the visitations
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the visitations

Athens, Georgia, United States | INDIE

Athens, Georgia, United States | INDIE
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The best kept secret in music

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"Visitations:visitations (review)"

Visitations

Visitations

Happy happy birthday to me records

Goes to show exactly what to much fun can do to a poor soul. Davey Wrathgaber rounds up his friends for a spot of moonlighting when the rest of Fable Factory's backs are turned. Barring anymore releases from Volcano the Bear this year, 'Visitations' is by far one of the strangest and puzzlingly enduring releases to be found. Wrathgaber provides considerable evidence of the breadth and width of musical styles, creating pure pop fabrics and intertwining darkened twists into their designs.

Let's get the pleasantry's out of the way. 'Visitations' is an oddly strewn release. Those expecting the happy go lucky wackiness of the Fable Factory will be justly disappointed, as Wrathgaber reveals his darker side. Sure enough 'Vistations' is littered with a head messing array of twisted nursery rhyme imagery such as 'S.F.G.O.L.'; however where elements of Fable Factory's arsenal deliver proud to be loud car stereo blastouts, playing certain bits of 'Visitations' strictly above the level of cats hearing would probably be considered illegal in certain states of the U.S.

Once your over the enterprising gruesome shock of the opening cut 'grease monkey', it's peverse prose and crude imagery abruptly alert the senses that this is indeed a far from easy to digest listening experience. 'It's superstition' springs abound toting fuzz guitars that sound like a manic army of kazoos, the sounds bouncing menacingly from speaker to speaker, try imagining the Mummies with less speed and aggression being penned and arranged by Stewart Copeland. 'Blessed flying object' partly rips the 'Close encounters' riff before wallowing in it's own surreal magnificence, referencing Brian Jones sitar era Stones chemically sugared by the Butthole Surfers cover of 'Hurdy gurdy man', psyche purist such as the head druid himself, Mr Cope will adore this.

Strange as it may seem, favoured track 'S.F.G.O.L.' has me recalling the menace of Big Black and the eccentricity of Sonic Youth at their finest without resorting to swollen eared feedback rushes and the impeccable diversity of Captain Beefheart, imparting a wicked mix of rant and schoolyard harmonies. 'The brown clown' smothers itself in dragging rhythms, scratch the surface and you'll be entertained to a slice of bristling bubblegum pop at 45rpm but being played at 33rpm.

Wrapping up the proceedings, how many records can you name with the word pugilist in the title? Not many if any I'll bet, 'The disappointing pugilist' , (which for those unaware is a professional boxer not a strange complaint picked up picked up from sleeping in strange beds), just has to be heard, very eerie indeed.

MARK BARTON - losingtoday


"Propaganda"

By Oldman Hernandez

When my son gave me a copy of “Propaganda” by the Visitations I have to admit I had reservations about listening to this “new fangled music". Being an old man listening to modern music can be quite disturbing, Just like my music was disturbing to my parents when I was my son’s age. Though, I have to admit that I have been accused of enjoying Rap music and have many Rap CDs in my car this type of music is still new to me. I did spend the last two days of the HHBTM (Mike, couldn’t you come up with a shorter acronym?) Popfest listening to this new music and enjoyed it immensely (the earplugs helped). When I was growing up during the 60s and 70s we were a generation of visionaries. We saw the political and social problems that plagued the world and swore to right the wrong and change the world so it is a better place to live. Great ideas, wonderful ethics, fantastic philosophy but the world was full of greed and hate which can be a formidable force to overcome. During the years since, we lost many friends to war. Not war of guns but the war between the “do gooders” (oh my God I sound like Bush) and greed. In my mid 50’s looking around me at the expensive homes and fancy lifestyles of my peers I can’t help think that the new society we wanted has been lost again to the eternal greed of man. All these years those of us who remained naive enough to think a new generation would arise to carry on the fight for a new, better society kept vigilance only to be disappointed generation after generation. The HHBTM Popfest in Athens, Georgia showed me a generation of young adults coming together as peers to share in the love of music and each other. The album “Propaganda” gave me new hope that this generation may after all be the one to renew the fight for change in our society. I was able to return to my job of protecting something that can not be protected and trying to save what can not be saved feeling that maybe, just maybe, it is all worth while and not a waste of my life after all. I will continue to listen to your music (I promise to replace some of the Rap CDs) and will keep my earplugs handy.

