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Creative Reinvention: Trichome Diversifies Their Sound, Image
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By Erik Myers
Sitting in the quiet basement of Mugs Coffee Lounge, the members of Trichome are re...By Erik Myers
Sitting in the quiet basement of Mugs Coffee Lounge, the members of Trichome are reconsidering everything, name included. Well, maybe not the name.
“It’s a unique name,” says tenor saxophonist Mike Windham. “It has presence. I don’t think it’d behoove us to change the name, but the band has definitely evolved a lot since I’ve been a part of it.”
Then, ambling down the stairs as if to squelch any doubt comes bassist Dave Frediani. Flanked by the dual grins of drummer Jeff Dejohn and digital percussionist Matt Schooley, his perfectly normal appearance draws surprise. Guitarist Matt Newhard can’t help but laugh: “Oh my lord.”
“Dave cut off his dreadlocks about two days ago,” lead singer Evan Daldegan* explains.
Laughter abounds, but Frediani takes it in stride: “They were getting pretty long.”
But there’s also an upcoming meeting with photographer Darren Mahuron, who’s shooting their Scene cover photo. Image is essential for just about any band, and this one is in transition.
“We’re maturing,” Daldegan says. “We’ve had stories in Scene before about where we came from and where we met, and I think we’re in dire need of someone who’ll say, ‘These guys have been in the scene. They just want to have fun and play music, but be professional and mature, not stand in a field with dreadlocks and hemp necklaces and get photographs by trees with a weird lens.’”
“Can I say that?” he asks his bandmates. Nods all around.
“We’re beyond the point of looking at ourselves as up-and-comers,” Windham adds. “I feel like in order to be successful, you have to project the image of what you’re trying to be. What we’re trying to be – are being – are professional working musicians.”
Formed in Greeley in 2005, Trichome have come up in a Colorado scene of groove-influenced electronica, also known as “livetronica,” “jam-tronica” or “electrojam.” The scene has become hugely popular in recent years, moving in step with the swift rise of American dance music. Teeming with college-aged youth, Fort Collins and Boulder have produced a few of the state’s biggest names: EOTO, Big Gigantic and The Motet. Like those who’ve come before them, Trichome has accrued a devoted following and are just beginning to enjoy its fruits, like the sold-out Aggie shows and the national tours that include dates at festivals like Wakarusa and Summer Camp.
Those same fans pushed them to the top of Scene’s Readers’ Choice Poll in December, a close victory that won them this cover story.
“Are we more popular because of the scene? Maybe,” Daldegan says. “But you’ve got to strike while the iron is hot.”
Trichome doesn’t lean on electronica as much as afrobeat and world music, incorporating a bit of a progressive rock flourish as well, courtesy of Newhard. That might change. The reggae roots of their first album Where Creation Now Grows seem eons behind them in the wake of their recent Chromeo cover show at the Aggie.
Schooley is the proud impetus behind that project, having turned the rest of the band into fans after bringing the duo’s She’s in Control on to the tour bus last year. They put months of work into the show’s production, learning the songs and delving into unfamiliar technology to replicate the aggressive infusion of techno and funk.
While the cover show signals a newfound professionalism, what it means for their sound is up in the air. The band is mum on details about an upcoming EP. But they’re more than happy with what they’ve come up with so far.
“It’s the blessing and curse of having so many diverse musicians in the band,” says Windham.
Trichome seems more decided on their end goal, which is to take their music as far as it can go, getting as many people as possible dancing along the way. The discussion inevitably brings up Colorado’s jam scene and its new direction, of which they’re hoping to help steer.
“I don’t think it’s taken as seriously as it could be,” Windham says. “I think some people take a look at the scene and see it as music that’s just good to dance to. I like a lot of that music because it’s good music. I’m not in it for the party. I’m in it because I like to play my saxophone.”
“But it’s good fun,” Daldegan adds. “There’s a certain atmosphere at, say, a String Cheese show. It’s not like you’re just hanging with a bunch of granolas.”
Find out more about Trichome at trichomemusic.com, or find them on Facebook.
