Prelude
Music. A sequence of notes and keys possessing the magical ability
to spark synapses that stimulate an array of conscious, subconscious and
unconscious impulses[1].
This primal reaction manifests in countless neuro-anatomical ways, shaping
our expectations, moods and emotions when experiencing music’s
performance, whether witnessed live or captured in some re-playable form. The end
result compels your body to seek the same epiphanal peak with subsequent
transformative concert trips, or, thanks to the digital music revolution[2],
re-listen at your leisure and enjoy anew the soul-stirring straw in your water-toting
vessel[3].
This piece attempts to capture with words the musical supernova spawned one June night circa 2008 by a Midwestern band that thrives on the unexpected. The improvisational peaks attained still resonate nearly a decade later. Before we get further, a few orienting facts and nomenclature to dispense:
This piece attempts to capture with words the musical supernova spawned one June night circa 2008 by a Midwestern band that thrives on the unexpected. The improvisational peaks attained still resonate nearly a decade later. Before we get further, a few orienting facts and nomenclature to dispense:
Umphrey’s McGee[4] (or Umphreys or Umph or UM[5])
is a band formed in 1997 amidst the shadow of the University of Notre Dame's Golden Dome. After establishing themselves as the undisputed champion of the greater Michiana region, they coaxed their trusty van around the country and treated every night as a title bout. When taking a break from big cities in between college towns, they practiced in a band house a few blocks from Wrigley. These days, matured and mostly family-men, the gang has dispersed to reside all across the country. The band members:
Brendan "BB" Bayliss plays guitar, sings, and lyricizes a good deal[6].
Jake “Jaco” Cinninger plays guitar, sings, and lyricizes a bit less[7].
Joel "Goldside" Cummins plays any and all keys-related instruments with vigor and a smile.
Andy “Xanadu” Farag plays percussion and grows luscious, curly
hair of which I am envious.
Kris Myers plays drums and sings. He may or may not possess eight arms.
Ryan “Pony” Stasik plays bass and excels as the fashion trend-setter of the group. He does not sing[8].
Any qualifiers or adjectives
I use to describe the band and their music are uttered with a hometown bias as
one who grew up in South Bend and attended Notre Dame around the time of the
band’s formation.
A few other noms de relevance:
James Joyce is an Irish author who cast a rather large shadow over literature with
his early 1900s modernist style of writing.
Ulysses is a dense novel, Joyce’s magnum opus, published in the USA in 1934[9],
that draws its name from the legendary Greek king of Trojan Horse[10]
and wayward journeys home[11]
fame.
“Errr, what does James Joyce and one of his works
from 100+ years ago have anything to do with modern rock music?”
Excellent question. As a personal backdrop[12], some iteration of committing this singular musical moment to "paper" has been percolating in my head for several years. Every time I sought my headphone-happy place, the urge resurfaced to describe the inevitable awe summoned by this jaw-dropping performance. I needed more than a fishing pole sans bait[13] to lure my writing-self to begin the process. In the course of breaking down the band’s variegated musical excursion, my goal was to draw a parallel from each distinct musical passage to one of the 18 episodes in Ulysses. Some parallels involve “direct” connections[14], while others will beg your imagination’s pardon.
Excellent question. As a personal backdrop[12], some iteration of committing this singular musical moment to "paper" has been percolating in my head for several years. Every time I sought my headphone-happy place, the urge resurfaced to describe the inevitable awe summoned by this jaw-dropping performance. I needed more than a fishing pole sans bait[13] to lure my writing-self to begin the process. In the course of breaking down the band’s variegated musical excursion, my goal was to draw a parallel from each distinct musical passage to one of the 18 episodes in Ulysses. Some parallels involve “direct” connections[14], while others will beg your imagination’s pardon.
I needed a proper net to gather and filter the thoughts swirling in my head before finding the page. Enter James Joyce and his literary mashup equivalent of The Sistine Mona David. The 265,000 odd words Joyce deployed are a virtuoso technical display, like the greatest hits of Jeff Beck, Yngwie Malmsteen and Al Di Meola bound together, that still reverberates as a literary revolution today. I feel like Mr. Joyce unintentionally bit his thumb at me, so challenge accepted. The task of credibly bastardizing an epic tome in pursuit of describing literatively what transpired sonically on a stage more than eight years ago seemed like a worthy pursuit of the arts.
Setting the Stage
June 5, 2008[15], an early summer night in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The evening’s environs, The
Intersection, came into being in the early 1970s and held 800+ people around
this time in the Aughts[16]. Try as I might to use the power of social media to track down attendees of this
show, I found no volunteers willing to share their visceral impressions.
For all intents and purposes,
the Grateful Dead[17]
created the blueprint for two set shows that most live acts fifty years later continue to follow - first sets, while spirited and capable of highlights, generally are mere
palate cleanser for second set entrees. Umphreys approaches their craft with a similar,
yet different mentality – why make an audience wait for the good stuff? If the reigning National League MVP can mash from the 2 spot, so, too, can a band slot fireworks early in the evening.
Case in point, the band promptly
dispensed with perfunctories upon taking the stage, opening with Smell the
Mitten,[18]
an instrumental that coherently blends minor-key jazz wonk, head-banging rock,
and funky keyboard wizardry. With the crowd loosened up and amped after Mitten's typically
frenetic finish, the second offering of the young night was
Intentions Clear,[19]
a song that typically tends not to stray far from its album leash. For
whatever reason on this evening[20], the sextet had other ideas for the song’s direction as it frolicked in the deep end of the jam waters before eventually
meandering into Syncopated Strangers[21]. Fast forward three songs into the night and the crowd has figuratively already witnessed Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo hit back-to-back grand slams.
