Premiere: Emerald Comets | Explore Your Dreams

Boston lost one of its most prolific songwriters when Guillermo Sexo and Emerald Comets mastermind Reuben Bettsak decamped for the American South this summer. True to form, he remained productive right up until the end of his local residency; what has since been deemed the final Guillermo Sexo album, the space-rock triumph Eclipse [review], was released in April, and two preview tracks for a forthcoming Emerald Comets set were released to the wilds of the Internerds in August. Today we are pleased to premiere for you the entirety of that set, titled Explore Your Dreams, the first and final Emerald Comets long-player to have been recorded in Massachusetts with Hub-based collaborators Jason Layne, Kristy Foye, and Steve Rowe and with help from Western Mass. hitmaker Justin Pizzoferrato.

It being a solo vehicle, Emerald Comets' music touts a different flavor than that of the better-known Guillermo Sexo. The former has typically been quieter, rawer, and more subdued, but fans will recognize certain stylistic hallmarks, such as the pastoral psychedelia of Explore Your Dreams's placid opener "Monochrome." More so than any other Emerald Comets release to date, Explore Your Dreams feels fully realized. This is perhaps due as much to the set's relatively long gestation period as it is to the efforts of the aforementioned collaborators. The dynamic feel of upbeat early preview single "Fortress" is substantially enhanced by Mr. Pizzoferrato's drumming, and Ms. Foye's cello rests eerily but on point in the center of the mix, at times applying a swaying melodicism, at others boosting the rhythm with bowed chops.

The set ends very strong with back-to-back album highlights "Explore Your Dreams" and "Cornflakes And Stout." The former fizzes with the rough-hewn vim of a Guided By Voices track, while the latter is a gentler, more melodic, and folk rock-tinged strummer in the vein of Ultimate Painting, the quality UK combo whose delightful LP Dusk was released by Trouble In Mind Friday. Longtime readers will recognize Emerald Comets' "Lost In Our Land" and "Revolutionary Earthworms," earlier versions of which came into being as part of our inaugural Regolith songwriting challenge, which of course was undertaken by the indefatigable Bettsak and resulted in the EP Inside Dream Room (still available for free here).

Explore Your Dreams is available now via Bandcamp, and you can stream the entire collection via the embed below. While we expect it will take Mr. Bettsak some time to find collaborators in his new environs, fans in the Greater Hotlanta should certainly keep their eyes on the club listings: we'd wager it won't be too long before Bettsak brings the rock to the denizens of his new home town. We previously premiered Emerald Comets' self-titled EP here in 2014.

Emerald Comets: Bandcamp | Facebook



Previous Coverage:
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Eclipse
That Was The Show That Was: Infinity Girl, Lubec, Guillermo Sexo, Havania Whaal | Great Scott | 9 July
Regolith A1E3: Reuben Bettsak Presents Emerald Comets' Inside Dream Room
Premiere: Emerald Comets | Emerald Comets EP
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Dark Spring
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Bring Down Your Arms EP
That Was The Show That Was: Guillermo Sexo Record Release Show with Soccermom, Night Fruit and Young Adults
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Secret Wild

Review: Guillermo Sexo | Eclipse

Boston psych-pop veterans Guillermo Sexo returned last week with Eclipse, a cool but reliably electrifying sixth set that presents more focused, yet more expansive-feeling jams. Despite 2016 being the band's 10th year, the long-playing record -- the band's second with Boston and New York-based Midriff Records -- surprises with its further refinement of Guillermo Sexo's signature sound, and delivers a closer binding of intent, theme, and instrumentation.

Eclipse (paradoxically, given its name) reveals a thriving quintet more strongly embracing space rock -- and the reverberant space surrounding it. While the sonic signifiers -- the reverb, the glistening guitar tones, and so forth -- are all there, the album even addresses space thematically: songs like the rousing opener "Distant Star," "Eclipse," and the wonderful video for "Graffiti Sky" not only convey a sense of romance and adventure, but also underscore that on the new record, more so than on prior efforts, space is the place. So the rugged edge of the band's punkier past -- as captured on 2006's Oh Wow -- is smoothed away; the charming English folk influence manifested at least as far back as the haunting "Settle Down" from the band's terrific 2010 LP Vivid Nights is played down. Even the delicious fuzz that powered 2013's Dark Spring is on the new record reserved for strategic moments. There it is, driving the ripping response sections countering the siren call of co-fronter Noelle Dorsey's vocals in album highlight "Vision Owl," there it is, again, in the thrilling conclusions of that song and the corking closer "Heavy Shadows."

