Metro Pulse/Music/Eye on the Scene

Local Review

Arrison Kirby presents
Eye M ewE (El Deth)

A weird little slab of plastic arrived in Emma's mailbag this week, Arrison Kirby's Eye M ewE. Part of Knoxville's El Deth artistic collective (which includes a number of bands, including Next To Never, Obadiah and Planet Icon), Kirby's disc is mostly self-produced, although a number of guests play on it (including Nathan Moses, Jason Everette and Josh Lunsford). Using a number of samples and loops, he creates a groovy claustrophobic atmosphere that's equal parts electronica, industrial rock and instrumental ambiance. All of the tunes have structures, but chaos is a driving force, with weird little samples and blips jumping in every now and then to keep you on your toes. Fortunately, they don't disrupt the rhythm of the music.

Although you could certainly dance to some of the tracks, this CD is most at home on your stereo. My favorites are the tracks that lean toward the soulful. "Bipple" has a nice groove, with Kirby singing, "Ahhh, we could fly into the sky and learn why people die and that's alright." "The Queen" mixes a techno sound with some jazz instrumentation contrasted by soulless vocals.

The nice thing about this CD is that it is absolutely free. You can download it at www.eldeth.com and decide for yourself whether Kirby's worthy of your support. Kirby has some great ideas and it'll be fun watching him execute them in future projects.

Bill Swann
Awake But Somehow Dreaming

A little less weird (but still weird in a way I can't quite pin down) and more polished is Bill Swann's Awake But Somehow Dreaming. A pianist, singer and songwriter, Swann plays regularly with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra (and is featured on their most recent release, a year in the life of the band). Awake... is much more a pop affair and some obvious references come to mind: Steely Dan, Joe Jackson, even a bit of Billy Joel.

Thematically, the songs are complex pop structures, but the themes are off-kilter enough to keep you guessing. Take "Any Sacrifice," about a poor college student who falls in love with the nurse where he donates plasma. Or there's "Mr. Holmes," a paean to porn star John Holmes, "The Michael Jordon of blue." "Area 51" is about losing his girlfriend in an alien abduction: "I saw her rising in the air/ Me, I was on the ground." The lyrics at times seem a bit out-of-whack over Swann's mostly pleasant piano and keyboard playing, but it does make you stand up and notice the songs. His playing has enough funk and swing to it to keep the music from dipping into lounge music kitsch. His singing is a perfect complement to his playing. Harry Smith makes some notable contributions on guitar, as do Ken Smith and William Ellis on drums, and Curtis Walsh on bass. At times, the playing sounds a little tight, perhaps a byproduct of the studio. But, overall Awake... is a nice surprise.

Go.

Thursday: The Preservation Pub is quickly becoming downtown's premier bar, with live entertainment every Thursday. This week it's blues with Ghost Mountain.

Friday: Hollywood makes so few good movies these days. But, UT's film students are bursting with creativity. Go see what they've been up to at the Cyclops Video Festival at Downtown West. (The Towanda Richards Film Festival is Saturday at Downtown West.)

Saturday: The Voodoo Organist, at the Pilot Light, is a cross between Tom Waits and the Cookie Monster (if only we could get those two to play at the Pilot Light).

Sunday: If you want rock, head to the Pilot Light for the Bitter Pills and Greenhornes. If weird hippie groove bands are your thing, check out Groovatron at Barley's.

Monday: There's not much going on.

Tuesday: Anyways, does anybody really take these suggestions? Should you really be looking to a bunch of hacks for entertainment advice?

Wednesday: Sigh.

—Emma "Sometimes I burn my arms with cigarettes" Poptart with Joe Tarr