The abridged version of what transpired:
Umphreys played an extended version of Intentions Clear, seamlessly segued[22]
into the beginning of Syncopated Strangers, veered off into a unique and cathartic
jam before starting Synco in earnest, then completed an extended version of that song. Alas, such
a clinical diagnosis lacks the passionate intonations of one fan's description: “pure eargasm.”[23] So let's see what treasures we can unearth from two songs.
Umphrey’s McJoyce
[00:00 – 05:15] Nestor
“You got my number, you can make the
call / Until then I won’t bother you at all.”
Intentions Clear opines on a relationship
gone sour as the narrator, sung by Bayliss, attempts to make sense of the competing emotions in the aftermath of a love lost. He finds descriptive words for that weird stage where you irrationally over-think every choice with an eye towards how the other person will perceive it, except Brendan sounds pretty damn resolute that they are never, ever getting back together[25].
“I know you've got a lot of questions / But the answers
always aren't the best thing.”
Whether Brendan is describing
personal
pangs or offering cautionary words to someone else dealing with the remnants of
a breakup, the lyrics exude a wisdom and clarity, lending a practical
sense to the “what’s next” quagmire.
“I'd let you walk all over me again / But a smile is
something I could not pretend. . .
Once or twice it
would be nice to see you / Even if it's bad for me to.”
As this spirited album
version wraps, Jake lends lilting fretwork that could easily fade the song off
like smoke pluming from a chimney. Thankfully, the band had other bold intentions[26], though unknown to anyone in the building (and perhaps not even to the guys on
stage). What distinguishes improv-oriented bands like Umphrey’s McGee is
the skill and audacity to navigate new terrain,
not knowing if and how it will work. Sometimes, the gamble doesn’t pay off, but
gold stars for trying. On special occasions, the results are a treat from
Apollo himself[27].
[05:16 – 08:00] Wandering Rocks
As Jake resolves his twirling outro, he strikes a fat chord that ripples across the sonic sea like a skipped stone. He promptly grabs the wheel for this road trip into who-knows-where, steering the sound with an edgy, bluesy riff progression that I’ve dubbed, for the limited purposes of this experiment, “Swamp Ass.” Kris and Pony quickly insert a backbone to these nascent ideas. While Jake acquaints himself with his new riff, Brendan layers his own four-chord "dinner time chime" progression, dubbed heretofore “Lucy.”[28] Bayliss, the guitarist who generally errs on simplicity when complementing Jake’s frenetic style, effectively grounds this motif in our ear memory.
The guitarists dueling riffs act like shifting
labyrinths, criss-crossing the improv’s progression, leaving the crowd unsure
of which melody to gravitate towards. The mechanics of a band with two lead
guitars requires many things to produce a palatable sound: trust, patience, a hyper-sensitive ear, a willingness to find synchronisms of sound, and a hostile
milieu (hostile in the healthy, business partners sense) that keeps
both in check from launching into counter-productive solos in vain.
As Jake resolves his twirling outro, he strikes a fat chord that ripples across the sonic sea like a skipped stone. He promptly grabs the wheel for this road trip into who-knows-where, steering the sound with an edgy, bluesy riff progression that I’ve dubbed, for the limited purposes of this experiment, “Swamp Ass.” Kris and Pony quickly insert a backbone to these nascent ideas. While Jake acquaints himself with his new riff, Brendan layers his own four-chord "dinner time chime" progression, dubbed heretofore “Lucy.”[28] Bayliss, the guitarist who generally errs on simplicity when complementing Jake’s frenetic style, effectively grounds this motif in our ear memory.
As the sound takes on a hard
country twang around the 6:00 minute, Joel splashes funky keyboard notes on the
canvas, a brief foreshadowing that dancing remains in everyone’s near future.
Jake continues to catwalk “Swamp Ass,” modeling different tones and textures
like evening wear. At 7:05, he launches into a short half-minute ascent that
climbs to a wondrous peak. But it dissipates as quickly as it materialized, returning to the sturdy foundation of “Swamp Ass” and leaving the listener salivating for more . . . all in time, my friend.
[08:01 – 08:18] Calypso
Guitars drop out, leaving rhythm & Joel, who sprinkles in a few hip-shaking calyptic notes to seal this segment’s corresponding chapter moniker. Even more refreshing is the sound of Pony’s bass line, free of the dual guitars that usually grab the ear’s attention. An audience member acknowledges as much with an audible "PONY!" Hearing his unadulterated groove backbone serves as a good reminder that Brendan, Jake and Joel’s freedom to push the boundaries exists courtesy of Kris, Andy and Ryan’s ability to hold a steady groove and adapt on the fly.
Guitars drop out, leaving rhythm & Joel, who sprinkles in a few hip-shaking calyptic notes to seal this segment’s corresponding chapter moniker. Even more refreshing is the sound of Pony’s bass line, free of the dual guitars that usually grab the ear’s attention. An audience member acknowledges as much with an audible "PONY!" Hearing his unadulterated groove backbone serves as a good reminder that Brendan, Jake and Joel’s freedom to push the boundaries exists courtesy of Kris, Andy and Ryan’s ability to hold a steady groove and adapt on the fly.
