Guitars
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Guitars

New York City, New York, United States

New York City, New York, United States
Band Folk

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Mecca Lecca Presents Guitars"

With a calming sound, Guitars sound in no way like the guitar-heavy band that their moniker would imply.

See Guitars live at Pianos on March 7, 2001 w/ Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson, Friend Roulette, Team Genius, and Invisible Days - Mecca Lecca


"Guitars-I'm Really Sorry You Guys"

There are many links to fine reviews of this freak-psych-folksy-rockin’ band at ‘Guitars’ website. Just a note of caution, this stuff will get under your skin if given a fair shake. Go to the homepage to find the meaning of the title of this EP. It gives new meaning to the phrase, ‘that really bites.’

Guitars – Philip K Dick Was A Prophet

Guitars — Keep In Mind (STYFN)

BIO: Brooklyn band Guitars began as an experimental music and art project between husband and wife team Kenric and Shanna McDowell. After the pair spent time in the jungles of Peru they decided to get married, packed up whatever they could fit in a van and moved to upstate New York to record an album. They self-released the album, Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia, in 2010. (Their first ep Faster was released on Overlap.org in 2008.) The band has evolved into a four piece and toured the U.S. and Western Canada, playing venues like the Silverlake Lounge in L.A., Ottoman Empire in Chicago, The Cave in Chapel Hill, Philly’s Johnny Brenda’s and NYC’s Piano’s. They hit the festival circuit this summer playing the Kahbang Fest in Maine opening for OK Go! and Bad Rabbits. Kenric and Shanna also created The Sonic Medicine Wheel show series-a monthly event where musicians come together to collaborate.

http://guitarstheband.tumblr.com/
- Heroes Of Indie Music


"Guitars at VOV Fest Trail Show"

We've never heard of The Valley of the Vapors Festival before but we've definitely heard of the wonderful Guitars (Introducing article here). Check out this lovely video. - The 405


"Guitars Talk Shop and Share Their New EP for Free"

Recently releasing a music video for their song “Keep in Mind” and wrapping up the recording to their upcoming EP I’m Really Sorry You Guys, East-Coast duo Guitars have been keeping their noses to the grindstone. Kenric McDowell and wife Shanna Hill-McDowell formed their psych-folk sound back in 2008 while exploring the jungles of Peru. Shortly after their return to the states the two got hitched, ditched their stuff and moved to the Catskills to make their first record, Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia. Since then they’ve been splitting their time between Brooklyn and the road, recording the new EP and putting together the Sonic Medicine Wheel Ceremony Show series in Brooklyn.

One part psychedelic guitar swells and two parts male-female western vocals, I’m Really Sorry You Guys is a charmingly folksy EP with an unexpected twist of sci-fi. Evidently Kenric and Shanna were deeply immersed in the work of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick and the world of psychedelic end times narratives while writing the four songs featured on the EP. Unsurprisingly, the opening track to I’m Really Sorry You Guys is “Philip K. Dick was a Prophet”, an organ supported little ditty that sings about wanting to leave a “black iron prison” for something better. Music fans looking for folk taken on with a new angle will not be disappointed by I’m Really Sorry You Guys and curious new listeners can check out the new EP for free on their blog, www.mysticalhit.com.

Kenric and Shanna recently spoke with Reviewsic via email about their new EP, the instruments they wish they played and what inspires their sound.

Watch the new video for “Keep in Mind” on Vimeo Here


Reviewsic: What are your top three musical influences?
Guitars: Any song with a great hook. The sounds of the jungle in Peru. Old school blues and country.

Reviewsic: Is there any instrument you don’t play, but wish you did?
Guitars: Saxophone (Kenric) Sitar (Shanna) Imagine the duets!

Reviewsic: What are the last three albums or bands you listened to?
Guitars: Rosa Giove Takiwasi “Abrete Corazón (bootleg from Youtube)”, Avey Tare “Down There”, Mos Def “The Ecstatic”

Reviewsic: If you could work with one person in the music industry (musician, label, producer etc), who would it be and why?
Guitars: We’ve been long time fans of many Drag City artists and would love to have a record on that label-preferably one produced by Beck.

Reviewsic: If you could book a tour with any 3 bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Guitars: The Grateful Dead because they’re The Grateful Dead. Daniel Johnston because he is a musical genius / angel. Tinariwen so they could school us.

Reviewsic: Lately we’ve been on this kick of revisiting bands we didn’t pay as much attention to in the past and wondering, “Why didn’t I listen to this 10 years ago?”- If you could go back in time and push 3 bands/records on your younger self, who/what would they be and why?
Guitars: Patti Smith, Rev. Gary Davis and Nina Simone because our younger selves should have heard the origins of the music we were listening to.

Reviewsic: Tell us about your music- where does the inspiration for it come from? Did you set out with the specific intention to make the kind of music you make?
Guitars: The true inspiration for our music comes from the work we have done with plant medicine. The first thing we ever wrote was a chant which we never thought we would play for anyone. Once we started writing “song” songs we just couldn’t stop.

Reviewsic: How would you compare yourselves as musicians at this point as opposed to when you first began playing together?
Guitars: Touring and recording have taught us so much about music. We have definitely improved technically. But we have also been pushed past our limits physically and mentally and have learned to be fed by the music.

Reviewsic: What are some of your favorite cities/venues to play? Any places you haven’t gotten to that you’re dying to play at?
Guitars: Chicago! We had a really awesome attentive audience last time we played (at Ottoman Empire). New Orleans because it’s magical. Maxine’s in Hot Springs, Arkansas because they have the best pizza and sound and some of the nicest people come to shows there. We really want to play at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California.

Reviewsic: What are the best and worst band moments so far in your career?
Guitars: They might be one and the same… when we got stuck in a ditch on Lonesome Road in Louisiana. Although, coming back to Brooklyn after touring and playing for an excited hometown crowd is kind of the best.

Reviewsic: What does each member bring to the table to make Guitars what it is?
Guitars: This is a hard question because we all bring so many different things…but the two of us seem to bring something of our inimate connection to each song and luckily we work with close friends and talented musicians who help us to bring the songs to a new place. We’ve toured and recorded with a few different drummers so there’s always a bit of a shift depending on who’s behind the kit. Luckily our bass player Bug has been around the whole time and helps us stay rooted. She’s kind of amazing.

Reviewsic: What are your plans for your music in the next year?
Guitars: We have so many new songs that we hope to record another full length this year. Also we plan on touring as much as possible.
- Reviewsic


"Introducing /Interview//Guitars"


Introducing #132 Guitars // Interview
by The 405 // 08 February, 2011

Searching the internet for new bands is certainly a tricky business, especially with Myspace committing web suicide with their latest re-design. Back in the day you could look up a band you liked, scrolled down to see who they were friends with and continue down that path until something moved you. Thankfully bands like Guitars like to reach out to folk like us, and we're glad they did. They create a lovely blend of indie/pop/folk/country and lead singer Shanna has a voice as pretty the face it's projected from. We sent the band some 'Introducing' questions to find out a little bit more about them. Where are you guys from? We live in Brooklyn, NY but we are both from the west coast originally.   How long have you been playing together?    For three years. We released our first album in 2010. How would you describe your music? We call our music psychedelic country. We see psychedelic music, country, blues and folk music as part of an American tradition. We would ultimately prefer to be called Americana so I guess we're working on changing the definition of that genre. What would you consider your main musical influences? Old school country like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. Neil Young. Fleetwood Mac. Nina Simone. Peter Tosh. Singing poets like Patti Smith and David Berman. Ceremonial music from all over the world. In terms of your roots, do feel any musical connection to it or indeed to any scene surrounding it?    There was an era when pop music was used to spread an almost mystical vision of what modern life and culture could become. Many of the people we play shows with are interested in that time and that vision. Also, many of them have an interest in the transformative properties of music, its healing aspect. That's what our series Sonic Medicine Wheel Ceremony Show is all about.   What element of your music most sets you apart from other bands around? We want to live up to the legacy of the country and soul musicians that created pop music as we know it. Live performance is really important to us so we focus on bringing it with a tight band. Our songs are about matters that transcend the everyday and we put a lot of intention into our words and how we present them. We're creating something to outlast the hype cycle. Melody is very important to us.  What are your plans for 2011? We've got a new EP coming out soon, as well as plans for an accompanying short film. We're gonna start working on another record this year, do some touring, and hopefully make it to the beach. 1
- The 405


"TMM Feature/Interview: Guitars"

