Thunder Body, spearheaded by partner duo and former Giant
Panda Guerilla Dub Squad members Matt O’Brian (drums, vocals) and Rachel Orke
(keys), are gearing up to release their new album Solstice through the unique
non-profit Rootfire Cooperative on October 13, 2017. Solstice will be the
Rochester-based band’s third full-length offering and first under the Rootfire
banner. The album was recorded in two sessions, one before, and one after the
birth of the couple’s son in 2013. The album explores topics from the micro to
the macro. From creating new life, to tuning in with nature, to deeper outlooks
on universal spirituality, Solstice finds a beautiful balance between deeply
personal reflections and universal themes.
Thunder Body gained a following for their wide range of
influences from dub and dancehall, to soul and beyond, and their diverse
offerings provide something to appreciate for all music lovers. Joining Orke
and O’Brian on Solstice are the talented musicians Jeremiah Pacheco (bass),
Dennis Mariano (guitar, vocals), Brian Blatt (sound scientist), Benton Sillick
(trumpet), Matt Seiber-Ford (tenor sax), and Abe Nouri (trombone).
Solstice saw Thunder Body returning to the studio More Sound
in Syracuse, NY with producer and former bandmate Jocko Randall. The familiar
environment allowed for a comfortable working space for ideas to blossom into
fruition. The second session saw Rachel and Matt hosting their son’s second
month of life around the studio and all it’s tools of creative inspiration.
Tonal purists will appreciate the timeless sounds of an authentic Fender Rhodes
and the classic comping sounds of the Hammond Organ and Leslie rotary speaker
combination. After the second session,
Thunder Body entered a deliberate hiatus.
The tracks sat on Jocko’s server for two years while Thunder Body was
rehearsing into a new sonic direction, playing almost no shows. It wasn’t until
revisiting the track in 2015 that the band realized they had an album awaiting
a proper release.
Solstice beings with its title track, a message meant to unify
opposing perspectives with the reminder that we all share a universal
experience. Other songs on the album capture the transformative beauty and
significance of bringing new life into the world while nurturing your own and
those around you, with “Elliot’s Song” seeing Chris O’Brian of Giant Panda
Guerilla Dub Squad add his take to the theme, discussing the birth of his son.
Other standouts include “Gong,” an instrumental full of creative expression and
“What’s Sweet About Lemons,” which the band describes as “a subtly surrealist
simple song experience.”
Thunder Body carried over the album theme into all aspects
of the release. Illustrated and designed by Justyn Lannucci, artist and graphic
designer based in Rochester, NY, the album cover art for Solstice plays on the
dichotomy of life and the universal themes of nature. The balancing act of
night and day is depicted through the soft fade of color across a solstice sky.
The cosmic event of the solstice is highlighted by a door that opens to the
corresponding worlds of nature - life and death, and more existentially short
term and long term mindedness. The door is banked by symbols of a hand and
feather, along with a poppy that almost floats through the portal. Justyn
comments, “Matt and I were vibing off of some older psychedelic novel covers.
And we were trying to let the viewer come up with their own interpretations of
the charged symbols. The figures on the bottom of the image may or may not be
the band."
Solstice offers a serene experience to its listeners that
you won’t want to miss. Be on the lookout for the album, dropping on Rootfire
Cooperative, October 13, 2017. The album marks the end of the band’s hiatus,
with tour plans in the works. Make sure to follow Thunder Body to stay
up-to-date on tour dates and more.
No comments:
Post a Comment