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Last sunday the FEINKOST Gallery hosted One Trick Pony, a little known band from L.A. Or "the most critically denounced band in obscurity" as they introduce themselves ironically on MySpace. Sunday’s sun still shining when I meet Randolph and Jenn[y]. He: the voice, the guitar and the creative dwelling of the band. She: former band manager turned drummer. He: tall, dark skinned with a mustache. She: delicate, pallid, with long, waveless hair. We talk about Cleveland, cows and a proper equivalent for the title of my book in english.
As they begin, Jenn[y] sits behind a box, working it with a pedal and two small drumming brushes, as if it was a sowing-machine she was trying to make dance. Without an expression in her face and with an angel’s voice she supports Randolph’s emotional voice, that is accompanied by his guitar. The audience loves it. Their very presence and the music. The music could be described as Neo-Folk or it could be compared to the imagination not Lou Reed but Chris Martin would’ve been the frontman of Velvet Underground. But the most exciting part of the event is the place, the moment and the improvised character of the show.
Show date: Sun.Mar.30.2008 @ Feinkost Gallery - Berliner Gazette
One Trick Pony - Box Song
According to their myspace site they are "the most critically denounced band in obscurity" and according to their label they are purveyors of darkly sweet "mope rock" to the Devil they are simply the sound of hearts breaking. A great call by the Monolators. - The Devil Has the Best Tuna
....Randy Williams is the voice and guitar player of One Trick Pony. His vocals are exceedingly versatile; ranging from deep and powerful up-tempo melodies to a haunting falsetto that makes you wonder if the ghost of Jeff Buckley is lurking somewhere in the corner of the room. The band is an alternating lineup of talented musicians ranging from violinist to drums to bass, all adding fundamental and captivating layers to the band’s unique sound. A crowd favorite is the beautiful ballad “Box Song”. By the end of this song the crowd has gathered round the stage, singing along to every word. The sense of community here is unmistakable, even contagious...
- Loose Record
....Take One Trick Pony, for example, a band that refers to themselves as "indie/experimental" on the Myspace, but "really goddamn pretty" would probably be a more apt description. Just listen to Box Song, the quiet, almost lullaby-like track off of their new album Phantom Pains -- you can find the MP3 for download at the end of this article -- and you'll find it's about different from anything you're probably listening to right now... - Radio Free Silver Lake
...One Trick Pony opened the neighborhood lineup with a mix of jazzy sentimental tunes. As Charlene Huang provided tragic sorrows on her violin, Randolph Williams truly carried the set with his hypnotic and complicated guitar rhythms and soaring vocals, reminiscent of Jeff Buckley. Simple drumbeats from Jen[ny] kept the momentum moving but gave center stage to the strings and poignant lyrics like, "He has been robbed of his desire / Here comes the blood / Chimneys afire"... - Performer Magazine
Discography
Full of Life (EP) - 2009
[Singles include "Loose Talk" & "Phone Book"]
Phantom Pains (EP) - 2007
[Singles include "Box Song" & "Machine's Night Out", played on Indie 103.1, KillRadio, KCRW, KXLU]
A Walking Contradiction (EP) - 2003
[Singles include "Dead Weight" played on Indie 103.1]
http://www.myspace.com/onetrickpony
Photos
Bio
Singer-songwriter/guitarist Randolph Williams III formed One Trick Pony in 2003. For the next three years, he and then-manager, Jenny Teixeira, journeyed through a revolving door of band members, while the band played some of L.A.'s most influential independent music venues. In 2007, after years of filling in for absent drummers, Jenny put away her datebook and Rolodex to take her rightful place behind the drums.
One Trick Pony is known as much for its stripped down, eclectic arrangements as for its stark, straight-faced tales of drinking, loss, and lovers. The group has solidified a unique position in Los Angeles, as a band which is as comfortable performing with indie noise rock bands like Health and Death to Anders, as with experimental folk acts like U.K.’s David Thomas Broughton and soulful electronica artist Esthero.
Randolph's voice is the star of the show: it ranges from a low, soft, almost velvety tone reminiscent of the great crooners to a barely restrained high alto, a perfect complement to the wry wit with which his lyrics paint their sombre portraits. Jenny's simple but unorthodox rhythms and haunting soprano backing vocals pair with Randolph’s clanging guitar and a variety of loops and synth sounds to complete a unique and diverse mix of alt folk, indie rock, and even bossa nova. Classically trained violinist and L.A. indie scene habitué, Charlene Huang, frequently lends her beautifully delicate melodies to the group’s sound, adding a simple orchestrated quality. The band has drawn comparisons to Nick Drake, The Smiths, The Shins, and even Tom Waits. However, its sound is its own. “We aren’t music historians, we just try to make music that we think we would personally like to hear, whatever that is is for others to interpret as they will.”
One Trick Pony is a member of the Central Second Collective, a group of bands/friends whose members help each other navigate the sometimes chaotic music scene of Los Angeles. Diverse in sound but unified by friendship and a love for “The Cocaine” (a Little Tokyo dive at the corner of Central Ave and Second Street, where they all met and played), the collective is comprised of One Trick Pony, Death to Anders, The Transmissions, The Happy Hollows, Die Rockers Die, and The Henry Clay People. The collective’s unity and packed shows have brought the attention of the L.A. Weekly, L.A. Times, KXLU 88.9, KillRadio.org, and Radio Free Silver Lake.
One Trick Pony is released their latest EP "Full of Life" in Jan 2009, as well as a live sessions EP "Familiar".
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