TMM Feature: Guitars

[photo credit]
By Katie Rosenbrock
Kenric McDowell and Shanna Hill-McDowell are not only husband and wife but also each make up one half of the psychedelic country-folk band Guitars. The fact that they’ve ultimately ended up making music together is just one part of their unique and spontaneous story.
“We had been wanting to do something but what we did was more like performance art and it slowly developed into a more musical structure,” said Kenric.
The duo traveled to the jungles of Peru to work with a Shaman and decided to tie the knot upon their return to Brooklyn. Shortly after, they moved to a more rural landscape in upstate New York, where they wrote and recorded their first full-length album, “Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia.”
“We were like, ‘Let’s leave and go to the mountains!’ That’s when we recorded the record,” said Shanna.
Their name, Guitars came about as a sort of joke, while the two were making fun of a burger restaurant with the overly literal name, “Burger.”
“We were talking about this burger joint that’s called “Burger…” said Kenric.
“And it was so obvious. So we were like, ‘Oh, what if there was a band called Guitars?’ and that’s what happened,” Shanna said, finishing Kenric’s sentence.
The two say that artists like, Daniel Johnston and the Silver Jews, who they consider “intimate” and “honest” are among some of their biggest inspirations.
“I think artists that also think of themselves as writers are big inspirations for us; like David Berman is a good example because he also published poetry,” said Kenric.
They also site some older artists like Fleetwood Mac, Patti Smith, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and Nina Simone as some of their favorites.
As far as live performances go, the band toured around the U.S. over the summer and during most of last year. Recently, they have been involved in a music project called The Sonic Medicine Wheel Ceremony Show, which is a series of performances by various artists in Bushwick, Brooklyn that take place at astrologically significant times.
“Beyond the fact that they’re friends of ours, we really like the music alot. It’s become a community for us and we sort of share the music that we’re making with each other,” said Kenric.
The duo’s future plans involve the release of a new EP in January and an upcoming live performance as a part of the Sonic Medicine Wheel Ceremony Show on December 21, at the Numu Loft in Bushwick.
“Because it’s the Winter Solstice and a full moon, we’re putting together a big show,” said Shanna.
For more from guitars visit their Tumblr blog, Myspace page and Soundcloud profile.
Buy Soundtrack to Your Future Nostagia - The Most Music


"Guitars at VOV Fest Trail Show"

Video March 31, 2011 0 comments

Guitars just wrapped up SXSW and some post-SXSW touring. Check out their “trail show” at the Valley of the Vapors Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas. These are some crisp acoustics for the woods!

* They’re also playing at Johnny Brenda’s in Philly on Saturday with Summer Fiction, Snowmine, and Work Drugs, presented by Yvynyl: If you happen to be in the area why not go out and meet some really fine people, rsvp to the facebook page!
- The Record Stack


"Download//Guitars: I'm Really Sorry You Guys"

I really like when bands offer some music for free to expand their name and get people listening. I think for a lot of new bands this is a perfect way to get your name around. That being said a band by the name of Guitars is offering their new EP I'm Really Sorry You Guys for free. The music they make has been described by their bio as psychedelic country / folk, but I also hear some experimental sounds in the mix.

The story begins with husband and wife team Kenric and Shanna McDowell, who spent time in Peru then decided to get married. They would then pack up and move to NY to record some music. Now Guitars is a four piece band having toured the US and Western Canada. As they continue on their musical adventure they find new fans everyday. The new EP has 4 wonderfully crafted songs which are a great addition to your collection of music. Check out a video for the track "Keep In Mind" and click the link below to download the EP.

Fresh? - Oh So Fresh Music


"Guitars: Brooklyn Country Psych Band Releases New EP!"

Guitars are proud to announce the release of their new EP, "I'm Really Sorry You Guys".

Recorded in a spontaneous studio session at Mysterious Mammal in LA while touring in support of their debut album Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia, the new EP represents an expansion of Guitars delicate and moving psych-folk sounds further into the realms of psych and country. The dynamic live sound Guitars has developed on the road is fully present on the new EP. Tracked live by the band in one day without a click track, the recording embodies Guitars obsession with classic country and soul recordings. Piano, organ and sixties style mixing all add to the vintage feel.

The four songs on the EP were written while the band was living in upstate NY and working on Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia. Shanna and Kenric were deeply immersed in the work of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick and various spiritual and psychedelic end times narratives. While the lyrical content is indeed cosmic there is a newfound focus on storytelling and concrete imagery that will engage listeners.

The cover art sums up Guitars goals for the EP while continuing their practice of collaborating with excellent photographers. Collapsing western creation and historical narratives into a single hilarious and trippy moment, the image asks the question that is implicit throughout all of I'm Really Sorry You Guys, "What have we done??? What have we done???"