At this point of Intentions
Clear, everyone in attendance would have been content with the three minutes of
interesting improv that just transpired, just as if Ulysses reached Penelope at
war’s end and lived happily ever after. But Homer’s sequel doesn’t become canonical high school reading without a delayed homecoming, and Umphrey’s never mines
improv gold without BB and Jaco, the dual departing wayfarers, shoving their 6-man skiff back into uncharted musical waters.
[08:19 – 10:05] Lestrygonians
Brendan's “Lucy” returns, inviting us to the lunch table for food. For the first minute, Jake noodles over him in a high-pitched conversational tone, like a dad telling his family about his work trip. Then, Jake Jr. knocks over his milk and the edgy “Swamp Ass" returns, lashing out to shame the boy. You're right, that metaphor face-planted.
The architecture of Umphreys’ trademark “bounceback” jam is on clear display, revealing one of the band’s patented methods for improvising with a distinct purpose. By establishing recognizable riffs early, the band elicits positive crowd reactions by returning to the same or similar riffs after a bit, aka bouncing back. Just as the guitars have re-established their now-familiar intonations, Pony’s walkabout bass line morphs into a pulsating note, intuitively sensing another departure.
Brendan's “Lucy” returns, inviting us to the lunch table for food. For the first minute, Jake noodles over him in a high-pitched conversational tone, like a dad telling his family about his work trip. Then, Jake Jr. knocks over his milk and the edgy “Swamp Ass" returns, lashing out to shame the boy. You're right, that metaphor face-planted.
The architecture of Umphreys’ trademark “bounceback” jam is on clear display, revealing one of the band’s patented methods for improvising with a distinct purpose. By establishing recognizable riffs early, the band elicits positive crowd reactions by returning to the same or similar riffs after a bit, aka bouncing back. Just as the guitars have re-established their now-familiar intonations, Pony’s walkabout bass line morphs into a pulsating note, intuitively sensing another departure.
[10:06 – 10:41] Aeolus
Jake explodes into a brilliant bite-sized solo, demonstrating how the sextet deftly shifts tone and tempo at a moment's notice. Akin to a Top Chef “one bite” challenge, this 30-second passage offers a sample morsel of the blissful buffet to come. Brendan adroitly balances this foray of sound with aplomb, lending texture and purpose to the four-bar interlude.
Jake’s soaring
peak bolts like a quarantined kite, exulting in the wind’s
gusty breaths, only to crash land shortly thereafter, a failed destiny of freedom
from the gravitational pull of “Swamp Ass.”
Jake explodes into a brilliant bite-sized solo, demonstrating how the sextet deftly shifts tone and tempo at a moment's notice. Akin to a Top Chef “one bite” challenge, this 30-second passage offers a sample morsel of the blissful buffet to come. Brendan adroitly balances this foray of sound with aplomb, lending texture and purpose to the four-bar interlude.
[10:42 – 11:05] Telemachus
Barreling through the door like a Kramer entrance, "Swamp Ass" bounces back yet again before taking a running leap of faith from its towering perch, hoping the next passage will deliver as much improvisational clout as the last five-and-a-half minutes. Jake inserts eight descending notes as an invitation to a musical heir for Intentions Clear, perhaps signaling a song transition at long last...
Barreling through the door like a Kramer entrance, "Swamp Ass" bounces back yet again before taking a running leap of faith from its towering perch, hoping the next passage will deliver as much improvisational clout as the last five-and-a-half minutes. Jake inserts eight descending notes as an invitation to a musical heir for Intentions Clear, perhaps signaling a song transition at long last...
[11:06 – 12:02] Ithaca
Eureka, we have a segue. The soothing sound of “Lucy” that BB has anachronistically layered over Jake's edgier stylings the last six minutes gets the spotlight. Turns out "Lucy" has been a segue-in-waiting, camouflaged as an overt signal to bring Intentions Clear safely home and transition to the next song. The four-note dinner chimes by themselves had not raised any antennae, but BB's addition of two sets of triplet notes makes the band's direction unmistakable. The cue gives the listener armed hope that the band will slide into the opening notes of fan-favorite Syncopated Strangers, while at the same time offering a chance to re-charge the juices from a memorable version of Intentions. Until video footage disproves my theory, I'll assume the band members engage in a quick dialogue about what direction(s) to take this segue during this minute “breather."
Just as the fates teased Ulysses over and over about returning safely home to Ithaca, so too will we be mercilessly teased.
Eureka, we have a segue. The soothing sound of “Lucy” that BB has anachronistically layered over Jake's edgier stylings the last six minutes gets the spotlight. Turns out "Lucy" has been a segue-in-waiting, camouflaged as an overt signal to bring Intentions Clear safely home and transition to the next song. The four-note dinner chimes by themselves had not raised any antennae, but BB's addition of two sets of triplet notes makes the band's direction unmistakable. The cue gives the listener armed hope that the band will slide into the opening notes of fan-favorite Syncopated Strangers, while at the same time offering a chance to re-charge the juices from a memorable version of Intentions. Until video footage disproves my theory, I'll assume the band members engage in a quick dialogue about what direction(s) to take this segue during this minute “breather."
Just as the fates teased Ulysses over and over about returning safely home to Ithaca, so too will we be mercilessly teased.
