Busier than usual
Category: Music

So things have been a little busy lately. In addition to das Gift, Common Ground, Some Guy named Robb, the EL Street band and my other common gigs, I've also been throwing rehearsals and helping some new bands that are just getting off the ground. All this while maintaining my teaching schedule and my other jobs that aren't music related. I somehow manage to squeeze all this in with a few hours for sleeping in only 168 hours every week. And so what is the point of this blog? Nothing really, except to say that I saw Big John Miller Band again last night, and they rocked as always.

See you guys at a show....

Currently listening : Anthem By Christian Scott Release date: 2007-08-28

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4 Shows in 28 Hours
Current mood: tired
Category: Music

Well, I just got done playing 4 shows in about 28 hours up in Fayettville this weekend. I'm completely worn out, but it was well worth it. In addition to playing so much, I also got to hang out with a LOT of old friends. It was kinda like a high school reunion without all the ex girlfriends. Here's a brief synopsis in order of appearance...

    Adrian James: My oldest and dearest friend. Since he's in the band I was playing with this weekend, it was a given that I would see him. But he still deserves mention. Had a blast with him all weekend.

    Jake Starnes: A high school buddy that I don't get to see enough. I crashed at his place on Friday night. A true thinker and a poet, Jake is so many things that I would like to be. We stayed up all night catching up and hanging out.

    Kat: Jake's little sister. Hadn't seen her in years. She's all grown up and married and stuff. She lives across the street from Jake, and is totally cool. She pulled out some pictures from about 12 years ago and Jake and I got to have a nice trip down amnesia lane.

    Rob Dickey: Okay, he's in the band too, but he's incredibly cool. In the short time we've gotten to know each other, he's also gotten to be one of my closest friends. One of the strongest guitar players I know.

    Anita Dickey: Rob's wife. The band Mom and photographer. She takes care of us. Need I say anything more?

    Ashton: Another close high school friend. We stay in pretty close contact, and it was great having him out at the show. He brough his better half Meagan with him and both added a tremendous amout to the party.

    Lance: Yet another high school friend, and all around great guy. I FINALLY got to meet his better half and they also greatly added to the fun.

    Josh Hines: Best friends since the first day of first grade. The most beautiful bald bastard I've ever known. And a marvelous drummer to boot. Love the guy. Don't get to see him enough either.

    Carol Hines: Josh's wife, who I was friends with before they got together. Truly a marvelous woman with the brightest spark of life I think I've ever seen. Never fails to light up the room.

On top of the old friends, I met a ton of new friends that I think will add to this thing I call life in the years to come. Great fun was had by all, and I hope we get to do it again soon. Just with fewer shows in such a short time span....

Currently listening : Operation Ivy (Energy) By Operation Ivy Release date: 01 July, 1991

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das Gift reviewed in Virus Magazine

INCREDIBLE REVIEW FROM VIRUS! MAGAZINE - 8/10 STARS!

I just got this incredible review from VIRUS! MAGAZINE and had to send to our friends. 8 out of 10 stars.

VIRUS! MAGAZINE

"Das Gift" is the first solo release by this Little Rock, Arkansas, musician who is best known as the violinist and designer for the ridiculously successful goth-metal crossover act, Evanescence. Using a little multilingual wordplay in its title, "The Poison" has taken Adrian James fourteen years to create, and is triply more interesting than his more successful band.

Where Evanescence is best known for their resident diva and a numerous collection of chart-climbing power ballads, "Das Gift" offers something sur- prisingly different. More sonically akin to the work of dark psychotropic acts like Tool, James' creations are neither pop nor metal, but instead something abstract and melodic, cinematic and diverse.

Composed to be taken in as a solid work rather than a smattering of singles, James' compositions seam- lessly slide from one to the next, hitting crescendos and scenic lulls while utilizing a pleasingly diverse cabinet of instruments.
Like a memory of the drum line to Joy Division's immortal "Dead Souls", "Das Gift" emerges from a similar musty tribal drum line, its sluggish lope thickened by the dour murmur of bass guitar. Somewhere within this mire, violin shudders nervously while guitar pierces high and soprano to give the murk bright contrast as James' voice seeps in like a velvet wind.

The comparison to Tool becomes far more apt with "Et Tu?", where mathematical guitar progressions mimic the drum work as it lingers over from his preceding track. As the guitars dissipate into thick metallic washes, the vocals stretch out like pulled nerves, raw yet thin with emotion.

However, the first true turn in tone strikes with "Beautiful Womyn"; with this ballad, James relaxes away from his sonic drama to dig into more intimate soil to offer a moment of simple adoration amongst Gift's weightier creations. Accompanied by the gentle jangle and intermittent sharp plucks of acoustic guitar and subtle shades of piano, James' voice here ebbs and flows between moments of emotional strain and gentle pensiveness.

Through a tangle of brassy winding guitar, "Ein Grund zu Leben" resonates with the divine chrome shades of pipe organ. Its thunderous ring is cathedral high, and when merged with its dirging electric guitar and dramatic puzzle of drums, it provides a interesting amalgamation of churchliness and psychedelic rock.

This feeling trails on until reaching the sunset heat of "Real", where James' dusty vocals pine for something intangibly divine over a soundtrack of tribal-tainted drums, zippering organ intonations, and the toll of leviathan- large bells. Like a guitar's gentle reflection on a memorable moment of heartache, "Perfect Song" gently strums towards a nostalgic solo conclusion over polite raindrops of piano and wintry tambourine. Afterwards comes "Solitary", where James focuses purely on piano to paint a picture of melancholy; tender and ringing, it is exquisitely pensive and serves as excellent segue between the bulk of "Perfect Song" and its nice denouement reprise.

Initially, I was wary due to the 'self-produced side-project' status of this disc, but Das Gift surpassed all of my expectations; while I find his top-selling project a bit tedious and monochromatic, James' work here is quite captivating. The relapses to reprises do seem a little redundant, and there are points that feel like needless deja vu. However, in terms of continuity, it is a rather solid body of work. Hopefully, a few reviews from now, James' talents will better put to use within Evanescence, because this disc proves that he's certainly an untapped asset.

Vlad McNeally, 31 May 2007

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Malice Radio featuring das Gift
Category: Music

For those that haven't heard, das Gift has been getting tons of airplay at Malice Radio, a goth internet radio station. We've all corresponded with the guys running the place, and our guitarist Robert Dickey got to be on the last episode. We want to extend our thanks to Malice and Co, and encourage EVERYONE to check the show out.

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RFB Review
Category: Music

This review of RFB's first show as  new band appeared on the nihtflying website courtesy of Peter Reid.

  I spent an evening at Ava's Village Pub recently watching Rachel Fields and her new band work out, and it was a fun time. It was also a treat to hear Rachel again, as she is one of the best vocalists in the state. (Actually we lost her to New York for a time, but good sense prevailed and she moved back to the hills…)
    With her mannerisms and stage movements Rachel is like Arkansas' female answer to Joe Cocker…she tends to emote with her hands and arms as she sings, (but stops short of the spastic gyrations and shaking of Mr. Cocker)…
    It was a pleasant night, too, with Rachel aptly demonstrating her incredible vocal range and ability. She's best on her original material, but wails on the rare cover tunes…and has a Gospel singer's intensity on the soulful stuff. (I'd like to hear her take on "Amazing Grace" some time…)
    And the most recent word is that she has started production on yet a new CD.

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