We found a load of our debut 7″ single from 1992, back when we were just little tykes known as Norton’s Orchestraville. It features three songs: “I for an I”, “Living the Still Life” and “Arnold’s Monster.”
You can now download the tracks or buy a copy for yourself. Both are available from our Bandcamp Site.
Another positive review for our new EP, “Invent the Machine,” this time from Columbus Alive.
As stated in the review, you can stream the entire EP or purchase it for a mere $5 at our Bandcamp site.
Sensory Overload: Local album reviews
Thursday, March 18, 2010 6:00 AM
By Chris DeVilleOrchestraville
“Invent the Machine”When Orchestraville disbanded in 2004, the Anyway-affiliated avant-pop outfit still had plenty of tremendous music in the vault. This year they’re bringing it to light, starting with this 2001 EP.
These five songs represent the band’s last work with guitarist Matt Duckworth, who combined with Chris Forbes to lay down the glistening, clean-cut guitar sounds at this album’s core. Tasteful riffs abound, played with thoughtful grace and occasional dread.
Combined with rich vocal harmonies and an understated rhythm section, it plays like a friendly complement to Jim O’Rourke’s literate, misanthropic guitar pop and a close cousin to the most polite and wistful corners of Yo La Tengo’s catalog. The Pernice Brothers’ sighing songcraft comes to mind too.
“Invent the Machine” is well worth a $5 download at http://orchestraville.bandcamp.com, where you can also stream the whole thing for free.
A favorable review, courtesy of The Other Paper.
They don’t mention it, but the EP can be purchased or streamed at orchestraville.bandcamp.com.
Tardy EP of interest historically, musically
Columbus-via-Athens band Orchestraville is no more, but its pieces fell out in some places you may recognize.
Drummer Keith Hanlon now mans the kit for the Black Swans, and singer/guitarist Chris Forbes strums for the same band. Parker Paul, who joined Orchestraville in its later years, often plays the keys with Moviola and has a long, long résumé that includes solo and Curious Digit releases on Jagjaguwar, plus stints with Songs: Ohia, Royal Trux and others.
This year, Orchestraville has big plans for some of its previously recorded material, starting with the new EP Invent the Machine, which consists of unreleased songs originally put to tape in 2001. Who knows why these tunes sat dusty and hidden for so long? It’s an EP worthy of release, and one that proves the band’s self-designated “avant-pop” descriptor is quite apt.
Invent the Machine is all about layers—layers of guitars and layers of “oohs” and “ahhs” behind Forbes’s lead vocals. Those vocals recall John K. Samson of the Weakerthans and Dean Wareham, whose former band Luna serves as a good point of reference for Orchestraville.
All those layers make the EP less straightforward than the band’s excellent second record, At Night It is Particularly Lovely, which had more “pop” and a bit less “avant.” Some of those pop hooks are missing on Machine, but it’s still a lush little package that’s worth your $5 and 16 minutes.
Former guitarist Matt Duckworth left the band after these recordings, and Parker Paul joined soon after. That set the stage for Poison Berries, the band’s third full-length album, which was slated to come out on Anyway Records in 2005. But Orchestraville broke up after the recording, as a result of which Poison Berries has likewise been collecting dust.
Look for that one to finally see the light of day this fall.
Our new EP, “Invent the Machine”, is available now for $5. You can download it at our Bandcamp site: http://orchestraville.bandcamp.com/album/invent-the-machine
