Goldrush

http://youtu.be/lmNlDaNgVqw - Mad Dragon Records/Making Moves

PropertyOfZack spoke with Prabir and Matt from Goldrush a month or so ago for a brief interview. Matt, Prabir, and I discussed the band’s collaboration with Motion City Soundtrack and Drexel University for Making Moves, the 7” they recorded for the series, the band’s history, the future, and more. Check it out below!

For the record, can you guys state your names and roles in Goldrush?
Prabir: My name is Prabir and I play guitar and I sing.
Matt: I’m Matt and I play bass. My wife Treesa plays violin and Gregg with two, I’m sorry, 3 G’s, two at the end plays drums.

You guys were announced for this great Making Moves Motion City project not too long ago, but for readers who might not know who you are, can you just explain the background of the band?
Prabir: I used to play in another group around the east coast and I was trying to get some string players to record some tunes with us, but that band ended up tricking out and breaking up. But Matt and Treesa were still interested in doing it so I thought “Fuck it. Let’s go for it and see what happens.” And we started playing around the Richmond, Virginia area. We picked up our drummer, Gregg Brooks a few months after that and the rest is history.

When exactly was it that Goldrush came into existence?
Prabir: I want to say late 2009, or early 2010… Somewhere in there.
Matt: If I had to guess, I’d say September or October of ‘09.
Prabir: Actually Zack, I’m doing my taxes right now and I just found out that it was in September of 2009 that I bought that guitar so… That’s when it was. So when you turn this interview into the IRS it has to match…
POZ: They will be glad to know you are so on top of documenting.
Prabir: That’s right man, we’re a very fiscally responsible band here at Goldrush.

Also for readers who might not know, how much have you guys released so far in terms of material and that sort of stuff?
Prabir: We have a few tunes that are up on iTunes right now. We haven’t really put out a full length ever. We’ve kind of gone the way of the “guided by voices” philosophy of putting out things in little chunks when they happen. So there’s a handful of music out there. Unfortunately not too much of it is available because we were kind of waiting for something that would be a reason to have it available. And it appears as though this Making Moves Series is that reason.

Exactly, this is a great opportunity. Can you discuss how you came to know the Motion City guys, or how the Motion City guys came to know you?
Prabir: Actually Matt [Taylor] and Tony [Thaxton] used to play in a band in Richmond ages ago. When I was a wee one, I used to go to see them play all the time. I hadn’t really talked to them in ages and all of the sudden Matt Taylor showed up at one of our shows like five months ago or so and was just really excited about the band because he had heard some recordings we did. He had no idea who we were, but he just kind of showed up and…that began that relationship.

When did Making Moves present itself? This is a big deal and a really nice chance so was that right off the bat something that you guys were deeply interested and excited for?
Prabir: Yeah, totally. I can only speak for myself, but we were just super excited and kind of in a state of shock.
Matt: Zack, I’ll speak for the rest of us: We were all stoked.

Motion City has a somewhat mainstream-ish following, but are more seen in the pop-punk world. Your music doesn’t exactly fit in there but not all the Making Moves bands have that sound at all. Was it interesting to work with people in a different sort of environment than you might be used to playing in?
Prabir: Yeah, actually I think that working with Matt Taylor didn’t seem like it was a stretch for any reason. I think that he is very well versed in, I guess, the concept of music. I don’t even know how to explain. He knows when things are bad and when things are good, regardless of what genre. When we went up there to reco - PropertyOfZack.com

Just five years ago, Austin’s Rainey Street neighborhood was a quietly moldering if charming little area. Now, this residential area just southeast of downtown in Austin’s newest hotspot, dotted with houses converted into creative, casual open-air restaurants, food trailers and bars that combine the selection of an upscale hipster hangout with the relaxed atmosphere of a neighborhood watering hole. Among these is Clive Bar, site of the showcase for Richmond, Virginia’s Goldrush.