Songs such as the cool "True Shell" -- whose ambient opening feels indebted to Dark Side-era Pink Floyd -- float in clean, airy reverbs conjured in Boston-area studio 1867's massive 50 x 50 x 30 live room. Focusing more intently on space rock isn't the only way Guillermo Sexo consolidates its sound on Eclipse. That yen is also manifested in the arrangements of its 10 tunes. Indeed, the record proffers tighter compositions -- for the first time since 2011's Secret Wild, no track exceeds the five-minutes-and-change mark. And so, far from stifling the Guillermo Sexo sound, its core elements -- bandleader Reuben Bettsak and guitarist Richard Murillo's dueling guitars, Noelle Dorsey's otherworldly vocals, the throbbing rhythm section -- feel in full bloom within the more concise settings (another paradox?). That said, the LP's most anthemic tune, the sparkling stand-out "Hyperconscious" -- which if memory serves was given a mind-bendingly good live airing last July at Great Scott -- is longer than five minutes, and wouldn't suffer a bit if its brilliant 75-second coda went several more.

Midriff Records released Eclipse as a digital download FRiday; it can be purchased from the label here or via Bandcamp here. The download is available in a bundle with a t-shirt designed by noted Boston artist/musician Ian Adams; bundles are limited to 280 pieces. The record was celebrated with a release show earlier in the month at Firebrand Saints in Cambridge, Mass. The quintet's next live appearance is June 17 at Somerville, Mass.'s Thunder Road nightclub; the bill includes Sidewalk Driver, Pale Monsters and -- curiously -- the similarly pallored Pale Hands. Stream all of Eclipse via the embed below, and watch the blast-tastic video for "Graffiti Sky" right here.

Guillermo Sexo: Bandcamp | Facebook



Related Coverage:
That Was The Show That Was: Infinity Girl, Lubec, Guillermo Sexo, Havania Whaal | Great Scott | 9 July
Regolith A1E3: Reuben Bettsak Presents Emerald Comets' Inside Dream Room
Premiere: Emerald Comets | Emerald Comets EP
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Dark Spring
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Bring Down Your Arms EP
That Was The Show That Was: Guillermo Sexo Record Release Show with Soccermom, Night Fruit and Young Adults
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Secret Wild

Review: New Dog | Teeth Marks

The implication of the name New Dog, at least in the context of the old proverb, is that it can indeed learn new tricks. And while the new long-player from the so-named, Somerville, Mass.-based act doesn't stray wildly from the course plotted by two fine, noir-tinged and tension-filled predecessors, it feels brighter, louder, more potent and in places even inviting.

Perhaps it is more a question of a new outlook, rather than new tricks, but that question as yet yields no definite answer. Band mastermind Anar Badalov stated recently that the 10 songs that comprise Teeth Marks took shape quickly and with relatively surprising ease, such that only now, with the benefit of distance and time, are the songs' meanings revealing themselves to him. As before, Mr. Badalov's vivid lyrics present as closely delivered confidences, but therein there seems to be a new sense of contentedness, which suggests Badalov -- or at least the characters that populate his Sherwood Anderson-esque constructions -- is certainly learning something.

The album's quicker writing process (it's only nine months since New Dog's last record was released) didn't result in more spare compositions, surprisingly enough. Instead, Teeth Marks presents a fuller sound rendered from Badalov's characteristic blend of voice, guitar and piano. He expands his aural comfort zone via additional layers of each, finely appointed with reverbs and subtle synth swells. The record opens with "3 A.M.," a fleeting ode to infatuation ("I'll tell you anything you want to know, if you just let me walk you home") that commences with a burbling electric piano trill that wobbles like a plate spinning on a stick. "Home By Five" details the simple satisfactions of domesticity over skeletal guitar work delivered in 3/4 time ("I wear my ring but it's never too tight... life is boring, isn't it?"). The album highlight "Here All Days" introduces sturdy rhythm tracks and what feels like an inevitable cloud, the stark, dark admission "all the people that I love, I can count you on one hand, the other one I keep in my pocket." According to Badalov, the tune -- which includes the lyric that became the album title -- is loosely based on his time as a cubicle dweller ("all the hours I've been losing at my desk, you can empty the trash but you can't undo the rest..."), and also contemplates fulfilling commitments. Its restlessness recalls the nocturnal meditations of last year's excellent album Classic Ballroom Dances [review], as does the menacing distorted electric piano and fits of feedback that open the succeeding song, "Lover's Palm."

