Frøjya
Rochester, NH 03867, USA | Established. Jan 01, 2002 | SELF
Music
Press
Local group Rhythm Ship was the first act to take the fog-ridden stage at the packed Dover Brick House on Friday, Aug. 4, bringing with them a blend of music that boasted equal parts funk, jam, rock and world beats. They used these genres to create a very danceable sound that got the whole crowd on their feet and up to the front of the room dancing. Hell, there was even a dude with a cane spinning around in circles, which was curious.
It was hard not to be swept up in the energy of the show. Lead vocalist Maggie Woods is as entertaining as any performer out there, out-dancing the colored strobe lights and wiggling and contorting her body in ways I hadn’t even thought possible. It’s hard to get a good photo of her because of this, but hey, if you’ve got that much love for what you’re doing, then no complaints.
The band played for about an hour, jamming on a few very good original tunes and exploring a couple of cover songs, including Dire Straits’ “Money For Nothing” and a staggering version of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II),” which was cleverly placed in the middle of one of their originals and fit flawlessly into the mix.
Up next was New York City’s Red Lotus. It would have been hard for any band to follow Rhythm Ship’s performance, so no fault to Red Lotus for falling just a tad short. The band had a rockin’, thick grunge sound that was far too rehearsed and “in-the-lines.” It’s safe to say that the entire crowd was waiting for lead guitarist Jean-Marx Santel to rip into a blistering Soundgarden-esque solo mid-song, but alas, this never happened.
Singer Rozz Nash writes songs about failed relationships, which is just a bit cliche. They were a talented bunch, with heavy chord progressions, and a steady rhythm section, but Nash’s baby girl vocal styling wasn’t really fitting the mold of the music all that well.
The crowd did seem to love them quite a bit, though. Watching bearded “hippies” (who assumingly came out for Rythmship) head bang and jump around, in place of twirling around aimlessly, was well worth the price of admission in itself.
Written by Christopher Hislop
Wednesday, 16 August 2006
- the wire
Discography
The Rhythm Ship (2004)
http://www.mindmined.com/audiofun/rhythm_ship/the_rhythm_ship.html
Edge Of Tomorrow (2005)
http://www.mindmined.com/audiofun/rhythm_ship/edge_of_tomorrow.html
Photos
Bio
Named after the Norse goddess, Frøjya (pron. Fruh-ya) connects the darkness with the light, beauty with strength, and the past with the future.
After thirteen years of chaos both on and off the stage, two studio albums, television appearances, dozens of music festivals and hundreds of shows, a major lineup change inspired Rhythm Ship members Maggie Woods, Aaron Johnson, Phil Barber & Doug Knutsen to take the band in a new direction.
With so much history, they bear the scars of many battles lost and won. In the process, they've built a strong foundation and shaped their sound: wild intelligent soul; a spiritual story that roars to life crackling with energy and soaked with emotion; a sort of heavy jazz wrenched from the soul of the earth.
Now they've cast off the burden of that past, but the magic remains. This new formation transcends the modern experience to connect with the deeper senses, drawing life now from a deeper well.
Inspired by sonic storytellers like Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, Jack White, Pink Floyd and Jefferson Airplane, they create soundscapes that alter reality, as the rhythm of the seasons shapes the wild northern landscape that surrounds them.
Frøjya continues the work that The Rhythm Ship began, and they carry the legacy of that music into the future. But the trajectory has changed, and that future is of their own design.
The Band
MAGGIE WOODS: Vocals
Strong vocals are a must for any band, and Maggie shines. Her confident, clear vocal style has a bluesy tone that ranges from warm and fuzzy to hard enough to cut stone when necessary. She has a natural ability to harmonize, even in improv, and fills out the band's sound perfectly.
AARON JOHNSON: Guitar
Aaron brings a wealth of experience and diversity to band. Though an award-winning bluegrass banjo player, he's been playing guitar in all its forms for nearly all his life, and even did time at the illustrious Berkley College of Music in Boston. His raw tones and natural intuition are unmatched.
PHIL BARBER: Bass, Vocals
From the celestial sonic chaos emerged Phil Barber, and through coincidental happenstance he vibrated into sync with Frøjya. With eclectic roots, a music degree and over 15 years of experience in live performance, Phil combines the spiritual nature of music and the laws of vibrational physics to generate a sonic buoyancy that helps to float this mountain of sound.
DOUG KNUTSEN: Drums, Vocals
A dedicated drummer with three decades' experience, Doug brings years of formal training in Jazz, Latin, and African polyrhythms to the band. His tight rolls and complex snare and cymbal work add intricacy to the music. While infusing the music with dynamics, power and drive, Doug makes every performance as unique as Frøjya itself.
Band Members
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