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A Needle On Vinyl
Works For The Douglas Fir
The Boston Globe 07/23/2000
By Dave Wildman
Although they have an atmospheric, poetic sound that brings to mind groups
like The Cure and The Church from the
early 80s,and
have even been retro enough to release much of their music as vinyl singles,
The Douglas Fir musicians
insist they are not revivalists. "I just love hearing the sound of
the needle hitting the vinyl," explains the group's bassist
Patrick Cooley. "Plus, right now, anyone can burn a CD, all you need
is a computer and a couple hundred dollars.
With vinyl, you have to actually send it out and have someone manufacture
it." "Our music reminds people of a
certain era, and we think that is complimentary," adds Jay Walsh,
wordsmith and chief songwriter for the group.
"Putting out vinyl seems like a Stone Age thing to do, but it has
worked incredibly well for us." Whether it is the
result of pure luck or of an unwavering commitment to their art, The Douglas
Fir seem to have made a strong
impact locally.
Formed in late '97,
the group has rapidly grown to be a strong draw at local rock clubs, released
two singles on vinyl and CD
formats, and recently was voted Best Local New Act in the Boston Phoenix
Best Music Poll. While some bands nominated for
the honor have been known to lobby the paper in pursuit of the prize,
The Douglas Fir members say winning was a development
that took them completely by surprise. "We didn't really know anyone
at the Phoenix," says Walsh. "It's a complete mystery to
me how we won." Besides the brooding bass of Cooley and the strangely
gentle pulse of drummer John Michael, the central
focus of the group is Walsh's lyrics, which feature imagery that sometimes
leans in a dramatically poetic direction.
It is not often in a four-minute pop song that you will find a writer
risking potential ridicule with heady lines such as these
from "Unwelcome," their first single release: "With azure
skies and firmament, the stubborn hands of time stood frozen."
But Walsh, who has in the past dabbled in short story and fiction writing,
somehow makes it work.
Part of the reason might be the way the band presents itself graphically,
with promotional posters using famous moments
from movie history to photos of lonely train tracks and wheat fields on
the releases that serve to complement the heavily
atmospheric music and evocative lyrics. "There's a melancholy to
it, but I think also a happiness too," says Walsh. "I think
it's okay and it's fun to have some big words in songs, to use something
from out of a book you like. To me, songs are just
like three-minute short stories with a guitar solo going through the middle
of the character's life."
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