"Joe Brainard's Idea" is comprised of snatches of tangential memories, and was inspired by the titular author's volume "I Remember." The tune ruminates on the push and pull that memories can have as one grows older -- particularly memories that can cut both ways: is it joy or regret Badalov feels as he recalls "outside on a blanket at night, a thousand sparking eyes looking down at us?" The track "Sudden Amnesia" is notable for being the new collection's sole cover; its a composition by poet and literary critic Frank Manchaca. Badalov revealed on Facebook recently that he and Mr. Manchaca have been collaborating on a record titled Laughing Around The Bend that may also see release this year. Teeth Marks closes with the powerfully poignant piano ballad "Would You Let Me In?," a song made all the more poignant by its placement at the end of the record, and the repeated sizzle and snap of closing hi-hat, which suggests one possible answer.

Badalov self-released Teeth Marks in a hyper limited edition of 50 LPs and as a digital download today; Classic Ballroom Dances was released by Kill Rock Stars. Teeth Marks will be fêted with a record release show March 24 at Cambridge, Mass.'s charming bar The Plough & Stars; also on the bill that night is Emerald Comets, a side project of Guillermo Sexo's Reuben Bettsak. Stream all of Teeth Marks via the Bandcamp embed below.

New Dog: Bandcamp | Facebook | Internerds



Prior New Dog Coverage:
Review: New Dog | Classic Ballroom Dances
Together With Together: Clicky Clicky Presents Two Nights of Abstract Electronics And Indie Rock May 12+14
Review: New Dog | Lost Weekend
Today's Hotness: New Dog

Review: The Wrong Shapes | Reverse The Phase

The unlikely but bewitching pop sounds of Boston duo The Wrong Shapes endlessly blossom across the 10 songs of this full-length debut, like a fractal opening into perpetuity. The evocative music wrought by wife-and-husband unit and city scene veterans Rachel and Bo Barringer may be limited in their capacity to illustrate infinity only by their minimalist framework. But even so the collection's thrilling aural reach exceeds its grasp, and taken in sum its songs are much more than an illumination of thousands of small gestural iterations. While touchstones such as the music of Arthur Russell and certain solo work of David Byrne feel obvious, there is nothing obvious about Reverse The Phase. The charming set's mystery, beauty and even sedate pageantry distinguishes The Wrong Shapes' work even within the exceedingly rich Boston music ecosystem.

The Wrong Shapes weave hypnotic compositions from resonant bowed cello, skeletal guitar leads, hand and canned percussion and gentle vocal arrangements. From these elements the pair conjures stirring pop moments, as in the buoyant (and obliquely Jim Morrison-referencing) album highlight "Alright, Alright." But the pair's greater achievement may be the thrumming ambience that cloaks the entirety of Reverse The Phase -- particularly its brilliant instrumental "Actual Girls" and transcendent closing title track -- in a bright and optimistic psychedelia. Perhaps it is the feel conveyed by the attack of the bow across the cello string, but there is a physical dimension to certain of the playing, as well, which firmly roots songs like "My Laugh Is Simple, Your Hips Are Complicated" to a more distinct reality. Ms. Barringer's cello work, in particular, suggests a laborer's craftsmanship, despite an overall soft affect to the music of Reverse The Phase. The Wrong Shapes, fortunately, do not make the listener choose between pop or psych or ambient or rooted: the aesthetics co-exist -- even seamlessly merge -- in a way that suggests, well, the ideal of a marital partnership. Such an abstracted assessment may overlook the humor in the act's music (the song title "My Aim Is Terrible," of course, is a winking riff on the Elvis Costello lyric from "Alison.") and minimize the duo's brilliant composing and arranging. Indeed, there is much to hear in this record, which seems to find new ways of revealing itself with every listen.

The Wrong Shapes self-release Reverse The Phase today as a digital download. The duo fetes the new collection with a release party June 18 at the legendary Club Passim in Cambridge, Mass. The show includes sets by Boston folk rock leading lights The Grownup Noise, for which Ms. Barringer also plays cello, as well as Patrick Coman and the Lo-Fi Angels. Complete details can be found within this Facebook event page. Reverse The Phase is available for purchase right here, and you may stream the entire set via the Bandcamp embed below.

