Brainkiller
Pushes the Envelope on Genre-Defying
Second Album
Colourless Green Superheroes
Scheduled for July Release on
RareNoise Records
AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE JULY 15TH, 2013
ON CD, VINYL AND HI-RES DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
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ABOUT THE LABEL - RareNoise Records
was founded in late 2008 by two Italians, guitarist/arranger/producer
Eraldo Bernocchi and all-round music nut Giacomo Bruzzo. Located in
London, the label was created to present a platform to musicians and
listeners alike who think beyond musical boundaries of genre. For
further information and to listen please go to http://www.rarenoiserecords.com/brainkiller-store, www.rarenoiserecords.com
Scroll down for VIDEO.
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New York, June 17, 2013
- On the creative instrumental music scene today there are a plethora
of fresh-sounding new bands that artfully blend jazz, classical, rock,
electronica and the avant garde. Add to that list the renegade trio Brainkiller,
which has been flying under the radar with a potent sound that is
steeped in structure while pushing the envelope on audaciousness. With Colourless Green Superheroes,
the band that continues to defy easy categorization is back with more
epic compositions bursting with energy and compelling grooves, intricate
time-shifting passages and odd rhythms, raucous interludes, touches of
humor and various ingenious applications of keys, bone and drums.
The brainchild of trombonist Brian Allen and keyboardist Jacob Koller, Brainkiller
began 13 years ago as an experimental duo. The two composers and
kindred spirits explored their indelible chemistry and complimentary
compositional styles together for years before adding a third permanent
member, drummer Hernan Hecht (of Mole) in 2007. The following year they recorded The Infiltration, which was released on RareNoise Records in 2010. Colourless Green Superheroes
continues the saga of this potent and restless creative trio. And
thereʼs something new this time out - the addition of seductive vocals
by enigmatic Japanese chanteuse Coppé on one track, the
atmospheric and mellow "Empty Words." Says trombonist-composer Allen,
"We actually all wrote this tune together, which is something very
different for us. Jacob and I have never really written songs together
but when we thought about having Coppé sing on this album, the three of us sat down and wrote it together at the same time. We had never done that before."
"Empty Words" is just one of 13 dynamic and wholly distinctive tunes on Colourless Green Superheroes.
From Kollerʼs epic "The Vindicator Returns," which reaches King
Crimson-esque levels of bombast on the strength of the composerʼs
distortion-laced Fender Rhodes work and Hechtʼs thunderous backbeats, to
Allenʼs subdued and lyrical "Orange Grey Shade" or his mournful dirge
"A Piedi Verso Il Sole," to Kollerʼs anthemic "Top of the World" and
Allenʼs quirky-bluesy plunger showcase, "Noodlin," which shifts abruptly
to an uptempo chops-busting groover, Brainkiller
covers a remarkably wide stylistic gamut. Add in Kollerʼs engaging
trance-groover "Plates," Allenʼs strident jam "Secret Mission," Kollerʼs
kinetic "Okatu Goes to a Rave" and Allenʼs slow-grooving mysterioso
closer "To Be Continued," and you have a universe of sound that Brainkiller explores on their sophomore outing.
"Thereʼs
definitely a lot of influences that we have," says Allen, citing
saxophonist Tim Berneʼs trio with keyboardist Craig Taborn and drummer
Tom Rainey and Ellery Eskelinʼs trio with accordianist Andrea Parkins
and drummer Jim Black as a significant ones. Koller cites Keith Jarrett,
Paul Bley, Thelonious Monk, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Deerhoof,
Radiohead, Phil Collins, Tim Berne, Death Cab for Cutie, Beach House and
the Paul Motian Trio with Joe Lovano and Bill Frisell as some of his
important influences.
