ITSNOTYOUITSME+THE KNELLS Release New Ep's Together Today

By: BWW News Desk Nov. 19, 2013

The Knells is a grand statement of purpose coming from the Brooklyn-based artist Andrew McKenna Lee. A seasoned performer and composer who has showcased his talents in esteemed venues including the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall, Lee created The Knells to be a working reconciliation of the multitude of different musical styles he has absorbed: as a rock guitarist who has performed alongside legends Billy Idol and former Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones; as a singer/songwriter; as a serious concert music composer; and - as he is most widely known - a classical guitar virtuoso.

The Knells is the name of both Lee's adeptly-composed hour-long song cycle as well as the hybrid ensemble Lee assembled to perform the project, consisting of three stunning female vocalists (Nina Berman, Amanda Gregory, Katya Powder), dual electric guitars (Andrew McKenna Lee, Paul Orbell), drums (Michael McCurdy), mallet percussion (Jude Traxler), electric bass (Joseph Higgins), and thecritically lauded Mivos String Quartet. Blending Renaissance polyphony, symphonic lieder, jazz, classic and progressive rock, and even '60s Motown vocal music, The Knells finds Lee expanding his creative scope, embracing many of the stylistic streams that have come to define modern song in a remarkably cohesive and unique experience.

Lyrically, The Knells pays homage to the classic idea of the thematic "concept album," and examines some of the personal and eternal questions that define and confound the human search for meaning and significance. In service of this overarching theme, The Knells confronts such specific ideas as one's perception of the passage of time, the illusive nature of progress, the power of perspective in deriving meaning from one's own life, and the circular and ultimately transcendental - if somewhat violent - beauty of nature.

Sonically, The Knells finds Lee employing a veritable armada of instruments, sounds, and ideas to explore the wide dynamic range of the amplified ensemble. Softer chamber music passages for strings, bowed percussion, and quiet guitars frequently contrast with louder, more rhythmically driven passages. The constant throughout is a trio of female vocalists that deliver hypnotic incantations - sometimes homophonically, and at other times in complex contrapuntal arrangements.

The Knells was chosen for the title of the project for its connotations of sound (i.e. the ringing of a bell), its associations with death, and the way these two elements play into the overall fabric of the work. This interplay is further enhanced by the album artwork, which was designed by renowned artist Shepard Fairey. Overall, the album is an adventurous and rewarding exploration of the sounds and significance of the world around us.

Previously, Lee has released two commercial recordings. His debut release on New Amsterdam Records, Gravity and Air, was named one of the year's "Top Ten Best Classical Albums" of 2009 byTime Out Chicago. Released the same year, Solar/Electric also met with critical praise, most notably from composer Steve Reich, who declared Lee's realization of his work Electric Counterpoint, "a magnificent performance beautifully recorded."

A joint Knells album release performance with itsnotyouitsme is being planned for this December in New York City, details to be announced soon.

The Knells tracklisting:

1. Airlift

2. Thread

3. Fray

4. Dying in Waves

5. Distance

6. Synchromesh

7. Seethe

8. Dissolve

9. Spiral Proem

10. Spiral Knells

itsnotyouitsme with Theo Bleckmann and Skúli Sverrisson - This I

Release date: Today, November 19

This I is the fourth recording from itsnotyouitsme, the duo of the two prolific and highly regarded New York musicians guitarist Grey Mcmurray and violinist/composer Caleb Burhans. In the midst of successful solo careers, Burhans and Mcmurray began playing together in 2003 under this moniker, blending and distilling their mutual love of everything from Brian Eno to J.S. Bach and Pink Floyd. Since then, the pair has carved out a unique niche in the musical scene with their ambient, post-rock, jazz-tinged and genre-defying instrumental soundscapes.

Like the duo's first three albums on New Amsterdam Records - walled gardens, fallen monuments,and everybody's pain is magnificent - This I continues itsnotyouitsme's exploration of ambient sound worlds, but for the first time, creative voices outside the Mcmurray/Burhans mind meld arewelcomed into the fold. The duo welcomes two highly influential and widely admired artists, bassist Skúli Sverrisson and vocalist Theo Bleckmann, to expand itsnotyouitsme's sonic horizons and breathe new life into their compositional process.

Culled from one continuous performance, This I shows itnsotyouitsme pushing its signature flowing textural landscapes, slowly shifting harmonies, and polished timbres into a new world, adding in layers of poised but powerful intensity that showcase the gifts of the album's guests. The result is a multidimensional work that moves from light to dark and back again, using harmonic blending and vocal layering to explore and contemplate the ample space in between. Whether delicate or forceful, each moment meditates on the power of restraint to create an enveloping and otherworldly emotional experience. As Mcmurray himself explains, "We are a small band that makes wide music. We expel our selves slowly so that we can smile with our sadness strongly."

A joint This I album release performance with Andrew McKenna Lee's The Knells is being planned for this December New York City, details to be announced soon.

itsnotyouitsme's This I tracklisting:

1. if the ground is covered, are we still outside?