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Trichome
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Trichome
Where Creation Now Grows
Independent
3.5 out of 5 stars
At its core, Trichome i...Trichome
Where Creation Now Grows
Independent
3.5 out of 5 stars
At its core, Trichome is a reggae band, but their addition of a multitude of other world sounds gives this Northern Colorado-based group more of a reggae fusion sound that relies heavily on jamband influences.
Formed in 2005, the band has spent the last few years honing its sound before releasing its debut album, Where Creation?Now Grows, and the patience of their approach is relevant.
This is a really good reggae album, but the fact that the group skips back and forth between different variations of reggae roots, and the changes in tempo — not to mention the changes in the emphasized beats that go with those variations — it can be slightly hard to follow from time to time. And maybe that’s where the magic lies for Where Creation Now Grows — the fact that the whole album doesn’t stick to the traditional “third-beat” of reggae gives it the ability to remain fresh from track to track. — Brian F. Johnson
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Colorado Music Buzz - CD Review
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Reggae in Denver … really? Hard to believe a place known for snow, mountains, and, of course, Rocky ...Reggae in Denver … really? Hard to believe a place known for snow, mountains, and, of course, Rocky Mountain High could produce high-quality island music, but Trichome proves the islands are not always necessary when creating relevant island music. Besides, the Mile High City offers more than its fair share of medicinal marijuana to make anyone believe they could actually be in Jamaica. To be fair, Trichome's Where Creation Now Grows sounds more like Ska-influenced Reggae with continuous horn-work weaving through the tracks on this record.
The key to Where Creation Grows' success lies in each track having its own distinct feeling. By pairing strong vocals from lead singer Evan Daldegan (who possesses a legitimate voice for Reggae) with dynamic backgrounds, Trichome forces the listener to pay attention. From the cover art to the smooth production of this record, Where Creation Now Grows should not be taken lightly as Trichome's talent is off the charts.
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CD Review - Trichome Where Creation Now Grows
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Trichome - Where Creation Now Grows
By Braden Smith
The grassroots Fort Collins-based reggae...Trichome - Where Creation Now Grows
By Braden Smith
The grassroots Fort Collins-based reggae band Trichome breaks through in their debut album, Where Creation Now Grows. Like the name implies, this pot-induced, reggae-infused musical montage floods the senses with catchy riffs and meandering instrumentals that build throughout the album.
This band has made a name for themselves in their hometowns of Greeley and Fort Collins, and now, with the release of their album, the group is expanding its fan base from Northern Colorado to statewide recognition and beyond.
This album bears the signature of all the members of Trichome, well-known for their inventive live performances, but it begins with the all-too-familiar guitar chop, a trademark of reggae that carries through nearly the entire hour length of the album. Like baking with the same ingredients over and over, it may taste good, but eventually you hunger for something new.
If you’re a hardcore reggae fan the album will impress. If you want more, Trichome cleanses your pallet with “Rebel Stomp.” The song opens with an eerie wind and a sax weeping out alone, then punches into a solid melodic flow of guitar, percussion, and drums delivering a soulful message. “Them Fools” injects a playful, fast tempo beat into the body; it is guaranteed to get you movin’.
“Reggae Lives” finishes off the album with a boom. The ironic title belies the song’s fusion of reggae, electronic, and Edvard Grieg’s classic “Hall of the Mountain King.” This song hits hard and leaves us wanting to know where the music will grow next.
myspace.com/trichomerasta
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Trichome
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Some folks say the more trichomes (or crystals) there are in your weed, the higher you'll get, since...Some folks say the more trichomes (or crystals) there are in your weed, the higher you'll get, since there's a lot of THC in them. Nowhere in the Fort Collins-based Trichome's materials does it say that that's what the band's name alludes to. But considering that Trichome is a reggae band — and a pretty decent one, at that — it's almost a given. After being together for five years, the act just released its debut, Where Creation Now Grows, to a sold-out Aggie Theater in October. Produced with the help of Jesse O'Brien, who's worked with Matisyahu, at Colorado Sound Recording Studios, Creation's sound is as vivid as most of its tracks. If people had to choose between weed with a lot of red hairs or the trichomes, most would go with the trichomes. Either way, you're gonna get super-baked.
