Trainwreck Mice

...if you're reading this in d8n, we encourage you to stop and go outside. Now. It's so nice out. Get away from yr computer and come back and read this after the sun goes down...

...moving on, you've got a couple of fun bills tonight in town. Over at Canal Street Tavern, Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks [pictured] headline a bill that also includes Jesse's brother, Adam Remnant [of Southeast Engine] and newbies Yazoo Street Scandal...

...over at Blind Bob's, local stoner rock provocateurs Marijuana Johnson headline a bill that includes local faves Toads and Mice and Suckerpunch Thompson [Pittsburgh]. See you out...

MP3: Jesse Remnant "Same Sun" [from the Squids Eye Records compilation Hi, We're From Dayton]
MP3: Toads and Mice "Skull"

...oh, and just in case you needed a reminder, Toads and Mice and Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks will both be part of this next Sunday night...

Friday Night Wrap-Up 3.6.09

...given that it was the first warm night this year in Dayton, we made our best effort to catch as much live music as possible. Lucky for us, we had a couple of great options...

...we thought our first stop of the night would be Blind Bob's, but upon arriving we learned that local purveyors of mayhem and merriment, Sitandance, had taken to the streets. Literally. They had set up in the parking lot next to Ned Pepper's with tiny amps and a makeshift drumkit, attracting enough of a crowd to get the cops called...


...we made our way back over to Blind Bob's to kick off the night the way it usually closes: with Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. Even starting the evening, A&TPP hit a stride with a handful of newer tunes and old standards. Although usually where our night ends, it was only the beginning...




...being a nice night, we decided to walk up to Canal Street Tavern to catch the release party for Southeast Engine's new album, From the Forest to the Sea. Stepping into the cozy confines of Canal Street, we were nearly stopped in our tracks by the heat building in the room due the crowd that had gathered to help celebrate the occasion. Arriving just in time to catch the start of their set, guitarist Adam Remnant quietly launched the band into a set that coursed through new and older material creating a seamless link that runs through Remnant's powerfully reflective lyrics. Unfortunately, the crowd were as excited to see one another as they were Southeast Engine and in the quieter passages easily buried the band in chatter. Despite all the distractions, we wish Southeast Engine well as they head out on the road in support of their new album...




...we made one more tip along the old canal back to Blind Bob's just in time to catch Hospital Garden kick things off. Although the crowd had thinned somewhat, the band still delivered a ferocious set of infectious melodies slathered in ear-splitting guitar, just the way we like it. We'll be hosting Hospital Garden at South Park Tavern on March 28 for our monthly showcase, so tune in now and we'll see you then...




For more photos from the evening, go here.

Southeast Engine/Jesse Remnant and the Trainwrecks-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

..after hearing us talk about the new Southeast Engine album, From the Forest to the Sea for a while now, the band will bring the goods to Canal Street Tavern tonight. Opening up, and pulling double duty as well, is Jesse Remnant and his Trainwrecks (feat. members of Shrug). Do yrself a favor and do everything you can to make this show...

MP3: Southeast Engine "Black Gold"

PROFILE: Southeast Engine

..in case you haven't noticed, we're pretty sweet on the new Southeast Engine album, From the Forest to the Sea. We're not the only ones. Already the disc is getting called out as one of the best new albums of 2009 by some people. This weekend, Southeast Engine is set to stop in Dayton to celebrate the album's release before heading out to SXSW and other tour destinations. We were fortunate enough to talk with Adam Remnant about the new album and his band's plans for 2009...

The Buddha Den: It's been a little over a year since your last album, A Wheel Within a Wheel, came out on Misra. What's been going on in the Southeast Engine camp? How do you guys spend your downtime? How do you ramp back up into recording/touring mode?

Adam Remnant: Well, we all work day jobs when the band is not on tour or in the studio, but we’re always working on band stuff around our work schedules too. We write, demo, practice, play shows on weekends, and also put a lot of energy into promotion and basic management of the band – hanging flyers, planning for tours, creating a street team, etc, the list goes on and on. When we do have downtime we are usually relaxing at home or around town with our friends and loved ones – we like to eat at Casa Nueva here in Athens.

TBD: In listening to From the Forest to the Sea, it feels like a continuation in many ways from A Wheel Within a Wheel as far as the themes of struggle and redemption. To what degree to you draw from your personal experiences in these songs? How much do you fictionalize?

