Several months ago I met my dear friend Ben (Uzi & Ari) at the San Francisco Airport. He was returning from a Japanese tour and I pegged him with questions about the far East, surely aggravating his jet lag. After hugs and words we made our way to my studio where he settled in for a pair of days. During his stay he tracked two tunes. The first was a new version of “Soggy Snow Shoes on The Front Porch” from his “It Is Freezing Out” album. The second was a gorgeous cover of Bjork’s “Unravel”. Using my new–but old–upright, some bells and his voice, he gave a sincere and lovely high five to Bjork, an artist we’ve both been enamored with for ages. So it made sense for me to follow his lead and do my own Bjork cover. I chose to rebuild ”Who is it” from her “Medulla” album, my favorite of her catalog.
To my joy, Ben proposed that we release the covers as part of a Uzi & Ari/TaughtMe EP that he can sell during his approaching solo tour in Europe. The disk includes a TaughtMe remix of Uzi & Ari’s “Thumbsucker”, an Uzi & Ari remix of TaughtMe’s “Strangeness”, as well as a new song from each band. The physical version is clothed by Aubrey’s beautiful photos (shown above). We’ll be selling the EP as a digital download here on Clumsy Congregation once Ben’s tour ends. For now, hear our Bjork covers if ya’d like:
Uzi & Ari – “Unravel” (Björk Cover)
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TaughtMe – “Who Is It” (Björk Cover)
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<from Ben’s Myspace Page>
Hello dears. Catherine and I sang on the Arms and Sleepers album ‘Matador’ that was released this month worldwide! I’ll be heading back overseas to do a small 3 week tour singing in their band, and doing an Uzi & Ari set at each show in the UK/EU during December and January. Almost all the dates are confirmed, keep checking back to be sure, we at least have the cities pinned down. Tell your friends!
The new music video for ‘Wolf Eggs’ shot by Ben Andrews is finished and will be premiered in Luxembourg at the club Exit07 on December 28th. There will be a small teaser video released online at the end of the month. In the meantime here is a screenshot:(above)
We will be pressing It Is Freezing Out on 180 gram vinyl in January, it will be on shelves in March, and we hope to press Don’t Leave In Such A Hurry on double vinyl by next June, which also marks the commencement of the recording of our 5th studio album, tentatively titled ‘Are You Haunted?’
Also to celebrate the first vinyl edition of It Is Freezing Out we will release on our website at Clumsy Congregation two new recordings that will be available for free download to online purchasers of the new vinyl edition, one being a cover of Bjork’s ‘Unravel’ and the other a previously unreleased version of ‘Soggy Snow Shoes On The Front Porch.’
And finally we are auditioning new drummers and will also accept demos from anyone from out of state desirous of an audition. Send us a message.
Thanks for reading! hugs.
-ben
ps. check out the terrific Nolens Volens remix for “Paper Cuts” HERE!!
Recent Where-and-what-abouts:
A dear (and lurpy) friend of mine recently came to San francisco along with his terrific wife-cohort Lynette to reside in my clumsy studio space and toss final kisses into his newest album. Their presence was a treat for me and the work we shared was good. He’s Drew Danburry. Many of you know him and those of you who don’t, should. Drew is a songer who has been pouring blood into his craft for years. This gentleman has been touring incessantly, playing more than 750 shows since 2005. I met Drew while still living in Utah when he graciously invited me to tour with him after noticing my own commitment to such struggles. We became real friends as we steered my lovely pink grampa-van throughout minor America, singing to strangers and eating plain food.
When Drew’s recent album came close to completion, I called him and begged him to let me steal it, manipulate it, and mix it. Happily he accepted. I fell in love with much of his new stuff. and I think that many others will find it inspiring too.
The album is “Goodnight Dannii”. The following track is called “Hero Kensan”.
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Hello! -blake
Drew Danburry on Youtube
Drew on Myspace
Drew’s Blog
