VIDEO: Captain of Industry "Healthy Spines"

...this came across our desk late last week. Just when we thought Captain of Industry was laying low, they bust in with this visual gem. We're just trying to figure out how late they had to stay in their office building to get this one done...

Captain of Industry - "Healthy Spines" from trevor hollen on Vimeo.

Legalize Telephones

...as is becoming typical in Dayton these days, you've got a couple of good options for showgoing tonight...

...over at Gilly's, you've got some of Dayton's finest doing a retake of last year's highly successful Legalize Gassett benefit. This one's for the bands, however, so head on down and check out Mouth of the Architect, Captain of Industry (whose latest album, The Bronze, entered the CMJ charts this week), 8-Bit Revival, and Goatherd...

...there's also a good one over at Dayton Dirt Collective tonight with the ambient Tin Can Telephone, Men as Trees, and one of our newer favorites, Lvngs. Get on out and check these shows out...

Happy Chichester/Captain of Industry-Tonight @ Pearl

...if yr out and about tonight, head on over to Pearl to catch one of Ohio's most underrated talents, Happy Chichester. Having spent time in such notable outfits as Royal Crescent Mob, Howlin' Maggie, and Twilight Singers, journeyman Chichester has carved out a sizable niche in Ohio music history. Make no mistake, however, this is no mere retro act. Chichester is currently at work on a new record which will most likely feature assistance from sometimes-backing-band Captain of Industry. COI will be backing him up this evening, as well as doing an opening set of their own. See ya down there....

On the River, In the Dirt...

...while Daytonia heats up, so does the rock. There's a pair of great shows on tap tonight...

...down at Riverscape this evening, Captain of Industry will perform as part of Five River Metroparks summer concert series. Music gets under way at 7:30 and it's completely free. You know what we've had to say lately about COI, so you're gonna wanna catch this one...

...just up a few blocks from the Great Miami River, the Dayton Dirt Collective is hosting a great bill. Local sludge gurus Marijuana Johnson headline along with Grizzzzy Bear and The Atlas Moth (from Chicago). With the club being so small, you may wanna be on time for this one...

The Captain In Motion

...as local heroes Captain of Industry set out on tour to support their new album, The Bronze, they kinda stole our thunder. Well, kinda. Yep, they started a blog. Granted, it's a tour blog. About their current tour. Head over to Plastique Bones and see what happens when five Daytonians attack the East Coast. Also, if you wanna know what one of them eats while engaging in tour, check out I Crushed This. You can also head over to their Myspace and dig a couple of live tracks recorded in NYC on this tour: a cover of Deerhoof's "The Perfect Me" and "It Might Be Me" from the band's debut, ! Enjoy...

Captain of Industry/Lab Partners/Grizzzzy Bear @ Gilly's 6.28.08

...while many shows in Dayton begin with a relative whimper as the opening band is forced to endure the unspoken code of show attendants arriving well past the fashionably late mark, on this evening at Gilly's the force that is Grizzzzy Bear enjoyed a nearly packed house from the very beginning of their set. As the band unleashed their newfound fury, the collective jaw dropped throughout the club. As a band that is riding an undeniable buzz in Dayton, Grizzzzy Bear on this night proved that the hype is deserved. While the band is certainly pulling away from the synth-heavy psyche/pop on their debut disc, the ADD-inflicted tendencies of their arrangements that made that album so brilliant are simply taking a more aggressive slant as the Myspace-only track "Mr. Bloodsuck" suggests. As one infectious riff turned into a sludgy grind and then spun out into a snotty pop nugget, it seemed apparent that Grizzzzy Bear stands as one of Dayton's finest young bands...




...having not been spotted on a Dayton stage in nearly a year, Lab Partners hit the stage shrouded in psychedelic fog. The band filled the club with their trademark soaring shoegaze/drone pop and seemed to grab some unfamiliar ears. Guitarist Mike Volk veered between elegiac 12-string guitar work to slashing power chords as Amy Smith's synth bass and Mike Smith's echoed jangle washed over the audience like a seemingly tranquil, yet utterly enveloping, tidal wave...




...at last the time came to celebrate Captain of Industry's release of their incredible new album, The Bronze. As keyboardist/vocalist Nathan Peters strode out in a dapper suit jacket, the rest of the band filed in and proceeded to lay down their patented brand of indie prog/pop with a joyful determination that carried throughout their set. As the band tore through chunks of their new album, they also dug out a number of tunes from their back catalog, all served up with a undeniable sense of purpose on this night. From the aggro fire of "Sabo" to the lilting saccharine of "Popsicle", on this night COI simply could not miss. Drummer John Lakes and bassist Ian Sperry held down the frantic rhythms as guitarists Kevin Oldfield and Tommy Cooper drew from a seemingly endless palate of sonic delights. As if the occasion wasn't already special, the band offered up a ferocious cover of Deerhoof's "The Perfect Me". As the band closed out an extended encore with "Good Side Son" off their debut disc, it seemed as if the night served as a reckoning of the band's past with their seemingly bright future...




