Central Mass’ Experimental Rockers: Sparhawks
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
The four talented musicians of the Sparhawks playing live. No vocalist needed. Photo courtesy of James Nutter.
You could travel New England's whole expanse, north to the White Mountains of New Hampshire and south to the mansions of Greenwich, Connecticut, east to Boston and west to the Berkshires, scouring every city alley and sparse farm town along the way, and you wouldn't find another band quite like the Sparhawks, a group of proud native Central Mass musicians.
What is Post-Rock?
The band plays a very modern and specialized version of vocal-less alternative rock, known commonly as "post-rock.". They don't use lyrics; they let their highly complex and unique instrumentations do the talking. To put it simply, "post-rock" generally is commonly defined as a sub-genre of rock that uses traditional rock instruments (guitar, drums, bass, keyboards etc.,), but in such a way that produces rhythms and sounds that would be unfamiliar to the average fan of the traditional genre.
That's about as specific as one can get, for perhaps the only common thread among post-rock acts is that there are, in fact, really no common threads that one could point to as a defining characteristic of them all. The music is always highly experimental, and as a result, bands end up producing an extraordinary range of different sounds.
The Music of the Sparhawks
The Sparhawks are made up of Brendan Sibley on drums, Vlad Kolodhyazni and Tim Martin on guitars, and Brian Davitt on bass.
For people who are already familiar with this type of music, Godspeed You Black Emperor! will certainly come to mind upon an opening listen, but the band is by no means a carbon copy of arguably post-rock's most famous current act. Fans of 60's and 70's psychedelic and progressive rock and 90's grunge and alternative metal will also hear something to their liking, and you'll also hear touches of jazz, emo and indie.
The Sparhawks recently released their first full-length album, The Cabin, which is available for a listen on their bandcamp and Reverbnation sites.
"There are moments of intensity as well as moments of sincerity," says drummer Brendan Sibley. "Our most recent favorite genre to play is a shade of math rock that we threw a Sparhawks’ signature on. We also like to stay close to our roots as an intense instrumental band."
The album was named in honor of their makeshift recording studio, a literal cabin in Eastbrook, Maine. It was here that they truly bonded.
"When the band shows up to our practice space every week for rehearsal the room fills with good vibes and laughter. After we spent that week up in Eastbrook recording our first record, all of us became the best of friends. When I count in a song with my sticks and we begin to play, we all enter a blissful realm where nothing really matters except what’s being played," remarks Sibley.
Though the band certainly has a unique sound, their writing style will sound familiar to most musicians.
"As far as ideas for songs and writing go; it all tends to start with (a few beers and) a guitar riff or drum beat that one of us comes up with either beforehand, or on the spot. From there it tends to take the shape of a song or something like it. Some songs flow naturally, some songs take a bit more work and creativity to completely finish," says Sibley.
This weekend these prolific musicians will be returning to their beloved cabin to begin recording their next official release, one that promises even more artistic mastery and to continue to expand their listening audience. Hopefully more people will soon begin to take notice. Though potential listeners may be unfamiliar with the band's individualized post-rock style, there is a lot in their sound that all fans of music can appreciate.
"The future for the band is potentially endless," says the drummer. "We love meeting new people. Our goal is to have our music heard by as many people as possible and to have as much fun as we can while doing so. We hope to set up a small tour in the near future as well as explore new business opportunities as they present themselves."
For more information on the Sparhawks please find them on Facebook. They will be having an EP release show at Ralph's Rock Diner on July 27th.
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