The Wrong Shapes: Bandcamp | Internerds | Facebook

Regolith A1E3: Reuben Bettsak Presents Emerald Comets' Inside Dream Room

What you did in the last 30 days: watched "True Detective;" posted several status updates about "True Detective;" feigned interest in international sport and/or affairs; listlessly commuted to that thing you hate; re-committed yourself to Cheez Doodles; listened to that St. Vincent record a bunch; laundry. What Reuben Bettsak did in the last 30 days: his band Guillermo Sexo was selected to perform on the first night of this year's 35th anniversary iteration of Boston's venerable Rock 'n' Roll Rumble; he wrote and recorded 15 songs; caught a cold -- wait, wait, what was that last thing? Yeah, while you were doing whatever, Mr. Bettsak was creating an alternate reality in a spare bedroom, from which he wrote an entire new record. He is ascribing the new set, titled Inside Dream Room, to his Emerald Comets project; the album is the product of his 30 days of work under the auspices of Clicky Clicky's new Regolith series. It's a spectral, sedate, otherworldy collection, one we've streamed a half-dozen times already, as it seems particularly complementary to a Sunday. It sounds like his work, of course, but it also sounds like post-Barrett, pre-Dark Side Floyd, The Album Leaf and a number of other things. Read Reuben's thoughts about the set and the creation thereof below, where you can also hear the record, which, of course, we are thrilled to share with you. Dig all the way to the bottom, and you just might find some clues about the identity of the next Regolith artist-in-his-or-her-own-residence, too. Get into it.

Clicky Clicky Music Blog: How did it go? Do you consider the results a personal success? A failure?

Reuben Bettsak: I'm very happy with the results! I was able to create a lot of songs that I really dig, and these songs created an album. I didn't know that would be the case when I started Regolith. I do think these songs work together both musically, and lyrically. Another great bonus was delving into some sounds and recording techniques that are new for me. For example, I used a guitar slide a bunch, and learned how to play better with a slide... and there's the space blues sort of thing happening on a lot of the tracks.

CC: What were the biggest challenges and frustrations?

RB: The 30-day time limit is tricky because it's not like I had 30 full days of recording time. I realistically recorded material in maybe 15 of the 30 days, and since I have a full time job, bands and life stuff, I was recording in two-hour periods here and there... It didn't prevent me from creating songs, but spending more time on mixing would have been cool.

Another challenge, at first, was figuring out what the songs would be like... I went into this with a completely open slate. I didn't bring any old riffs into it. I rarely have a problem writing songs, but I was recording in our very plain guest bedroom, and it wasn't very inspiring. This is why I drew inspiration from an idea of being inside a dream room. I pretended to be in a supernatural room, in a dream world of sorts. I knew I wanted the stuff to be somewhat different than other songs I've done... Luckily, the music and the lyrics just occurred in a very natural manner. It's one of the most meditative writing experiences I've ever had.

The other challenge was that halfway through the project, I got a bad cold. On those songs, I had to put a lot of effects on my voice to get through it. I'd keep pushing my voice, although I was losing it. But that was only for like three of the songs, and kinda gives some of those songs an intimate vibe.

CC: How were you able to work around these challenges?

RB: Something about this process really allowed me to delve into subjects and symbols that appear on various songs. I didn't intend to do a concept album, but these songs are tied together, and that really helped with the process of creating the album. I totally agree with the concept that creating art/music is therapeutic, and this process was very much like that... being in an isolated dream room.

CC: Did you find that your approach to writing and recording for this project changed over the course of the 30 days, or did you begin by finding an approach that worked (time-wise), and apply that to every idea thereafter?

RB: Good question... In regards to writing, it was always like "lay a guitar or drum machine," and build from there. I totally have to go back and re-learn these songs because I literally played the riffs or parts once when recording. So the writing approach stayed the same in that regard, but I did realize after a few songs that laying down a drum machine pattern made things way more tight. I guess I could have done a click track for the songs I started with guitar, but I didn't. Repetition and short song structures are definitely your friend when doing this type of project.

CC: What song do you think came out the best?

RB: Recording-wise, I think "Collapse Against the Sound" is one of the best-sounding songs. My favorite songs are probably "Unsleeping Eye," "Stolen Kisses," "Revolutionary Earthworms" and "Lost In Our Place."

CC: What song(s) do you wish you'd had more time to work on? Do you see yourself re-doing any songs in the future, in any of your bands?

RB: "Dreams of Oblivion" has so much potential. I do like this version, but some of the more catchy punkish songs like "Dreams of Oblivion" and "Manic Dreams" would be ideal with real drums. I'm really digging on the vibe of this album and the songs. These songs would not have been created without this process, and I'm so happy that they now exist. I also LOVE the lo-fi vibe.

For sure a lot these songs will be part of the Guillermo Sexo or Emerald Comets repertoire in the near future. I'm actually toying with the idea of having Guillermo Sexo re-imagine the album by recording it in a studio. I think there would be some other songs, or maybe it would be shorter, plus Noell would sing some of the stuff. Who knows if this will happen, but either way, songs like "Stolen Kisses (Visit the Archives)," "Wide Awake in Someone Else's Universe," and a few others would also sound cool if re-imagined by a band in a studio.

