The Comforters

THE COMFORTERS
Transplants
big timbre

Nice!
Dedicated to Grandma Ruth, Transplants is the kind of cuddly album indie rock fans would do well to acquire. I am dead serious. Is there any other music out there that can convey raw emotions like country-folk? I mean, when that pedal steel glides into “Lazy Sundays,” tell me you’re not in paradise? Don’t be cynical, boys and girls, this is not your grandpa’s music, this represents your roots. Pia and Jason Robbins should be applauded for producing a collection of simple albeit deep songs that touch the soul.
Pia possesses a soothing larynx that never imposes but asserts itself with confidence and authority. And despite the obvious Americana intent, there is an overall eclectic agenda about Transplants – The Comforters are no one-trick ponies. So you’ll hear some blues, some jazz in the mix, some good old fashioned country ballads that leave you wanting more. --Kevin Mathews - Pop Culture Press

"Even if you didn't know that Jason Robbins of the Comforters is an accomplished engineer and producer, the high quality of "Transplants" would jump out at you immediately.

But production doesn't take the spotlight away from Pia Robbins' endearing vocals. It just lets them shine the way vocals in poppy Americana ought to...

...The Comforters often play at wineries. With the couple's sweet-voiced, mellow songs, it's an apt pairing. But this is not background music.

The Comforters play acoustic Americana with beautiful and sparse instrumental backing. And while the songs are tender with pop leanings, there's no whine or cheese here. The lyrics describe real feelings, not saccharine overgeneralizations or cliches.

If the misery of your alienation, depression or heartbreak needs company, the Comforters will be a comfort to you."

- Serena Markstrom Register Guard - Register Guard

The Comforters and I have something in common. Besides the affinity for acoustic indie pop obviously. We both have a grandmother named Ruth; "Transplants" is dedicated to their Grandma Ruth and is an offering comprised of tender Americana pop with female vocals and roots rock earnestness. Very melodic, and extremely alluring. Pick it up. -J. Sin - Smother

The Comforters, comprised of lead singer Pia Robbins and her husband/guitarist/producer Jason Robbins, have released a roots rock/country folk debut record Transplants on the couple's own indie label Big Timbre Records. The album is dedicated to Grandma Ruth, and though the liner notes do not explain who she is, the tribute leads you to wonder if any of the songs reveal anything about her. The album, which was recorded in the couple's own studio, Big Timbre Studio, is very well produced. Every nuance and jutting segment adds texture to the songs from the rustic tones of a harmonica to the bucolic twangs of a steel guitar. The bluegrass projections are reminiscent of artists like Adrienne Young and Will Kimbrough, and Pia's vocals have a gentle timbre reflective of Emmylou Harris and Allison Moorer. The Comforters' album juxtaposes Americana with alternative pop similar to Essex Green and The Thrills and concentrates on the song's melodic folk substance.

Americana melodies like "Mia," "Young Republicans," and "I Want To Rock" have mellow country folk tempos and roots rock acoustics while the vocals float above the music like a weightless celestial body. The dark guitar tones on tracks like "The Call" and "Driving Off The Edge Of The World" have a country western tint and roundhouse drum patterns circuiting the queues along the movements. These songs have a heavy-footed sonorousness similar to Johnny Cash and feel scenic and pensive with Cash's style, as if hitching a ride on a freight train and watching the world go by through an open door. The bluegrass musings of "Lucy" and "Reasons" are mild and soulful as the verses come in drifts like the ocean tide coming up to shore. The easy pace is likened to Robinella and Shelby Lynne and has a feminine touch in its gentle flux.

The bluesy folk mood of "Saturday Nights" is lounging with intervals of rustic harmonica segments. The country tinged rhythms of "Lazy Sundays" compliments the steel guitar twangs and acoustic guitar twirls that halo the lyrics: "Been hanging around this house/ Been shooting off my mouth/ Sleeping/ Dreaming/ Just keeping to myself/ Ain't this the life/ Long live lazy Sundays/ On the porch with the radio on." The lyrics are introspective, describing situations about alienation and depression, sulking in their emotional depths and providing insight into their chasms and solace for their grief.