[12:03 – 15:18] Sirens
Jake returns to the mix with cautious notes full of reverb as Pony's thumping bassline brims with anticipation. Suddenly, as if premeditated, the guitars join in lockstep, driving the groove with staccato, machine-gun effect. Cinninger adds quick ascending and descending notes, as if he's an over-served groomsman clearing room for himself on the dance floor. As the head-bobbing momentum builds, Kris capitalizes by adding his industrial beats pad into the soundscape and pushing the groove further into a Euro discotheque feel, where the barmaids gyrate along with the DJ and whisper sweet-nothings into the patrons' ear, promising a dance when their shift ends.
Jake returns to the mix with cautious notes full of reverb as Pony's thumping bassline brims with anticipation. Suddenly, as if premeditated, the guitars join in lockstep, driving the groove with staccato, machine-gun effect. Cinninger adds quick ascending and descending notes, as if he's an over-served groomsman clearing room for himself on the dance floor. As the head-bobbing momentum builds, Kris capitalizes by adding his industrial beats pad into the soundscape and pushing the groove further into a Euro discotheque feel, where the barmaids gyrate along with the DJ and whisper sweet-nothings into the patrons' ear, promising a dance when their shift ends.
At 14:17, an effect
pedal distorts the bass blast, ratcheting the intensity of the seduction to new heights. Case in point, the drunk groomsman just tried to do The Worm. This rousing crescendo converts
the concert
room into a roaring venue enraptured with rock music’s sweet
deceit. An organic live music moment, where the crowd is lost in the fabric of this new creative explosion and will never forget the feelings experienced, even if it's difficult to describe. Jake's guitar screams over this frenzy at 14:35, signaling both the peak and a precipitous fall as oxygen rushes back to the brain.
[15:19 – 19:00] Circe
Commence Synco foreplay. As Brendan toys with Syncopated Strangers' opening notes, Kris is still working out his beats pad, Jake contentedly noodles around with seemingly no desire to stop, Joel finds a pied-piper flutish effect that perfectly matches the mood, Andy shimmers the cascade of wind chimes, and Pony relishes in the sexy funk seduction, detonating bass bombs where appropriate. This hypnotic trance has magically transformed The Intersection into a brothel where everyone is compelled to dance and put their best moves on display. There's just no way your body can stand still during this passage. The band is essentially challenging the crowd to a dance marathon in their relentless groove pursuit.
By the time this section concludes, Intentions Clear has clocked in at a gaudy 19:00 minutes, 5 minutes longer than 2008's next longest version of the song. And yet, the 2nd song of the evening hasn't exactly ended - it merely changes in name only by Umphreys' official keeper of the setlist on their live show website, umlive.com. The dance vibe remains very much alive.
Commence Synco foreplay. As Brendan toys with Syncopated Strangers' opening notes, Kris is still working out his beats pad, Jake contentedly noodles around with seemingly no desire to stop, Joel finds a pied-piper flutish effect that perfectly matches the mood, Andy shimmers the cascade of wind chimes, and Pony relishes in the sexy funk seduction, detonating bass bombs where appropriate. This hypnotic trance has magically transformed The Intersection into a brothel where everyone is compelled to dance and put their best moves on display. There's just no way your body can stand still during this passage. The band is essentially challenging the crowd to a dance marathon in their relentless groove pursuit.
By the time this section concludes, Intentions Clear has clocked in at a gaudy 19:00 minutes, 5 minutes longer than 2008's next longest version of the song. And yet, the 2nd song of the evening hasn't exactly ended - it merely changes in name only by Umphreys' official keeper of the setlist on their live show website, umlive.com. The dance vibe remains very much alive.
[00:00 – 03:30] Proteus
Synco false start. The hard funk dance party is still diving from the top ropes, Superfly Snuka-style, but anyone familiar with the song naturally anticipates the throwdown to end once Jake steps to the mic...but what if he doesn’t? Maybe the band will keep wading past the buoy and get swept up by a tidal current seeking deeper groove. Squarely on board for Synco hijinx.
I’m actually curious how close Jake came to approaching the mic here, or if he spearheaded the band’s collective decision not to start the song, instead opting to weave a tapestry of irrepressible sonic art. At some point, musicians resist the urge to stay in the comfort zone of a song they’ve played hundreds of times and discover new expressions in the musical realm. Those musicians who push the improvisational envelope have my utmost respect simply for trying, and the ones talented enough to create compelling narrative art on the fly possess a primal matter of brilliant genius. That genius shows itself here in this Synco fork-in-the-road moment: return to the old reliable pattern or buck convention full throttle. It didn’t take long for the latter choice to reap significant dividends.
The boys clearly are in no hurry to do the "boring" thing and start the song. The quicker-than-normal tempo to Synco's start has a pep in its step, strutting around the venue with a Jaggerian defiance. Brendan and Jake joyride around these faux opening notes, launching into not one, but two celebratory bounceback jaunts before putting any pretense that Synco proper will soon start to waste.
Around 1:45, the guitarists' defiant opening-note teasing shifts, denoted by another Stasik solo that earns his second "Yeah Pony!" catcall. Soon, Bayliss and Cinninger begin trading riffs as they climb a progression that thumbs its nose at the notion of playing a song "by the book." I especially enjoy Farag's flourishes on the bongos here, which can be heard in pockets between the rising axe tones. The flurried climax at 3:05 wags a vociferous Mutombo finger our way, proudly declaring "nah ah ah, we'll start the song when we feel like it."