CC: We saw you mention the possibility of playing some of these new songs live soon. When and where are you going to be playing?

RB: Yeah! I'm playing an Emerald Comets solo show on March 26th at O'Brien's, and will play a couple of the songs from Inside Dream Room for sure. I just have to re-learn how to play them, and figure out how to perform them live.

CC: Are there any songs you did for this project that you couldn't re-create live?

RB: "Paper Tiger" and "Lost Pieces" would be nearly impossible. Some of the others would be doable as a full band with more than one guitar. Doing the songs "Inside Dream Room," "Bittersweet," or "Collapse Against the Sound" solo would be tough.

CC: If there was one person or piece of equipment you could have brought in for the project, who or what would that have been?

RB: Real drums would have been cool. Also, having a bass player like Bo (Barringer, of Future Carnivores) or Elliott would have been cool. I almost borrowed a bass and used it on some of the songs. It could have been cool, but given the time limit, I went without bass. I did manage to get some decent bass-type parts on my guitar or on the Nord lead keyboard.

CC: Did you learn anything about how you write and record music? What specific or quantifiable lesson, if any, did you learn that will help you in the future?

RB: I'm definitely getting better at recording, and the best thing is being able to get sounds that you imagine in your head into the recordings. I've always loved working quickly, and on the fly, but this definitely re-affirmed that working quickly without over-thinking or overanalyzing can yield some very rewarding results, and possibly some of the best songs written are written in this manner.

CC: If you could travel into the future and speak with the next Regolith participant, what one piece of advice would you give them?

RB: 1. Plan how you will record the songs, but do not worry or think about what you will be writing, or what it will sound like.
2. Short songs and repetition are your friends.
3. Make a decision ahead of time. Recording precision vs. quality of "song crafting," and the amount of material you want to produce. There has to be some sacrifice there.
4. Experimenting can be very rewarding.
5. Trying new things, like new ways of singing, or using a guitar slide, or something you don't usually use, can also be rewarding. I approached it as if it was a completely different band.
6. Have fun!

Thanks so much L. Tiburon and Jay and Clicky Clicky for inviting me to do this. It has been such a rewarding experience.

And there you have it, folks, Regolith Artist 1, Reuben Bettsak, is in the can. Stream all of the new music via the embed below, or click here to visit the brand new Clicky Clicky Music Bandcamp to stream the whole kaboodle there. Bookmark that page, too, because that is where we'll be posting all future Regolith music from here on out. Speaking of which, how about three clues as to the identity of the next Regolith artist-in-residence? 1. 2. 3. You'll be hearing more about that very soon. -- L. Tiburon Pacifico



Related Coverage:
Regolith A1E2: Reuben Bettsak Writing Songs Under The Gun
Regolith A1E1: Reuben Bettsak Is A Songwriter
Premiere: Emerald Comets | Emerald Comets EP
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Dark Spring
Today's Hotness: Future Carnivores
Clicky Clicky Music Presents... N O F U C K I N G W H E R E : 11 Boston Bands Perform Ride's Classic 1990 Album
Review: Future Carnivores | Future Carnivores
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Secret Wild

Regolith A1E2: Reuben Bettsak Writing Songs Under The Gun

Hello, indie rock fans. We are just about halfway through our first installment of our new Regolith feature, wherein we are challenging a favorite songwriter to write and record as much great music as she or he can in just 30 days. In the middle of February we launched the inaugural episode with Boston scene mainstay Reuben Bettsek of Guillermo Sexo, Future Carnivores and Emerald Comets. If you need to get up to speed on Mr. Bettsak or Regolith, we direct your attention back to A1E1 (that is, in Regolith parlance, "Artist 1, Episode 1") right here. If you know what's going on, well then, it's time to check in with Reuben to learn how things are progressing. There's a lot of interesting stuff in his responses below, in terms of how the tight timeline has actually enabled him to forge a pretty strong bond to the material. There's also some insight into setting priorities and gear choices. Fans should note that Reuben is playing an Emerald Comets show at O'Brien's in Boston at the end of the month [details]; Guillermo Sexo's next show is April 6, the opening night of the 35th Annual Rock 'N' Roll Rumble at TT The Bear's Place [ditto]. With that said, we invite you to read on, and remind you that later this month we will wrap up Reuben's 30-day experiment and premiere the resulting music. We're excited, and we hope you are excited, too. -- L. Tiburon Pacifico

Clicky Clicky Music Blog: How has the project been going up to this point? Are you finding it easier or harder than you anticipated? Have there been any particularly big challenges?