2. things past are pretty now

3. long tales of short lived victories

4. wrinkling into a beautiful and broken world

5. the you since me

6. sometimes it's hard being alive seeing bright stars in the sky

Bios:

Andrew McKenna Lee

Described as "an astoundingly virtuosic guitar player... and far more importantly... a thoughtful and original composer," (Jayson Greene, eMusic) Andrew McKenna Lee's music has been commissioned and programmed by some of the world's leading ensembles and organizations. As a performer, Mr. Lee has given solo concerts featuring his original compositions for guitar in some of the country's most esteemed venues. His debut release on New Amsterdam Records, Gravity and Air, was named one of the year's "Top Ten Best Classical Albums" of 2009 in Time Out Chicago. Released the same year, Solar/Electric also met with critical praise, most notably from composer Steve Reich, who declared Lee's realization of his work Electric Counterpoint, "a magnificent performance beautifully recorded." Other recent works include Curio (2011), commissioned by the Italian guitarist Sergio Sorrentino for the 20th International Guitar Festival of Lagonegro, Italy; Obstinate Snakes! (2010) for the Anubis Saxophone Quartet; and Crescive Variations (2010) for Austin Symphony concertmaster Jessica Mathaes. Recent concert engagements as a soloist include performances as part of New York's SONiC Festival (2011), as well as the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America Convention (2012). For more information go to www.andrewmckennalee.com

Caleb Burhans

Caleb Burhans is quickly establishing himself as a significant presence in the New York contemporary music scene. Amazingly versatile, Burhans is a composer, conductor, plays violin, viola, electric guitar, electric bass, banjo, mandolin, piano and sings. He has been called, "New York's mohawked Mozart" by Time Out NY. He has been commissioned by Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Library of Congress and the Albany Symphony to name a few. His music has been performed at various festivals, including the Bang on a Can Marathon, Look and Listen Festival, Tribeca New Music Festival, Darmstadt Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik, International Viola Congress, The National Flute Association Convention, Open Days Festival (Denmark) and the Aspen Music Festival.

His debut album, Evensong, was released on Cantaloupe Music this summer and features Alarm Will Sound, Trinity Wall Street Choir and the Tarab Cello Ensemble. Mr. Burhans is a founding member of Alarm Will Sound, itsnotyouitsme, Signal and the Wordless Music Orchestra. He is also a member of ACME, Newspeak and the disco band Escort. He has premiered numerous works as well as working with such composers as Philip Glass, Steve Reich, John Adams, La Monte Young, Lou Harrison, Meredith Monk, David Lang, Michael Gordon, Julia Wolfe, John Zorn, George Crumb, Brian Ferneyhough, Martin Bresnik, David Liptak, and Augusta Read Thomas. As a conductor he has worked with the London Sinfonietta and the Wordless Music Orchestra. Mr. Burhans attended the Eastman School of Music where he received degrees in composition and viola performance. In 2009 he was named an Annenberg Fellow.

For more information go to www.calebburhans.com

Grey Mcmurray

"Grey's effortlessly lyrical high tenor can easily lead anyone to imagine So Percussion is really Michael McDonald and the Doobie Brothers goofing off" (The Toronto Star). Grey has played guitar and sang in very big rooms, very small rooms, in many different places, with people that many people know, and people that not quite as many people know. He uses the guitar to build distant environments, and uses his voice to sing and say the words that he means to say. In his own music he tries to find ways to make the parts that he likes, last longer than they actually do. He is the co-leader of the duo itsnotyouitsme with Caleb Burhans, as well as the triumphant soul band, Knights On Earth. He has been a part of a number of collaborations with So Percussion, and when they want some electric guitarness, he is a member of The Wordless Music Orchestra. He has scored two short films and three documentaries, most recently Without Shepherds, winner of the Grand Chameleon and Best Documentary awards at the 2013 Brooklyn Film Festival. For more information go to http://muchgrey.tumblr.com

Mivos Quartet

The Mivos Quartet, an "accomplished, admirably broad-minded young string quartet" (New York Times), is devoted to performing the works of contemporary composers, presenting new music to diverse audiences. Since the quartet's beginnings in 2008 they have performed, commissioned and closely collaborated with an ever-expanding group of international composers who represent multiple aesthetics of contemporary classical composition. The quartet's international performing schedule has included appearances at the Darmstadt Summer Courses for New Music (Darmstadt, Germany), Asphalt Festival (Düsseldorf, Germany), Concerti Aperitivo (Udine, Italy), HellHOT! New Music Festival (Hong Kong), Edgefest (Ann Arbor, MI), and Aldeburgh Music (UK). Beyond expanding the string quartet repertoire, Mivos is committed to working with guest artists, collaborating on multi-media projects, exploring group improvisation, and supporting young musicians through educational activities. Mivos' forthcoming album (Spring 2013) on Carrier Records will feature works by Alex Mincek, David Franzson, Felipe Lara, and Wolfgang Rihm. For more information go to www.mivosquartet.com

Skúli Sverrisson

Skúli Sverrisson is an Icelandic composer and bassist residing in New York City. Over the past two decades, bass guitarist-composer Sverrisson has worked with a veritable who's who of the experimental world, from free jazz legends (Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey) to music icons (Lou Reed, Jon Hassel, David Sylvian, Arto Lindsey) and composers (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Johann Johannson and Hildur Gudnadottir). Sverrisson is also known for his work as an artistic director for Olof Arnalds (Innundir Skinni, Vid og Vid), recordings with Blonde Redhead and as a musical director for legendary performance artist Laurie Anderson. For more information go to www.gogoyoko.com/artist/skuli

Theo Bleckmann

THeo Bleckmann is a Grammy-nominated singer and composer. His work has been described as "from another planet" (New York Times), as "magical, futuristic," (AllAboutJazz), "limitless" (Citypaper, Philadelphia) "transcendent" (Village Voice) and "brilliant" (New York Magazine), and left one critic wondering, "does he eat people food?" (AllAboutJazz).


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