"I would say that this album is pretty
composed," adds Allen. "These songs are not really for open
improvisation or that kind of thing. You might hear a trombone solo or a
keyboard solo, but even then weʼre thinking, ʻHowʼs it going to
function compositionally and how can it take us somewhere or whatʼs it
going to add as opposed to having something to fill up the time or the
space?ʼ Weʼve all done a lot of free improv on other projects, so we
wanted this to be something different and special and unique, especially
because Jacob and I write. We like to write and compose music, so it
was fun for us to actually not have it be super-open or very
improvisatory."
It was 13 years ago that Allen and Koller met
on their respective ways to a band camp in Banff, Canada - Koller from
Arizona and Allen from Texas. "Actually, we met in the airport,"
explains Allen. "Something happened in customs and we were detained. I
remember getting off at the airport in Calgary and going to this little
office, and there was Jacob sitting on the floor looking dejected. They
werenʼt going to let us into the country to go to this camp because we
did something wrong with our immigration forms. They were asking us to
pay a lot of fines...it got pretty weird. After we straightened it out,
we took the bus to Banff and started talking, and we hit it off. That
night we went to a jam session and the first thing we played was a
standard, and we kind of looked at each other and went, ʻHey! I wanna
play with YOU! Weʼve got something here.ʼ So it was a completely kind of
a random, completely lucky thing that we met."
13 years later,
that rare connection continues. "We have something that I just havenʼt
felt with too many other musicians," says Allen. "Itʼs just always a
blast playing with Jacob. Heʼs such a good musician and he hears
wonderfully...the colors and the way he can accompany. And his
compositions are great...just so much fun to play."
Says Koller of his Brainkiller
partner, "Brian thinks more conceptually about writing where I tend to
focus on finding a specific melody or harmony that evokes a unique
character. I really think our two different approaches to writing and
playing music compliment each other. From the very first time we first
started making music together I think it was apparent that there was a
lot of raw musical chemistry between us. I think that chemistry has
strengthened over the years, as has our concept about making music. I
play with a lot of different people but playing music with Brian is like
riding a bicycle. It is always super easy. It just happens."
Both Allen and Koller have high praise for the third member of Brainkiller,
whom they say helps shape the music in profound ways. "Hernan is
definitely an amazing drummer," says Koller, "but the reason why we
works so well with Brainkiller is because he is a great
producer who can see the entire aspect of the music. He is able to see
and hear things more like a producer would rather than a composer or a
player. This input from Hernan has a big influence on the outcome of the
sound of Brainkiller." Adds Allen, "Weʼre always
trying to figure out how we can make the most of what we have with just
these three voices. So we think a lot about the orchestration of it and
Hernan is really great with those details. Heʼs really amazing in the
studio...just all these little fine-tuning things that he does. He has
ways to define the sections and the moods so that everything has a
different character, like itʼs really saturated character with as much
detail as we can give it."
For his part, Hecht says he felt an
immediate chemistry with Allen and Koller when he joined the band in
2007. "From the band's inception, we knew we had a unique and committed
sound, but we have grown at a musical and conceptual level. Our
statement became clearer, and with that came the personas and more
refined possibility. Being on tour and spending as much time as we have
together, we discovered we shared a pretty deep sense of humor, not
realizing it was pushing the music to evolve. When we became aware of
it, we decided to embrace it as part of the project. Thatʼs when we
developed the new characters, a direction that not only involved a
unique music but a concept from start to finish, where humor, the
intricate costumes and music were one."
Hecht adds, "Brian and
Jacob are special beings, with very special personalities and a way of
life quite different from the average person. Of course, this is
reflected in their approach when composing. They are highly intelligent
creatures, very aware of the styles and the sounds coming from
contemporary musics, with very deep knowledge of the mathematics of
music, playing with all these elements simultaneously. I'm a big fan of
them."
That kind of camaraderie is apparent from track to track on Colourless Green Superheroes, Brainkillerʼs audacious second release on RareNoise Records.
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| CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO |
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| Jacob Koller, Hernan Hecht, Brian Allen |
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PRESS CONTACT
Antje Hübner
hubtone PR, New York
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