Reuben Bettsak: I'm really enjoying this project. It's refreshing because I've tried to create a little sonic world in a bedroom... Even though the 30-day limitation has forced me to write and record faster than ever before, it has also given me the opportunity to zone in and focus on an overall sound for this "album." Both the music and the lyrics definitely work with each other. They tie together the strings of this shoe that you could call an album.

The biggest challenge for me has been the actual recording process. With the 30-day time limit you have to do a bit of sacrificing between the recording quality of the material and focusing on writing the songs. I'm recording with Pro Tools so it sounds better than the quick demos I usually do on GarageBand, but things like weird microphone noises, imperfect vocal levels [and] messy mixes have been a challenge. It's hard for me to focus and clean up that stuff when I'd rather focus on the music and the content. However, for the most part, I've decided to say "fuck it," and embrace the weird microphone noises, imperfect vocal levels, etc. I think some of this stuff might sound like it was recorded on an old 4-track instead of Pro Tools… but I'm loving the imperfections. I feel like, as the project moves on, I'm getting better at getting better sounds....

CC: Can you describe for us your recording setup (feel free to get as "techie" as you like, or not)? Are there specific reasons you are using the equipment or software that you do?

RB: My setup for this project has been:

Pro-Tools express with an Mbox
My guitar pedal board with various pedals like the Memory Man, Digi Delay, Big Muff, etc.
Acoustic guitar
Maracas
Boss Drum Machine
Guitar slide
All vocals done via a (horribly broken) Optimus dynamic microphone
Nord lead keyboard

CC: Describe techniques you employ (mic placement, mixing, effects, etc.). Would you use these same techniques if time were not a limiting factor? How did you learn to record this way?

RB: Seeing the words "mic placement" makes me laugh because there is no mic placement in my current setup. I've used the microphone for vocals through my pedal board, and for the maraca (shaker). Everything went guitar/drum machine/keyboard via my pedal board to Mbox/Pro Tools. I'd say my techniques have more to do with years of layering [and the] ability to kind of create the sound my mind wants to create, and lots of fun delay/Memory Man/distortion pedal manipulation to achieve interesting results.

I'm happy with the songs that are coming out... so the time limit is actually helping me create some really cool songs. If I didn't have a time limit, I'd try to hone in a bit more into the recording process and try to clean things up more, and get a better microphone.

I learned Pro-tools on my own a few years ago. I owned a setup like 8 years ago or something. This is actually the first time I'm using it to record my stuff at home. I think watching great Pro Tools wizards like Justin Pizzoferatto and Bo Barringer has helped.

CC: Do you have any unusual tricks or rooms/spaces you record in that are exclusive to your home studio?

RB: I've just been recording in one room. No fun room tricks, but my dog does hop on my pedals when I record sometimes, so I hope his unplanned collaboration doesn't get me in trouble with you guys at Clicky.

CC: What instruments have you been using to this point? Do you foresee introducing other instruments?

RB: I'm minimizing the amount of instruments I use partly for continuity within these songs, and also for the sake of convenience. I've only been using the acoustic guitar with a pickup going through the effects pedals, the Nord lead (when Noell doesn't steal it away), drum machine and maraca. I think that's about it. I've been thinking about grabbing some more percussion stuff from the Guillermo Sexo practice space, and have even contemplated recording live drums for a song or something, but we'll see if that happens.

CC: Do you find that the time limitations change your approach to writing and/or recording?

RB: The limitations have fully forced me to record as a write. Instead of sorting everything out before recording, I just go for it. One of the powerful things about this limitation is that I don't have time to think about the "type" of song I want to write, like I kind of do for Guillermo, because the band has a history. I also have little-to-no idea what the song will sound like by the end. I'm often writing melodies line by line.

The interesting thing that kind of blows my mind about this project is that I feel like I'm inside a little world. It's hard to explain. But the connection to these songs is immense even if they are in a more raw stage of development. It's like I'm in this room constantly creating songs, and the lyric themes connect with each other, and the music starts working together. At times I feel such happiness creating this little world in a room, but at times I feel isolated, and I think these emotions show through in the songs and in the lyrics. It's weird because I often have that internal struggle in regards to how polished and produced songs should sound. I guess production and polish help the end listener enjoy the product more, but for me, I love raw unpolished songs. I love the rough edges of recording in hi-fi. I feel such a connection to the "way I was feeling" when I sang a line that it makes it difficult to polish the line later when I realize it could be more on pitch, for example. And this is why I work with a producer/recording engineer like Justin when making a record.

