Slow Bird

Seattle indie rock band Slow Bird have released their debut album, Chrysalis. The trio of Matt Street,
Jennae Quisenberry and Joshua Dore have crafted eight tracks of superlative quality. Featuring dynamic vocals that are perfectly framed by the powerful music, the album also shows a songwriting strength that is quite uncommon. Few bands can deliver a debut of such undeniable beauty and emotion. In a year where there have been so many fine releases, Slow Bird stands out from the crowd. Stream and buy Chrysalis at the link below. - Floorshime Zipper Boots Blog

This song is an anthem from the very beginning, making it an excellent opener to Slow Bird's latest record, 'Chrysalis'. Jennae Quisenberry comes in over percussion reminiscent of a military drum line with her pretty but resolute declaration: "Gonna raise an army up/ gonna build an army/ guns are cleaned and safety's off". The song's charm lies in juxtapositions like this; obviously the topic is dark and the drums are utilitarian, but the other instrumentation and vocals are so beautiful -- layered, reverb-y guitars, keys, and synths. Then, at the 2:50 mark, the march of war dissolves away, and we see this song is not about a war of countries, but of hearts. Quisenberry croons "You know I blame you/ I know you blame me, too".


Quisenberry, with Matt Street on synthesizers/drums and Joshua Dore on guitars, have put forth a whole album of lovely, dangerous songs and listeners can find a battle cry of their own on any of the tracks from "Chrysalis". Even the slower songs have a power and grace that makes me feel ready to take on the world. Lucky us, Seattle, they've been playing around town recently, gearing up for their LP release soon. Keep a look out for show announcements on their Facebook page, and listen to/buy the digital album at their bandcamp here. - No Goddamn Dancing!

October 20th had been circled on our calendar for months. Anytime that Minus the Bear comes to town it's an excuse to take the day off, throw a little party before the show and get ready for what is always a great night of music. Once I secure my tickets, I always make a point of checking out who is supporting on the tour, because they tend to have some incredible bands hitting the road with them.

On this tour for the newly released Acoustics II, Minus the Bear has brought along a fellow Seattle band, Slow Bird. They were new to me, so I dug around for something to listen to. I found their bandcamp page which said that they were in the process of producing an album with Alex Rose (keyboards, vocals - Minus the Bear), of which two songs were available for streaming and download. I dont think I was even through the first song by the time I picked up my phone and texted my wife to tell her that she had to check it out. Since then, we've had them on repeat in our shop and at home. The indie trio consists of Joshua Dore on Guitar, Matthew Street on Drums and Bass, with the Vocals of Jennae Quisenberry who also mans the Fender Rhodes.

Their debut album Chrysalis was released on October 15. Anyone who reads this blog with any sort of regularity knows that we aren't in the business of critiquing albums, but when we hear something that we really dig, we try and share it with as many people as possible. So, I won't try to dissect any part of this release, but instead just say that from start to finish this album is phenomenal.

The show that they put on at the Opera House in Toronto last Sunday night surpassed any expectation that I had of hearing these songs live. Absolutely mind-blowing. They made a lot of fans that night, as Im sure they have on each stop of the tour.

We were lucky enough to have them come by the Cabin the next day, as they had their first day off after 11 straight shows. These are three of the nicest, most humble people that you'd ever want to meet. Maybe that doesn't (or shouldn't) matter when it comes to the overall enjoyment you get from the musical output of a band, but when you meet a group with such a passion to bring their music to life, you can't help but get absorbed. You can feel every bit of that emotion soaking through the tracks on Chrysalis. Take a listen to the album in its entirety below, and if you dig what you're hearing (how can you not?!?) then support them by purchasing the album here, and then spreading the word to everyone you know. The vinyls are due out later this year, and we'll have them on the shelves for sure. - Cabin Fever Collective

Slow Bird is an ambient indie rock trio hailing from Seattle. They will have played a handful of Midwestern dates before landing in my hometown of Chicago on October 17. I’ve yet to see a bad show at the Metro, so as you can imagine I have high hopes for Thursday evening.

Chicago, if you’re a fan of locals MY GOLD MASK, chances are you’re going to dig Slow Bird. Fronted by Jennae Quisenberry, her powerful and melodic vocals are a key component to the soundscapes that Slow Bird crafts. Layers of instrumentation coupled with her haunting vocals sound almost eerie, and I can only imagine how it might surround an audience member in a concert hall. Check out Slow Bird’s debut album Chrysalis below. - Midwest Action!

As Slow Bird worked over the post-rock melodic soundscape of “Backfire” Saturday night at The Crocodile, the comparisons to rising commodity Phantogram were easy to make. Perhaps it was the bank of multicolored LED lights that backlit the Seattle trio that suggested this leap, or maybe it was simply the bass-heavy pop music that was hiding underneath Joshua Dore’s screaming guitars.

Slow Bird singer and keyboardist Jennae Quisenberry doesn’t have the same brash stage presence of Phantogram’s Sarah Barthel, but she’s a more interesting singer and is willing to growl or choke out her lyrics as the situation calls for it. And where Phantogram — who sold out two shows in Seattle last year — uses such crushing bass in their live shows it smothers the texture of their songs, Slow Bird achieved a satisfying balance.

Slow Bird’s m.o. is clearly something different altogether, at any rate, and they’re as likely to draw comparisons to Austin’s post-rocker Explosions in the Sky as they are New York’s electronic rock duo. The dynamics at play with Slow Bird are starker than either of those bands, as a lone guitar, Quisenberry’s Fender Rhodes and drums do battle for leverage, trading supremacy in search of transcendent moments.

They found one such moment on the triumphant “All That’s Fearing,” which came in the middle of their set. It was a perfect counterpoint to the rumbling “The Captain,” which built the restrained momentum that “All That’s Fearing” unleashed. The songs are arranged in similar order on 2013′s “Chrysalis” and you could see why.

“Rose Gold” gave Dore a chance to weave some impressive melodies but he’s a smart player and never gets in the way of Quisenberry’s potent voice, which my companion thought sounded an awful lot like Zola Jesus. At times, the comparison was fair, like on “Rose Gold,” which unfurled slowly and highlighted Quisenberry’s pleasingly quirky annunciations.

The band finished up their relatively brisk set with the urgent “Sea Salt” and “Stars and Stripes,” which plodded, soared and then faded into the ether.

Perhaps as they continue to grow, Slow Bird will start to emphasize its pop sensibilities and understanding of hooks, which could give them a chance to blow up. As it stands, they’re making interesting post-rock that seems accessible in a way lots of bands don’t. Maybe that’s enough, because as it stands Slow Bird is a very good band.

But it’s tantalizing to think what they might become as they evolve. Seattle’s Phantogram? It’s not as far-fetched as you might think.

-Owen R. Smith, on Twitter @inanedetails - Seattle Times, Owen Smith