Credits:
Vocals, ukulele - Shanna Hill-McDowell
Vocals, guitars, organ, piano, mixing- Kenric McDowell
Bass - Bug
Drums - Malcolm Holt
Recorded and mastered by Matt Lynch
Cover photo of Shanna and Kenric by Jen Rodewald, collage by Kenric McDowell
Snake provided by reptilerecyclery.org

Upcoming Tour Dates
With Bug (bass), JC (drums) and Kuz (gong + hype).

*SXSW* March 16th Beatles Complete w/Roger Greenwal @ Jo's Coffeet Austin,TX
*SXSW* March 19th Spiderhouse Austin, TX
March 22nd Valley of the Vapors Festival Hot Springs, AR
March 23rd Valley of the Vapors Festival Hot Springs, AR
March 24th Soundpony Tulsa, OK
March 25th Double Wide Dallas, TX

Links:
Guitars - Brooklyn Rocks


"Guitars!"

MysticalHit.com - Guitars
We played with this band from Brooklyn, a while back, called Guitars. They were pretty amazing. Since the show, we've been pretty obsessed with their music, and goings on, and felt like sharing. Here is a link to their official blog... There you can find free downloads of their albums, and show dates! - Losergaze


"Guitars//I'm Really Sorry You Guys EP"



Guitars // I’m Really Sorry You Guys EP
Guitars are just fun. I’m not talking about the instrument (although in all honesty those are fun, too). No, I’m talking about the Brooklyn folk duo who recently released their newest EP I’m Really Sorry You Guys for free.
As you can tell from the cover, these two don’t take themselves too seriously. Although they totally could if they wanted to because I think they’re that good. The production on this EP is stellar and their songwriting continues to be nothing short of amazing. Mixing folk, psych, and some country this four-song release is a short glimpse into the world that these two created. It’s a place of beauty that slowly unveils itself; peeling back layer after layer it will take you to surprising places if you let it.
Download I’m Really Sorry You Guys for free right here.
- Cactus Mouth


"Download//Guitars"

Not only do the girls are love those less-commercially minded, those who strive for DIY greatness and who embrace less traditional (read soulless) ways of approaching things, but we’re also predominantly skint and love a spot o-free music.

So imagine our joy when we learned that New York based duo Guitars are releasing their new EP, I’m Really Sorry You Guys, for free download.

Recorded in a spontaneous studio session at Mysterious Mammal in LA while touring in support of Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia, the EP represents an expansion of Guitars delicate and moving folk sound further into the realms of psych and country. The four songs on the EP were written while the band was living in upstate NY and were deeply immersed in the work of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick and various spiritual and psychedelic end times narratives.



Get your free download here - and make sure you let us know what you think.



Annette Barlow

- The Girls Are


"New Music Wednesday with Guitars!"

I woke up this morning and checked ye ol' book of face. To discover that Guitars have released a 4 song EP available now for free download! I just downloaded it and have only listened through once so cannot give my super educated, timely thoughts on it, but it sounds super clean and offers more straight forward song structures and a certain sense of humor (OMG the cover!!! you must see!) that could be the ticket to get their sound out there to those "other people" without losing the integrity of meaning and harnessing of the Universe so apparent in Soundtrack For Your Future Nostalgia, which you should also make sure to listen to if you haven't already. Yay! New music. Right now, my favorite song on the EP is Them Mysterious Places...which is yours? - Je m'appele Stori


"Guitars (the band) video review for Keep In Mind"

Brooklyn psychedelic country band, Guitars, definitely know how to match up their song “Keep In Mind” with a perfect powerful video. The soft plucking of the acoustic guitar, along with soft warm vocals, and their unique tone really makes this song their own. Stream their debut album Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia on SoundCloud.

And be sure to follow these chaps on the tumblrz! - The Record Stack


"Soundtrack to your future nostalgia."

I wouldn’t claim they have the most original band name around, but the Brooklyn duo Guitars surely knows how to compose catchy and quirky pop songs that makes you wish everyday was one of those lazy Sundays dedicated to long breakfasts and good novels. Their throughoutfully beautiful album Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia from 2010 gives us a sound with elements from both country/bluegrass and psych-folk: sometimes as soft as silk, and sometimes even making your dancing feet tickle a little. By recording the album in a temple and a farmhouse in upstate NY, Guitars have managed to capture an atmosphere unlike to anything similar I’ve heard, giving it that warm, almost carefree sound.

