Chief is a new folk-rock band, with all four members hailing from California. “So what,” right? With so many bands like Band of Horses, She & Him, and Fleet Foxes (I have nothing against these artists; in fact they’re some of my all-time favorites. But there are a LOT of them!) it seems like every new band these days is jamming to twangy guitars and Americana harmonies. Or is from California. Chief may well be categorized with this plethora of neo-country-rockers, but that’s no reason to cast them off. While it may be impossible to become another CSNY, Chief gives us folk-rock elitists a run for our money. Even if there are plenty of other bands today doing what Chief is doing, this band from the Golden State is certainly one of the best.Surprisingly, Chief actually met and formed while the musicians were attending NYU. The members were experimenting with their own individual projects until they united under the musical leadership of Evan Koga, guitarist and lead singer. Out of school now, Chief has crafted an excellent addition to any good music fan’s collection: Modern Rituals.
Chief is strongly influenced by the folk-rock giants of the late 60s and the 70s. One can hear elements of Neil Young, early Byrds, and even The Band in their music. Chief weaves catchy and uplifting songs together out of simple chord progressions and warm, rich harmonies. It only takes one play of Modern Rituals’ opening track to illustrate this. “The Minute I Saw It” begins with a complex guitar riff that, when listened to closely, is based on a rather simple chord progression. This riff soon melts into a catchy, almost anthemic melody, which leads to the first words sung on the record. The track is sung in a light, sleepy manner. Once the calming, reassuring harmonies are added to the chorus, it is obvious that although Chief is only on its first album, its members are not new to writing good music. In addition, this NYC/Cali band has some great poetry up their sleeves.
Lyrically, Chief displays a delicate and artistic aptitude for storytelling. Most of their songs involve love, break-ups, and unhealthy relationships. The song “Night & Day” describes one dissatisfied partner leaving another. Koga sings: “Take me away/I don’t care what the place/I just can’t see your face/Every night and day.” “Nothing’s Wrong” paints a picture of a couple that is too focused on the physical: “And when we go back alone/Take me with you, don’t be cold” seems to convey that although the two lovers are together, one of them is being “cold,” and not 100% emotionally there. Sure, these laments are nothing new, but Chief delivers them with a mastery not common to bands just joining the scene.
Modern Rituals proves to be a great album in all areas. It may not dazzle on the first listen, but this record is a grower. Fall asleep to it, leave it in the car, and Modern Rituals will become a great companion. With their comforting musical qualities and thoughtful lyrics, I think Chief’s first contribution to modern folk-rock will become a classic on my shelf.
Mark Wang is a first year student majoring in bass trombone performance. He can be reached at MW742802@wcupa.edu.
Stacy Clark’s music has graced the soundtracks of shows like MTV’s hit reality show, The Hills and ABC’s miniseries, “Samurai Girl.” The Indie artist’s second album, Connect the Dots, starts with the lyrics “running in circles, walking the line” which makes for a good theme with all her songs. Clark released an album in late 2007 prior to Connect the Dots, called Apples and Oranges. Stacy Clark’s second album branches to a more mature artist, displaying lyrics that fight the need to keep a destructive friend around or a song dedicated to a friend in the Air Force. Clark describes this new album as “the most honest piece of work” that she has released yet and listeners can agree. Clark writes and sings songs that anyone can relate to. Her first single from Connect the Dots is called “Touch & Go,” which is an uplifting song. “Touch & Go” explains the satisfying love of a relationship that never goes wrong with an airy and cheerful melody of the piano and guitar. Not all of Clark’s songs are as uplifting though. Her song Hide explains the sadness and stress of wanting to hide when dealing with a friend who is emotionally abusive. Stacy Clark’s second album was released on August 10th, 2010 on ITunes for $5.99 (including 12 songs).
Stacy Clark was born in Buffalo, New York and has actively pursued music from a young age. Clark attended Buffalo State College as an art major and interned at Atomic Gardens Recording Studio, where her love and music and first album was produced. Clark currently resides in Los Angeles where she has won several awards at the Orange County Music Awards. To check out more of Stacy Clark, go to her website at http://www.stacyclark.net.
Angela Thomas is a fourth-year student majoring in English and can be reached at AT683005@wcupa.edu