Melodrome

GREAT BARRINGTON -- On Melodrome's brand new record, "Happens While You Blink," the band decided to de-emphasize the roll and accentuate the rock.

After "Play America," their previous politically inclined release, songwriter Robby Baier felt like taking a break from the seriousness.

"One day I picked up my crappy Silvertone guitar, plugged it into a no-name amp I had bought at a tag sale, turned everything up to 11 and started rocking, writing some riffs," said Housatonic's Baier in an e-mail exchange.

Those riffs turned into power-popping tracks from the new independently released CD. The rollicking "What More," the funky and profane "Jagged Love" and the rough-and-tumble "Rumors" all sprang from the Silvertone session and will be part of the setlist at Saturday night's CD-release show at Club Helsinki.

Bassist Jesko Stahl attributed the band's tougher tone to the vibe in the studio along with the work of producer, Justin Guip.

"A couple of songs really only came together in the studio where we came up with the arrangement and everybody figured out their parts. But I love this way of recording. Decisions are made on the fly. It gives the album a rawer sound."

The band's passion and punchier sound is evident throughout the dozen tracks. Drummer Matt Sloan acknowledged the wish to move to a more aggressive approach.

"I think we were ready to move in a totally different direction. We always had an edgier side, that I think never really came out on the previous albums. It just felt like the right time to lash out and say "Here's the Rock."

Baier turned his attention away from global affairs for "Happens While You Blink" to the politics of the heart.

"Lyrically I turned back to a time when I was not so lucky in love, a time where I was going through a major break-up," he said. " 'What More,' 'North Dakota,' and 'Jagged Love' all talk about love gone sour and being really pissed about it."

The record includes makeup songs ("Crying Is Done"), straight-out love songs ("The Making Of"), and a song about traveling in time with your lover ("Yesterday"). Other compositions deal with more existential matters.

"There are the songs that are about self-realization and consciousness, like 'All the Same' and 'High Noon Breakdown,' " Baier explained. "These songs offer both sides of the story, one is about the confusion of life, one about being one with everything."

The Berkshires-based band remains committed to social causes and participating in a sustainable future. Their eco-friendly attitude is evidenced by an innovative approach Melodrome took toward packaging the new album. Mystery Train Records donated 250 recycled, 12-inch vinyl album covers to the band, who then had them cut down and sewn together to create jackets for the new CDs.

The band will be releasing the first 1,000 copies with "one-of-a-kind" album artwork where no two jackets will be identical. Said Baier, "Doing this cover is a small thing that we as a band can do to say to folks: 'Check it out. We tried to come up with a different, less harmful way to do what we do."

Sloan talked about the theme behind the CD's title. " 'Happens While You Blink' is a reference to all the subtle things that happen in your life day to day," the drummer said. "One moment everything is beautiful and perfect and the next thing you know everything is going down the drain. In a rock band you experience this stuff pretty regularly!"

Baier added, "For me, the title has more to do with my philosophical approach to life. Life happens while you blink, all the time, non-stop and it is silly to hope for something in the future that is somehow going to make your life better.

"Our brains are constantly searching, looking, judging ... 'Happens While You Blink' reminds me to take a breath and be present to life in every moment, in every word I write, just writing and being."

Melodrome is fired up for their Helsinki gig, armed with a new batch of songs and a stripped-down sound (the group is now a trio after the departure of guitarist, Darren Todd).

"We love Helsinki and look forward to celebrate our second release party there," said Baier.

"We also love our friends and look forward to blowing their socks off!!"

Stahl concurred. "Playing a local gig at a Club like Helsinki is definitely the most fun to play," he said. "Only Madison Square Garden can top that." - Berkshire Eagle

Housatonic, Mass.-based trio Melodrome’s third release is a wondrous combination of the literate, the sublime, and nerve-tearing rawness. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Robby Baier somehow combines the piss of Stiv Bator, the swagger of Jagger, and the majesty of say, Leonard Cohen and Johnette Napolitano into perfect exploding pop-rock bombs that say what needs to be said and move on. Familiar pop conventions and sounds are introduced, chopped, combined, and pasted, resulting in 12 songs that are at once easy on the ears and challenging on the first listen, and stay that way through the 20th. Bassist Jesko Stahl and drummer Matt Sloan play minimally and within the often deceptively nonlinear songs, and throw in backing vocals that recall Philly soul, Lennon and McCartney and (I’ll be damned!) even N*Sync. The result is the sound of a thinking, organic, fire-breathing band who are way more than the sum of their parts, which is rare these days, and virtually unheard of on a local recording. Every song swings for the fences, and whether railing about a lost lover (the jarringly personal “North Dakota”) or wooing a new one (“The Making Of”), every song hits its mark.

The first thousand copies of Happens While You Blink are packaged in hand-sewn recycled LP jackets. Mine’s a Mantovani. This disc stands up against any rock record you’ll hear anywhere. In other words, if this had come out a month ago on a major label, with a video placed on Fuse, and the usual half-a-mil spent on indie promo, it would be platinum right now. It’ll take something awfully bodacious to knock this off my best-record-of-2005 pick.
Paul Rapp - Metroland

‘Melodrome’s junior effort rises their staus to maximum top of mind awareness. Finding their stride this passionate record titled ‘happens while you blink’ is not only a musical leap forward, but rather a perfect and endless journey with the top down... amazing.’ - Eric Wilens - Eric Wilens ('DST DJ & Host of Retroactive') 100.1 WDST Woodstock, NY

[The Sidewalk Ends] "... a cache of strong originals topped by a few outstanding tracks worthy of national attention." - Steve Morse

[The Sidewalk Ends] "We get about 40 new albums a day coming in here now, about 12,000 total, and [Melodrome's] is one of the best I've ever heard!" - Derek Sivers, Pres. CDBaby.com

[The Sidewalk Ends] "...an album chock full of radio hits, several of which... are as catchily moody as U2's 'Walk On' or 'Beautiful Day.' A soulful, funky, catchy musical delight that will sit comfortably in collections alongside CDs like U2's 'All That You Can't Leave Behind,' Beck's 'Midnite Vultures' and well-worn LPs like John Lennon's 'Double Fantasy' and Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On'..." - Seth Rogovoy

[The Sidewalk Ends] I bought this CD after hearing the band at a small gig in New York City, and now every time I hear a hot new CD, like those by the Wrens or Beulah, I think they're not as good as these guys, who rival any major band out there--U2, R.E.M, Coldplay--with consistently compelling songs (not a dud on the CD), great melodies, lyrics, and a rocking edge. I liked the CD immediately and after playing it just one or two times, the songs were going around in my head, not just one or two, but all of them; it was eerie. Then I just couldn't stop playing it. If they come to your town, go now. When these guys catch on, it'll be hard to get tickets. - Blackgriffin from NY

[The Sidewalk Ends] "Ran into these guys performing at a local (PA) venue. So impressed I picked up up the cd; can't stop playing it. Don't understand why they aren't a household name already! Damn...should have had them autograph my copy--they will be big. If you like Gin Blossoms, early Oasis, bit of Ska and Stones groove to these guys!" - CCJNW from Haverford, PA

[The Sidewalk Ends] "Always great when you can buy something before it hits the mainstream and feel like you were a part of it when it was just starting out. This record is destined to be a classic..." - Anonymous from Los Angeles, CA

[Play America] Many audiences will appreciate this music, particularly the college population in both sound and content... - Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck