Playlist: 'The Way Out' is The Books' thrifting at their finest

Web-posted August 26, 2010

By Libby Sterling | Juneau Empire
In the first seconds of The Books' newest album, "The Way Out," listeners are greeted by the voice of a man offering the opportunity of a new beginning. He introduces the experience that is about to be had by noting that the following will be "music specifically created for its pleasurable effects upon your mind, body and emotions."
Apparently, the music is also "mixed with a warm, orange-colored liquid." After an instrumental interlude, a different man's voice appears, offering to be our guide in a journey. "I hope to be of help without intruding any more than is absolutely necessary," he says.
Plinks and planks of bass and guitar strings start softly, crescendoing as percussion and vocal lines drift in and out of the soundscape. More guiding voices appear and disappear, offering advice that seems to be building with the music until the track is over. Then it's on to number two.
This style of auditory collage is what characterizes The Books. For the past 10 years, band members Paul de Jong and Nick Zammuto have scoured East Coast thrift stores for tapes containing interesting audio clips that they'd like to use in their songs. Backed by cello, guitar, toys and other instruments as various as the audio samples they acquire, they interject their own lyrics into multi-layered compositions.
The natures and topics of The Books' collected samples are endless. "The Way Out" begins and ends with "Group Autogenics," hypnotic recordings mixed in a lighthearted style, yet with thoughtful undertones. By track four, listeners experience "A Cold Freezin' Night," which features the voices of children expressing their anger at others using violent words, accompanied by a fast-paced musical backdrop.
Near the middle of the album, "Thirty Incoming" uses voicemail messages to paint a portrait of a man in love. Dial tones and answering machine beeps are remixed with strings, vocal tones and heartbeat-like drums that build and build, suggesting strong emotion. The song truly is a journey, as are most by The Books. Their ability to compile contrasting content into cohesive compositions is strong, and they pursue their craft with professional dedication.
In form with their previous albums, it's not necessarily necessary to separate each track as its own song. Actually, in most cases, to do so would rob the listener of the big picture that the individual pieces combine to create.
In a book, each chapter is partitioned by pages but is informed by and so informs the others. Similarly, each track on "The Way Out" acts as a bridge between the previous and the subsequent. But it also stands alone as its own unique work, perhaps sharing properties with others but also containing attributes all its own.
Like a good book, new things are noticed each time through. I've been listening to The Books' other albums, "The Lemon Of Pink," "Thought For Food," and "Lost and Safe," diligently for years and I still uncover fresh discoveries with each new spin.
Their current record label, Temporary Residence, catalogs the band as "eclectic, innovative electronic-folk-pop that are so ahead of their time that your kids will be ripping them off." Perhaps they are ahead of their time, but their music creates a listening experience that brings me back to simpler times. Perhaps their technique could be considered electronic, but the analog nature of their mixing implies splicing tape more so than manipulating code with computer software.
I've often been disappointed in the past at the lack of material available about The Books' music. Their CD jackets never came with lyrics, and it was difficult to find official commentary online. I want to know where they found this or that sample, why they chose to compile it in the way that they did and how they experienced their own music as they made it. Well, "The Way Out" is the first Books album that comes with full lyrics in the liner notes.
If that's not enough - and it isn't for me - their blog explains in detail much of what you'd want to know about each song on the album. But before you read it all, be sure that you're really ready to see what is behind the curtain - just because it has been opened doesn't mean you have to look inside. After all, half of the magic behind the music is in the mystery.
Learn more at www.thebooksmusic.com.

The Final Track: Capital Records closes its doors

Photo by Libby Sterling / Capital City Weekly

Closing shop: Capital Records owner Rob Cohen, right, and employee Spenser Thomas, left, hold up some of their favorite records among the seemingly endless stacks of music in the store. Thomas shows "The Velvet Underground & Nico" by the Velvet Underground, and Cohen holds "The Who Sell Out" by The Who. The store will close at the end of the month.

Web posted January 16, 2009

By Libby Sterling | CAPITAL CITY WEEKLY

JUNEAU - They're dropping like flies. Small, independently-owned record stores all over the country are going out of business faster than they can be remembered. Juneau's own Capital Records will take its place in the record store graveyard at the end of January, when it plans to close its doors for good.

