We are extremely proud of our new studio album, Limbs Akimbo, which we released on
September 8. The album was was produced by Tim Bluhm (Mother Hips), and features guest appearances by Jackie Greene, Zach Gill, and others.
In the track listing below you'll find buttons allowing you to sample clips from a few songs. Use the tabs above to download a free full-length version of "Two Loose Cannons" and to learn more about the album. Enjoy!
1\
Two Loose Cannons
2\
Something New
3\
Beneath the Blossoms
4\
A Great Many Things
5\
Brokedown
6\
Sexy Bakery Girl
7\
Queen Elizabeth
8\
Turning the Wheel
9\
Honkytonk Tequila
10\
Summertime Gal
11\
Limbs Akimbo
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I knew her first as a Mission hipster
Back when she was living on Valencia Street
She was bored and beautiful and miles ahead
Of the party boys that she used to meet
She smoothed her skirt across her thighs
Said there’s something that you should see
From the balcony
So elegantly
From the balcony
(chorus:)
These two loose cannons
Will roll with abandon
These two loose cannons will roll
Will these two— roll each other to the sea?
She spoke of things she built in the desert
She spoke of plans to sail the sea
She said she had a tendency to be a public spectacle
And I, I said that’s just like me!
And I remember the words she sang
Tonight let’s all fly free
From the balcony
So elegantly
From the balcony
With lollipops and vodka tonics
We pedaled past my familiar stage
We rode the rails, we filled our sails
As the tower burned and the dust storm raged
And I remember the words she sang
Tonight let’s all fly free
From the balcony
So elegantly
From the balcony
Won’t you come and see me Angeline Angeline
Won’t you come and see me Angeline Angeline
Just when I had things under control
You turned this new page in my soul, in my soul
Won’t you come walking in the pines, in the pines
Won’t you come walking in the pines, in the pines
We could fall aways from here
But I have faith that the footholds will appear, will appear
(chorus:)
I’ll put on my best clothes just for you just for you
I’ll put on my best clothes just for you just for you
Something borrowed, something blue
Something old, something new, something new
There’s not a force in this world
Anyplace anytime
Like this human soul on fire
Like this human soul on fire
Won’t you come and see me Angeline
Won’t you come and see me Angeline
Won’t you come and see me Angeline
Won’t you come and see me Angeline
I can’t tell you what a difference you’ve made in me
You took my own two eyes and made them see
Now that I’m standing on my own two feet
You’ve made a difference in me
Beneath the blossoms of the arboretum tree
Next to the roses, right beside the canopy
I will kiss you on the cheek while you sip on your tea
You make a difference in me (x3)
I am alive, I am complete
You’ve made a difference in me
Heaven knows, I love you from your head down to your toes
You’re gonna make me lose my mind
Throw them away, our problems they can wait
You and me should take our time Gonna take our time!
After the movies, when we get back home,
I’ll turn the lights down low, we are all alone
I’d like to sing you a Brazilian melody
You make a difference in me (x3)
I am alive, I am complete
You make a difference in me (x2)
I am alive, I am complete
You make a difference in me (x2)
I’ll raise my arms in victory
You make a difference in me
You make a difference in me...in me!
When I was a little bitty boy
I thought about a great many things
I never did figure out all that much
But I did keep myself entertained
Now I am a great big man
Or at least people tell me so
I find I still think about a great many things
But I'm not sure just what all I know
From the day I first took a little bitty step
I walked just as far as I could
I never did find all that much
But I sure kept myself feeling good
Now I walk and drive through town after town
I go just as far as I can
But of the few things I’ve found worth telling about
Not a one could you hold in your hand
I’ve met so many good kind-hearted souls
And no two of them the same
I sung so many songs, shaken so many hands
I’ve forgotten a great many names
Well I guess I really oughtta settle down
And do me some thinking on solid ground
But so far this travelin’s the best way I’ve found
To keep up these thoughts on the wing
These thoughts about a great many things
When I was a little bitty boy
I thought about a great many things
Never did figure all that much
But I did keep myself entertained. I still do . . .
And now I am a great big man
Or at least people tell me so
And I find I still think about a great many things
But I'm not sure just what all I know
Brokedown for the first time
It’s a long way to the next town
It’s a hot day and I wish I was down
In the cool breeze of a beachtown
This morning I was rolling fine
Now there’s new things on my worried mind
Walking along the broken line
I am all alone, without a sign
to say where to go
(chorus:)
Come on come on deliver me
End this conversation in my head
In the company of strangers swiftly passing by
I’m moved by a strange new wind instead
of the old one
I guess luck has always been on my side
It had always been a fairly easy ride
The climb uphill is the simple part
I fear this wobbling is the start
of a slow decline
Walking around, old downtown,
Looking for a bite to eat,
Come upon a building with a billboard sign,
Says, “scones, pastries, and tea,”
Walk up to the counter but there’s no one there,
Just a sweet smell in the air,
Out walks a girl with nothing on her feet,
And a bandana in her hair,
“Hi, how can I help you?”