CC: Do you feel that the songs are turning out differently than they otherwise would if you weren't restricted to 30 days? If so, what do you think would be different about them?

RB: It's possible my writing approach would have been a bit different, but if I approached the writing the same day, the only difference would be polishing things up on the recording end a bit.

CC: At this point, do you find the time restrictions to be a hinderance your process? Or do you find them to be liberating in some way?

RB: I find the restrictions to be very liberating for me. I think these are great songs that sound different than stuff I've done previously. And, as I mentioned before, I feel a deep connection to these songs because they feel like a little book written in 30 days.

Related Coverage:
Premiere: Emerald Comets | Emerald Comets EP
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Dark Spring
Today's Hotness: Future Carnivores
Clicky Clicky Music Presents... N O F U C K I N G W H E R E : 11 Boston Bands Perform Ride's Classic 1990 Album
Review: Future Carnivores | Future Carnivores
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Secret Wild

Regolith A1E1: Reuben Bettsak Is A Songwriter

Our inaugural songwriter for the Regolith series is Boston indie scene mainstay Reuben Bettsak. Mr. Bettsak lives in town and has been party to the local music scene here for more than a decade, during which time he has performed in acts including The Nationale Blue and Big Bear. He presently plays in noted psych-pop outfit Guillermo Sexo, performs and releases music under the name Emerald Comets, and is part of the spectral New Romantic revivalists Future Carnivores. As a songwriter, Bettsak is as prolific as they come, and if you think it is just a coincidence that we chose to kick off Regolith with such an efficient and deadly songwriting machine as Bettsak, you are wrong. Regolith is not for the faint of heart. Or at least that is what we assume -- Bettsak is the first to go through the process with us, during which he is writing and recording completely new music under a Clicky Clicky-imposed 30-day deadline. In our intake interview below we dig into the basics and background of who Bettsak is, what he does, and how he works. The sands from the Regolith 30-day hourglass began falling Feb. 15. As noted in our introductory piece last week, we will check in with Bettsak midway into his month of work, and at the end we'll wrap up the project with a post mortem on his work, and with a premiere of the results on our Bandcamp page. Giddy up. -- L. Tiburon Pacifico

Clicky Clicky: What is happening with all of the bands you are involved with right now?

Rueben Bettsak: Guillermo Sexo is definitely keeping busy per usual. We have a Brooklyn show with Relations April 4 at Shea Stadium, an Illegally Blind show in Boston in May at Middle East up with Blackstone Rangers, Ghost Modern and Wakes. It's likely there will be other shows before these, but we are also working on new songs and are bringing back some old favorites from past albums. We want to change up our set list a bit ... [and] continue spreading the word on Dark Spring. We believe in this album. We want you to believe in the UFOs of Dark Spring...

I've been playing a few Emerald Comet shows here and there to support the free EP (performing solo, but possibly also with the gang that performed on the EP in the future).

Future Carnivores has a March show coming up at Charlie's Kitchen, which should be cool. We have a whole album's worth of stuff recorded, but most of it is in the early stages of recording. We'll see when we can get that out there this year.

CC: What instruments do you play? When did you start playing them?

RB: My principal instrument has been guitar. I started playing when I was... 15 years old. I also played a bit of drums growing up. It's so much fun playing drums, but I rarely rock it these days. I did a lot of the live drums on the first Future Carnivores record, though.

CC: How long have you been writing music?

RB: I've always wanted to write music. I think I knew this when I was 7 years old listening to Julio Iglesias or watching Quiet Riot videos on MTV in Panama. When I started playing guitar, I knew that songwriting would be my main focus. Back when I was 15 years old, I loved Eddie Van Halen, but I was never interested in playing the way he played. Writing music for me is one of the most beautiful, rewarding things in life. It's taken me a while to get to a place where I'm more confident with the songs I write... closer to the vision. But then again the vision always changes a bit, and that's part of what makes it exciting, right?

CC: What are your songwriting influences? Do you feel like there's an influence on these songs that is obvious to you but might not be necessarily apparent to a listener?

RB: I think this is a great question. I feel like there are definitely influences that pop up in the songs I write, and in the sounds my band(s) make. I really do approach songwriting with a completely open slate, meaning I don't try to sit down and write a certain type of song that sounds like any person or band in particular. But there are patterns that creep up that are part of my MO. I love catchy psych-rock songs from bands like The Kinks, Zombies, Guided by Voices and some current bands. I love the depth and beauty that bands like Spiritualized or My Bloody Valentine create. I love the studio experimentation of Sonic Youth, Stereolab, Broadcast and Olivia Tremor Control. So... these things seep in to what I do. And that is rock 'n' roll. I can say that I feel like I really have developed a songwriting voice of my own. I am thankful for this, but I'm always trying to grow and improve as a songwriter.

