Bazile
Austin, Texas, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Gentle piano, peaceful country rooted vibe and truly unique words and voice. This music is MUST TRY for Friday.
Hey, it is Friday! Let’s Celebrate with Bazile!
Bazile – Hi-Fi
Bazile – Atlantis
To record Professor Narducci, Bazile teamed up with Alabama-based engineer/co-producer, Ben Tanner. The partners in crime spent nearly two years working on the album. Their deliberate working style and musical rapport, which they first formed in Memphis as members of Daryl Strawberry’s New Drug, is evident on the 54-minute concept album. The end result of the production duo’s labor is a captivating ambiance that transcends the melancholy, anger and elation that are expressed throughout the album. - Heroes of Indie Music
The Sojourn of Professor Narducci is a combination short story/musical requiem created by self-proclaimed “space folk artist” Bazile, of Austin, TX. The lyrics are the abstract “ramblings” of the title character, preserved in a journal, and set to music posthumously (so to speak). Accordingly, the musical result is eclectic, traveling through a few different song styles. Overall, the album lies somewhere between gentle but eccentric indie folk (a la Sufjan Stevens) and jarringly avant-garde no wave (a la Zs).
Each song makes its own little world, as in the opening track “Helen of Troy,” which, as the longest song on the album, is reminiscent of a 1970’s style multi-section mini fantasy. The next track is “Solder City,” a bouncy, jazzy tune, with a surprising hint of polytonality in the chorus. Another upbeat tune is “Contest,” which has a pop-rock feel, but also features unconventional harmony in the chorus.
There are laid back, quiet songs, like “Life of Particles,” which drifts along easily, until an abrupt shift speeds up the tempo towards the end; also the acoustic plucking of “Adios,” and the half-whispered “Picasso’s Grandson.” There are two instrumental tracks, the quite touching movie-soundtrack-esque “Atlantis,” which features solo banjo and muted strings, and the minimalist last track, “Lawn Chairs and Applesauce.” - kleineKultur
Bazile is a solo artist from Austin, TX who writes music that he calls “Space Folk.”
Originally from Mississippi, Bazile grew up listening to film scores, and that appreciation has greatly contributed to his style of songwriting. And although his songs are often cinematic, Bazile truly shines when it’s just his voice and guitar.
Bazile took two years to record his debut album, The Sojourn of Professor Narducci, and it was a long, deliberative process. The end result, however, is a captivating work that succeeds in balancing the music with his often melancholy lyrics. For a sample of the album, check out “Solder City” and the Sufjan Stevens-esque “Life of Particles” (MP3s). - Owl and Bear
Discography
The Sojourn of Professor Narducci (2010) LP
Photos
Bio
Bazile's Mississippi roots and love of film music contribute to his unique style of songwriting that is both visceral and refined. Sometimes accompanied by drums and synthesizer but often relying strictly on his voice and a guitar, Bazile's live performances offer stripped-down arrangements of his Ravel-inspired harmonies. In the studio, Bazile overdubs stringed and keyed parts until the track reaches a critical mass of melodic and ambient sounds. This sonic mass could be considered a second cousin to both Sufjan Stevens and Radiohead. Bazile simply calls it Space Folk.
Though based in Austin for the last three years, Bazile's recently released debut, The Sojourn of Professor Narducci, reflects his previously itinerant lifestyle. Living and visiting several continents motivated him to write about themes that cover just as much territory. On Professor Narducci, Bazile performs introspective songs spanning the science, religion and human relationships. These themes are explored via his middle-aged, Italian alter-ego, who spends his sabbatical on a quixotic quest for women and wisdom. Bazile's versatile vocals, which can produce both the smoothness of Bossa Nova and the grit of Honky Tonk, allow him to cover the narrator's broad range of emotional rambles.
To record Professor Narducci, Bazile teamed up with Alabama-based engineer/co-producer, Ben Tanner. The partners in crime spent nearly two years working on the album. Their deliberate working style and musical rapport, which they first formed in Memphis as members of Daryl Strawberry's New Drug, is evident on the 54-minute concept album. The end result of the production duo's labor is a captivating ambiance that transcends the melancholy, anger and elation that are expressed throughout the album.
Previously, Bazile has performed at Austin venues such as Beerland, Momo's and The Parish. With the release of The Sojourn of Professor Narducci, Bazile's efforts have now shifted more towards creating such live interpretations of his songs.
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