzling, but Tihle (sic) was a force of nature. He flew on the mandolin. Soon they erupted into dizzying intrumentals that allowed each to go nuts on solos. The crowd was right there with them.
These days we might have high-speed internet connections, but people still get off on foot-stomping folk ditties. In many ways, the modern rock concert is just an updated version of small-town barn dances.
Probably one of the most gripping things about Nickel Creek is their use of dynamics. The moods fluctuated constantly, coming down to groove real easy and slow, then going crazy again (usually at the motion of mandolin wild-man Tihle (sic)). Their tenderness is as real and aching as the most somber of folk singers, but their energy could match that of any big bad rock band.
The vocals played a similar mood-swinging role. Sara Watkins was the first to sing a note. She has a breathy, fragile voice that does a good job of being sweet and dreamy. Her brother Sean also sings pretty lightly, normally only contributing harmonies. Tihle (sic) has a more full-throated vocal style. He can be wistful on a ballad like The Lighthouse's Tale, but he's not afraid to scream either. As complex and crazy as their instrumental ideas are, the trio's vocal melodies are reletively mild and easy. Often one or two notes will do.
Loads of new songs made appearances. One almost had a slinky jazz feel to it, with Sara Watkin's singing a cute little cabaret melody. Chris seemed to sing some new tunes as well, although none of them are standing out to me right now. I guess we'll just have to wait until the new album comes out before we know for sure.