- Bees Knees


"Editor's Pick"

I generally get wary of bio sheets that self-proclaim intelligence, and when they say it’s wrought in politics, things typically get ugly. But all generalizations are cast aside as soon as you hear the cleverly conducted Bush samplings that forge what his true agenda is all about. “Propaganda” however doesn’t succumb to its own self-fulfilling prophecy of being what the band is railing against; instead it’s a collection of personal observations on the entire political process avoiding preachiness in favor of smart lyrics that shake the fist at the stupid entirety of the Bush administration but not giving huge accolades to the opposition either—in fact one could say that songs like “Questionable Intelligence” almost slam the Democrats and Americans more so than Bush and the GOP. Topics range from the 2000 election snafu in Florida, intelligence failures around Iraq, gas-guzzling SUVs, conservative talk “radio”, Fox “News”, and the whole damn hypocrisy of it all. When you couple all of this with Americana-fused rock reminiscent of the Violent Femmes, you’ve got yourself an intelligence political album that’s deserving of every damn adjective.

- J-Sin - smother.net


"Propaganda"

The Visitations: Propaganda

"You don't need no constitution just to tell you that your free. All you need's some matches and a can of gasoline".

You thought you despised what has been (and will, intelligent voter, no longer be) the ruling class of 2000 - 2004 in these United States - well, The Visitations have you beat. With track names like "Dubya Speaks", "Florida" ( " those people cheat worse than my ex-girlfriend " ) and "Osama & Your SUV" - this is an album that is directed at one general dilemma (by definition, 'crooked republicans') and set in none other than the 21st century. An immediate reference point to 'Propaganda' would be what the Violent Femmes (see: Euthanize Yourself, Milk the Bull) at their most memorable (circa "Blister in the Sun", 1983) would sound like mildly Dead Kennedy-pissed off 20 years later.

Armed with acoustics, a sparse set of drums and voice-samples from the degenerate "leader" of malapropos himself ( lil' George ), Visitation main man Davey Wrathgabar (he's been seen touring solo with a laptop) gets off his chest what many smothered Amerikans wish they had the nerve to put on tape. The man isn't holding ANYTHING back either, as his website had a personal post in June that said this: "Finally, a permanent bedtime for Bonzo. I would gladly brave the eleven hour wait to shit on Ronald Reagan's coffin". 2 sunburnt thumbs up to Davey, and please - "Don't let the man get you down".

It's not all just politics, as "The Good News" and it's 4-minute straight jabs at the bestseller most know as The Bible ( "They nailed you on a stick and said that you had died " ) would sound perfect next to Fifteen's "Jesus" on a perfect 'think for yrself' mixtape.

Has Michael Moore heard "Propaganda" yet, because any of the 11 offerings here could serve as the audible accompaniment to his next project on broken promises and desensitized decision makers. Listen, and most importantly let this be your soundtrack on the way to the polls in November. Something tells me the fuel-friendly compact Davey will get there in has a "Kill Your Television" bumper sticker on the rear (hear: "Television") - unless, of course, he rides his bike.


kaleb ::(08/22/04).
- Slightly Confusing to a Stranger


Discography

visitations:
visitations (2001)
PROPAGANDA (2004)

fablefactory:
Fowell Byrd ep (1998), American Custard cd (1999), Chocolate Rainbow 45 (2000), Freak Out Hard On You cd, lp (2002)

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

The Visitations is the vehicle for long time Elephant 6 collaborator Davey Wrathgabar. His eclectic songwriting in Fablefactory and Visitations got favorable press in Magnet, The Chicago Reader, Jersey Beat, Creative Loafing and other national and regional press. The project includes help from Jason NeSmith (Of Montreal) and Derek Almstead (Of Montreal, Circulatory System). PROPAGANDA marks Davey’s return to songwriting after a two-year hiatus. PROPAGANDA is Davey’s most accessible output to date.