Check out the music video for Keep in Mind below, featuring three whole minutes of beautiful women crying. Pretty amazing. - No Fear of Pop


"Keep In Mind Video Post"

Keep In Mind by Guitars - All Everyone,United


"Check Out Guitars"



Guitars // “Keep In Mind”
Poor kids in Guitars emailed me awhile back and I never got to it. After watching this video and listening to the song I am kicking myself (hard and with steel-toed boots) that I didn’t listen to it earlier. It’s just stunning and beautiful and emotionally affecting. It’s everything that you could want in a folk song. I’m picky with folk music as of late (I have my reasons), but Guitars is one group who has a beautiful sound and they just seem so genuine.
The video itself is a perfect fit for the song. We’re talking hand in glove here. The song is a minimal folk gem with some perfectly meshing boy/girl vocals. Now the beauty and emotion of the song is contrasted by the stark image of two girls slowly crying. What starts out as as a lump in the throat and a quiver of the chin quickly evolves into a no-holds-barred display of waterworks complete with smeared mascara. It’s a bittersweet display of emotion that while not necessarily easy to watch, it makes for a great video.
Now after you watch the video make sure you skip on over to the band’s blog and check out their debut album Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia.
- Cactus Mouth


"Artist Spotlight:Guitars"

The1st time we heard guitars, we listened to their track “Keep In Mind.” The song was sad yet beautiful and drew us right in. Their tunes are a blend of psych rock, folk, and alternative country, and what a nice blend it is. Their tracks are smooth and relaxing. You’ll find a lot of acoustic guitar with duet style singing. I would love to see these guys as my 1st show of the day at a music festival. It would be a great way to start the day. Plus, how could you not check out a band that calls themselves Guitars. - Music Junkies


"Introducing Guitars"

Guitars, the Brooklyn duo comprised of Kenric and Shanna MacDowell, seem to be cramming as many 21st century indie pop cliches as possible into their resume. Cat on the album cover? Check. Difficult-to-Google band name? Check. Adorable boy-girl duo? You betcha.

However, these guys aren’t riding the bandwagon. They create disarmingly woozy and gentle psych-folk which is built around the beautiful interplay of their voices. This vocal partnership generally allows Shanna to come to the fore, with Kenric a dark whisper in the background, rippling along like a hidden stream. Acoustic guitars support the voices mostly, and all of their songs have a really wonderful tone guitar wise; and they don’t just stick to one single strumming or picking style. Gentle drizzles of clean electric guitar glide over their sparse yet intoxicating arrangements, yet they’re also able to crank everything up for some stomping, psychadelic blues at times.

They released their debut album Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia back in March 2010 and it didn’t make much of a splash, which really is a shame. It’s aptly named as their songs do have a wonderfully charming, spacey air, so they sound half remembered and eerie, like a memory. Furthering their sepia toned, nostalgic aesthetic, Shanna and Kendric share birthdays with Neil Young and Kendric respectively, and their sound is especially reminiscent of the former at times.

They may not set the world on fire, but I hope that they warm your hearts. Download “My Bad” below.

[mp3] Guitars // My Bad


0 Comments - Leave a comment!
- Tympanogram


"Best of NYC Alt-Folk"


Best of NYC Submissions, ALT FOLK: Pearl & The Beard + HUFF THIS!



The "race" for the Alt Folk section of our Best of NYC Emerging Artists 2010 Poll was extremely close and this makes us suffer - the 7 bands in the top 3 positions (5 of them tied on 3rd) all averaged ratings equal to or above 8 out of 10. Due to limited spots we can only take the top two bands to the next phase of the poll: Pearl and the Beard (top picture) and their heartfelt and perfectly harmonized folk, and HUFF THIS! and their sparse and atmospheric songs.

Categories: ALT FOLK
Region: NYC + NJ + Long Island
Jurors: Deli Chicago and Philadelphia Editors

1. Pearl and the Beard - NOMINATED FOR THE NEXT PHASE
2. HUFF THIS! - NOMINATED FOR THE NEXT PHASE



3. Great Elk
3. Lucinda Black Bear
3. Nightmare River Band
3. StickLips
3. The Whispering Tree
8. Like, Mountains
9. Whale Belly
10. Backwords
10. Guitars - The DeliNYC


"Watch This: Keep In Mind (video)"

A reminder of how calming simplicity is and the cathartic power of a good cry.
- The World In a Paper Cup


"Guitars:Video Feature for Keep In Mind"

Guitars - Keep In Mind

Did y’all see that news going around yesterday about how tears don’t smell good to people of the opposite sex (or some such thing). Fitting then, that I share this video from a single off this Brooklyn band’s new release Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia [itunes link]. Beautiful women weeping. That’s it. I definitely made me uneasy, but I think that’s the point. Comforting, lush soundtrack to tell you, “know what baby? It’s gonna be allllll right. Keep that chin up.”