AR: The characters in the last two albums are simultaneously fictional and personal. At times, I wrote from the perspective of someone I feel is very corrupt, someone who runs in the mainstream upper-middle echelons of our culture and society. I feel much of our culture is spiritually bankrupt – whether it’s secular or religious. In my own life, my songwriting has reintroduced spirituality to me. Songwriting is very premonitory for me – the songs reveal something I don’t know yet – they’re a learning process. So I’ve sort of fused my own spiritual awakenings with criticisms of our contemporary society. The characters in the albums are able to escape the traps of their surroundings through spiritual transformation.

TBD: We've heard that From the Forest to the Sea was recorded in an old schoolhouse. What more can you tell us about the location? Why did you decide to record there? Did you bring in outside technical assistance or did you handle all the recording yourself?

AR: The old schoolhouse is in Stewart, Ohio, a small farming town in Athens County. The schoolhouse now serves as a community resource center, and they rent out the old classrooms to artists and musicians for studio and rehearsal space. We were renting a room there to rehearse for the album, and we rented the auditorium to record the album. The auditorium was great because it had a stage with an old upright piano and big curtain. We could close the curtain if we needed to get a tighter sound or open the curtain up when we wanted the echo and reverb of the auditorium. The environment of the space was enticing as well. We holed up there for a week. We would often stay overnight, and the place could have a sort of spooky feel. They use the building for a haunted house at Halloween. Bats got in one night as well, which a filmmaker friend of ours actually captured on video.

We had the great fortune to have the album recorded by our good friend Josh Antonuccio of 3 Elliott Studios. Josh and 3 Elliott also recorded A Wheel Within a Wheel and Coming to Terms with Gravity. Josh also acts as our producer in the studio. He plays a huge part in the making of our albums.

TBD: Southeast Engine retains strong ties to Dayton, as you've made a point to celebrate album releases here. However, you're always referred to as hailing from Athens. How do you reconcile these two locales in your story? Do you feel any need to do so?

AR: We have a lot of family in Dayton, and that’s where three of us grew up so we definitely feel an affinity to the town. Dayton gets a bad rap, but if I lived anywhere besides Athens, I’d hope it would be back in Dayton. My earliest memories are of growing up in Belmont. I went to High School in Oakwood, which I don’t remember too fondly; but the city of Dayton is dear to me and my band mates. Athens and Dayton both have an economically depressed vibe, but both towns have such a unique underdog character. Southeast Engine feels like an underdog band to me. We live in the middle of nowhere, and we’re just trying to get out there and get people to hear us. The people in towns like Athens and Dayton are rooting for us.

TBD: With the release of the new album, what does 2009 look like for Southeast Engine? Lots of touring? Festivals? Late night appearances?

AR: There is certainly a lot of touring – we are consolidating most of it into late winter and spring. We’re doing a slew of long weekends at the album’s release, then SXSW in March followed by a national tour in April and May. No late night appearances scheduled, but it would be cool to see that happen. We’re also going to get to work on our next album in the summer.

TBD: Is there anything else you would like readers of The Buddha Den to know about Southeast Engine???

AR: We all celebrate our own spirit animal.

...be sure to head down to Canal Street Tavern this Friday, March 6 to catch the CD release part for From the Forest to the Sea. If you're outside of Dayton, here's where you can catch Southeast Engine this Spring:

Mar 6 Canal St. Tavern w/ Jesse Remnant & The Trainwrecks Dayton, OH
Mar 7 The Hideout Chicago, IL
Mar 14 Bread + Bagel w/ Frontier Ruckus + Theodore Bowling Green, KY
Mar 15 TBA w/ Frontier Ruckus + Theodore Russellville, AR
Mar 16 Quonset Huts Studio H w/ Frontier Ruckus + Theodore Fayetteville, r
Mar 17 TBA w/ Frontier Ruckus + Theodore Denton, TX
Mar 18 SXSW Waterloo Ice House [NPR Leonard Cohen Party 5PM] Austin, TX
Mar 19 SXSW Habana Calle 6 "Of Great & Mortal Men: 43 Songs for 43 U.S. Presidencies" Austin, TX
Mar 20 SXSW Moon Jaw Day Party Brave New Books [2 PM] w/ Theodore + Emily Rodgers + Frontier Ruckus + More Austin, TX
Mar 20 SXSW Tap Room at Six Misra Showcase w/ Timothy Bracy (Mendoza Line) + Palomar + More Austin, TX
Mar 21 2009 SXSW Austin, TX
Mar 22 2009 Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival Low Key Arts w/ Theodore + More Hot Springs, AR
Apr 4 Casa Nueva Athens, OH
Apr 9 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
Apr 10 Union Hall Brooklyn, NY
Apr 11 PA’s Lounge Somerville, MA
Apr 12 Sundazed @ Bar New Haven, CT
Apr 14 As 220 Providence, RI
Apr 16 M Room w/ Appleseed Cast Philadelphia, PA
Apr 17 TBA Baltimore, MD
Apr 18 The Red & The Black Washington, DC
Apr 19 The Triple Richmond, VA
Apr 20 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC

MP3: Southeast Engine "Black Gold"
MP3: Southeast Engine "Law-Abiding Citizen"
MP3: Southeast Engine "Preparing for the Flood"

VIDEO: Jesse Remnant "Who Knows, Who Knows?"

...here's a rather dark clip from Jesse Remanant's performance at J-Alans earlier this month for The Buddha Den Present show. This is a great song off his album, The Human Cannonball, which we highly recommend everyone check out. Dig the clip (courtesy of Austin Radcliffe):



Remnant will soon be joining his brother, Adam, and the rest of Southeast Engine as they head to SXSW and other locales in support of their new album, From the Forest to the Sea...

REVIEW: Southeast Engine-From the Forest to the Sea

...So it begins...

...the opening lines of Southeast Engine's latest release, From the Forest to the Sea, [Misra Records, 2009] instantly indicate the biblical overtones that run rampant throughout its duration. Seemingly picking up where their last album, A Wheel Within a Wheel, left off, Adam Remnant continues the narrative on the three-part opener, "The Forest". Marrying their straightforward rock roots with subtle prog flourishes, courtesy of sprawling composition and cryptic carnival organ, "The Forest" ultimately delivers a mystical awakening that nearly feels like the end of the story. As it stands, it sets the tone for an album that explores the depths of despair and regret, doubts in societal norms, and the ultimate reconciliation of a man and his maker...

...with themes of a pale-faced lady torturing his soul and the impending flood that awaits the human race, Remnant paints a tale so grand in scope that only DeMille could possibly bring it to life. The band stick close to their musical guns throughout the album with traces of The Band, The Beatles, and Wilco running in its veins. Their focus emerges as their strength: these tales beg to be told in a traditional manner, and the band rise to the challenge. In the near-apocalyptic climax of "Preparing for the Flood" SEE virtually ascend into the heavens in the track's final moments, only to return to the terrestrial realms to spread the word of this world's shortcomings, only to finally descend into the depths of the sea to arrive at the realization that perhaps there may be an order to all things that simply can't be understood...

...although Remnant's storytelling stands strongly at the fore of From the Forest to the Sea, this is an outfit that understands how best to support the narrative with subtly rather than flash. Adam's brother Jesse Remnant chimes in with impeccable harmonies and bass and, along with drummer Leo DeLuca, grounds the songs as they move from sprightly shuffles to driving rockers to pastoral ballads. Keyboardist Billy Matheny's organ only further heightens the gospel overtones of the songs. At times chiming and understated while at others stinging and to the fore, Adam Remnant's guitar work is second only to the uncharted depths of soul found in his tortured vocals...

...From the Forest to the Sea stands as proof positive that the classics never really go out of style...

Southeast Engine on Daytrotter

...we were very excited to discover this morning that Daytrotter put up a session today from Southeast Engine. As per usual, the guys at Daytrotter did an amazing job on the recordings and three of the four tracks are from Southeast Engine's upcoming From the Forest to the Sea album, which has been in heavy rotation here at The Buddha Den. The disc drops February 17 and the band will celebrate its release with a show on March 6 at the venerable Canal Street Tavern. You can grab the aforementioned audio goodies RIGHT HERE...

VIDEO: Southeast Engine "Black Gold"

...we were very excited to come across this earlier today, courtesy of Stereogum. Southeast Engine is poised to release their fourth album, From the Forest to the Sea, on Misra Records February 17 and this video for the track "Black Gold" [directed by Thomas R. Britt] showcases Adam Remnant's world-weary voice and thinly veiled stabs at America's conspicuous consumption. Check this out now and be ready when the album drops and the band celebrates its release in Dayton in March...