"For music shops, the writing has been on the wall for a while," said Rob Cohen, owner of Capital Records since 1997. He said that with more and more people acquiring their music through digital means, it has become more difficult for stores like his to stay in business.

"Large record companies themselves are putting all their energy toward digital, so when the people who make what you sell don't want you to be the ones selling it, you sort of take a clue from that," Cohen said.

He believes since Juneau is a smaller town with a more locally-minded clientele, his business was able to stay afloat longer than many larger stores in the Lower 48. His shop also has benefited from cruise ship tourists and crew members during the summer, which has been the bump they've needed to make it through the rest of the year.

For many of the store's loyal customers, it's sad enough that they will now have to travel to Fred Meyer, Wal-Mart, or amazon.com to purchase hard copies of music. On top of that, many feel this is the demise of a social institution in the community.

"It's so much more than just a place to buy something," Cohen said. "It's a social nexus, a place where people meet, talk and interact. There's a human element to it that's a little clunky from a 21st century mentality."

Ed Blair is one of the many people who are sad to see Capital Records close. An avid record collector, Blair hosts a radio show Saturday nights on KRNN called "Our City Is Burning." He airs everything from hip-hop to punk rock and heavy metal.

"It's awful 'High Fidelity' of me, but there's something neat and special about a music store that you can go into that isn't owned by a big corporation," Blair said.

One of his favorite elements of the record store experience is the impulse buy. Buying music on the Internet is very intentional, he said. However, when wandering around in a record store, you never know what you may find.

"I was down at Capital Records this summer and found 'Mule Variations' by Tom Waits," Blair said. "I wasn't looking specifically for that record, but finding it was really awesome."

Finn Straley, of Sitka, was browsing through the store while in town last week, looking for the new Animal Collective album.

"I can't believe this place is closing," Straley said. "I can't imagine Juneau without this place."
The business has served as more than just a place of commerce in its twenty years of its existence. Cohen described it as "an interface to the community" in spreading awareness of local cultural events. He recalled when big bands like the Misfits came to town and signed autographs out of his store.

Cohen said he realizes that his industry is tough even in the best of times, let alone during a national economic crisis.

"I've known this day would come for a while," Cohen said. "There's no use being a relic ... just because you enjoy it personally."

Even though his storefront will soon no longer exist, Cohen plans to continue his role in Juneau's music community. With more time on his hands, he hopes to perform more often, playing in a jazz trio with other local musicians. He also plans to teach music lessons, both private and group-oriented. He said it's one thing to teach one person to master their instrument as a soloist, but it's a whole different ballgame to get people to learn how to play together as a functioning ensemble.

"I'm going to miss the people, folks coming in and having an opportunity to interact," Cohen said.

In hopes of liquidating the many stacks of CDs, LPs and DVDs that surround the store's small amount of walking space, everything will be on sale with a minimum of 30 percent off, and LPs will be 50 percent off. Special orders will still be taken at full price through the end of the month. The last day of business will be Jan. 31.

"I'm going to move on," Cohen said. "I have no regrets. It was a good ride while it lasted."

The Microphone Is Open: At least one local musician has performed at open mike since it began in '91

Photo by Libby Sterling

Singer-guitarist Brook Morgan performs with drummer David Sheakley at last Thursday's open mike at the Alaskan Hotel & Bar. The weekly forum, in its 18th year, is open to all performers.

