Bent Knee - best band from the US in a long while?

[WHORG]

I've seen a few members of BK back in their infancy while working at Berklee. We'd often take lunch at odd times to check out student recitals in the various performance spaces across campus . . .

Their performance at Progday was sublime . . . great way to end the festival.

I wish them the best of luck moving forward in their musical career.

[mike_hunt]

If you missed my interview with Bent Knee from ProgDay, you can stream it here at your leisure.

thanks for doing the interview and sharing. it was a very enjoyable listen.

they were fantastic at ProgDay this year. so glad to see them live. Say So is one of my favorite albums of the year.

[melanieshiffman]

Mom & Dad sure don't seem to have a problem with his Jewfro.

LOL Shlomo

Get out your tin foil hat.
A big part of their sound is the treatment/effects added by Vince, the 'sound designer/producer'.
I think there may be some psychoacoustic effects layered on that 'enhance' your listening pleasure.
Kind of like what is done in movie soundtracks to heighten suspense, etc.
The goosebumps and emotions felt by some may not be just as a result of the lyrical content and Coutrney's (exquisite ) delivery of same.

Does any of that take away from my enjoyment , hell no. I love what they are doing.
I can't wait to experience it again.
They are, IMHO, the future of music in some regards.

You rule, dude, enjoy the evening.

As for Bent Knee...what is it about this band? I've been developing a slow-building relationship with their music and it's really getting under my skin -- like cokebugs. There's a haunting vibe to most of their stuff that sounds like no one else, and Courtney is just a hellacious vocalist. It's very, very cool seeing the band getting attention and touring, and the feeling that something is building organically. They truly sound like no one I've ever heard. Great band!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[melanieshiffman]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[melanieshiffman]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[melanieshiffman]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[Steve F.]

^ ^ ^

Jessica has a very winning smile.

[melanieshiffman]

She is lovely Did anyone mention here that they are quite entertaining to watch? Good vibes [emoji254] [emoji255] [emoji254]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[progeezer]

My evening talking with them and Ben's parents here in Madcity, as well as, obviously, their collective musical acumen, makes them the textbook definition of "wise beyond their years".

EDIT: I gave Ben a copy of a cd by the surf band Meshuggah Beach Party ("Let's Go Schlepping") since I thought the band might get a kick out of it. This band dressed like Hasidic Jews, with beards, black coats & beaver hats & played Jewish music like "Hava Nagila" et al with surf band instruments like a Farfisa & Dick Dale-sounding guitars.

I sent them a follow up email & Courtney told me they thought it was pretty funny.

[taliesin]

Great set from Bent Knee in Toronto this week at a bar that normally does local acts. They all impressed but special mention to the drummer - he's a monster making all the time changes and musical transitions sound musical.

As Neil noted above Omhouse opened and clearly had a turnout of their fans who stayed for the BK set and did seem to like it. I liked their set but I'm pretty sure that the Rivoli in 1986 are calling and would like their music back - very 80's art rock retro in an interesting way.

Bent Knee in action.

IMG_4258.jpg

[melanieshiffman]

My evening talking with them and Ben's parents here in Madcity, as well as, obviously, their collective musical acumen, makes them the textbook definition of "wise beyond their years".

EDIT: I gave Ben a copy of a cd by the surf band Meshuggah Beach Party ("Let's Go Schlepping") since I thought the band might get a kick out of it. This band dressed like Hasidic Jews, with beards, black coats & beaver hats & played Jewish music like "Hava Nagila" et al with surf band instruments like a Farfisa & Dick Dale-sounding guitars.

I sent them a follow up email & Courtney told me they thought it was pretty funny.

Why don't I own that CD?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[musicislife]

Why don't I own that CD?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

If you really want something Yid and progressive, check out John Zorn's Masada. There's a huge Jewish tradition in jazz. Don't be afraid though, I'd call this more avant than anything else:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7v8tv39nRA

[melanieshiffman]

Awesome. Thanks

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[musicislife]

Awesome. Thanks

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

You're welcome. There's a whole world of music out there Zorn, who is Jewish himself, composes a ton. He's got a whole stockpile of compositions that have yet to be recorded. I'd guess that it rivals the famed Prince stockpile.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Zorn

[melanieshiffman]

Thanks again!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[musicislife]

Thanks again!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

De nada. Enjoy!