Why Goldrush? Over the years, there have been many alleged fusions of rock/pop music with classical music. Most of these are simple transpositions of the songs of one genre to the instrumentation and style of the other (Giving us, in one direction, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra and its ilk and, in the other direction, innumerable mediocre albums of symphony orchestras playing Beatles Songs). Goldrush offers a truer form. They are the first band of which I am aware that has succeeded in a more subtle alchemy — musicians who have seamlessly blended classical instrumentation and aesthetics into solid indie-pop.

The band’s composition underscores this aesthetic. Lead singer Prabir Mehta also wields electric guitar, Treesa Gold plays violin, Matt Gold offers a powerful performance on standing bass while Gregg Brooks handles percussion. The Golds are classically trained musicians with symphony cred, while Mehta and Brooks are veterans on the rock and indie sets.

Their first number begins with a long violin solo by Treesa Gold: wild and dark, firmly entrenched of the realm of what is often (and overly simplistically) referred to gypsy music). The full band enters with smart, well-crafted indie pop. Mehta has a smooth, engaging voice that is well suited to indie vibe of the music. Reinforcing this band’s unusual music tool kit, Matt Gold plays his bass with bow, something I’m not sure I’ve seen previously at a rock show.

Goldrush’s sound already displays the intriguing fusion that drew me to their showcase: rock-laden guitar and drums while the bass and violin filling out the bands sound with dignified classical strains. Outside of melodic rock and a few other niche genres, it is rare to find a violin in a rock band that is being played like a violin, and it is truly wonderful thing to watch and hear.

As they play faster and harder, their indie-pop crosses over that nebulous line over into indie rock and even makes brief forays towards pop-punk. These are delicious words to write about a band immersing themselves in furious violin playing and frenetic drum crashes, alternating with slower musical and vocal interludes — as if giving the audience time to catch their breath and reflect on the music.

Individually, the band’s members are turning in impressive instrumental performances. Mahta is a skilled indie rock guitarist. Later in the number, Treesa Gold puts a little funk on the violin (yes, I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve written those words together). Matt Gold pulls off a beautiful rock bass solo (again, played on standing bass using a bow). All of this is punctuated and underscored by the strong sounds of Brooks drum kit.

Watching them jam, witnessing them actually pull off the coveted classical/rock fusion — and hearing that the result is a beautiful thing, not just some novelty, but a wondrous thing to behold.

Their second song begins with some nice vocal work by Mehta. Initially using smooth, even tones approaching spoken-word, he later injects tonality and even a little contra-tenor. This alternation continues throughout the number, switching between smooth, precise spoken-word and conventional, variable-pitch singing … adding another layer to the performance.

Again, the band is very much in indie-pop territory, including polished radio-friendly lyrics such as, “Tell me baby, what you know. I’ve been waiting here.” Goldrush is a delight to watch, much tighter performers than your run-of-the-mill rock band. Towards t - AwaitingTheFlood.com

The songs are grounded in loud guitar chords and big pop hooks, but they’re laced with elegant, symphonic touches, like deep-seated rumblings from Matt Gold’s contrabass and swooning, guitar-like fills from Treesa’s violin. - Fredericksburg.com

It’s a mixture of classical, interjected with pop hooks galore, and a bit of that old fashioned rock n’ roll. It’s a kind of like a famous 17th century composer remixed some Beatles tracks, and Tom Waits decided to cover it before he smoked a million cigarettes. - No Country For New Nashville

This time Prabir Mehta means it. “Touch” sounds like Electric Light Orchestra in a domestic disturbance — a cranky piece of vitriol coming from a baroque-rock band normally known for pure pop. - Style Weekly

What’s truly remarkable isn’t that these distinctive sounds are simply there, it’s how well they work together and the way they leave room for each other to be heard. The violin and double bass operate at opposite ends of the tonal spectrum, meaning that there is an amazing, wide-open middle space, where clever lyrics can
shine and Mehta’s guitar sounds beautifully crisp, whether he’s playing chords or single notes. This much space is hard to find in rock music, and songs like “God” and “Atomic Bomb Blues” show that you can generate boatloads of momentum and energy without packing the mix with every instrument imaginable. - You Hear That