...by the end of the evening, there was a consensus that everyone would like to see more shows like this on a regular basis. For more photos from the evening, go here.

Captain of Industry CD Release/Lab Partners/Grizzzzy Bear-Tonight @ Gilly's...plus The Buddha Den Giveaway

...we've been talking at great length about the incredible new album by Captain of Industry, The Bronze. Tonight is the big local CD Release show at Gilly's and you really couldn't ask for a more stacked bill. Opening the evening will be buzz band of 08, Grizzzzy Bear (who are currently in the studio working with COI drummer John Lakes). You've also got local shoegaze masters Lab Partners (who are putting the finishing touches on their new album). This could very well end up as one of the best shows of 08. You really can't afford to miss this one...

...you need another reason to come out? Well, The Buddha Den has teamed up with Captain of Industry to hook up yet another CD giveaway. Tonight at the show before COI hits the stage, The Buddha Den will present 3 lucky winners with a copy of the new album, The Bronze. How do you win??? Simple. Email us at buddhaden27@yahoo.com with "THE BRONZE" in the subject line. First three respondents will be notified and receive their prize tonight at Gilly's. Don't hesitate....

Captain of Industry on WOXY Today

...as the release of their stellar new album The Bronze is this weekend, Captain of Industry will hit the airwaves yet again this afternoon. Stepping up for their third appearance in the fabled WOXY Lounge Acts, COI will be performing tracks off their new album and chatting it up. Tune in here at 4 PM today, and if you miss it, you can grab the download later over here. Be sure to tune in to The Buddha Den tomorrow morning for a very special announcement regarding the release of The Bronze...

REVIEW: Captain of Industry-The Bronze

In many band's catalogs, it is their debut offering that ends up as their defining work. After honing their sound on the stage, a band is often able to capture the intensity and immediacy on their first venture into the studio. The material presented is typically so well-rehearsed at that point that it seems there could be no way to top it. However, in some cases a band takes a few albums before finally hitting a stride and making that definitive statement of their sound. In the case of Captain of Industry, their third album, The Bronze, (out on All Hail Records) seems destined to fall into that latter category.

Since their last album (2005's The Great Divide), Captain of Industry expanded their ranks by adding long-time Dayton journeyman Tommy Cooper on guitar (augmenting core members Nathan Peters on vocals/keyboards, John Lakes on drums, Kevin Oldfield on guitar, and Ian Sperry on bass). With this addition, Cooper gave the band additional stability in the rhythm section and enabled Oldfield to more confidently indulge his gratuitous knob-twiddling. As their first work with Cooper in tow, The Bronze is a decidedly more muscular affair than either The Great Divide or the band's debut !, which suggested a band more in love with Herbie Hancock than David Bowie. While COI has always had a penchant for prog rock and twisted, sprawling arrangements, with The Bronze the band has refined their ideas to such a razor-fine point that nearly every track on the album serves as proof of a band in full command of its prowess.

The one-two punch of "Gold For Your Mouth" and the manic "Sweet Nectar Action" indicate the band's growth from last year's studio binge on The Gold Teeth EP. Most notably, the guitar interplay of Oldfield and Cooper drive the tracks in a way that the guitars have not done elsewhere in the COI catalog. This is a trend that most notably defines the shift on The Bronze from the band's previous work. Perhaps one of the most defining moments on the album, "Facefull of a Headfull of Hair" showcases Peters' melodic gifts and effortless wordplay draped in sheets of vibrato guitars and piano stabs. The scale-running workout at the song's conclusion only further builds the case for the band's newfound guitar-centric sound. As if the point needed further evidence, check out the ferocious prog workout of "Sabo" and the dynamic slashing shuffle of "TKO".

While the Captains may be steering their ship away from calm waters, this is not to say they have not taken with them the melodic gifts which helped craft their sound. The track "Popsicle" is easily as memorable as anything James Mercer has dished out, and its irreverant lines of "One man gets wasted/Another joins the rodeo/One DJ quits his job/Because what he plays blows" highlights Peters' ability to infuse a dose of humor into his sublime melodies.

While it may have taken Captain of Industry a few swings to come up with the long ball, The Bronze is a shot that may very well be heard 'round the world. With their idiosyncratic blend of prog-infused-indie pop and a stack of songs that easily stand up against most of what passes for modern rock, Captain of Industry have produced an album that may very well move them up out of the minor leagues and send them to the show.