Web Posted December 18, 2008

By Libby Sterling | For the Juneau Empire

Alaskan Bar's weekly musical forum going strong for 18 years and counting
All musicians have to start someplace. Even singers that have now become legendary had to perform for the first time in front of someone, somewhere. Open mike is often the best outlet for amateur performers to bring their art to meet the public.
Dan Minuskin started hosting an open mike at the Alaskan Hotel & Bar in 1991 and it has been going on most Thursday nights since. Between then and now, the event has been hosted by many other local musicians, including Teri Tibbett, Scott Fry, Sean Tracey and Scott Burton, to name a few.
"I enjoyed it," Minuskin said. "It gave me a reason to learn new songs, practice, and be in the thick of things one day a week. It kept me in the groove of performing and gave me something to work toward every week."
While it's great to have a good host, the whole point of open mike is that it is open to the public. Just about anyone who has anything to say, sing, or play has equal opportunity to perform. The Alaskan has seen every type of act, from limericks and throat singing to sonatas and hoedowns.
"There were quite a few people who were regulars, who would show up every week and do a 15-minute set. It was their 15 minutes of fame," Minuskin said.
Singer-songwriter Brian Sullivan has been one of the most loyal performers at open mike, having missed only a few weeks here and there in the 18 years of its existence.
"If you ask Dan, he remembers when I wasn't so good. I was just starting to write, but he'll tell you that I've come a million miles, and that's because of playing down there every week. I probably have a bachelor's degree in music from hanging out in the Alaskan," Sullivan said.
"Brian Sullivan is really the authority on the open mike," Minuskin said.
Originally from Ohio, Sullivan said he chose to settle in Juneau because of the musical opportunities that exist here - not only for professionals, but for amateurs as well.
"There's a tight music community here. We all help each other out," Sullivan said, adding that one of his favorite things about open mike is the opportunity to play with other musicians. By the end of the night, it has often turned into one big jam session.
"Not too many places have opportunities for us amateurs to get up there in front of a big audience and test the water," Sullivan said. "It's been a good experience for me because I'm a writer. I've gotten to write all these songs and work them out on stage in front of a live audience, and I get to look at peoples' faces while I'm playing and know if I've got a winner or not."
Throughout the years, there have been peaks and lulls as far as musician and spectator turnout depending on the time of year, the weather, and other events going on in town.
"You should have seen it, some of the years in there, it was a zoo. There was a line all the way down the street just to get in for open mike. It was nuts," Sullivan said.
"Over time it's become much more of an institution. It was a little more rough and muddy back in the early '90s when we were doing it," Minuskin said.
Open mike still takes place Thursdays at the Alaskan from 9 p.m. until everyone is all played out.

Juneau Bach Society Isn't Bach Exclusive: Handel will also be featured at winter concert

Photo by Libby Sterling

Web Posted December 4, 2008

By Libby Sterling | For the Juneau Empire

If one were to Google "Bach society," they'd come up with thousands of sites about various musical organizations around the world. These groups vary in function, but each is centered around the celebration of music by this pretty cool dude who lived back during the Baroque era.

Johann Sebastian Bach left such a legacy that even Juneau has its own Bach Society. It doesn't come up in a Web search, since there is no Web site, but the society may be better off without one.

"I have more fun putting concerts together than doing Web sites," said Bruce Simonson, the Juneau Bach Society's founder and music director.

Active since 1988, the Juneau group is composed of volunteer singers and instrumentalists who share the vision to keep this cherished music alive and thriving. They will celebrate the continuing legacy of Johann with two performances this weekend at the Northern Light United Church. The program will consist of Bach's "Magnificat in D," George Frideric Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks," and Bach's "Cantata 192 (Nun danket alle Gott)."

The "Magnificat," based on a text in the Biblical Gospel of Luke, expresses the canticle of the Virgin Mary after she was informed that she would be giving birth to Jesus.

"It's a masterpiece in terms of how concise it is and how packed full of ideas it is," Simonson said. "It's one of those works you could study for a lifetime and keep finding new things."

The German words "Nun danket alle Gott" in Cantata 192's title translate to "Now thank we all our God."

"One of the things I love about Bach is that he has very complex ideas that don't sound overwrought when they're actually committed to paper and performed," Simonson said.

Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks" was originally composed in 1749 at the request of King George II of Great Britain. It was to be performed in a building in London constructed specifically for the piece and it was to be accompanied by live pyrotechnics. Unfortunately, a malfunction with the fireworks subsequently burned down the structure.

"We're not going to do that part of the performance," Simonson assured.

Prior to that flaming disaster, there also was mayhem at the first public rehearsal of the piece. Some 12,000 people all rushed to see the performance, and their eagerness caused massive carriage jams that lasted for hours.

So take heed, Juneau: If you must commute downtown for the show, don't come all at once.

Simonson said he is excited to present both Handel and Bach together in the same concert.

