Music
Press
"13 Or So People Who Need Chances", Vollmar's 2004 release, was a
mini-masterpiece of the blend of harmony-rich songs with a perverse
experimental streak that would make John Cale proud. "Okay" continues
the mix, and takes even more risks, dividing the 10 songs into three
thematic sections focusing on regret, stasis, and action. The risk is
of course pretension, but Justin Vollmar, with his band, are beyond
pretension here and willing to take the chance in order to bring
further weight to these great songs.
The strongest and most raw of the songs concern the mysterious
"Sue", who figures in the most poignant tracks, particularly "Bus Stop
Sue," "The Girl From Here to There," "Jealous of Sue" and "Sorry Sue."
Here the muse of the songs is both a fantasy and painful reality, who
has given and taken, and left the singer floating in the aftermath of
several heavy emotions. None of the other sections really hold the
power of this suite, except the astounding finale, "Mtn.
Problem/Insert" which is both gorgeous and harrowing at once. Vollmar
has delivered a beast, part "Plastic Ono Band", part "Smile", that is
challenging, emotionally and musically generous and powerful. It is
getting to the point where no one sounds like him/them, and we are
better for it. - Foxy Digitalis
"13 Or So People Who Need Chances", Vollmar's 2004 release, was a
mini-masterpiece of the blend of harmony-rich songs with a perverse
experimental streak that would make John Cale proud. "Okay" continues
the mix, and takes even more risks, dividing the 10 songs into three
thematic sections focusing on regret, stasis, and action. The risk is
of course pretension, but Justin Vollmar, with his band, are beyond
pretension here and willing to take the chance in order to bring
further weight to these great songs.
The strongest and most raw of the songs concern the mysterious
"Sue", who figures in the most poignant tracks, particularly "Bus Stop
Sue," "The Girl From Here to There," "Jealous of Sue" and "Sorry Sue."
Here the muse of the songs is both a fantasy and painful reality, who
has given and taken, and left the singer floating in the aftermath of
several heavy emotions. None of the other sections really hold the
power of this suite, except the astounding finale, "Mtn.
Problem/Insert" which is both gorgeous and harrowing at once. Vollmar
has delivered a beast, part "Plastic Ono Band", part "Smile", that is
challenging, emotionally and musically generous and powerful. It is
getting to the point where no one sounds like him/them, and we are
better for it. - Foxy Digitalis
Discography
every place is home, cd - 2002
4 separate things, cd-r - 2003
13, or so, people who need chances, cd - 2004
the avery tell them about it, shower, and when love love love 3"
cd-r's (set of 3) - 2005
microwave background / vollmar split 7" - 2006
little wings / vollmar sing about love, 7" - 2006
beach blanket vollmar (don't be too old), LP - 2006
okay, cd - 2006
Photos
Bio
Vollmar has been a mainstay of the Bloomington, Indiana underground music scene ever since he permanently relocated from West Virginia
more than half a decade ago. His first album, "Everyplace is Home," was given prominent mention in French critic Florent Mazzolini's book-length study of American music, "L'odyessée du Rock." Four years later, Vollmar's artistry and notoriety continue on an upward trajectory. 2006 saw Vollmar release the album "Okay" to unanimous critical acclaim, and embark on a coast-to-coast tour with Half-Handed
Cloud, the visionary pop project of Sufjan Stevens collaborator John Ringhofer. Never one to rest on his laurels, Vollmar rounded out the year with two split 7"s as well as a limited edition LP of solo
material ("Beach Blanket Vollmar: Don't Be Too Old").
Although quite a few classic singer/songwriters and folk heroes (Drake, Donovan, Dylan, Townes Van Zandt to mention a few) come to mind Vollmar clearly has his own very capable voice and abilities.
Biography as base for poetics, in the tradition of Belle and Sebastian and Mount Eerie (The Microphones), Vollmar's boyish voice has a quality that lends the tunes fragility, as if they could somehow fall into a hush at any moment. Leaving the listener hanging between lines, yearning for the next image.
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