She asks me with a smile,
Flour on her nose, rings on her toes,
I just stood there awhile!
(chorus:)
Hey, Sexy Bakery Girl,
You don’t even know my name,
My hips are shaking and you’re rocking my world,
You could drive a man insane!
Hey, Sexy Bakery Girl,
Baking a pie so sweet,
Put it in the oven, take off your apron,
You’re taking a ride with me
Never in my life have I felt this way,
I’m like a schoolboy in disguise,
Couldn’t think of anything good to say,
I’m completely hypnotized,
Things are getting blurry and I’m spinning around,
I can barely see the door,
Put your arms around me sexy bakery girl,
Won’t you help me to the floor,
“I’ll go get you some water,”
She told me with a smile,
When she blew me a kiss, I knew I would miss,
My swinging days for awhile
(bridge:)
Cinnamon rolls taste good to me!
I like it salty, I like it sweet
I’ll write a song, you make us something good to eat,
And we’ll make love in the bakery,
Hey, Sexy Bakery Girl, yeah yeah yeah,
Hey, Sexy Bakery Girl, year yeah yeah
There’s a bun in the oven my baby’s on the way,
I’m the happiest man alive,
Me and my baby and my bakery girl,
All feeling satisfied,
You’re full of loving and you light my way,
I’m proud to call you wife,
I’ll get you sugar when you bake your treats,
I’ll be your bakery guy...
Well, you know I’ve done my share of rambling
On many a long, lonely night
Making love just like a gambler
keeping my poker face on tight
But now I’m standing in your doorway
I am a weary, tired man
I was hoping you’d ask me to stay --
I’ll do the very best I can
To make you feel like Queen Elizabeth
On the wedding night she never had.
Just like Queen Elizabeth
On the wedding night she never had.
All this falling in love we been doin’
Don’t make no sense to me. I don’t care if it ever will.
How can this heart of mine be so moved
When my body ain’t never standing still?
‘Cause I got to go before the sun come up
Off to where God only knows,
But tonight I will sit at your table
I will fill up your cup with sweet honey wine, till it overflows.
I’ll make you feel like Cleopatra
Lying on her bed made of gold.
Drunk on her lover man
and sure she would never grow old.
Tomorrow I will sleep
When I’m lying alone
But tonight I will creep
To your feather-down throne
Like thunder to roll and to roll
and to roll and to roll and to roll . . .
Hold me as close as you can
I want you to breathe with my mouth.
Tomorrow is something we can’t understand
But tonight there ain’t nothing we can’t work out.
I’ll make you feel like Queen Elizabeth
On the wedding night she never had,
Just like Queen Elizabeth
On the wedding night she never had.
Here’s an old man on the corner,
Waving "Hello" to the cars that go by,
He’s an ordinary fellow,
slipped and hit his head when he was 5
Lived a life of simple peace,
Spent some time upon his knees,
And he’s doin’ all right, he’s doin’ all right
Oil man sips a Red Bull
In the backseat of a limousine,
Spent some time in the White House,
Way too long, you ask me
Sees an old man on the corner waving, “Hi,”
Rolls up the window, tells the driver to pass by,
Bye Bye
(chorus:)
Bye, Bye, grey sky, everybody’s ready for the blue!
Bye, Bye, grey sky, no one’s gonna miss you,
Bye bye
He traded in the banjo for a brand new shiny guitar,
Had enough of Mississippi,
Ain’t no place for a Rock N’ Roll star,
Thumbed a ride out to L.A.,
Where the angels and the vipers play,
And he’s doin’ all right, he’s doin’ all right,
There’s a party in Chicago, early on election day,
Flags are waving, men are crying, feels good in the USA,
The road is long, the path is steep,
But this begins the change we need,
And we’re feeling all right
All right, I’m turning the wheel,
I’m offering the branch you pulled away,
All right, I like the way this feels, expectations coming real,
In the night, all right
I'd been going round
to the other side of town
There's a gentleman who plays the dobro for free
I asked him to teach me
all that he'd preached to me
He said first, you're gonna have a drink with me
With his dobro on his knee
He looked across at me
said there's a rumor about Hank Williams I should tell you
For several years of his life
He had a Mexican wife
Who distilled him a very special brew (so we drank a little)
(chorus:)
Honkytonk Tequila
and I'm beginning to feel that you'll
someday be an uncle to my kid
When he wants an explanation
for his daddy's reputation
don'tcha tell him about all the things we did
don'tcha tell him about all the things we did
The man said always abide
by the melody inside
Some sing it high, some sing it low
No matter where you sing
don't forget one thing
This ain't no dog and pony show (so he drank a little)
Though it wasn't part of the plan
I'm now playing in the band
A better life, I really couldn't say
At night I sing the blues
for the girl I had to lose
She couldn't take, my honkytonk ways (so we grambled that)
Well here she comes a ray of sun
all tangled in her hair
That summertime gal of mine
Laughing at my winter coat her shoulders warm and bare
That summertime gal of mine
(chorus:)
That summertime gal of mine, mine, mine
That summertime gal of mine
That summertime gal of mine, mine, mine
That summertime, summertime gal of mine
When April showers quit their fall
she takes me to her breast
That summertime gal of mine
My winter troubles great and small, she lays them all to rest
That summertime gal of mine
(chorus)
In the month of May I swear she'll stay
forever by my side
That summertime gal of mine
In June we watch the moon waxing full with the rising tide
That summertime gal of mine
Lyin' by the July oak
she makes me feel so fine
That summertime gal of mine
Her hair, it smells just as sweet as mountain columbine
That summertime gal of mine
(chorus)
When autumn comes around . . .