The Rev Meets the Captains

...in anticipation of the release of their third album, The Bronze, Captain of Industry will be in-studio with Rev. Cool Jim Carter this evening on 91.3 FM WYSO. The guys will be on the program from 9-10 PM this evening playing tracks off their new album as well as some in-studio performances. Tune in on the dial or catch it online here...

The Buddha Den Presents: Songwriters-in-the-Round @ Canal St. Tavern 6.8.08

...as the unseasonal heat nearly choked the city last evening, several of Dayton's finest songwriters gathered for The Buddha Den's first Songwriters-in-the-Round event at the legendary Canal Street Tavern. With four performers on stage at a time, each set delivered some incredible performances and an incredibly relaxed and fun show. In the first group, Nathan Peters (Captain of Industry), playing on Canal Street's ancient upright piano, threw out some of his finest work with his band as well as a choice cover of an old Ohio Casket song by the all-too-reclusive PJ Paslosky. Nick Tertel (Sleepybird) might have seemed somewhat reserved without the backing of his sprawling outfit, but his country-flavored tunes truly blossomed in this context. In a rare solo performance, Derek Gullett (ex-Switchblade Serenade) showcased some of his more personal material, overcoming various technical glitches along the way...




...in the evening's second set, Tod Weidner (Shrug) demonstrated yet again on his home turf why he continues to be one of Dayton's underrated treasures. His literary wit and classic compositions are nearly as much a part of Canal Street's charms as the battered stained glass. The younger, but no less vital, Andy Smith (Andrew & the Pretty Punchers) might have been buzzing on the eve of his band's first proper recording sessions, but his songs of wisdom well beyond his years reminded us that this is a talent that will hopefully grace the Gem City for many years to come. After suffering through various technical aberrations, Dustin Rose (Toads and Mice) abandoned technology in favor of simple, yet elegant compositions. His departure from the material of his band completely shocked us and, yet again, gave of great hope of things to come. Newcomer Miranda offered up jazz/blues-flavored piano compositions and topped them off with a voice of such power and passion that we are hoping to see much more from her in the months to come...





For more photos from the evening, please go here.

The Buddha Den Presents: Songwriters-in-the-Round - Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

...we at The Buddha Den have a very special treat for you this evening. The Buddha Den is hosting a Songwriters-in-the-Round tonight at Canal Street Tavern. For those of you unfamiliar with the format, there will be two sets, each featuring four musicians. Each player will do one song at a time for four rounds. Tonight we will be featuring some of Dayton's finest songwriters: Nathan Peters (Captain of Industry), Tod Weidner (Shrug), Nick Tertel (Sleepybird), Andy Smith (Andrew & the Pretty Punchers), Dustin Rose (Toads and Mice), Derek Gullett (Switchblade Serenade), Mascot, and Miranda Pennington. We will also be recording this evening for future release as a FREE DOWNLOAD through The Buddha Den, so keep an eye out for that. We'll see you tonight...

Captain of Industry to Release on All Hail Records

...we are pleased to report that the third Captain of Industry album has officially found a home for release through Columbus's All Hail Records. The band will celebrate the release of the as-yet-untitled full-length with a show at Gilly's on June 28 that will also feature Grizzzzy Bear and The Scourge of the Sea. We'll keep you posted as this story unfolds...

The Motel Beds @ Nite Owl 3.22.08

...with so many great shows in Dayton last night, we chose to attend a single event rather than running a marathon throughout Dayton. In our defense, we caught an amazing set by a long-too-latent talent in this town, The Motel Beds, over at Nite Owl. Led by PJ Paslosky and Tommy Cooper (also of Captain of Industry) and rounded out by members of Human Reunion and Captain of Industry, the band dished out some incredible new material as well as dusting off some gems from their previous incarnation. As one sublime melody after another whizzed by our heads and the band seamlessly complemented each other at every turn, we were left hoping that sooner than later we get a new disc from The Motel Beds...

all for one....

...it's been a fairly slow week in town, but you have a few choice options this evening that should be enough to get you out and about...

...on tap over at Jimmie's Cornerstone we've got another Dayton Dirt Collective Benefit featuring The Goody Two Shoes, The Gluons, and up-and-comers Jasper the Colossal. Word is that the new cable program Underground in Day-Town will be on hand to document the event for posterity....

...over at Pearl, there will be a benefit show for Dayton for Darfur. Musical acts include Record Records Record and Mascot, as well as numerous spoken word and performance artists...

