ARBOURETUM
''SONG OF THE PEARL''
MARCH 9 2009
40:04
1/False Spring
Arbouretum / David Heumann / Rob Wilson/5:50
2/Another Hiding Place
Arbouretum / David Heumann / Rob Wilson/5:16
3/Down by the Fall Line
Arbouretum / David Heumann/5:18
4/Song of the Pearl
Arbouretum / David Heumann / Rob Wilson/4:16
5/Thin Dominion
Arbouretum / David Heumann/4:35
6/Infinite Corridors
Arbouretum / David Heumann/6:14
7/The Midnight Cry
Arbouretum / David Heumann / Rob Wilson/3:24
8/Tomorrow Is a Long Time
Bob Dylan/5:11
Corey Allender /Bass
David Bergander /Drums
Jay Delisio /Arranger
Daniel Franz /Drums
David Heumann /Composer, Guitar, Vocals
Steve Strohmeier /Guitar
Walker Teret /Arranger, Vocals (Background)
REVIEW
by Jason Lymangrover
A few months after releasing a split with Pontiak, Arbouretum returned, true to form, with Song of the Pearl. At first glance, it appears that very little has changed over the two years since Rites of Uncovering. Baltimore's Dave Heumann still pumps out elemental, minor chord Americana in the key of Will Oldham or Bill Callahan, and filters it through loud, doomy amps to make moody jams that could be mistaken for a beefed up Gordon Lightfoot, or Neil Young & Crazy Horse rocking through Blue Cheer's gear. It's a weird blend of power-driven grunge and melancholy: a fever dream that sweats out weary sadcore as it primitively pounds out acid rock drudge. If anything has changed since the last full-length, Heumann's become slightly more restrained. The songs never break the six-and-a-half-minute mark, even when they feature longwinded guitar solos. "Infinite Corridors," the stoner rock jam of the album, is the most guilty of sprawling aimlessly, but never loses focus in its slow build of a pentatonic blues groove into an fuzzy assault. In another visceral moment, "Another Hiding Place" paints the mood for a dusty soundtrack made for driving through the desert plains, with the line, "Daylight blazes, there's a carcass on the side of the road" before the tranquil, shimmering vibe of "Down by the Fall Line" darkens the pink sunset.
BIOGRAPHY
by Margaret Reges
Dave Heumann, a musician with something of a rustic, poetic bent who backed up musicians like Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Cass McCombs, started Arbouretum in the early 2000s. The band was comprised of Heumann's friend Walker David Teret on guitar, ex-Lungfish member Mitchell Feldstein on drums, and Corey Allender on bass. Arbouretum's debut, Long Live the Well-Doer, was released in 2004, and their second album, Rites of Uncovering, came out three years later. The latter was recorded in part by Paul Oldham and, according to Heumann, influenced by the works of writer Paul Bowles. Solidifying themselves with Corey Allender on bass, Daniel Franz on drums, and Steve Strohmeier on guitar, Heumann reentered the studio with Rob Girardi again in 2008 and finished Song of the Pearl in only two months. Thrill Jockey released the record in February of 2009. The band toured the United States in support and immediately reentered the studio with producer Matt Boynton, who had recorded much of 2007's Rites of Uncovering. Arbouretum underwent a lineup change in 2010: Guitarist Steve Strohmeier was replaced by keyboardist Matthew Pierce. Following the inspiration of archetypal psychologist Carl Jung's The Red Book (at least the images that led to his writing it), Arbouretum released the expansive, mythology-drenched effort The Gathering in 2011. Around this time, Heumann formed a friendship with Hush Arbors' Keith Wood. The two bands planned a joint European tour, and in 2012 released split LP Aureola to showcase their likeminded sounds.
''SONG OF THE PEARL''
MARCH 9 2009
40:04
1/False Spring
Arbouretum / David Heumann / Rob Wilson/5:50
2/Another Hiding Place
Arbouretum / David Heumann / Rob Wilson/5:16
3/Down by the Fall Line
Arbouretum / David Heumann/5:18
4/Song of the Pearl
Arbouretum / David Heumann / Rob Wilson/4:16
5/Thin Dominion
Arbouretum / David Heumann/4:35
6/Infinite Corridors
Arbouretum / David Heumann/6:14
7/The Midnight Cry
Arbouretum / David Heumann / Rob Wilson/3:24
8/Tomorrow Is a Long Time
Bob Dylan/5:11
Corey Allender /Bass
David Bergander /Drums
Jay Delisio /Arranger
Daniel Franz /Drums
David Heumann /Composer, Guitar, Vocals
Steve Strohmeier /Guitar
Walker Teret /Arranger, Vocals (Background)
REVIEW
by Jason Lymangrover
A few months after releasing a split with Pontiak, Arbouretum returned, true to form, with Song of the Pearl. At first glance, it appears that very little has changed over the two years since Rites of Uncovering. Baltimore's Dave Heumann still pumps out elemental, minor chord Americana in the key of Will Oldham or Bill Callahan, and filters it through loud, doomy amps to make moody jams that could be mistaken for a beefed up Gordon Lightfoot, or Neil Young & Crazy Horse rocking through Blue Cheer's gear. It's a weird blend of power-driven grunge and melancholy: a fever dream that sweats out weary sadcore as it primitively pounds out acid rock drudge. If anything has changed since the last full-length, Heumann's become slightly more restrained. The songs never break the six-and-a-half-minute mark, even when they feature longwinded guitar solos. "Infinite Corridors," the stoner rock jam of the album, is the most guilty of sprawling aimlessly, but never loses focus in its slow build of a pentatonic blues groove into an fuzzy assault. In another visceral moment, "Another Hiding Place" paints the mood for a dusty soundtrack made for driving through the desert plains, with the line, "Daylight blazes, there's a carcass on the side of the road" before the tranquil, shimmering vibe of "Down by the Fall Line" darkens the pink sunset.
BIOGRAPHY
by Margaret Reges
Dave Heumann, a musician with something of a rustic, poetic bent who backed up musicians like Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Cass McCombs, started Arbouretum in the early 2000s. The band was comprised of Heumann's friend Walker David Teret on guitar, ex-Lungfish member Mitchell Feldstein on drums, and Corey Allender on bass. Arbouretum's debut, Long Live the Well-Doer, was released in 2004, and their second album, Rites of Uncovering, came out three years later. The latter was recorded in part by Paul Oldham and, according to Heumann, influenced by the works of writer Paul Bowles. Solidifying themselves with Corey Allender on bass, Daniel Franz on drums, and Steve Strohmeier on guitar, Heumann reentered the studio with Rob Girardi again in 2008 and finished Song of the Pearl in only two months. Thrill Jockey released the record in February of 2009. The band toured the United States in support and immediately reentered the studio with producer Matt Boynton, who had recorded much of 2007's Rites of Uncovering. Arbouretum underwent a lineup change in 2010: Guitarist Steve Strohmeier was replaced by keyboardist Matthew Pierce. Following the inspiration of archetypal psychologist Carl Jung's The Red Book (at least the images that led to his writing it), Arbouretum released the expansive, mythology-drenched effort The Gathering in 2011. Around this time, Heumann formed a friendship with Hush Arbors' Keith Wood. The two bands planned a joint European tour, and in 2012 released split LP Aureola to showcase their likeminded sounds.