Turkish Engine

...hey kids, you've got a pair of great shows to get out to tonight. Here's the details...


...over at Canal Street Tavern tonight the brothers Remnant celebrate the release of their split 7" from Southeast Engine and Jesse Remnant. Although older brother Adam Remnant's Southeast Engine is sporting a leaner lineup these days, their delivery is still potent. Jesse Remnant will be getting backing from members of Shrug. Opening the evening will be youngster Jordan Hull...


...you could also swing over to Oregon Express to catch a solid bill of garage/punk goodness. Between Thee Pistol Whips, Mountain Screamer, Hospital Garden, and newcomers Turkish Delights, you've got plenty of good rockin' tonight. We'll see you out...

Yakuza Heart Attack/Southeast Engine/Jesse Remnant/Cry Baby Genius @ Pearl 8.28.08

...with the hordes gathered yet again last evening for the monthly Squids Eye Records showcase at Pearl, we walked in to catch opener Cry Baby Genius (aka Mike Payne, who also serves as drummer for Andrew & the Pretty Punchers and The Judy Blooms). Releasing his debut on this night, Cry Baby Genius prowled the stage area in a nearly trance-like state as his distinct cadence spilled out over the beats. At his most impassioned, CBG nearly tore out his own soul to get across to his audience. By the end of the set however, a failed attempt at a new track gave way to a playful freestyle that proved that while Cry Baby Genius may be intense, he still knows how to get a party started...




...although we've loved his debut record since it came out, this was the first opportunity we'd had to see Jesse Remnant live. With the no less a backing band than 3/4 of Shrug, Remnant's summery pop melodicism absolutely shined on this night. Although tuning issues seemed to plague Remnant for a large part of the set, it was overshadowed by his band's consummate musicianship, in particular the multi-instrumental showcase by Eric Cassidy. From the Beach Boys-flavored harmonies, to the GBV-style brevity, Remnant & co. delivered a set of flawless indie pop that has us hoping for more appearances very soon....




...on a rare Dayton appearance, a new stripped-down version of Southeast Engine stepped into the void and ushered in a set of powerful, earthy tunes. Although guitarist Adam Remnant seemed somewhat self-conscious on this performance by the quartet, he still propelled the band into a rousing set that had the audience dancing and singing along throughout. One of the highlights of the set was a song performed for the first time last night that featured an extended piano duet between Remnant and keyboardist Michael Lachman which served as an hypnotic diversion from the rollicking rocker that bookended the piece. We're looking for that one to appear on their Daytrotter session soon....




...closing out the evening, the long-awaited return of Yakuza Heart Attack drew a sizable crowd to their feet and the responded with their trademark high-octane nintendo prog in full force. While the band seemed a bit hesitant early on, the crowd's unwavering adulation seemed to fuel the band and they settled in and delivered the electronic equivalent of a classical masterpiece. As keyboardists Keith Rankin and Matt Emmons veered between incredibly inventive melodic themes and severe dissonance, the rhythm section of Justin Baker on bass and Chris Mengerink on drums provided a muscular backbone to the compositions. We can only hope that we don't have to wait another year to catch Yakuza Heart Attack again....




Black and white photography credits to Marla Bremer. For more photos from the night, go here.

An Eye for an Eye

...it's another Thursday night, which you all know means some quality shows are coming yr way. The ubiquitous Squids Eye Records will be hosting their big monthly show tonight over at Pearl and you don't want to miss it. The big story here is that the extended hiatus of the incredible Yakuza Heart Attack has officially ended and they'll be performing tonight along with Southeast Engine (Misra Records), whose fiery brand of Americana is out for a short weekend jaunt which includes a stop in Rock Island, Illinois for an illustrious appearance for a Daytrotter session on Saturday. Stepping out as a sideman for older brother Adam in Southeast Engine, Jesse Remnant is slated for an all-too-rare solo set this evening. You've also got a special treat in Cry Baby Genius, who will be celebrating the release of his mixtape tonight as well...

...if all that isn't enough for you, earlybirds can swing over to Dayton Dirt Collective tonight for an eclectic bill. In from Columbus Ease the Medic and Winter Makes Sailors are out on tour for a few days that will take them into the deep South. Also on the bill are The Salt March and the jazz-tinged rock of newbies Black Wolf Fight...

The story from the southeast....

