 "Photo: Justin Sterling")
Call them indie, call them folk rock. Call them what you will, but local band, Arboles, is nothing if not versatile.
And with a distinctive and unique sound that has been described as "new urban folk", their music is anything but ordinary.
With hints of blues, hip-hop and even a dash of hard-core, their new album, "The Arboles EP" delivers a smorgasbord of acoustic delights that virtually any listener can dig into.
Arboles is the brainchild of songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Dan Schwer.
After six months of writing and solo performances, Schwer was joined by Marc Ikeda, who brought his own distinctive brand of percussion to Schwer's already unique sound.
While "The Arboles EP" is not necessarily a concept album, there certainly does seem to be a running theme.
Lyrics about trees, roots and leaves weave their way in and out of nearly every track.
"Why don't you join the trees?/You can steal a whisper/Dance on all our leaves/You can dance on all our leaves," sings Schwer in the moody "Echo."
Similarly in "Roots", the lyrics "I mesh my hands into the earth/I feel those roots growing to know my worth" evoke images of nature.
The album only consists of six tracks, but what it lacks in length, it more than makes up for in spirit. Like the tree on the album cover, Ikeda's solid drumming serves as the album's trunk, while Schwer's vocals and guitar are the crown of leaves.
The opening track, "Roots" is a complex blend of Schwer's vivid and imaginative lyrics and Ikeda's subtle percussive accents.
Combining Schwer's highly emotional whispered verses and dark bluesy guitar work, the track is sure to capture listener's attention. Serving as an invitation, it entices the listener to stick around for an album that promises to be an exciting and musical journey.
The shortest track on the album, the delightfully quirky "Our House" is a sweet little tune of domestic bliss. In this case, Arboles is on par with bands like They Might Be Giants and Barenaked Ladies when it comes to clever lyrics.
"We'll sit down at the table/We won't watch the TV/Well, probably 'cause we won't have one/That thin is mind numbing," sings Schwer in the witty and charming song.
Without a doubt, the standout on the album is the atmospheric "Echo". The song casts a melancholy and mysterious spell. The electric guitar work on this track is lush and soulful. Starting out slow and mellow,
"Echo" eventually builds into a powerful crescendo. By the end of the song, Schwer is screaming the vocals and Ikeda's drums are keeping the heart-pounding pace.
"I've Got a Garden " showcases some of Schwer's best songwriting on the album.
With lyrics like "I've got a garden with roots in my head and they're filling the grooves of my veins/What will I grow here?/There's no soil or spring" the song paints a vibrant and colorful picture. During the last two minutes, the percussion become more dominant, finally ending the track with a reggae infused outro.
Every song on the album tells a story with a beginning, middle and often ending with a powerful and emotionally charged climax.
"A Song For Ruffled Wings" is a melodic lullaby, starting off soothing and harmonic.
"Little bird just rest your wings/This little song I'm glad to sing/While you slip into a dream," Schwer sings.
As the song gains speed, the guitar swells and Schwer's vocals take on that certain emo quality (distinctive, though you can't quite put your finger on it), his voice full of passion and emotion.
While five out of the album's six songs were recorded in Oakland, the final track, "Sleeping In" was recorded live at Sonoma State's own radio station, KSUN.
With phrases like, "I fill my lungs up/Just before they take it away/Air slips away/Takes us higher and higher" it's similar to every other song on the album and not unique in either its lyrics or music.
However, what it does have though is a sense of intimacy and spontaneity that only a live recording can. The ambient sounds of the recording studio can be heard in the background and the track opens with the spoken words, " So, you guys can hear us?"
Like a breeze through the trees, "The Arboles EP" is a breath of fresh air.
Sampling elements form other musical varieties, like pop, jazz, folk and blues the end result is something truly unique.
Sometimes dark and moody, sometimes light and airy, Arboles' music transcends the traditional notions of musical genres. Despite the music's fluidity, Arboles still somehow manages to maintain a distinctive and recognizable sound.
On May 22, Arboles will be playing at The Black Cat in Penngrove at 9 p.m.
For more information, or to purchase a CD, send an email to arbolesmusic@gmail.com or visit www.myspace.com/arbolesmusic.
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