Synco false start. The hard funk dance party is still diving from the top ropes, Superfly Snuka-style, but anyone familiar with the song naturally anticipates the throwdown to end once Jake steps to the mic...but what if he doesn’t? Maybe the band will keep wading past the buoy and get swept up by a tidal current seeking deeper groove. Squarely on board for Synco hijinx.
I’m actually curious how close Jake came to approaching the mic here, or if he spearheaded the band’s collective decision not to start the song, instead opting to weave a tapestry of irrepressible sonic art. At some point, musicians resist the urge to stay in the comfort zone of a song they’ve played hundreds of times and discover new expressions in the musical realm. Those musicians who push the improvisational envelope have my utmost respect simply for trying, and the ones talented enough to create compelling narrative art on the fly possess a primal matter of brilliant genius. That genius shows itself here in this Synco fork-in-the-road moment: return to the old reliable pattern or buck convention full throttle. It didn’t take long for the latter choice to reap significant dividends.
The boys clearly are in no hurry to do the "boring" thing and start the song. The quicker-than-normal tempo to Synco's start has a pep in its step, strutting around the venue with a Jaggerian defiance. Brendan and Jake joyride around these faux opening notes, launching into not one, but two celebratory bounceback jaunts before putting any pretense that Synco proper will soon start to waste.
Around 1:45, the guitarists' defiant opening-note teasing shifts, denoted by another Stasik solo that earns his second "Yeah Pony!" catcall. Soon, Bayliss and Cinninger begin trading riffs as they climb a progression that thumbs its nose at the notion of playing a song "by the book." I especially enjoy Farag's flourishes on the bongos here, which can be heard in pockets between the rising axe tones. The flurried climax at 3:05 wags a vociferous Mutombo finger our way, proudly declaring "nah ah ah, we'll start the song when we feel like it."
[03:31 – 04:40] Hades
Buckle up. Jake swiftly casts aside any semblance of Synco’s comfortable environs by launching into a gritty speed metal passage that would tickle Eddie Van Halen’s sensibilities[29]. Myers annihilates the drumkit trying to keep pace with Cinninger. For the privileged few in attendance (and the throngs more who have since dialed into its majesty after the fact), this departure from Synco's song structure careens through a dark portal, a veritable descent into nothingness, Jake’s racing virtuosic fingers transmitting bursts of energy to illuminate these initial steps into the unknown territory. Be still our heart, we know not where we are going. Whatever we knew in the past with respect to song familiarity is useless as we have become pure putty in the band's hands.
Buckle up. Jake swiftly casts aside any semblance of Synco’s comfortable environs by launching into a gritty speed metal passage that would tickle Eddie Van Halen’s sensibilities[29]. Myers annihilates the drumkit trying to keep pace with Cinninger. For the privileged few in attendance (and the throngs more who have since dialed into its majesty after the fact), this departure from Synco's song structure careens through a dark portal, a veritable descent into nothingness, Jake’s racing virtuosic fingers transmitting bursts of energy to illuminate these initial steps into the unknown territory. Be still our heart, we know not where we are going. Whatever we knew in the past with respect to song familiarity is useless as we have become pure putty in the band's hands.
[04:41 – 06:05] Lotus Eaters
Out of the fierce, dark tunnel we spill forth on a different planet. The crowd audibly welcomes this respite from the last 23+ minutes of auditory exploration with a victorious ovation. Bayliss quickly lands on a repetitive two-note tapping theme straight out of the Stanley Jordan playbook while Jake colors outside the lines on this complete mood reversal from the previous minute. Joel returns to his pied-piper-esque keyboard sound which makes it seem like dancing elves are popping up to greet these new extraterrestrial visitors.
This new sonic environment feels like we're being led through a field of poppies, lulling the crowd with its drugged effect as we ease into a comfortable bath of essential oils and epsom salts. The calming tones provide a welcome sound sanctuary that we could get used to. A few percussive raps on Kris’ snare and tambourine shakes from Andy sound like the first horse entering his racing gate, chomping at the bit for his pen mates to load in and start the spectacle. Something special is about to happen . . .
Out of the fierce, dark tunnel we spill forth on a different planet. The crowd audibly welcomes this respite from the last 23+ minutes of auditory exploration with a victorious ovation. Bayliss quickly lands on a repetitive two-note tapping theme straight out of the Stanley Jordan playbook while Jake colors outside the lines on this complete mood reversal from the previous minute. Joel returns to his pied-piper-esque keyboard sound which makes it seem like dancing elves are popping up to greet these new extraterrestrial visitors.
This new sonic environment feels like we're being led through a field of poppies, lulling the crowd with its drugged effect as we ease into a comfortable bath of essential oils and epsom salts. The calming tones provide a welcome sound sanctuary that we could get used to. A few percussive raps on Kris’ snare and tambourine shakes from Andy sound like the first horse entering his racing gate, chomping at the bit for his pen mates to load in and start the spectacle. Something special is about to happen . . .
[06:06 – 08:46] Oxen of the Sun
With this majestic passage, Umphreys breaks the matrix.
A new direction from the comfort of Lotus Eaters is signaled with a drawn-out starting gun note from Jake as Kris shoots out of the gate. Jake gallops off with a beautifully emotive segment, playing rapid fire notes in a conversational manner, as if he's Vin Scully narrating a Triple Crown race.