Folks are up on the Tumblrsphere. They be crowdfunding their next video here. Help out! Wanna see more from these guys. - Yvinyl


"Guitars: My Bad and Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia"

Started by wife & husband Shanna and Kenric Hill-McDowell, Guitars is a folksy band out of upstate New York. They’re making some pretty good country folk that sometimes dabbles in slightly psychedelic influences. The band cites artists like the Silver Jews and Fleetwood Mac as some of the biggest influences on their sound.

“My Bad” is a great example of the kind of fun, feel-good tunes these guys are putting out. The vocal harmonies are warm and sweet and the instrumentation is something to bob your head to, or maybe sway a little.

However you choose to dance to it, you’ll definitely feel like dancing with some friends while listening to Guitars. Check out their blog for periodic updates and buy their album, Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia, on iTunes now! - Neon Waves


"Featured Track by Guitars: My Bad"

Guitars - “My Bad” - Lookie here, another submission from Brooklyn! Much different than the track above; “My Bad” is a wonderfully wistful 3-minute folk ditty, supported by some duet style male-and-female vocal harmonizing. This would make a perfect soundtrack to a movie montage of the romantically-involved protagonists frolicking through a cornfield down south in the middle of the August sun. Listen to their Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia EP on their Tumblr for free! - Whiskey Transfusion Blog


"Guitars - Record Review"

Guitars - My Bad

With slow, sultry, dueling male/female vocals Guitars sounds like the fusion of two of my favorite newish bands, the XX and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes.

Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, Guitars is the perfect soundtrack to a afternoon hike, a moonlit sit on a rooftop with a someone you love and a good bottle of wine. They are the perfect accompaniment to a long journey. They are a lazy Saturday afternoon, and a swinging Friday night. Sleep and sex. Dreams of being awake.

Basically, just a great fucking listen.

You can check them out/follow them right here on Tumblr, or give them a listen and get a little more info on their Myspace page. - Edible Sounds


"PLAYING TONIGHT"

Monkeytown: I’m liking Guitars‘ ”minimal country”. Their EP Faster is up for free download at overlap.org - Hooves on the Turf


"Share Time With Guitars"

This is my friend Shanna and one piece of the puzzle that is the sexiest couple I know. She is also in this band with her husband Kenric called Guitars (if you don't click that you're an idiot). They make the kind of music that can change your life. I have a lot of talented friends and many play in bands that I am impressed by. But a while back, whilst watching this band perform, I could not stop, and had no desire to, tears falling down my face. As they leave their current home of upstate New York and country living to hit the road for a tour, you now too have the opportunity to see them play and be touched. I had some questions for Shanna before she left. She had some answers. It went a little something like this:

Me: Whenever I find myself talking about your music with people they always want to know "what kind of music is it?" I wonder how you answer them and if the question itself bothers you, the fact that it's so important for people to have a genre to put music into?

Shanna: Yes sometimes it's bothersome. But people like categories so whaddya gonna do? Genres can be useful as shorthand for the histories and artists that influence us. We came up with a few of our own like "minstrel rock" and "pagan gospel." Many times I just say : "We really like Fleetwood Mac."

Me: Making music with your husband must be a beautiful thing. How does your relationship effect the music you create considering you are both a part of the whole creative process together?

Shanna: It's almost impossible to play music together when things aren't good between us. We have to keep things clear for the musical energy to flow. The upswing is that we get to have a lot of fun together and we have a good reason to put aside petty bs. On the other hand, the repercussions of being musically selfish or egotistical are pretty damaging. I think the most important thing is that the audience gets to see two people that are very accessible to each other performing together, which is not that common.

Me: Is it hard sometimes to not be in Guitars mode and just be newlyweds?

Shana: No.

Me: Quitting work, leaving your apartment and making that commitment to your music must have been intimidating. What can you say about taking that leap for your art? Do you think it's something you could have done alone?