Where's my summertime girl . . .
Well loving her is easy
like an August summer breeze
that summertime gal of mine
When September comes she walks away through the falling leaves
That summertime gal of mine
There she goes a walking slow
the evening in her hair
That summertime gal of mine
My winter coat hangs heavy and she has not a care
That summertime gal of mine
When the air that you’re breathing in
seems in short supply
And the knots that you’re making
Are harder to untie
Let this be your
Chance to grow
With your arms outstretched
And your limbs akimbo
(chorus:)
Well, there’s turbulence up in the sky
Though most of it’s inside your mind
There’s traffic jams out on the road
Though most of them inside your soul
All over things we can’t control
All over trouble letting go
So come on now let go of limbo
Arms out stretched, limbs akimbo
When the skin that you’re livin in
Is getting too tight
And the lens that you’re looking through
Doesn’t let in enough light
Let this be your
Chance to grow
Your arms outstretched
Limbs akimbo
When the ground that you’re walking on
Is shaky at best
And your heart is palpitating
In your chest
Let this be your
Chance to grow
Your arms outstretched
Limbs akimbo
HBR archivist and co-webmaster Adam Gromfin sits down in the studio with the band and producer Tim Bluhm to
discuss Hot Buttered Rum's new album, Limbs Akimbo.
AG: It's been four years since you
were last in the studio to record Well-Oiled Machine.
How is the experience different for you.
Do you feel like the same band? What effect has 4 more years on stage
had on you and your music?
Aaron:
I find myself more comfortable in the studio than I have ever been before.
The vibe is very loose in the studio and it's leading to better takes,
sooner. A big reason for that is the fact that I've played hundreds
of hours of music since the last recording and I feel more connected
to my instrument and my voice.
Nat: We’ve grown into our
own skin a little more. We play more to our strengths now, and don’t
strain to be something else. Well-Oiled Machine was one of the best
experiences of my life, but to tell you the truth, it was completely
nerve-wracking. I was holding myself to the standard of Tony Rice, Bryan
Sutton, and Tim O’Brien, because that’s the kind of album we were
making. I’m realizing I’m a very different type of artist than those
demi-gods of flat-picking. This experience has been more “arms outstretched.”
The drums are new, the songs are mostly new, but I feel more settled
into who I am as an artist.
Erik: This might sound a little
weird, but I’d say we’re tougher. We all come from a hell of a nice
place here in the Bay Area, and we’re all incredibly grateful for
having had the experiences we did as youngsters here. Our early ideas
were informed by an environment that provided us with a lot of necessary
“follow your bliss” support from 'Boomer elders, time interacting
with the natural world, good books to read, etc. A lot of our early
song themes were appropriately utopic: backpacking, first love, literary
characters, etc. Any struggles outlined were usually against materialism
or isolation, the shadow cousins of prosperity. As the years have gone
on, though, and we’ve all lost friends, struggled with money, break-ups,
and the like, our sound has had to deepen to hold these things, too.
In a sense, I think our experiences as a band have paralleled the experiences
of a lot of Gen-Xers entering a world that’s tougher than we expect
it to be. I think that trend will likely continue, especially as our
nation weathers some tough economic times. By a deeper sound, though,
I don’t mean darker. I think fans can actually expect more light from
us, shining from a deeper place. This is a time to look to art and music
and community to give us the sort of value that money can’t.
AG: What's it like working with Tim
compared to [WOM producer] Mike Marshall?
Erik:
Tim is really focused on the song, the lyrics; Mike was a great producer
for our instrumental side. Now that we’ve decided to put a primary
focus on song-craft, especially for our recorded output, a songwriter
seemed like the natural choice for our next producer. I think one thing
Tim and Mike share is a good concept of what makes an album an album,
and I’m confident in Tim’s ability to not only produce individual
pictures, but also to coalesce them into a meaningful collage.
AG: What songs are you most excited
to record?
Erik: I’m fired up to get
a version of “Queen Elizabeth” down with some Hammond organ. It’s
great to have the freedom to really work up-close on the vocals, etc.
AG: I know you already tackled Brokedown,
which seemed to be pretty fully arranged at this point.
Did it take much rearranging for the studio?
Erik: The vocals were the
tough part with that one. Tim, Nat and I all had our own way of singing
the chorus – it’s waaay up there, right around where my chest voice
runs out. We threw a bunch of different ideas down, and Tim is currently
piecing it together.
AG: If you had to pick a song you didn't write as your favorite on the album, which would it be?
Nat: Erik's tune "Six Weeks" gets me every time. It's an indie-rock melody paired with old-time banjo. Years ago we visited a young mother of two in the last year of her fight with cancer. This territory is so sad, but in it Erik finds an inspiring route. It's real, brutal, and also life-affirming.
Bryan: "Something New" is one of my favorites. One of my favorite things about this album is that it has more pop-sensibility, which shines through in "Something New." Also, it seems another fitting title for where HBR is right now, doing something new!
Aaron: I agree that "Something New" sounds amazing. A great example of the new Butter 3.2 sound. You have the Americana aspect through instrument choice, and an Indie Rock sound that seems unique to the song on the album. The theme also encapsulates the current HBR sound.
Matt: I have to agree: "Something New"
AG: After playing 150 shows a year,
are there any songs that have surprised you as needing a lot of work
once you hit the studio?
Aaron: What has been really
interesting is the way some songs have changed after being played one
way so many times! We've nicknamed Tim, the Butcher! He chops
off sections of songs like so much pork belly. He's also trimming down the playlist quite a bit, since we've recorded a lot more songs than we can squeeze onto the album.
AG: How has it been adjusting to recording
without Zac and with Matt. Have you had to do a lot of rearranging?
Aaron:
A couple of songs required some readjusting in terms of vocal harmonies.
We are also recording some songs that never had Zac parts.
Nat: We’re learning to play
with drums. All of our years of playing in string band format have given
us a lot of unique skills and taste, and also some tendencies that we’ve
needed to relearn. Specifically, we’re learning to relax and lean
into Matt’s groove and play in the center or back of the beat, especially
at the mid-tempos.
However, I think our experiences
as a string band are also our biggest strength. In the string band,
everyone needs to have a defined, interlocking part to make the groove
work. We worked so hard to learn how to do this! And I’m very proud
of the work we did, there are few string bands that have powered 1000-person
dance parties! What we learned there should still inform how we put
together music now in the new format. Everyone still has a part, a rhythmic
role to play. We’ll never fall into the garage band trap of just riding
on what the drums are doing. We’ve all got the groove.
The drums completely redefine the
guitar’s role especially. I used to be essentially the ride cymbal
in the string band format. Now I can play longer chords and notes, play
secondary syncopated rhythms, generally play less and play more sophisticated.
Soloing has a lot more impact with a fuller band behind me. It’s exactly
where I want to be and feels like the next step of evolution for me
as a player.
It’s also especially exciting to see
Bryan growing in the last couple months. He and Matt are such a bad-ass
rhythm section, and the bigger groove is helping him expand his playing.
If Bryan is stoked, the band is stoked.
Erik:
There have been some parts that we’ve swapped around, vocally speaking,
and a little more mid-range space to fill. (Honestly, though, that’s
never been a problem with all these instruments.) I agree with Nat that the main difference
I’ve noticed is what it feels like now playing with the drums. I think
we’re getting a lot out of that overall, and I’m looking forward
to continuing with it. I feel like we’d gotten as far as we could
with our string band formation. Other bands will continue to expand
on that.
The drums definitely belong with
us. I could even say they’re a little overdue. As a multi-instrumentalist,
they allow me to branch out further into more guitars and reeds. As
a songwriter, they give me more leeway to write tunes for tempos and
feels that never hit quite hard enough without them. Finally, as a performer,
they are one of the most liberating musical elements I could imagine.
They hold the song down in a way that pushes whatever I happen to be
doing. It’s been like surfing a bigger wave in calmer seas. I find
myself dancing more, taking more chances, and generally giving myself
over to the music in a way I’d forgotten I could do. Part of that’s
the newness of it all, I know, but part of it’s the bigness of the
sound, and the solidity, too. I’m very open to doing some drummer-less
or percussion-only portions of the show in the days to come, but I think
the traps are here to stay, big-picture-wise. It’s all part of us
realizing that we’re not a bluegrass band -- we’re a band that loves
bluegrass. This shift lets us relax our shoulders a bit and dig in on
what we’re really good at: being Hot Buttered Rum. We were never gunning
to win any pickers’ polls in Nashville, though I’d love to see us
go there and record an HBR album our way.
AG: You guys have traditionally recorded songs that already had been tried and trued as part of your live repertoire. Any chance some previously unplayed music makes it onto the album?
Bryan: "Two Loose Cannons" is the only track on the album that we haven't played live. It has a different sound than fans are used to, and I'm excited about seeing how the fans react to it.
AG: Do you find the studio confining
or liberating?
Aaron:
Both. Confining in terms of being in a closed space and trying to open
my heart and mind to the infinite flowing creative spirit. Liberating
in terms of having second chances to pull off things that
may not come off in a live performance. I feel more like a sculptor
in the studio situation, a skill I'd like to develop.
Erik:
I love it. I’d like to spend more time making records. The stage
is more immediately gratifying – its magic burns hotter. A good studio
day, though, is such a great part of something larger. One is hang gliding;
the other is building a plane.
AG: What will most surprise fans about
the new album?
Aaron: It truly is a different
sound than what people are used to. There are drums on every track so
far. Matt Butler is a great drummer and has helped shape the songs
with his instincts and character. There will be some guests as well
who add their spice to our brew which I think people will love!
Erik: The instrumentation
is going to hit people right out of the gates. I think, on the surface,
that’s the biggest change. I think the deepening sense of lyricism
and meaning I talked about a few minutes ago is just as important,
though. I think that’s what will stick to people’s ribs with repeated
listenings of the tunes, especially those more recently penned.
AG: Who's the most particular person
in the studio musically, and who's generally happy with the first take?
Aaron: Everyone is particular
but no single person drags the process out. There have been a few good
first takes though, and when one happens, everyone acknowledges it together.
Erik:
For some odd reason, I rarely sing second takes – when I do, they
don’t sound quite the same. Tim’s been ribbing me about it, but
also giving me props.
AG: With literally over a hundred unrecorded songs
to choose from, how hard was it for the group to cull the list down
to a manageable number for the studio?
How's the group consensus on the final picks?
Erik: We sent a ton of demos
to Tim, and he made a lot of the calls.
Aaron: We wanted a mix of
songs that have been up and running and songs that are both recent and
new. The process of picking songs began with a list of around 50 tunes.
We broke that down to ten or twelve songs, and then prioritized those songs.
AG: I know you recorded the album over a series of one-week sessions so that you wouldn't have to interrupt your road warrior touring schedule. What was that process like?
Aaron: It felt organic to me. It's important for HBR to continue honing the live show so playing shows in between recording sessions allowed us to develop our group chemistry. The album itself is a testament to a new band finding its place in a world of music saturated with bands who want to conquer the world!
Bryan: The process was spearheaded by Tim Bluhm, our producer. The process basically consisted of getting down rough group tracks with everyone playing together. We'd usually do between two and four takes, listen back and decide which one is the one we're going to use, then go through and layer on overdubs and fixes. Then add vocals on and solos on top. The first couple weeks were doing the roughs and fixes, the last week mainly vocals and overdubs. I actually liked breaking up the process over a few months. Otherwise, you can get to feel like you're just playing in a closet the whole time, and I miss playing for the fans!!
AG: I know you guys took some time off from the main album to record a handful of tracks for the Discovery Kids™ MP3 Booombox, an updated version of the kids mp3 player that featured 5 or 6 of your songs last year. What are these detours into kid-land like for the band? And who's the biggest kid?
Aaron:
We make music for children effortlessly. All of us are extremely immature and singing kid's songs allows us to be goofy, which is a strong part of our collective personality. I can definitely imagine a kid's album down the line. I can't imagine a better situation then playing a big art center full of kids!
Bryan: Since our first kid's album that we did with Orange Sherbet, we've loved the idea of doing more songs for kids! Some of us in the band have taught music to children, and it really reminds to be loose and fun Biggest kid is Aaron!
AG:A few questions for Tim:
Do you have any particular philosophies about producing (hands-on-ness
vs. hands-off-ness, for example), and how is working with HBR different than
other bands you've produced?
Tim:
My level of involvement varies widely based on what the band needs and/or
wants. It can be as little as sitting there and listening and giving
opinions, or as much as re-writing songs, playing instruments, giving
hugs, making demands. Every situation is different. Working with HBR
is unique because of the situation they are currently in. They need
to really re-invent themselves as a musical entity while still retaining
the appeal that they have to their loyal fan base. To some degree they
are looking to me to help them do that. That is a very cool, interesting
thing to get to do. And we are doing it!
AG:
Are you approaching this album with a strong vision, or are you allowing
that vision to develop?
Given the multi-instrumental, multi-singer, multi-genre nature of HBR's
music, is there anything special you think needs to be done to make
sure the album cohere?
Tim: People often worry about
cohesion within a record, but my philosophy is to believe in the power
of the collective energy in the moments that take place and to trust
that all the songs will sound right together. Why wouldn't they? These
guys have been playing music together for a long time, many hundreds
of shows. As long as we don't start contriving sounds and vibes and
moments in time, all will flow beautifully. I have ideas for songs
that I feel comfortable putting to the guys, but ultimately they have
to be stoked on the outcome. They have been very receptive to my ideas.
I think they welcome an outside voice they can trust.
AG: So, far do you think
the moniker "rock band playing bluegrass instruments" is a
fair one?
Tim:
That's an interesting question. I don't think of them as a rock band.
Not yet. I wouldn't be surprised if that's where they go in the future,
but right now I think they are a string band with a lot of freedom.
They have found that the drums give all of them way more options, way
more space to work in. Can they rock? Hell yes. But they can also
do things that a rock band can't. The fiddle, the flute, the banjo,
these all have textures that you don't hear so much in rock music.
Sustain can be clean, the noise floor can be very low.
AG:And now one for you, Nat:
I hope I don't embarrass you with this, but you once conceded to me
over beer at a Mother Hips show that you found it so strange to be working
with Tim (at the time, co-writing songs and working together on NKCC2) after years
of looking up at stage at him as a performer-slash-icon.
How is it working together now as peers?
Nat: I watched the Mother
Hips at some very impressionable times, when I was young and experimenting...
The Hips are still my favorite rock band and Tim is among my favorite
songwriters and singers. In the last five years I’ve gotten to work
with several of my heroes, Peter Rowan, Mike Marshall, and others, so
I think I’m learning to not be a total dork around people I admire.
Tim’s aesthetic has influenced me so much that we already agree on
a lot of the choices that need to be made. The whole process has been
very natural and easy, and completely fun. This is the right project
at the right time.
AG:OK, Matt. Let's see what the new guy has to say:
The last few months must have felt a little like baptism by fire, playing
at all but a few shows since December. And, in the midst of ramping
up on the 150 songs the band rotates at live shows, you also had to
learn and contribute to the creative process on the songs on the new
album. What's was that experience like?
Matt: It's been a bit of a
whirlwind but I've really been having fun. I'm much more relaxed
now onstage as I've become familiar with more songs and the whole Butter
performance ritual. I'm pretty accustomed to improvisation and playing
songs on the fly, but about 5 gigs in I was shitting bricks. My head
was so full of tempos, endings, solo set ups and punches. It wasn't
until the recording process that I was feeling relaxed enough to step
out and add anything but the basic groove. While the band is pretty
demanding when it comes to my drum parts, they have been very much asking
me to kick their ass as much as they are kicking mine in this creative
collaborative process we are in. I've learned a little more than 70
songs now...and they are breathing down my necks to learn more! And
I must say, I am ready for this. From the past 7 years or so of almost
100% improvised music in Everyone Orchestra, it's a nice departure for
me to get a handle on a large catalogue like Butter. The creative challenge
has been inspiring.
AG:
Was there a moment when you went from feeling like a guest to being
truly included?
Matt:
It happens about 5 or 6 times a night! [laughs] For real...I mean, I'll
be the new guy forever I think, since these cats have been doing this
together for so long. On the flip side, there are times when the tide
changes all the way, and it feels like they are in MY band!?!
But really, from the very first time I sat in with them I kind of felt
I was a part.
AG:
This is the first Butter album to feature drums. That must be
exciting for you. But is there pressure that comes with that,
too?
Matt:
Yea, I can't suck on the drums man!
AG:
How has the music evolved since December? Obviously, there are
drums now. But what besides the drums have you noticed change?
What have the drums allowed the music to do?
Matt:
It's been a process of them letting go of playing the snare and hi hat
parts. Bryan and I have gradually locked in more and more. I hear a
different type of soling going on now. And...I think it's a bit louder
even tough I'm not really a loud drummer!
AG:
The last tour prominently featured your project, the Everyone Orchestra
with Butter as a large portion of the players (along with Michael Kang,
Asher Fulero, Dave Brogan, and others). It must have felt really
special for you to combine these two worlds into one. Certainly,
the fans received the collaboration well, and the symbioses created
exceptional music. When you look into your crystal ball, what
do you envision/hope for from similar collaborations in the future?
Matt: Well, definitely more collaborations
like that! More big special events where I can bring in special guests
in the context of EO ....that are off the Butter radar and shake up
their bag. Conduct them into musical places that lay undiscovered, keep
the energy fresh on stage and nurture further growth of the band and
our ability to astound, amaze and engage people.
AG:
What kind of reception have you received from the HBR fanbase?
Matt:
99% epic love and excitement. A lot of, "This is what the band
needed!” 1% dissatisfied bluegrass traditionalists that really
don't like the drums on stage or what it is doing to them.
AG:
What didn't you know about the band that's surprised you over the past
few months?
Matt:
How tight Erik’s pants are. Aaron's dad-like sleeping habits. BCH's
name being “BCH.” Nat's uncanny ability to turn to someone and offer
them a gift of thanks from all of Butter and make that person’s day.
AG:And now for all of you:
It sounds like Limbs Akimbo ( \ə-ˈkim-(ˌ)bō ) is the working title right now, no doubt from the song Nat co-wrote with ALO's Zach Gill and debuted at Nat's second Concert Carnival. Since "akimbo" isn't a term with which most people are familiar, can you explain it a bit, both as it has to do with the title track but also as it has to do with the album concept.
Aaron: There's been some discussion about exactly what the term means -- whether it means hands are outstretched or on the hips. When we’ve played the song live and folks throw their arms in the air and wave them around. That definition is good enough for me.
AG: I've seen some early sketches of the cover art. What are you willing to disclose at this point about the concept behind the art? There's been some speculation in the fanbase about whether the peacock/instrument-neck logo is still relevant for the band's current lineup and sound. It's such an iconic logo, and I know most people would hate to see it go. What are the chances it will still figure into the band's branding?
Bryan: The cover basically shows rows of silhouetted people in different positions of dancing and having their limbs akimbo. With Matt recording with us for the first time, I see it as a time of transition and a time of change for HBR. We're working on keeping the peacock logo and adding a drum to it. I think it's a great logo and would hate to see it go.
Nat: The disc cover reminds me of what we see every night that we are on stage -- everyone getting down in their own way. As we just talked about, exactly what "limbs akimbo" means is up to each individual; hopefully you can find yourself somewhere on the cover. The concept developed organically between John Boys and a couple of us. I can't say enough about John. He's done a lot of other HBR projects and actually created the peacock logo. He's an excellent creator and listener, qualities which are sometimes hard to find in the same person! I always have a good time working with John to create HBR images. I think people are going to want to have this album just for the cover...
As far as the peacock logo, it's still working for us and you'll see it on the new album. We've modified it a bit to incorporate Matt's percussive contributions. I've always thought this logo represents one of the core values of this band -- that we are five equal parts and not the vision of one bandleader. These parts have changed a bit this year, but this core value is stronger than any single person or lineup of the band.
AG: What does Limbs Akimbo as a whole package -- title, sound, instrumentation, ethos -- say about the state of Hot Buttered Rum in 2009?
Aaron: It says that we are hungry to keep the HBR vision alive. We're flexible with the direction and adding a new member like Matt Butler creates an entirely new experience. The album will be an early snapshot of where we were at the beginning of 2009 after a major change. It sounds exciting, ambitious, and has a bit of a chip on its shoulder daring the listener to not like the new sound.
Bryan: Yeah, I think it's introducing HBR as more of a rock-Americana band. It's the culmination of a lot of work and is showcasing the "new" HBR sound. It's also showcasing more of the songwriting aspects and less of the bluegrass picking that was really shown on Well-Oiled Machine with Mike Marshall producing.
Nat: To tell you the truth, this Fall was a real hard patch for Hot Buttered Rum. We'd just separated from a manager, which was a disappointing business relationship, and then Zac leaves the band. It even crossed my mind that it might be the end of the band. When we decided to move forward with the album, we brought a lot of this emotion to the table, and I think Tim and DSB [sound engineer, David Simon-Baker] understood that. That said, the sessions had a strangely relaxed feeling to them, as if we'd already let go of our attachments to the band.
I can't say enough about the importance of Matt. He's an amazing guy, a fully-realized artist who has total command of his talents. He was the right personality to join the band. With the Everyone Orchestra he has made a career out of bringing other musicians' talents to light. In our collaborative band context he does this, but I think he's now getting the opportunity to express other parts of his talent. His insight into arrangement and musical presentation are spot on and complementary to what was already in HBR. Onstage he has an intercom mic that only the band can hear and he's been using it to lead improvisation into places Hot Buttered Rum has never seen. It's been a huge growing experience for the four of us and him. I'm not sure where Hot Buttered Rum would be without him.
We're at the point where we are making a record that can be taken very seriously and listened to alongside other great records. We can't get by on novelty or boyish charm or adherence to a music style or scene. I'm more proud of this album than I have ever been of a Hot Buttered Rum recording project. I'll be interested to see how it will be accepted by the world. Do we get to reinvent ourselves in the public eye?
I also think this album is a bit of turning the page. I've grown tired of the way publicists and journalists focused on our biodiesel bus. I guess it makes a good story, but I actually feel that it's not that big of a deal, and when you hear us talking about it ad nauseum, it can begin to sound pious or self-righteous. Again and again I want more focus on the music we were making, the songs we were writing, the way we're affecting people. The bus, the idea of bluegrass, the idea of a jamband -- all of these things can get in the way of the sacred space of music. They're important, but they're not everything, and I think this album says that strongly.