Around the 7:30 mark, Brendan and Jake create a splendid unison of sound, striking upon an uncanny harmony with each complementing the other in a lively discussion. Kris - somehow, someway - maintains this blistering tempo, while adding signature flourishes where a mere mortal drummer wouldn't have the stamina. Can't help but feel waves of energetic musical bliss crash down on me.
At 7:49, Cinninger seems to have run into trouble, his hooves spinning in the mud. Bayliss capitalizes and takes the solo lead in this heart-pounding Grand Rapids Derby for fifteen seconds, only to have Jake rear back with a vengeance, whipping his Secretariatian solo down the stretch, a cloud of euphoric notes left in his axe’s wake.
Just when we think we've reached the summit of this incredible soundscape, sherpa Jake guides us around the corner to one last soaring peak at 8:29, unleashing a 15-second snippet of inspiration borrowed from the Infinity Shelf of Steve Vai.
These one hundred and sixty seconds floor me every single time I hear it with three different legit goosebump moments. It is ridiculously remarkable - ridarkablous. The spontaneity, fluidity and ingenuity of six musicians creating cohesive and ebullient art together at breakneck speed is the combustible property that fuels the live music scene. It is precisely why the eternal herds of concertgoers get in the van - to witness the embryonic development of brilliance like this.
With this majestic passage, Umphreys breaks the matrix.
A new direction from the comfort of Lotus Eaters is signaled with a drawn-out starting gun note from Jake as Kris shoots out of the gate. Jake gallops off with a beautifully emotive segment, playing rapid fire notes in a conversational manner, as if he's Vin Scully narrating a Triple Crown race.
Around the 7:30 mark, Brendan and Jake create a splendid unison of sound, striking upon an uncanny harmony with each complementing the other in a lively discussion. Kris - somehow, someway - maintains this blistering tempo, while adding signature flourishes where a mere mortal drummer wouldn't have the stamina. Can't help but feel waves of energetic musical bliss crash down on me.
At 7:49, Cinninger seems to have run into trouble, his hooves spinning in the mud. Bayliss capitalizes and takes the solo lead in this heart-pounding Grand Rapids Derby for fifteen seconds, only to have Jake rear back with a vengeance, whipping his Secretariatian solo down the stretch, a cloud of euphoric notes left in his axe’s wake.
Just when we think we've reached the summit of this incredible soundscape, sherpa Jake guides us around the corner to one last soaring peak at 8:29, unleashing a 15-second snippet of inspiration borrowed from the Infinity Shelf of Steve Vai.
These one hundred and sixty seconds floor me every single time I hear it with three different legit goosebump moments. It is ridiculously remarkable - ridarkablous. The spontaneity, fluidity and ingenuity of six musicians creating cohesive and ebullient art together at breakneck speed is the combustible property that fuels the live music scene. It is precisely why the eternal herds of concertgoers get in the van - to witness the embryonic development of brilliance like this.
[08:47 – 09:20] Cyclops
We peel away from this stunning edifice, hurtling from that musical wonderland at a frenzied pace, courtesy of the perc duo, Kris and Andy. Jake's descending notes lend a feeling that we've been shot from a spaceship escape pod and are now making the descent to firma terra. Did everyone survive? No broken bones or pulled muscles from that extraterrestrial excursion? Brendan and Jake engage in alternating asymmetry as they navigate how to deftly return to the beginning notes of the song that "started" more than 9 minutes ago.
We peel away from this stunning edifice, hurtling from that musical wonderland at a frenzied pace, courtesy of the perc duo, Kris and Andy. Jake's descending notes lend a feeling that we've been shot from a spaceship escape pod and are now making the descent to firma terra. Did everyone survive? No broken bones or pulled muscles from that extraterrestrial excursion? Brendan and Jake engage in alternating asymmetry as they navigate how to deftly return to the beginning notes of the song that "started" more than 9 minutes ago.
[09:21-09:56] Penelope
Touchdown landing! And those members of the crowd with full use of their faculties roar their approval. Back on Earth and we’ve been pulled over for speeding - cop claims he clocked the van going 180 in a 30, Brendan’s wah effect sounds like the wobbly steps of a sobriety test. Playful notes seem to self-reflectively nod amongst the bandmates that, yeah, that worked. This respite bridges the resounding climax with the start of Syncopated in a resigned style, giving everyone a few seconds to savor what just transpired before launching into the next adventure. Where this song, or more precisely, this jam before the song has even started, is going remains a mystery. But a crowd lacking their musical compass often lends itself to memorable sets.
[09:57 – 15:03] Scylla and Charybdis Jake delivers Syncopated Strangers’ familiar intro, providing an “a-ha, that's what song we’re in” moment. Brendan complements these notes with swirling, atmospheric chords that sound like whirlpools of repeated notes. After everyone jumps up to the right key, Jake sings his penned lyrics, the abstract symbolism lending a quality of mysticism:
"I imitate you / Right where the feeling runs out . . .
Now I shuffle time it seems / And you are a clock"
True to the song’s structure, Joel transitions to the latter half with one dark, ominous, pulsating note. Woody Woodpecker even laughs at us as we unwittingly plunge into another dark portal, without any conception for what the band still has left in the tank.
