Ockham's Razor

Seattle Celtic band Ockham's Razor is similarly high-energy but has a much different sound. Playing the Prosser Scottish Fest for the second time -- the first was 2008 -- the five-member band is influenced as much by rock 'n' roll as it is by traditional Celtic music.

"We're a rock band with our feet planted in the influence of Celtic music," says Kris Clements, the band's lead singer. "For people who are fans of Celtic music, they can come hear these songs that have been played time and time again. And they'll hear them in a completely different way than they've ever heard them before."

Born in southern Scotland, Clements has lived in the States since he was 3 and grew up thinking that traditional Celtic music was something for sentimental old folks. It was fine for gatherings in the family kitchen, but it wasn't the kind of music he figured he'd ever end up taking on stage.

"If you'd asked me six, seven years ago if I wanted to start a Celtic band, I'd have laughed in your face," Clements says in the Scottish accent he picked up from his parents. "A lot of modern music listeners think Irish traditional music is kind of corny and hokey now. So I sort of looked at Celtic music as being an old person's form of music as well. I've really come to terms with that, because at some point I realized Celtic music was much more than playing 'Molly Malone' the same way it's been performed the last 20 years."

Like The Pogues before them, however, Ockham's Razor is true to the spirit of Celtic music -- even as it redefines the sound to keep it vital. Clements, who has three facial piercings and has sported a pink mohawk at times, tells a story about one gig at which a couple his parents' age asked for their dinner check as soon as they spotted him setting up. They didn't get out before the band started, though, and ended up staying for the whole set.

"They took one look at us and just went, 'Oh God, what have we gotten ourselves into?'" Clements says. "And after 30 seconds of playing we'd completely changed their minds."

The couple came up to him afterward and said they'd been afraid Ockham's Razor was some kind of crazy punk band. And in a way, Clements concedes, they ARE a crazy punk band.

"But at the same time, there is a reverence to that Celtic tradition," he says. "And I would never deny that tradition." - Yakima Herald

Ockham’s razor: the principle that “entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily” or, popularly applied, “when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better.” - via Wikipedia.

Ockham’s Razor: An exciting Irish/Folk band out of Seattle, Washington with a ridiculously cool name. I confess, this group won me over right from the start with their name, and my infatuation only increased with the title of this album, Ten Thousand Miles To Bedlam. Featuring a mixture of instrumental arrangements, punked up and jazzed up trad tunes, and the odd original song, this is a CD that I was thrilled to have in my review docket.

The first song on the album is an instrumental called Gravel Walk. It’s a great tune that showcases the band’s considerable talent and gives an enticing taste of the songs to follow on the rest of the CD. I particularly like the guitar intro, and the fiddling is as impressive here as it continues to be throughout.

Whiskey and Pills. Otherwise known as, Can Of Worms. Musically, I adore this song. It’s Celtic punk rock at it’s best and most excessive, as demonstrated by the lyrics - Filled to the gills with whiskey and pills, and we’ll have another bottle in the morning. It’s cleverly written and without doubt it’s a lighthearted and fun sounding song in the best tradition of The Pogues and other old school hard drinking, hard partying punk bands. It’s also troubling to me and hits closely to my heart because both Mike and I have lost people in our lives due to those very things. In Mike’s case, his 16 year old cousin, who was always smiling, and in mine, a 22 year old friend who had a crazy tattoo and gave the best, most comforting hugs ever. Alcohol and prescription drugs ruin and end the lives of a lot of young people and even though it might make me look like a humorless scold, I can’t let this track go by without that criticism.*

The title track, Ten Thousand Miles To Bedlam, is my favorite song on the album. There is nothing about this song that I don’t like. Lyrically, it’s both beautiful and menacing, a titillating combination. The vocals are the best on the CD in my opinion, simply outstanding. I even love the spoken word bits, which is an element that often annoys me, but here it works. The fiddling is fast and hot, and the driving percussion ties everything together.

Dream Angus is a nice closing piece for the album. Unfortunately I think it would have been more effective as a three minute song rather than a six minute one, it went on a bit long for me. That said, I love the vocal harmony, the simple piano in the background, and the whistle interludes. This is a trad song that I don’t hear much of, and I appreciate it’s inclusion here.

Ten Thousand Miles To Bedlam is a notable album that I’m glad to have experienced and Ockham’s Razor is a band that I will be keeping my eye on. Check them out at their website and their myspace page.

