Undertown (album)

Last updated
Undertown
CDJ Undertown cover.jpg
Studio album by Calm Down Juanita
Released 2002
Genre Alternative rock, Psychedelic rock
Length48:36
Producer Gizmo and Toony
(Feasley & Guess)
Calm Down Juanita chronology
Calm Down Juanita
(1998) Calm Down Juanita1998		Undertown
(2002)

Undertown is the second album by psychedelic rock group Calm Down Juanita, released in 2002. [1]

Psychedelic rock Style of rock music

Psychedelic rock is a diverse style of rock music inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelic culture, which is centred around perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music is intended to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs, most notably LSD. Many psychedelic groups differ in style, and the label is often applied spuriously.

Calm Down Juanita is a Seattle, Washington studio band writing partnership between vocalist Tyler Willman and drummer Kevin Guess, catalyzed and engineered by Steve Wilmans, that has featured several other notable players. Their sound is progressive psychedelic alternative rock. They recorded and released two albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with different bass players and multiple guests on each album. The band was described as "acid-y, slinky and soulful," and as having a style somewhere between The Flaming Lips and later-period Marvin Gaye.

Contents

This album featured recording engineer Steve Feasley on bass guitar and once more, special appearances by several other players. Undertown saw Tyler Willman singing and writing most lyrics, with the exception of two songs: Heavy, with lyrics and vocals by kevtone (Kevin Guess), and Monkeyfist, with lyrics, vocals, and sitar by Seamalt Jones. Willman played guitars, rhodes, and harmonica throughout the album, synthesizer on Slowdance and Youfo, and bass on both Thinkitsenough and the outro solo for Castle. He also did samples and records on Let Me In and some percussion on Buttermonk, Castle, and Kandy. Kevtone played drums and other percussion on every song and synthesizer on every song except Slowdance. He also did samples on Buttermonk, Castle, and Kandy and bass guitar on Stumpgumby. Steve Feasley played bass guitar on all but two songs: Thinkitsenough and Stumpgumby. Saxophonist Skerik returned to play sax on Sofacide; violinist Bob Antone played on both Monkeyfist and Jessie; vocalist Om Jahari sang on Cruisin'; and the 'Late Night Rappers' both wrote and sang the lyrics for Kandy. [1]

Tyler Willman, also known as Ty Willman, is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who lives in Seattle, Washington. He is probably best known for his work with the Seattle-based band Green Apple Quick Step. He briefly fronted the band Devilhead and helped form Calm Down Juanita.

Kevtone is an American musician, percussionist, and songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Performing live and in studio, his rhythm style may best be described as improvisational, melodic, progressive, and bluesy, over a wide variety of styles; reflecting influences from many genres of music.

Skerik American musician

Skerik is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics.

Most of Undertown was recorded by Steve Feasley and Steve Wilmans at Seattle's Bamboo Recording Studio, where Wilmans mixed both Stumpgumby and Sofacide. Feasley recorded Youfo, Monkeyfist, and Jesse, did some overdubs, and did most of the transfers, mixing, and mastering at Love Studio in Seattle, where one song, Buttermonk, was mixed by both Feasley & Justin Warner. All the artwork and layout for Undertown was done by "the impotent p. earwig" and copyrighted to "plague doctor studios". The album was produced by "gizmo and toony" (Feasley & Guess) and all its songs were copyrighted to Calm Down Juanita in 2002. [1]

Track listing

All songs by Calm Down Juanita

No.TitleLength
1."pepper"2:56
2."slowdance"2:38
3."thinkitsenough"1:29
4."youfo"4:16
5."buttermonk"4:15
6."heavy"3:43
7."castle"3:16
8."monkeyfist"4:16
9."let me in"4:16
10."cruisin'"3:47
11."kandy"2:44
12."jessie"4:34
13."stumpgumby"2:12
14."sofacide"4:14

Personnel

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Undertown (CD Booklet). Calm Down Juanita. Seattle, Washington, US: Gizmo and Toony (Feasley & Guess). 2002. inside front booklet.




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