"The contrast between how Handel and Bach treat dance music is very wonderful," he said. "You can hear how the two composers approach that style differently - like night and day for me."

There will be quite a variety of performers represented as well, from young singers to seasoned professionals. The Bach Society often works with the Alaska Youth Choir and other student-aged vocalists. Several high-school students will be in the concert, including soloists who have previously performed with Opera To Go or in Juneau-Douglas High School musicals.

Soloists include Tiffany Hanson, Philippe Damerval, Kathleen Wayne, Wendy Byrnes, Monica Yost, Mark Bautista, Brett Crawford, Cheryl Crawford, Marie Petersen, Hannah Cordle and Sam Kurland. They will be accompanied by other chorus members and an orchestra.
Simonson gave praise to all of the young vocalists and said that he puts great importance on the inclusion of youth in the society's performances.

"I include youth choirs whenever possible to give kids a chance to be surrounded by all that sound," he said. "It's a chance for the music to spread across multiple generations."

Simonson said he also puts a high value on the student-teacher relationship. He invites local music teachers to come to the Saturday night performance for a group photograph and recognition for what they have done for the community.

"It's a way of honoring all those folks who keep music alive," he said.

Many of those people have been teaching in Juneau for up to three generations and are still going strong, and help keep volunteer groups like the Bach Society thriving.

"Juneau is a fabulous town for music. It's amazing to me that we can do these works that are really technical and difficult, and astonishingly beautiful," Simonson said.

Bacchanalia! Revel like a true Greek!

The guest of honor: Bacchus, also known as Dionysus, god of wine, was a popular portrait subject. Caravaggio painted his version of the god in the late 16th century. The oil on canvas hangs in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Bacchanalia celebrations were originally women-only gatherings, later extended to include men. Opera To Go's version will be open to both genders, and will include a variety of food and drink, music, theatrical performances and other participatory entertainment.

Web Posted November 20, 2008

By Libby Sterling | For the Juneau Empire

Thousands of years ago, during the time of the toga, the ancient people of Greece and Rome would gather in groves and celebrate, often for days on end. Their reasons for partying varied, but throughout the past few thousand years of human adaptation, we have still retained the ability to make time for carousal all throughout the year, whether we have a good excuse or not.

In continuation of the tradition, Opera to Go presents "Bacchanalia!" this Saturday at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center.

The social event is a fundraiser for Opera to Go, and will make an effort to mimic the original celebratory rituals as much as is reasonable.

"It's not going to be like the original drunken debauchery, but more light and social," said Wade Rogers, who is producing the event. "We're trying to get people exposed to Grecian culture."

The original Bacchanalia players were all women who got together in secret to celebrate the Greek god Dionysus - also called Bacchus by the Romans - god of the vine and ritual madness. Eventually, the invitation was extended to the men as well. During these get-togethers, there were copious amounts of wine and food, dancing, theatrical performances, and fertility rites designed to ensure the success of the upcoming planting and harvesting season.

Fertility was also emphasized during the early stages of the tradition. Originally, Bacchanalia were held in the spring in an effort to please Bacchus and to ensure the success of the grape crops for that season. After all, without grapes there would be no wine for the following year's festival.

The evening will arouse several of the senses, with offerings including a wide range of food and drink, musical and theatrical performances and participatory entertainment.

"It's sort of our way of saying thank you for helping us in the last several years that we've been in existence," Rogers said. He has also emceed and produced other similar events in cities around the country.

The Silverbow will be providing edibles of the Mediterranean flavor, including delectable dishes such as hummus platters, spanakopita, lamb kebobs, roasted vegetables and baklava to top it all off.

Beer and wine will be served at a no-host bar.

As dance was a very important part of the original festival, the Daughters of the New Moon will perform traditional Middle Eastern dances.

Other acts include the magic of Jeff Brown, the Dale Wygant Polka Band, pianists Doug Smith and Tom Locher, Todd Hunt on saxophone, and duet Brett and Cheryl Crawford.

Seating will be in the Greek amphitheater style, with tables set up in an arc around a central performance area.

The stage won't be the only place for entertainment, however. Throughout the night, there will also be other opportunities to mix and mingle.