[The Czar]

I have tried to get into them, listen to songs on Bandcamp and looked at YouTube videos. The voice is the one thing that keeps me away. Sometimes I really like it sometimes I don't. But there's enough there that makes me keep coming back, so someday I might just break down and buy it and commit fully... But not yet.

[zombywoof]

^ ^ ^

Jessica has a very winning smile.

That she does.

Great pics Melanie!!

[melanieshiffman]

Thx Ian

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[stickman393]

The two CD's I bought from BandCamp just showed up, along with a very fetching postcard. Nice! Looking forward to spinning these in the car.

[ske]

Saw them perform in Milano in July. Awesome!! I really liked the live show, and i've been playing their °say so° album regularly since then. Very inspiring, i hope they can keep it up!

[Scrotum Scissor]

If you really want something Yid and progressive, check out John Zorn's Masada. There's a huge Jewish tradition in jazz. Don't be afraid though, I'd call this more avant.

I'd go as far as to say that Zorn for the past 20 years or so has been the purveyor of "Jewish expeditions" in contemporary new Musics, both trough his own work as composer/performer/improvisor/producer/curator and as a seminal source of influence for countless up-and-coming artists in genres as disparate as avant-jazz, hard-/grindcore, noise, various art-rock and modern composition. His piece Kristallnacht from '93 essentially launched this wing of his profile, ensuing into Masada, Bar Kokhba and the extensive series of works under the Radical Jewish Culture moniker on his Tzadik label.

There was a quite intriguing Israeli 'prog scene proper' sometime approx 1995-2010 as well, featuring such great acts as Ahvak, Hot Fur, Rockfour, Sussida, Sanhedrin, Mr. Toad, Trespass, Musica Ficta, Kruzenshtern I Parohod and the awesome Sympozion (plus many more). These are all worth checking out.

[musicislife]

I'd go as far as to say that Zorn for the past 20 years or so has been the purveyor of "Jewish expeditions" in contemporary new Musics, both trough his own work as composer/performer/improvisor/producer/curator and as a seminal source of influence for countless up-and-coming artists in genres as disparate as avant-jazz, hard-/grindcore, noise, various art-rock and modern composition. His piece Kristallnacht from '93 essentially launched this wing of his profile, ensuing into Masada, Bar Kokhba and the extensive series of works under the Radical Jewish Culture moniker on his Tzadik label.

There was a quite intriguing Israeli 'prog scene proper' sometime approx 1995-2010 as well, featuring such great acts as Ahvak, Hot Fur, Rockfour, Sussida, Sanhedrin, Mr. Toad, Trespass, Musica Ficta, Kruzenshtern I Parohod and the awesome Sympozion (plus many more). These are all worth checking out.

Well put, and afer years of rejection by the purists in the jazz scene, he's finally gotten the serious recognition he deserves. Just think - back in the days of their beginnings, he and Tim Berne were young hacks trying to find their way in the downtown NYC music scene while working at Tower Records in Greenwich Village on 4th and Broadway. LOL

[boilk]

A fantastic new feature on Courtney Swain in Keyboard Magazine: http://www.keyboardmag.com/artists/1...ent-knee/59826

A good, quick read. Thanks.

neil

[mike_hunt]

New live albums available!

https://www.facebook.com/BentKneeMusic/

We’re trading the road for the studio these next few months, but don’t let that stop you from seeing us live. Starting today, our new concert film “Live at The Space” can be streamed in its entirety at https://youtu.be/Ws0gHgDd_10. Enjoy, and a huge thanks to all of you who came to see us on tour this summer.
A high-quality download of the film (alongside 24-Bit WAV files of the audio recordings) is available for purchase at https://gum.co/bkspace
While we're on the subject, our 2015 concert film “Live at Davis Square Theatre” (https://youtu.be/WWHymEnu_LE) is now available as a downloadable film/album bundle as well — http://gum.co/bkdst
Oh, and that studio we mentioned earlier? We’re making a new record. Stay tuned.