Arms Outstretched
by Dennis Cook
Labels are sticky and often take great effort to remove. Somewhere along the line, Hot Buttered Rum got categorized as a string or quasi-bluegrass outfit. It’s a limiting, inaccurate descriptor that Limbs Akimbo eloquently removes to reveal the full flowering force of this happily unclassifiable band. Here we find skipping pop, African winds, anthemic philosophizing, swerving jazz inflection and, yes, some well plucked acoustic fare. What unfolds on the new album is akin to the earliest days of rock ‘n’ roll, where many grand strains – the blues of Chicago and Mississippi, immigrant folk music, New Orleans jazz, toe-tappin’ radio ditties, mountain music and more – coalesced into a rangy, charming new beastie. Limbs Akimbo offers a juicy modern equivalent to wide swinging early rock, where the music feels fresh and immediate and ever so anxious to twirl you on a red brick floor.
The first Rummy offering of the Obama era carries some of the President’s forward rushing flush, the sense that we’re not captive of our past and more than capable of creating a brighter future. Hope’s a tricky thing and imparting it to others through song trickier still, yet HBR nail it repeatedly here. Their conviction, abundant chops, focused execution and increasingly savvy song-craft gel in a way . . . that’s just so inviting & refreshing, a gust of newness that picks one up from the doldrums of eight interminable Bush-ian years and reminds us there’s nothing more powerful than the human spirit on fire. And while politics in the specific can be a bit of a slog, HBR tap into the larger truths that surround the moment, finding pathways back to the many salty ‘n’ sweet moments that make us joyful and aid us in our quest for delighted incarnation. Even “Turning The Wheel,” written on Election Day ‘08, handles things with oblique nuance, more interested in the days ahead than in further rumination on the years just behind us – a, reminder that as we have been is not how we must be, and we might as well gulp down some “Honkytonk Tequila” and embrace one another while the dealer reshuffles fate’s deck anew.
The greatest shift, at least on paper, is the integration of full-blown percussion into their sound. Yet the experience of Matt Butler, the feel he imparts to these tunes, is so organic, so plainly right that you might not even catch that he’s in the mix at first. There’s no exaggerating the depth his drums bring to their sound, creating a springboard for the others to really soar. From the honeyed singing to the sharp picking, Hot Buttered Rum moves with appealing, grinning confidence, ready to abandon labels of any kind as they reach out towards Africa and Armstrong, Hank Williams and Queen Elizabeth, Brazil and The Beatles. Captured in a heady mix of modern studio technique and antique, old ribbon mics, and digital zeros ‘n’ ones swirling together . . . , Limbs Akimbo celebrates the freedom that’s rightfully ours – the freedom to congregate and create and travel as a citizen of the world, even if we only take the trip with our ears. Limbs Akimbo is the fruition of a long, singular path. Now get those shoes off and snatch up the hands of these beautiful loose cannons. We’ve got places to go. . . .
Dennis Cook is an associate editor for Jambase.
Produced by Tim Bluhm Engineered and Mixed by David Simon-Baker Recorded at Mission Bells, San Francisco Mastered by Mike Wells Album Art by John Boys/Cherub Root Design Photography by Matt Sharkey, Adam Gromfin, Dave Fleishman
Two Loose Cannons (Nat Keefe) Something New (Nat Keefe) Beneath the Blossoms (Aaron Redner) A Great Many Things (Erik Yates) Brokedown (Tim Bluhm/Nat Keefe) Sexy Bakery Girl (Aaron Redner) Queen Elizabeth (Erik Yates) Turning the Wheel (Aaron Redner) Honkytonk Tequila (Nat Keefe) Summertime Gal (Erik Yates) Limbs Akimbo (Zach Gill, Nat Keefe) Thank you Team Butter:
Josh Osmond, Andy Cotton, Justin Davis, Michael Scott, Mark Lourie & Skyline Music, Adam Eaton & Susi Bouse, Adam & Aimee Gromfin, Deadesq Dave & Erin Fleishman, Dan Braun, Jon Eisenberg, Chris Poli.
Love and gratitude to Zac Matthews.
A special thanks to the folks who helped make this project happen:
Willow Horne, Desirée Moores, Siân Thomas, Julie van Amerongen, Emily Wilsoncroft, Everyone Orchestra, ALO, Simon Kurth, Matt Eakle, Steve Simon, Bill & Jilian Nershi, Brett Dennen, T.O. Jazz, John Collins, Graham & Perky Hubner, Jedi Magi Colgan, Greg Yost, Kyle Martz, Ian & Meredith Mitchell, ClifBar, Guayaki, Keen, D’Addario, Nechville Banjos, Santa Cruz Guitar Co.
To purchase Limbs Akimbo, please visit our Merch Store.