"It's unlike anything we've done," Rogers said. "Usually things are done in a theatrical setting, on the stage. This is going to be very interactive where people will be able to see the acts around their table, on the stage, in the hall, and be able to walk around while the acts are ongoing."

Several downtown hotels are providing discounted rates on sleeping quarters for the night. Participants include the Baranof, Goldbelt and Prospector, all within stumbling distance of the culture center. Room prices can be found on the Opera to Go Web site at www.operatogo.net.

Dress is dressy casual, and though togas aren't required, they are certainly optional.

"We're kind of going with an international theme," Rogers said. "So, if you want to wear your lederhosen and suspenders, you'll fit right in."

Doubt: Award Winning Play Sets The Stage In Juneau

Photo by Libby Sterling

Web Posted November 6, 2008

By Libby Sterling | For the Juneau Empire

The arts can be a natural outlet for coping with distress, but they can also bring to light certain dark issues that may have been the cause of the distress in the first place. Composers, designers, performers and other artists often seem able to conceptually express more about these dark areas than philosophers and academics can, using fewer words and more subtle modes of expression. This subtlety of expression is one of the strengths of "Doubt: A Parable," Perseverance Theatre's second production of the 2008-09 season.

John Patrick Shanley, born in 1950, is the playwright responsible for "Doubt," which originated as an off-Broadway play first staged in 2004. It then ran for more than 500 performances on Broadway, winning a Pulitzer Prize in drama, a Tony Award for best play, and a Drama Desk Award, each earned in 2005.

Set in a Catholic church-school in the Bronx in 1964, "Doubt" follows the drama surrounding two nuns, Sister Aloysius and Sister James (played by Shona Strauser and Christina Apathy), who have opposing suspicions concerning the ethical integrity of a priest teaching in the school, Father Flynn (Ed Christian). The sisters' main concern is the nature of his interactions with a certain boy in the school named Donald Muller.

As the play's title implies, the situation is far from straightforward and involves potential conclusions that may seem to be obvious at first. However, much like a religious parable or allegorical fable, all the evidence may be considered and examined through a diverse range of lenses. In turn, the characters' fluctuating and opposing presumptions constantly trouble them.

The production consists of one act, though the original New York cast found that the second act happened after the curtain fell. It was then that the audience would leave the theater and begin to discuss their viewpoints on varying elements of the play that remain unrevealed on stage.

The actors in the Perseverance production also said they don't expect to be the only ones talking after the curtain call.

"In Juneau there's always a response from the community, which is a great thing," Strauser said.

Director Flordelino Lagundino has been working at Perseverance for the past four years, though he has been directing since 1991. He fills varying roles as an actor, director, teacher and administrator.

He also is the founder of the Thunder Mountain Theatre Project, where he will be directing "Shakespeare's R&J" in early 2009. This contemporary spin on the original "Romeo and Juliet" is similar in nature to "Doubt" in that it also brings potentially contentious matters up for discussion.

Lagundino said that plays like these are why he loves to direct even more than he likes to perform.

"Directing gives me a voice in some ways. There are certain plays that I feel are important to do because of the playwright's voice. I like to produce or direct plays that, in some way, I'm in agreement with or I feel should be part of a dialogue," he said.

Lagundino said he also likes "Doubt" because he feels that it is a discussion about ethics.

"This show is based on the fact that Shanley believes that there is nothing that is simply black and white," he said. "In the play there are a lot of sermons, and I consider theater as a place that is sort of a sermon, in a way. Not in a sense of saying you absolutely have to do this or that, but it's a place to discuss something. 'Doubt' is a discussion about religion and how we get in our heads that things are a certain way when those ideas are built on emotion and not really on fact."

"Doubt" opens the door to a great deal of discourse on many levels. Christian said he finds it interesting to see the varying evaluations audiences make of his character, the suspected priest.

"People just assume that I play a bad guy," he said.

Christian said one of Shanley's main goals in the play is to address the high level of certainty that is often used in making assumptions. He said it also is important to consider the difference in mainstream thought between the 1960s, when the play is set, versus that of the present day.

