The Library Fire
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The Library Fire

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"When the 'Levy' Breaks at the Farm"

In a town with a music scene as vibrant as Charleston's, it's sometimes difficult to get out to see every local band that performs in a given week.

That is why I appreciate it when a local club offers two or three local bands on a bill. Cumberland's has done it in the past with events such as Johnny Puke's birthday party show during the summer of 2004, and Cary Ann Hearst's farewell show in November. Each of those shows featured several local groups, and allowed attendees to experience many different styles of music.

Last weekend, the Music Farm offered the chance to see not two, not three, but five local bands in a showcase put together by the Farm and local musician Aaron Levy. A lot of folks might know Levy from his stint as Slash in the local Guns N' Roses tribute band, GNR Lies. On this night though, Levy was trying out a new project, and doing so in a somewhat improvised manner.

The evening's organizer used the show as an opportunity to introduce a new act, The Library Fire. Playing pretty straightforward rock music, The Library Fire treated the crowd to several original songs, including "Drive" (not to be confused with the R.E.M. tune of the same name), "November Girl" (not to be confused with Big Star's "September Gurls"), and "Nika."

Library Fire played quite well together, so I was surprised when I talked to Levy after the show, and he revealed that this incarnation of the band had performed together for the first time that very afternoon. You wouldn't know it by listening to the group. I have seen bands that have been together for years. Most aren't as tight as this version of Library Fire.

All in all, Saturday night's show was a great way to experience five local bands with very different sounds. The only disappointing thing about the show was the lack of a sizable audience. Most of the time there was never more than a hundred people in the Farm watching a particular band. Sure, it was Saturday night, and there was undoubtedly quite a bit going on downtown, but a lot of local music fans missed out on a great night of music.

The Music Farm and Aaron Levy should be commended for executing a show with such a diverse lineup.

Here's hoping that there is more of this sort of thing down the road, and that it is better attended.

- Charleston Post and Courier


"Finally, a book you'll actually want to check out of 'The Library'"

Finally, a book you'll actually want to check out of 'The Library'

BY DEVIN GRANT
Special to The Post and Courier

The Library Fire: "To A High, Lonely Place" (Independent)


I remain consistently and happily amazed at the amount of professionally recorded CDs coming from local bands. The latest album that can be filed under that category comes from The Library Fire, a band fronted by local musician Aaron Levy.


I had seen The Library Fire play a few months back during a local rock showcase at the Music Farm, and had enjoyed the set. Levy, whose voice reminds me of a cross between Michael Stipe and Cat Stevens, is a good songwriter who doesn't seem to limit himself to a certain sound, which in my book is always a plus.


"To a High, Lonely Place" demonstrates Levy's range, beginning with the rocker "Drive," followed by "Papa George," with its ridiculously catchy chorus."


From there the listener is treated to more rock, but also songs such as the folky "Grounded '06" and what is probably my favorite tune, "The Butcher's Daughter," which would be right at home on the soundtrack to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"


Professionally recorded and packaged, "To a High, Lonely Place" represents everything a local release should be, and it often exceeds those expectations, straying into major label territory. Levy and the rest of the musicians that perform on this album should be proud of their work. (A-)


Download These: "The Butcher's Daughter," "Grounded '06" and "Papa George"



- Charleston News and Couriers


"Burn With a Mission"

Sara Miller

Local singer/songwriter and guitar teacher Aaron Levy has spent his share of time in recording studios.

"I’ve been writing songs since I was 16 ... and over the years, I’ve probably gone into five or six different places, recorded three or four songs, and then something would happen — the place would close or whatever — and I’d have to start from scratch,” Levy says. “I decided to go with a reputable studio that I’d heard good things about, and we were able to finish it.”

And so, thanks to the professionals over at Fusion 5, Levy’s dream of releasing a full-length album of his original work has materialized in the form of to A High, Lonely Place, the debut album from the group Levy fronts, The Library Fire.

“The band sort of started out as an unnamed recording project that was a vision for what I wanted to do with my songs,” Levy says, “and I asked a couple people to play on the record, then fortunately enough they agreed.”

The album is an interesting cross-section of rock, alt-country, folk, and just a smattering of pop that finds the band veering back and forth between straight-ahead chuggers and quieter tunes that feature plenty of non-traditional song elements, such as lilting female vocals, banjo, and pedal steel, as provided by Bob Hoffnar of Hem.

“I really wanted to make a rock record that didn’t totally set aside the more folk-oriented stuff I’ve done in the past,” Levy says.

The Library Fire headline at Cumberland’s on Tues. Oct. 25 at 10 p.m.
- Charleston City Paper


Discography

To a High Lonely Place (LP)

Streaming tracks available at www.myspace.com/thelibraryfire

"Drive" currently playing on 96Wave FM (WAVF) and 98x (WYBB)

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

The Library Fire began in 2004 as a recording project to flesh out songs from songwriter Aaron Levy's catalog. After laying down their parts, bassist Jamez Inman and drummer Eric Rickert were thrilled to be asked to join with Levy to form a working band. Guitarist Jesse Judy was added to the lineup after the recording was finished. With influences ranging from Guns N' Roses (Inman, Rickert and Levy also play together in a GNR tribute band) to Joni Mitchell to Russian composers like Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov (The Library Fire's standout track "Nika" is dedicated to him), the Library Fire's sound is diverse, yet focused. Their focus is on creating memorable songs with strong hooks and strong lyrics. By pulling from the best of every era, the Library Fire's sound is unique, yet familiar. With songs as hook oriented as "Drive" and "More Than I Meant To", you're sure to be hearing The Library Fire burning up the radio soon.