Shanna: hmmm. well I mean I had a vision during an ayahuasca ceremony that told me to get out of the city, be alone with my husband and make music. That being said yes it was hard hard hard-but I didn't feel like there was any other choice. So whatever had to be done in order to do that just had to be done. I mean I hate to make it sound like I was following orders or something and there was no freewill involved-that's not the case. If anything things just become clear like "this is important" and "this is not" But if I start talking plant medicine...that's a whole separate interview...
Kenric: What's really hard is sitting on a great thing that needs to be shared or wasting a once in a lifetime opportunity. Right now I feel like there is always enough energy available to do what needs to get done. Especially if there is good coffee around. We're getting all that we really need.

Me: What's been the best part about leaving the city? What do you miss most?

Shanna: Silence. clean air. stars. mountains. streams. SPACE! SPACE! SPACE! I miss the friends that I have in the city. people basically and the good things that come along with a ba jillion people gathered together in a pretty small space...that's also what I don't miss. sigh.
Kenric: The people of NYC are super inspiring. However, there is a lot of static and competitiveness that can limit your perception. When I'm looking at mountains or a huge blue sky I know why I want to play music.

Me: You guys are taking a pretty grassroots approach to your upcoming tour, have you found a lot of support from people while putting it all together? What have been some major obstacles?

Shanna: At this point I'd say we're actually a step below grassroots-ha! We're aiming for cultivating a real grass roots fan base. Right now it's do whatever we can d.i.y. pay your dues touring. And basically we're learning as we go. It's hard spending a million hours on the internet contacting everyone and their mother and trying to be both aggressive and gracious. We have found other musicians along the way who are genuine about liking the music and have helped us with shows. But it's a lot of basically "hey I know you've never heard of us but we're serious and our music is good and we'll play anywhere at any time because we just want to play music!" Basically it's working your ass off and luck.

Me: I find your music to be pretty damn spiritual. What do you hope people take from listening to your album and seeing you play?

Kenric: We are Living.
Shanna: Recently we went to visit a Mahayana Buddhist temple. It was crazy because they were renovating it and there were ladders and paint buckets everywhere and a sassy little nun who was yelling at us-I mean as much as a Buddhist nun yells. Anyway I got a fortune scroll and it said " You will change your whole nation's view and build a spaceship for its crew".

Me: Does it feel pretty awesome to be a chick in front of a microphone? It's so many girls fantasy, I can imagine it's pretty empowering.

Shanna: Singing in front of people has always been utterly terrifying to me. Like paralyzing. When I sing in the band I try to think of it as an offering and remember that humans have been making music from time immemorial. It makes it easier. So when I do all that and get past the fear-it's thrilling and awesome and yes I am living out a bit of the fantasy of that 9 year old girl who use to sing Reba and Madonna in her bedroom...

Me: How much thought do you guys have to put into Guitars' image? Are you aware of how the public is going to perceive you or do you try to leave that out completely. I can imagine it's a frustrating reality for musicians to deal with, I am curious if you guys have had to discuss this.

Kenric: I see having an "image" positively. It's an opportunity to be creative.
Shanna: Yeah we enjoy playing with aesthetics-it's fun! When we make something like album art or take a photo it's a way to play with other media.

Me: What's your favorite song to sing, why?

Kenric: Singing the Gospel of Mama is pretty fun for me. That's as naked as I can be.
Shanna: Sometmes when we sing Big Black Hole I feel somewhat possessed.

Me: Who's going to look after the goats while you're on tour?

Shanna: Bruce-the Swami. They're his goats after all.

I'm a fan of anything that ends with goats.

More Guitar Pics:
- Je Mapelle Stori


"Guitars"

These guys are Goood! - Mansvolk


"Guitars: Psych folk from Brooklyn"

This band looks decent so they deserve a post. Though just about everything is called psychedelic or folk these days these guys sound pretty unique. Guitars is a psychedelic country / folk band from Brooklyn. Their debut album is called Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia. Think raspy vocals, shambling beats, country churches and Himalayan peaks. Think She and Him with a lot more balls. Perfect for fans of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, xx, Belle and Sebastian.

Guitars also curate the Sonic Medicine Wheel Ceremony Show Series at the Numu Loft in Bushwick.

More at http://guitarstheband.tumblr.com/ - musicandartblog.com


"Featured Track: My Bad by Guitars"

Slow dancing, smoke filled afternoons, and joyous occasions are recalled by this little gem of a track where confidence and ease are worn like a time-worn sweater. - My Eyes Are Diamonds blog


"Guitars play CMJ 2010"

Rasping boy and girl harmonies to a shambling country-church beat. - CMJ


"Check out Guitars!"