Slainte,

Bonnie

*I’m sure that the band does not support or suggest drinking and popping pills, I don’t think that for a second. I’m pretty sure that the song is more of an homage to the punk rock lifestyle than anything else, and I fully support their right to sing about whatever they want. I just have to put my two cents in, because that’s what I do. - Celtophilia.com

Article regarding Summer Concert Series in Aberdeen, WA (see link) - Daily World - Aberdeen, WA

"A crossbreed of the traditionalism of the Chieftains and the hard stomp of the Pogues, Seattle's own Ockham's Razor take the Gaelic-Celtic genre into the 21st century with a keen sense of the past coupled with a progressive attitude that is entirely fresh." - Weekly Volcano - Tony Engelhart

"Thanks to the bands rousing performances over the last month, the Irish spirit of Doyle's Public House is livelier than ever."

"Ockham's Razor has earned the establishment's respect by consistently wowing audiences with their refreshing sound, including traditional songs of the Celtic culture." - University of Washington Ledger - Matthew Cobb

As a member of the marching band at Thomasville High School, Georgia native Kris Clements played the flute.

Ten years after graduation he returns with a penny whistle, an accordion, and a band of hard-stomping, high energy musicians named after the principle that the simplest answer is usually the best.

Seattle-based Ockham's Razor, of which Clements is the lead singer, will be in Thomasville for a one night only show 7pm Saturday at The Submarine, located at 218 A. W. Jackson Street.

Clements is a Thomasville native and former FSU student who moved to Seattle seven years ago to focus on music and songwriting in Seattle's folk-rock community. This will be his first homecoming performance.

Fans of Celtic favorite Enter the Haggis should recognize Clements from his sessions with the band in pubs around Tallahassee, FL; others might remember his vocal style from nights riffing with the house band at The Foggy Bottom in Thomasville.

The band has worked with Grammy award-winning producer Conrad Uno (Presidents of the United States of America, Mudhoney, Posies), opened for Celtic giants The Chieftains, and launched their own annual Celtic festival in Aberdeen, WA, the hometown of Kurt Cobain.

The next step was to tour 9,000 miles through 27 states.

Ockham's Razor's fourth album, "Wolves in the Walls", follows a string of successes on the Seattle-Portland-San Francisco circuit with hits like "Ten Thousand Miles to Bedlam", hailed by one reviewer as "an amazing cross-over almost rock-anthem that could be on any radio station in the country," according to a band news release.

The album also connects the two worlds that most influence Clements' music; the folks music of his family, who emigrated to Thomasville from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom, when Kris was six years old, and the southern bluegrass and blues music that shaped him through his teens and 20's in Thomasville and Tallahassee.

"The thing I love about this album is it doesn't work on headphones," Clements said in the release. "You have to listen to it loud."

The album was inspired, in part, by a William Blake poem he first encountered in Lynn Stower's class at THS.

Organized around four symbolic animals characters, "The Wolves in the Walls" tells the story of "ill communication. Misinterpretations. Rumors. Evil lies. Everything that's wrong with the world."

"The parable is basically if you can't talk to one another, how are you ever going to understand the other point of view," Clements in the release. - Thomasville Times Enterprise

Ockham’s Razor in town
August 19, 2010
By Kenda Williams

Seattle-based Celtic rock band Ockham’s Razor will visit Savannah during their first national tour. The band will perform Friday at Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub and Grill downtown.

Lead singer Kris Clements purposefully chose Savannah as a stop along the tour. Originally from Scotland , Clements grew up in Georgia and often visited Savannah.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Savannah. I have a lot of good memories of going there as a kid,” Clements said. “I’m really looking forward to coming back again.”

Ockham’s Razor originally set out to travel from Seattle across the country 9,000 miles through 26 states where they would perform 20 shows in 30 days.

Because of complications, after a tour van broke down and the band spent its time and resources on repair work, they were forced to miss a few shows.

Clements said the band is continuing its tour in good spirit, though, and has had positive experiences in the cities it has played, such as Boston and Brooklyn.

“I’m overwhelmed with the response we are getting so far,” Clements said. “Being in Seattle, where there isn’t much of a Celtic music scene, we thought it would be good to come to the East Coast to perform our music.”

Clements plays several accordions and whistles, and his fellow band members play everything from the fiddle and harp to the cello and mandolin.

Ockham’s Razor recently released its fourth album, “Wolves in the Walls,” which it’s promoting through the current tour. Scottish Radio named the band’s previous studio album, “Ten Thousand Miles to Bedlam,” as an album of the week.

Clements said he originally moved to Seattle with the intention of starting a band and formed Ockham’s Razor with friends he met.

“I’ve always been around Celtic music, and I enjoy it,” he said. “It’s incredible the connections you make because you are interested in the same type of music.”