[15:04 – 21:10] Eumaeus
As Joel's dark note stretches past a minute, the guitars set adrift in new waters, like a search boat looking for wayward sailors in the fog. Kris' percussive work gives the ensemble a Trent Reznor soundtrack feel. Around the 16:40 mark, Pony's bassline returns as the tempo speeds up into a delicate, minimalist jam. The patiently layered textures have an emotional quality like relaxed prose that's easily overlooked on first listen. At the 18:23 mark, Kris locks in with the rest to navigate his mates toward one final cathartic peak. Nothing is as loud as previous passages, but the new exploration is satisfying nonetheless. The juxtaposition of the sultry dance sections and frenzied bliss with this new expression makes it difficult to digest how one band can capture so many moods in the same extended sonic journey.
Ninjas.
As Joel's dark note stretches past a minute, the guitars set adrift in new waters, like a search boat looking for wayward sailors in the fog. Kris' percussive work gives the ensemble a Trent Reznor soundtrack feel. Around the 16:40 mark, Pony's bassline returns as the tempo speeds up into a delicate, minimalist jam. The patiently layered textures have an emotional quality like relaxed prose that's easily overlooked on first listen. At the 18:23 mark, Kris locks in with the rest to navigate his mates toward one final cathartic peak. Nothing is as loud as previous passages, but the new exploration is satisfying nonetheless. The juxtaposition of the sultry dance sections and frenzied bliss with this new expression makes it difficult to digest how one band can capture so many moods in the same extended sonic journey.
Ninjas.
[21:11 – 25:48] Nausicaa
The journey is complete as the second section of Synco proper begins with Jake striking the emphatic Synco home chords. Not that he ever mails-in this blues-tinged spotlight-all-to-his-own solo, but he takes a little more patience and care in adding the final exclamation point to this version as Brendan and Ryan do their choreographed Motown dance steps behind him in the dark (cue up this YouTube clip and skip to 5:22 for the full effect).
"But there seems to be a something / And it's standing in the way
And it blocked our sense of vision / And it made our costumes gray
She's standing in the courtyard / As her body ran away"
Brendan's flow with this triumphant chorus is always a treat. The mystical lyrics paint a picture of a projected mirage of a woman from our past or even a former life, though any hidden meaning in the lyrics is a pure guessing game, particularly since Bayliss changes the words depending on his nightly mood.
"And someday we will discover / That the door was always there
But someone fucking locked it / And they took away the stairs"
The lyrical imagery suggests our innate ability to plumb deeper into the soul and connect with ourselves and the world in a more evolved way. The hypocrisy of finding answers in the physical world to life's mysteries is juxtaposed by Joel's "to Heaven" lyrical tag-on. Naturally, Jake replies in suit with the requisite Zeppelin tease. Harmonized vocal sounds conclude the song, followed by 27 seconds of raucous applause and whistling from the crowd acknowledging the musical odyssey concluded.
I have no idea how to tie a bow around this piece and end it in some pithy way, so if you made it this far, good on ya and thanks. Hopefully you took something away from my personal standing ovation that has stretched a hair longer than 27 seconds. When art in any medium compels action, it feels good to be moved and feels even better to act. When you act, be kind and spread joy.
The journey is complete as the second section of Synco proper begins with Jake striking the emphatic Synco home chords. Not that he ever mails-in this blues-tinged spotlight-all-to-his-own solo, but he takes a little more patience and care in adding the final exclamation point to this version as Brendan and Ryan do their choreographed Motown dance steps behind him in the dark (cue up this YouTube clip and skip to 5:22 for the full effect).
"But there seems to be a something / And it's standing in the way
And it blocked our sense of vision / And it made our costumes gray
She's standing in the courtyard / As her body ran away"
Brendan's flow with this triumphant chorus is always a treat. The mystical lyrics paint a picture of a projected mirage of a woman from our past or even a former life, though any hidden meaning in the lyrics is a pure guessing game, particularly since Bayliss changes the words depending on his nightly mood.
"And someday we will discover / That the door was always there
But someone fucking locked it / And they took away the stairs"
The lyrical imagery suggests our innate ability to plumb deeper into the soul and connect with ourselves and the world in a more evolved way. The hypocrisy of finding answers in the physical world to life's mysteries is juxtaposed by Joel's "to Heaven" lyrical tag-on. Naturally, Jake replies in suit with the requisite Zeppelin tease. Harmonized vocal sounds conclude the song, followed by 27 seconds of raucous applause and whistling from the crowd acknowledging the musical odyssey concluded.
I have no idea how to tie a bow around this piece and end it in some pithy way, so if you made it this far, good on ya and thanks. Hopefully you took something away from my personal standing ovation that has stretched a hair longer than 27 seconds. When art in any medium compels action, it feels good to be moved and feels even better to act. When you act, be kind and spread joy.
[1] Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin
penned “This Is Your Brain On Music,” a reverse somersault high dive into the
science behind music’s profound effect in laymen’s terms. Highly recommended.
[2] In a power ranking of all
“Revolutions,” “Digital Music” checks in behind “Prince and The,” “Industrial” and
“Sexual” among the bloodless variety, though it nudges past the not-must-see NBC
drama “Revolution” and the eponymous Chicago brewery, which nonetheless makes a
delicious Citra-Hero IPA.
[3] Up to 60% of the human body
consists of water, driving home the imagery that I could’ve, but refused to
resist. Trust me, that won’t be the last attempt at a strained metaphor. It’s
only fair that you’re apprised of these things now before tunneling further
down this wormhole. Worms make great bait...hold that thought.
[4] By all means, get your Wiki and
YouTube on if this is the first time you’ve heard the seemingly incongruous
words of “Umphrey’s” and “McGee” together.
[5] If brevity has remained your thing
since The Dude suggested so.