The Comforters' debut album is very well produced creating expressive textures that compliment Pia's vocals. The songs are more than campfire tunes or jug band numbers. They have alternative pop collateral blending elements of Americana, roots rock, bluegrass, and country folk patinas. For a couple from Eugene, Oregon, The Comforters' music has wide appeal and is just pleasant to listen to on a lazy Sunday in any country. -Susan Frances
Hybrid Magazine.com - June 4, 2007 - Hybrid Magazine

THE COMFORTERS
TRANSPLANTS
Website: www.feelthecomforters.com
Label: Big Timbre Records
www.cdbaby.com/cd/comforters

(Review from Belgium) Rough Translation follows.

The Comforters, bestaat uit het lieve echtpaar Pia en Jason Robbins uit Eugene, Oregon, en dit duo maakt al enkele jaren samen muziek. In de laatste maanden van vorig jaar kwam hun debuutplaat uit: "Transplants". De plaat werd onder productionele leiding van hunzelf opgenomen in hun eigen Big Timbre Studio en bevat vooral dromerige en behoorlijk sensuele popliedjes opgedragen aan hun grootmoeder Ruth. Jason was al eerder bekend om zijn productiewerk bij o.a. Dwight Yoakam, Pete Anderson, Michelle Shocked en Curt Kirkwood. De muziek op "Transplants" ligt allemaal erg mooi in het gehoor, maar tegelijkertijd hebben de zelfgepende songs ook altijd iets tegendraads. Het ene moment sust "Transplants" je heerlijk in slaap met atmosferische en zwoele klanken om je niet veel later wakker te schudden met iets meer gedreven roots rock. Pia Robbins slaagt er op deze plaat niet alleen in om aan te sluiten bij klassieke singer-songwriter cd's van collega's als Maria Taylor, om er maar ééntje te noemen, maar verliest bovendien de eigenzinnige Oregon scene niet uit het oog. De Amerikaanse pers was meteen bij het verschijnen van hun debuut zeer lovend (met quotes als "Tender Americana pop with female vocals and roots rock earnestness. Very melodic, and extremely alluring." of "Sweet, melodic folk-pop with hints of Americana, and tons of vivid storytelling."), uitspraken die we zeker niet tegenspreken, want het resultaat is niet alleen in artistiek opzicht zeer aansprekend, maar ook nog eens bijzonder aangenaam. "Transplants" is zo mooi dat het bijna onwerkelijk is. De melodieën zijn wonderschoon, de akoestische begeleiding (akoestische gitaren, dobro, steel en accordeon) zorgt voor continu kippenvel en de sensuele fluisterzang brengt zelfs het grootste ijskonijn in vervoering. Negen nummers lang leef je als luisteraar in een droomwereld, vergeet je alles om je heen en springen de tranen je keer op keer in de ogen. The Comforters weet je steeds weer tot op het bot te raken met songs die ondanks hun schoonheid boordevol melancholie en verdriet zitten. Dat "Transplants" maar negen nummers duurt is niet eens een minpunt. Als u de songs: "Lazy Sundays", "The Call", het meest depressieve "Driving Off The Edge Of The World", de love song "I Want to Rock" of het het laatste nummer "Reasons" hebt gehoord verlang je immers al weer naar het eerste. "Transplants" is de cd waar je al jaren van droomt. Je hoeft jezelf niet te knijpen, hij is er echt! Kortom: The Comforters hebben een verrassende cd gemaakt die van de eerste tot de laatste noot zwaar weet te overtuigen.
www.rootstime.be

Translation:

The Comforters, consists of the married couple Pia and Jason Robbins from Eugene, Oregon, and this duo make years of music together. In the last months of last year their debut cd came out: "Transplants". The CD was taken up under production leadership of themselves in their own Big Timbre Studio and contain especially dreamy and properly sensual pop melodies dedicated to their grandmother Ruth. Jason was already before through his work in production (worked with) Dwight Yoakam, Pete Anderson, Michelle Shocked and Curt Kirkwood. The music on "Transplants" lies all very beautiful in the hearing, but at the same time the zelfgepende songs have also always something tegendraads. One moment sust "Transplants" you delightfully in sleep with atmospheric and sultry sounds you much later on awake to not to shake with something more driven roots rock. Pia Robbins succeeds to close there on this CD not only in at with classic singer-songwriter cd's of colleagues as Maria Taylor, round there but one to name, but moreover the stubborn Oregon scene do not loses from the eye. The American press was appearing Tend at the same time by it of their debut very approvingly (with quotes as "Americana pop with female vocals and roots rock earnestness. Very melodic, and extremely alluring." or "Sweet, melodic folk-pop with hints or Americana, and barrels or vivid story count."), pronunciations that we do not contradict certainly, for the result is not only in artistic respect sore spoken to, but also yet once particularly pleasant. "Transplants" is so beautiful that it almost unreal is. The melodies its wonderschoon, the acoustic accompaniment (acoustic guitars, dobro, stalk and accordeon) sees to brings for continuous goose bumps and the sensual fluisterzang even the largest ijskonijn in ecstasy. Nine numbers long live you as a listener in a dream world, you forget everything round you away and jump the tears your time on turn in the eyes. The Comforters know you always again till on the bone to hit with songs that despite their beauty brimming melancholy and sorrow sit. That "Transplants" only nine numbers do not lasts is once a minpunt. If you the songs: "Lazy Sundays", "The Call", the mostly depressed "Driving Level The Edge Or The World", the praise song "I Want to Rock" or the the last number "Reasons" you long for heard have after all already again the first. "Transplants" is the cd of which you for years dream. You do not need is, to pinch yourself, he there marriage! In short: The Comforters have a surprising cd made that of the first till the last note heavy knowledge to convince.

www.rootstime.be


- ROOTSTIME- Belgium

"The Comforters do exactly what their name suggests. They are a husband/wife team based out of Eugene, Oregon and together they make a lilting and joyful noise, full of melody and quietly seductive. Plenty of potential for a gentle sway around the kitchen to this one, folks. Enjoy." - Lonesome Music

The Comforters

Why are husband and wife duos so darn adorable? And why are we such suckers for them? Perhaps it's the romantic idea of spending lazy summer days writing music with the person you're most comfortable with. Aw, the very notion of turning out lovey-dovey songs about each other is so saccharine I can hardly stand it. But all mushy feelings aside, we also like them when they're good musicians.

The Comforters, Pia and Jason Robbins with Sean Peterson on upright bass, describe their sound as "tender Americana pop." The acoustic trio's debut record, Transplants, is saturated with seemingly weightless songs. Pia's delicate vocals float over a loose acoustic guitar and keyboard melody, recalling Rose Melberg or Maria Taylor but with a more ethereal quality.

Recording at their own Big Timbre studio in Eugene, The Comforters create songs that are pretty on the surface but dark in the lyrics. As much as I'd like to boast of their cutesy songs about one another, the album is mostly devoid of love songs with the exception of "I Want to Rock." And that's OK. While that song feels warm and breezy and brings to mind postcard images of a tropical isle, others, like "Lazy Sundays" and "The Call," are melancholy and brooding.

The Comforters aren't always acoustic. The record is full of electric and slide guitar, organs, drums and airy harmonies, which add diversity to each song. So go ahead, feel The Comforters at 7 pm Thursday, Jan. 25 at Territorial Winery. Free. — Amanda Burhop - Eugene Weekly

Let's just get this out of the way: The Comforters are almost too adorable.

The band is a slightly scruffy married couple who lives in Eugene with a dog named Walrus.

Husband Jason Robbins and wife Pia own a recording studio called Big Timbre, where Jason has engineered tracks for Dwight Yoakam and Michelle Shocked.

They are your dream neighbors, your first invite to the weekend potluck, the couple you love running into at the dog park.



But is their music compelling? Surprise: It really is.



The Comforters' songs evoke the spare, emotive style of early century Americana, loaded with pathos and a little bit of fear and loathing.

On the duo's last album, "Transplants," they wisely limit themselves to a single serious love song ("I Want to Rock") and venture into darker, deeper territory in wistful, slightly depressive songs such as "Driving Off the Edge of the World."

Pia's voice seals the deal -- it's haunting and enchanting.



The band plays along with Kalaloch and Easterly at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cafe Noir, 610 Marion St. NE in Salem. The show is free. For more information, go to www.feel thecomforters.com.


-- Michelle Theriault Salem Statesman Journal
- Salem Statesman Journal

The duo are able to handle with extreme skill - country, folk, indie pop-rock and chamber music. Aided by a host of excellent musicians…they have put out ten tracks that delicately balance between liveliness and melancholy. The strengths of the duo are basically three: the refined melodies, the perfectly chiseled arrangements and the vocal interpretation of Robbins, a singer with a sweet and clear register. - Rootshighway