"From our perspective in the 21st century, we all think we know things for sure because of the experience of the lawsuits and things in recent years," he said regarding inferences often made about church scandals.

Lagundino said he notices the same attitudes in the general hindsight of the public. We can look to the past from the present and the verdict can seem obvious, but it wouldn't have been as unmissable to people in the 1960s.

"From our point of view, they should have known that Father Flynn was doing something bad. We automatically judge him in that way because of our facts that we have in general, but not specifically to Father Flynn," he said.

The original production had such an impact that the play has recently been adapted into a screenplay that premiered just last week at the AFI Fest in Hollywood. The film was directed by Shanley and stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. Even immediately after the initial screening, there was Oscar talk among critics.

Shanley also is well-known for writing and directing the 1990 adventurous comedy "Joe Versus the Volcano," as well as for writing several other stage plays and award-winning screenplays.

Marinda Anderson, who plays Mrs. Muller, enjoys performing in Juneau so much that she came all the way from her home in New York City for this production. She was previously involved with Perseverance in 2006 and has been living and performing in New York since then. She said there is great theater all over the country and she is always open to going anywhere, especially Juneau.

"I'm glad to be back," she said. "Perseverance is really solid. I've always respected the theater here. And it's a nice getaway from New York. The city is kind of crazy."

This is quite a small production for Perseverance, made up of only four actors. The troop said they are enjoying a break from the big crowd, though it makes rehearsals much more intense.

"It's tough, but it's good, and it's a very good group of people. They believe in the show and they want it to do well. They want to communicate the show to the audiences here in Juneau," Lagundino said.

'Rocky Horror' To Show At Pre-Halloween Bash: KXLL Radio Sponsors Party and Showing of Cult Movie On Oct. 24

Web Posted October 23, 2008

By Libby Sterling | For the Juneau Empire

Multitudes of cult-classic movie fans and Halloween enthusiasts are preparing to rock on Friday, Oct. 24, at the Rocky Horror Halloween Bash.

The event, held at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center, is a fundraiser for Excellent Radio, 100.7 FM, and will consist of a dance party starting at 9 p.m. and a midnight showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

"This is the first showing for a long time in Juneau," said event organizer Andy Kline.

According to Kline, it's one thing to watch the film in the quiet of one's own home, and quite another to experience it with a group of people who are eager to participate.

Serious Rocky Horror fans may already know all of the parts where the audience has a duty to play a part, whether it's to holler a phrase or throw something at the screen. For first-timers, cheat sheets with cues will be provided.

The $5 cover will also include a goody bag with all the necessary props for audience involvement.

"In bigger cities, there are people who are totally dedicated to this and come dressed as various characters. A lot of people have come up to me and said they can't wait and can't believe we haven't had a showing in Juneau," Kline said.

The film was originally released in 1975 and was one of the original "Midnight Movies" shown around the country in the 1970s. It was screened alongside other countercultural, offbeat films, but remains a favorite among devotees around the world.

"We're really trying to do it exactly like it should be done," Kline said.

Preceding the midnight movie will be a Halloween-themed dance party emceed by Eric Caldwell of PolarSounds Entertainment. Partygoers are encouraged to dress in costume, whether it be in a Rocky Horror motif or otherwise. Wearers of the best costumes will be rewarded with prizes.

Caldwell will be in control of sensory items such as dance-inducing music, atmosphere-enhancing lighting and MTV-style music videos that will be projected on the big screen.

"At the Halloween Bash, we want to make everyone feel like Excellent Radio opened a nightclub. That means bright lights, big sound and music that is both cool and edgy. Because we're going to have the big screen on hand for 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' and PolarSounds Entertainment's eclectic collection of several thousand music videos, it's going to be the wildest music video party Juneau has ever seen," Caldwell said.

Caldwell is also the host of "80s Nation" which airs Friday nights at 8 p.m. on KXLL. Because of the show, he said he has become known as "the 80s guy," and hopes the Halloween Bash will be a good opportunity to remind people that he knows other music besides 80s, especially since most of his DJ'ing career has occurred well after the decade came to a close.

Folks of all ages are welcome to attend the bash, and there will be a beer garden sponsored by the Alaskan Brewing Co. for those of legal age.