Contrary to what popular belief may currently exist in the universe, we do actually like it when bands approach us in order to promote themselves, especially when considerate of our tastes. Guitars is a “psychedelic country/folk band” from Brooklyn, which is already the best genre description of all time. This song is the single off of their debut Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia, which might just be my new favorite album title. - Something For the Ladies Blog


"Featured Band: Guitars"

Guitars is a psychedelic country/folk band from Brooklyn New York. According to their bio, the duo’s musical beginnings are attributed to days of hanging out in the living room, writing chants, which eventually evolved into writing songs. Then they booked some live shows, made on an EP (Faster), got married (true story), and then naturally, made a full length album (Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia). Basically your typical “decided to start a new band” story.

No, but seriously, the duo are really onto something with their tunes and their goal is to “kill you musically with love.” If that mission statement alone isn’t a good enough reason as any to check out their jams, then I don’t know what is!

More Guitars on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. - The Most Music Blog


"Track Recommendation - My Bad"

A wonderful track from some Brooklyn Natives, Guitars. They’ve been reviewed as, “..She & Him with a lot more balls.” I support that review, check them out on tumblr, and some more recordings can be found here. - Your Day Blog


"NYC Bands you should check out: Guitars - play CMJ on 10.19"

Guitars’ first full-length album “Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia” could also be named “Soundtrack for Your Future Guru.” Meditation and chanting and bell ringing should be sing-along requirements for this release from the Brooklyn couple (Kenric McDowell and Shanna Hill-McDowell) that often plays live as a quartet. As a matter of fact the album was inspired by a trip in the jungles of Peru` after Shanna was attacked after performing at an art show. It’s heartfelt folk with strummed guitar, haunting vocals, and a toe-tapping echo that stirs from a Himalayan peak of enlightenment. - The Deli NYC


"Featured Artist for February 2010-Numu Arts Collective"

About GUITARS:
Guitars is basically a couple of psychedelic using freaks trying to make playing in a rock band make sense with hanging out in Peru with shamans on mountaintops etc. We've played in art galleries, in bars, in apartments, in the jungle, on tour in the midwest, the south and the west coast. We've played with bass and drums, with goats, with rattles and nothing else. We recorded an album in a temple and a farmhouse in upstate NY. It's called Soundtrack to Your Future Nostalgia. The swami that married us played on it. Right now we're crashing on our bass player's floor in Bushwick. We're launching a series of shows in medicine wheels. We want to kill you musically with love and we like it when you dance. - Numu Arts


"Guitars @ DIY Bushwick Fest feat in the Deli 3/2010"

My 2nd night at the DIY Budhwick festival (which was the fest's 3rd overall as Bill covered last night's shows) started out calmly, with Guitars at the Opera House lofts. Self described as minimalist country, they had slow but driving rhythms, simple melodies, harmonica and tambourine interludes. - Deli Magazine


"Wednesday, 17 December 2008 Guitars - Faster EP"

Guitars are a duo from Brooklyn this is their debut Ep ands its really great, they call their music minimal psychedelic country which is fitting, but it should be said taht the songs are really catchy as well. - wowchampagne


Discography

Faster EP released in 2008 on Overlap.org
Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia LP-Self released 2010
I'm really sorry,you guys EP -Released in March 2011

Photos

Bio

Brooklyn band Guitars began as an experimental music and art project between husband and wife team Kenric and Shanna McDowell. Shanna was attacked after performing at an art show and the pair spent time in the jungles of Peru. After returning they packed up whatever they could fit in a van and moved to upstate New York to record an album. They self-released the album, Soundtrack To Your Future Nostalgia, in 2010. (Their first ep Faster was released on Overlap.org in 2008.) The band has evolved into a four piece and toured the U.S. and Western Canada, playing venues like the Silverlake Lounge in L.A., Ottoman Empire in Chicago, The Cave in Chapel Hill and New York's Knitting Factory.They hit the festival circuit last summer playing the Kahbang Fest in Maine opening for OK Go! and Bad Rabbits and hitting up SXSW and the Valley of the Vapors Festival this Spring.They released their second ep "I'm Really Sorry You Guys" in March of 2011. Guitars has been compared to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and She and Him ("but with a lot more balls"- according to the Portland Phoenix) and has garnered much praise for their creative and intriguing music videos.