...sure, the weather isn't ideal for going out. If, however, you're braver than most and simply have get yr fix of local rock, you've got quite the options tonight...

...if you need big rock n' roll tonight, we'd advise you head over to Nite Owl for an incredible bill. The perpetually touring The Story Changes headlines a hometown show that features The Great American Beast, one of our faves Grizzzzzy Bear, Vows, and Brian Whitten....


...if your mood seems to correlate a little stronger to the introspection of the season, you might drop in over at Oregon Express to catch Southeast Engine (Misra Records) and Frontier Ruckus *from Lansing, MI), who are certain to deliver a night of humble rock you won't wanna miss...

The Sailing/Five Deadly Venoms/Nostra Nova-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

...if you need to space out for a while during the holidays, tonight is a perfect opportunity. Over at Canal Street Tavern, we've got a trio of escapist rockers that just might transport you off the planet for a while...

...opening the night will be Nostra Nova in from Athens. With an extensive cast contributing to the sound (some of which include members of Yakuza Heart Attack and Southeast Engine), the lush, tribal sounds might appeal to fans of Akron/Family or Man Man... Next up you've got locals Five Deadly Venoms. While they've yet to release any of their material, the fact does little to diminish the impact of their jazz/prog explorations that recall early King Crimson and Zappa. ...rounding out the night are local interstellar explorers The Sailing. With their debut disc pending (due out in the Spring on Squids Eye Records), make the effort to catch these guys before they break. We did a few weeks ago and plan to do so again tonight. See you there....

Pearls On Canal Street.....

In a situation in which our presence was demanded at two places simultaneously, we did our absolute best to bring you all the action from an uncharacteristically wonderful Friday night. Off we went to Pearl and Canal Street Tavern...

...first up was an early start over at Pearl. Yes, they actually started before 10. Up first was the noise rock trio, Caverns. Suffering through extended technical difficulties, the trio bowed out earlier than expected, but showed some promise once the ghosts are driven from the machines....

...next up was The Forms from Brooklyn, with their impeccable post-punk/indie pop that would have drawn in fans of Les Savy Fav or Berlin-period Bowie. In addition to the remarkable tracks on their new self-titled disc, the band also regaled us with a fine rendition of Nirvana's "All Apologies". I guess we're allowed to do grunge covers now....



....with the knowledge that we would need to be over at Canal Street Tavern soon, we tried to catch a few tunes from Human Reunion before taking our leave. As expected, the band was in fine form, with Jeremy Fredricks lambasting the audience in his trademark style and the requisite blips, screeches, and twisted rhythmic attacks coalescing into what we can only conclude resulted in a show we're sorry we had to leave...(yes, we went black and white on this one...why not?)...



...although we left Pearl early in an attempt to catch at least part of Captain of Industry's opening set, we failed. Miserably. Our loss. We were looking forward to catching the band before they head off to NYC to begin work on their much-anticipated third album....although we missed COI, we were in for a real treat as Southeast Engine prepared to delve into material off their incredible new album, A Wheel Within a Wheel. From the first note, it was easily apparent that this septet meant business. Frontman Adam Remnant commanded the audience's attention with his intimations and allegories as his band charged and chugged and restrained in all the right moments. With a nearly packed house, this was an incredible homecoming show for these Oakwood lads....




...if you'd like to see more photos from the evening, wander over here....

The Humans and the Captains....

Ladies and gentlemen, you simply could not ask for a better set of rock n' roll options this evening. Two of Dayton's finest will be hosting some great out-of-towners, two of whom have just released incredible new albums....

....starting earlier in the evening will be electro-wizards, The Human Reunion, headlining over at the Pearl. They've done us a favor by hosting The Forms from Brooklyn, who are out on tour in support of their great new self-titled album. For those keeping score, it was recorded by none other than Steve Albini. We highly recommend you get down and pick this record up. Also on the bill will be newer locals, the noise-rock of Caverns, who will be opening the evening. We're planning to get there early and then roll over to.....

....Canal Street Tavern to catch the CD release party for Southeast Engine's latest, A Wheel Within A Wheel, out now on Misra Records. Fans of Wilco and The Hold Steady will not want to miss this one. Opening the night are the venerable Dayton favorites, Captain of Industry, who will invariably bring to you their idiosyncratic indie rock stylings....

....so make your choice. you can't go wrong. get adventurous and try both out....we will....