[6] Brendan wrote the former of the two
songs under the microscope in this piece.
[7] Jake wrote the latter song that’s
soaking in formaldehyde in preparation for dissection.
[8] The liner notes in Songs For Older Women, Umphreys’ 2nd
album and first live album released in 1999,
confirm the Pony “no vocals” rule, merely one of many inside-the-band
jokes shared with fans.
[9]
Back in the days when modern classics were banned (See: The Canterbury Tales, The Grapes of Wrath, The Catcher in the Rye, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Ulysses faced its own obscenity trials before finally getting published in America, 12 years after its initial publication in Paris.
[10] Since Charlie Weis, then as a
student, witnessed the Notre Dame football team pull off a Trojan Horse ploy on
USC in 1977, it’s not a far stretch that war strategist Ulysses was on his mind
when Charlie Weis, as coach, delivered his “decided schematic advantage”
speech in 2005.
[11] A decade ago, in a
fan-produced band zine long since discontinued (RIP "Dump City Gutter"), I
invoked Ulysses’ 10-year voyage as a device for describing the concert journey
that takes place in Umphrey’s common (at that time) pairing of songs, Miss Tinkle’s
Overture > Mulche’s Odyssey.
[12] More personal backdrop: My favorite
college seminar was a James Joyce class. Unpacking the chapters of “Ulysses”
was a revelation. Joyce crafted the entire book as an English language puzzle,
daring folks to piece it together with key codes, called Linati Schema, to help
understand the topics, themes, styles, and techniques explored in each chapter.
[13] Worm footnote foreshadowing
payoff! Also, I own a bowling ball named
“Wurms.” If you’re actually reading these footnotes, I’m comfortable sharing that.
[14] To the descriptions found in the
Linati Schema, naturally. It will make more sense soon, I promise.
[15] 11 days shy of the 104th
celebration of the most famous day in literature, “Bloomsday.” June 16, 1904
happened to be the date on the bedside Far Side flip-calendar of Joyce’s
protagonist, Leo Bloom, as he meandered the streets of Dublin doing mundane
things like eating kidney liver for breakfast, attending a funeral, and ogling a girl
on the beach. Joyce describes all of these innocuous activities with
extraordinary detail, layering deeper meanings as if he were loading up a baked
potato at Ponderosa.
[16] For sure, that’s the first time
I’ve ventured to spell that decade-defining word. Much weirder to spell than speak.
[17] So far, two members of the Grateful
Dead have graced the stage with Umph for guest sit-ins: bassist Phil Lesh and
guitarist Bob Weir.
[18] The song title borrows from the
fictional album in This Is Spinal Tap dubbed
“Smell The Glove.” It also works on a second level when it is played in “The Mitten”
state.
[19] Intentions Clear debuted in 2006.
It was included on two albums: Safety in Numbers (5:50 length) and The Bottom
Half (4:55 length). As of 2/14/17, it’s been played 163 times total. In 2008,
UM played the song 16 times, with the next longest version being 14 minutes
long. The average 2008 length was 9 minutes and 22 seconds – the version on
this evening doubled that average, clocking in at 19 minutes. #geekery
[20] I’m fascinated with the mystery of how “A+”
versions of a song turn up on certain nights and the human factors involved
that lead to such inspired efforts: A solid cup of coffee earlier that morning?
A delightful walking tour of a new city? Intra-band competitive juices? A crowd
that demands something special through sheer palpable, undeniable energy?
[21] Syncopated Strangers debuted in
2001. It has yet to be recorded for an official UM album. As of 2/14/17, it’s
been played 367 times total. In 2008, UM played the song 17 times, with the next
longest version being 20 minutes and 23 seconds; The average 2008 length was about 11 minutes – the
version on this evening extended past 26 minutes. #geekery
[22] Fancy music term for when one song switches to another song without stopping. The art of the segue is a powerful weapon
in the arsenal of live acts, though requires ninja star precision. Sometimes, a
transition catches a crowd off-guard, completely unaware
that the music morphed into something else. Other times, one member teases a
riff from the next song and waits until the rest of the band joins, tipping the
crowd off to the progression that’s to come.
[23] Admission time - I am that fan. But I refuse
to believe I’m alone in describing it so.
[24] The respective categories are: Scene; Organ;
Symbols; Science/Art; Meaning; Technic. Feel free to google "linati schema" for
the full Joyce nerd-camp experience.
[25] Taylor Swift's little brother graduated from Notre Dame. I recall seeing her and Selena Gomez cavorting on the sidelines together about four years ago. Not quite the steady stream of A-listers that go to USC football practices, but it's a start.
[25] Taylor Swift's little brother graduated from Notre Dame. I recall seeing her and Selena Gomez cavorting on the sidelines together about four years ago. Not quite the steady stream of A-listers that go to USC football practices, but it's a start.
[26] Meta-pun intended!
[27] The Greek and Roman god of music. Makes sense
that James Brown rose to fame at the Apollo Theatre – The Godfather of Soul performing in an auxiliary temple.
[28] Swamp Ass is the name of Jake’s current
primary guitar, while Lucy is currently Brendan’s primary guitar, according to this February 2015 rig rundown.
[29] Assuming, of course, that EVH listens to
contemporary music, which he expressly does not, according to Chuck Klosterman. Also, fun to wonder when the last
time Eddie Van Halen was tickled and by whom. Strikes me as one who is not ticklish.
© James D. Rogers
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