Clements said the group members don’t take themselves too seriously, but they do take their music seriously, being careful of what songs to choose for the tour.

The band’s performance in Savannah will include several songs off the new album, with a few songs in Irish and Scottish Gaelic.

“I think the most important thing for us is that people do enjoy the music. When they come to our show, they will have an experience with Celtic music they’ve never had before,” Clements said. “We want everyone in the audience to feel that they’re a part of the experience and not just watching the experience.”
- Savannah Morning News

"Mixing traditional Celtic music with their own brand of energy, the band has been hailed for bringing "kind of a Gaelic-Celtic flavor with an interesting pop sensibility" to the Celtic music world. In fact, they are known for adding a youthful twist to traditional Celtic songs." - Celtic MP3's.com - Karen J. Brady

"Ockham's Razor is a Celtic fusion band, specializing in traditional and original material, presented in a new and often surprising way."

"...they are bringing new ideas into traditional Celtic music without compromising the original intent of the songs." - Fremont Solstice Festival program

"It's Friday night, and nearly everyone in the Irish Emigrant has a beer in hand. Ockham's Razor, a four piece Celtic rock band, is finishing up its set with a Pouge-ish version of "drunken Sailor" that has the rowdy crowd clapping with the beat and singing along." - Seattle (sound) Magazine - Bill White

"Mixing traditional Celtic music with their own brand of energy, the band has been hailed for bringing "kind of a Gaelic-Celtic flavor with an interesting pop sensibility" to the Celtic music world. In fact, they are known for adding a youthful twist to traditional Celtic songs." - Celtic MP3's.com - Karen J. Brady

April 19, 2009 by Steven Friederich

I caught this amazing Irish band called Ockham's Razor in Ocean Shores on Saturday -- (not your typical hot bed of music acivity, I know). Ockham's Razor has this Flogging Molly vibe with some definite crossover appeal.

The Seattle band notes on its Web site, that they were formed in the spring of 2006 "and began introducing audiences in the Pacific Northwest to their exciting, youthful style of Irish and Folk music in June at the Fremont Summer Solstice Festival. … After working with Grammy nominated producer Conrad Uno (Presidents of the United States of America, Mudhoney, Posies) on their debut CD, Ockham's Razor began performing shows throughout the Pacific Northwest, San Francisco Bay area and Portland."

They have a few albums now but their most recent is "Ten Thousand Miles to Bedlam," with this amazing cross-over almost-rock anthem "The Road to Bedlam" that could easily be on any radio station in America, but probably won't. Looks like the band is experiencing some growing pains (I saw them minus a drummer) and they've had some line-up changes. But the CD is definitely worth listening to and what's left of the band performs a dynamite show.

Besides the typical Irish music you'd expect from a band like them ("Danny Boy" anybody?) , they do covers of songs by the Ramones, the Dead and a very weird cover of Nine Inch Nail's Closer. Lead singer Kris Clements warned the audience about its lyrics "I want to F*** You like an Animal" ahead of time but you could tell he didn't feel comfortable with that ine after.

More photos on my Web site www.stevenfriederich.com.





- Ear Candy - Seattle Music & Arts

April 19, 2009 by Steven Friederich

I caught this amazing Irish band called Ockham's Razor in Ocean Shores on Saturday -- (not your typical hot bed of music acivity, I know). Ockham's Razor has this Flogging Molly vibe with some definite crossover appeal.

The Seattle band notes on its Web site, that they were formed in the spring of 2006 "and began introducing audiences in the Pacific Northwest to their exciting, youthful style of Irish and Folk music in June at the Fremont Summer Solstice Festival. … After working with Grammy nominated producer Conrad Uno (Presidents of the United States of America, Mudhoney, Posies) on their debut CD, Ockham's Razor began performing shows throughout the Pacific Northwest, San Francisco Bay area and Portland."

They have a few albums now but their most recent is "Ten Thousand Miles to Bedlam," with this amazing cross-over almost-rock anthem "The Road to Bedlam" that could easily be on any radio station in America, but probably won't. Looks like the band is experiencing some growing pains (I saw them minus a drummer) and they've had some line-up changes. But the CD is definitely worth listening to and what's left of the band performs a dynamite show.

Besides the typical Irish music you'd expect from a band like them ("Danny Boy" anybody?) , they do covers of songs by the Ramones, the Dead and a very weird cover of Nine Inch Nail's Closer. Lead singer Kris Clements warned the audience about its lyrics "I want to F*** You like an Animal" ahead of time but you could tell he didn't feel comfortable with that ine after.

More photos on my Web site www.stevenfriederich.com.





- Ear Candy - Seattle Music & Arts