| John Munson of Trip
Shakespeare/Semisonic fame, Chan
Poling, founder of the haute-punk
new-wave group The Suburbs and Steve
Roehm, vibraphonist extraordinaire,
got together with a plan to play
and sing their favorite songs ˆ naked.
Well, the musicians are clothed,
but the aesthetic is raw simplicity,
communication and soul. The song
selections span the twentieth century.
Each song must be someone‚s
favorite and each arrangement must
bring something new to the song.
In an age of digital overkill, The
New Standards keep the instrumentation
simple. Poling on piano, Roehm on
vibraphone and Munson on double bass.
Chan and John split the singing.
If that‚s not enough, a footstomp
here, a shout-out and a fiery solo,
and it‚s cooked. Simple, elegant,
illuminating. Fun.
|