Darla Farmer- Rewiring the Electric Forest
March 3, 2008
Darla Farmer
Rewiring the Electric Forest
March 24th 2008
Paper Garden Records
There is no need to dissect Darla Farmer into parts; the constitution of their style is quite clear. Their full-length debut Rewiring the Electric Forest is an amalgamation of Louisiana brass jazz, swing, gypsy rock, Americana, hardcore, and the slightest undertone of that frightful three letter word, ska. This audial cocktail is not, as one would suppose, an all out assault on the senses. Darla Farmer textures their music in unconventional ways without demeaning their well worked melodies. Clint Wilson’s vocals have the immediacy and anxiety of Tim Casher and the quirky pitch of Amedeo Pace. That’s right, I said Amedeo Pace. I know I find a way to compare everything to Blonde Redhead but really people…listen to Falling Man followed by Darla Farmer’s The Vigilant Mr. Lynch…yeah that’s right.
The burlesque attitude of Darla Farmer is delicious. The bright eccentricities sound as if they were lifted out of a carnival sideshow. Rather than overcompensating for the inherent problems that come with recording horn sections, the loose and live feel of the horns was captured and exploited very tastefully. Too often these types of recordings come off sounding like metronomed midi files, but the dirt is left on and the atmosphere is kept thick.
Recorded at Mike Mogus’ studio in Omaha, Nebraska (Bright Eyes, Saddle Creek), Darla Farmer has produced a good record that is as aggressive as it is intricate. The Cow That Drank Too Much, Mechanical Thoughts, and Tree on a Hill underscore the range that this band commands. Much of Rewiring the Electric Forest is a throwback to familiar melodic templates, however when the elements are infused some real meaty stuff is made. They should look into touring with Chicago’s Skybox. Their energy and eccentricities are totally compatible. While the horns may be overly emphasized, Darla Farmer are sure to improve the balance in time. In any event these 7 Nashvillans sound as if they would put on one hell of a show.
http://www.myspace.com/darlafarmer
http://darlafarmer.com
Tour Dates
3/4 - Nashville, TN @ Grimey’s
CD RELEASE SHOW
3/4 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
After The Jump/Paper Garden Records/Indie Outlaw SXSW Day Party
3/15 - Austin, TX @ Lucky Lounge
Team Grizzly / Stranded In Stereo SXSW Day Party
3/15 - Austin, TX @ The Pangae Patio
3/21 – Cincinnati, OH @ Blue rock Tavern
3/22 – Columbus, OH @ Scarlet & Grey Cafe
3/24 - Pittsburgh, PA @ TBA
3/25 - New York, NY @ Club Midway
3/27 - New York, NY @ Piano’s (w/ The Heavenly States)
3/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ TBA
3/29 – Reading, PA @ The Silo
TBA – Washington, DC @ TBA