...as if that wasn't enough options, you've got a couple of heavy hitters over at Canal Street Tavern also. Columbus-based Happy Chichester will make an appearance backed by local faves Captain of Industry. Also on the bill are CMJ alums Halos Were Found at the Landing Site. Should be a good one...

...do yr homework and chart a course. We'll see you out there....

The Poison Control Center/The Gay Sharks-Tonight @ Nite Owl

...some bands reunite for the money. Some reunite to secure their legacy. Some reunite because living in a post-industrial wasteland can be so void of options and you can only drink yourself into oblivion so much that you have to think of something else to do. Which brings us to The Gay Sharks....

...In their previous incarnation as The Motel Beds, PJ Paslosky and Tommy Cooper (currently of Captain of Industry) dished out some of the most sublime indie pop tunes to come out of Dayton. We'll go ahead and say ever. But, just as soon as they appeared, The Motel Beds were no more. With much time having passed, and with members relocating and such, PJ and Tommy have decided to wheel out some new material, with the promise of new recordings forthcoming, tonight at the Nite Owl. Headlining the bill will be The Poison Control Center, out on tour from Iowa. TPCC dishes out the type of powerpop/indie rock stew that would conjure up hints of Superdrag, The High Strung, and any number of Sub Pop bands you'd care to mention....

...we'll see you there...

Captain of Industry/Male Models/Baby Teeth/Toads and Mice @ Gilly's 12.31.07

...as we said goodbye to 2007 and welcomed in 2008, we had an amazing evening of music to enjoy. Heading down on this blustery evening to Gilly's, we were excited for the musical treats we had in store...

...opening the evening was one of our favorite bands, Toads and Mice. With their impeccable execution on this evening, we were delighted to see this band in such a setting. While the tracks from their debut disc, Toads and Mice, landed in every way, the band's inexperience in such a setting revealed to us that a little more in the way of stage presence and banter could serve to improve the band's ability to further connect with their audience...




...in from Chicago, Baby Teeth's funk-inflected indie pop largely fell on indifference from the audience. Although we were somewhat bemused initally, by the end of their set, Baby Teeth had won us over, leaving us hopeful that they may return to the Gem City in 2008...



...with two Dayton ex-patriates in the band, we were excited to see Male Models from St. Louis. Despite our high expectations, we were largely disappointed in the band on this night. While some of the material held promise, the execution of the material came across as incomplete and shoddy. The enthusiasm, however, helped to hold our attention and gave us hope that with further refinement Male Models may evolve into an interesting outfit...



...just after the stroke of midnight, Captain of Industry hit the stage with their patented frentic, angular indie rock sound. On this particular night, the band seemed to be in full command of their oevure, slashing across the core melodies with muscular abandon. The appearance of the Pixies "Where Is My Mind?" was a welcome treat for the audience, as everyone fell into singalong mode, and we were well on our way into 2008...

Fruit for the Egg

...if you're brave enough to head out in this mess of Ohio weather, you should head ver to Goloka Gallery tonight. Yeah, we know, this is two nights in a row. Well, they're making it happen. Tonight you've got Sleepybird heading things up with a special stage performance from the Zoot Theatre Company. Also performing tonight will be Captain of Industry. Two of Dayton's finest up against an ice storm. We'll take those odds....

...also, if you're particularly crafty and committed, hit up Grizzzzy Bear to find out the secret location of their performance tonight. Maybe they'll let you in...

Buffalo Killers/Switchblade Serenade/Captain of Industry-Tonight @ Nite Owl 12.7.07

...arriving a bit late on this dreary, cold, rainy December evening, we only caught the last few numbers by the mighty Captain of Industry. In their case it isn't the quantity of songs we heard, but the quality. In the few songs we witnessed, our appetite was only further whetted for the upcoming release from one of Dayton's finest...


...in the sweet spot for the evening, local gararge/trash practitioners Switchblade Serenade celebrated the release of their debut, the No One Cares EP. While their distinctive brand of no-holds-barred rock n' roll won over most of the audience, their demeanor on stage left something to be desired as far as we were concerned. On previous occasions we'd seen and heard about the antics of this band and were prepared for a full-frontal onslaught on this evening. It was not to be, however, and we were left to stomp and shout through the set...



...batting clean-up this night was Cincinnati Golden Boys, Buffalo Killers. From the first note of their set, with the crowd pressed up to the stage and hoisting libations to the band, Buffalo Killers were not about to phone in this show to Dayton. With a blistering performance that was more akin to a Royal Albert Hall performance than just another night at the Nite Owl, Buffalo Killers' passion for rock n' roll and their dedication to the purest vein of the pursuit was in full evidence on this evening. For this, we could not have been more grateful...



For more photos from the evening, go here...