With this project an influence that might not be apparent to the listener is maybe some classical music. No specific composers, but just trying to create a little bedroom symphony. Although, it is too early to tell. This project could end up sounding like death metal by the end. We'll see.

CC: How would you describe your songwriting process. Are the songs conceived of first, or planned out? Is the process more organic, with single chords or melodies developing into parts, which then develop into songs? Do you have a back catalog of riffs, parts or progressions that you mix and match until they find a home?

RB: A lot of songs are written on acoustic guitar at home. I write a few guitar parts and develop the melodies right away, or I record the music and then develop melodies and maybe record line by line. It's definitely more of an organic process. Some Guillermo Sexo songs I bring to the fold are pretty fleshed out, but the band definitely shapes the way they end up sounding. There are also a bunch of Guillermo Sexo songs that are developed organically at the practice space. We just develop an idea/riff together as a band, and develop it until we have a song. I have a large back catalog of songs. My fear is that some of the really good ones in the back catalog will never be released and then I'll completely forget about them. I try to keep track of everything, but stuff gets lost. That's one reason I'm releasing stuff under Emerald Comets. There is no way Guillermo Sexo can tackle all these songs. It gets overwhelming. I send my band members and (producer) Justin Pizzoferrato so many demos, and they are like "Reuben... chill."

The Future Carnivores process is different. The first two albums were written by recording parts completely made up on the spot, with Bo and I switching turns. I'd lay down a beat, Bo would lay down bass line, I'd record a weird guitar loop, and so on.

CC: Will this project change the way you typically write?

RB: I'm used to writing alone, but I am trying to make this project sound different. It's a good excuse to create a standalone type of album or mini album that has an overall vibe to it. That's cool, because I usually have so many types of songs I bring to the fold. With Regolith, I'm looking to have an overall focus and feel throughout.

CC: Where will you be doing your writing and recording throughout this project?

RB: I will be writing and recording this project at home. I will be doing it with a simple Pro-Tools setup, which is nicer than what I use for my demos.

CC: Lastly, what are your goals/aspirations for this project?

RB: 1. I'm hoping to create some great songs. 2. It's always gratifying to share music with listeners. I look forward to sharing this music. 3. I want Jay and Will to give me a hug and say, "Hey Reuben, these songs don't suck." 4. One of my goals is to not get too carried away with layering. If this happens, I may end up turning in one song at the end of this project. (Note to self: Reuben, don't get carried away with layers. Try to keep it simple!)

CC: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us and devote 30 days of your life to Regolith. We eagerly await our mid-session check-in with you in a couple of weeks to see how it's going, and of course, hearing the finished results.

Related Coverage:
Premiere: Emerald Comets | Emerald Comets EP
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Dark Spring
Today's Hotness: Future Carnivores
Clicky Clicky Music Presents... N O F U C K I N G W H E R E : 11 Boston Bands Perform Ride's Classic 1990 Album
Review: Future Carnivores | Future Carnivores
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Secret Wild

Premiere: Emerald Comets | Emerald Comets EP

Only last week we made a sidelong reference to how remarkably prolific a songwriter is Reuben Bettsak, who Clicky Clicky readers know well as a guitarist and singer in Boston psych-pop quintet Guillermo Sexo, as well as a member of nu-New Romantic collective Future Carnivores. Reflecting upon that assessment now, we realize it wasn't the first time we've noted it in these electronic pages; indeed, we said as much in our review of Guillermo Sexo's best-of-2013 long-player Dark Spring. We also mentioned in that review the steady stream of solo demos Mr. Bettsak posts online, and we are pleased to bring you certain select fruits of his solo endeavors. Today marks the release of a self-titled EP from Emerald Comets, the name Bettsak has bestowed upon his solo work (or at least this solo work). The name, incidentally, comes from this totally raging Guillermo Sexo song that was used as part of last year's Allston Pudding One Fund benefit comp.

The four-song collection is a more stripped-down affair, and it rests more firmly on acoustic guitar than much of Guillermo Sexo's work. Not that this is in anyway stereotypical coffeehouse singer-songwriter crap. Far from it: the floating vibe, psychedelic imagery and tight arrangements fans are familiar with are all here on the opening cut, "Bronze Feathers." And Mr. Bettsak is not swinging in the breeze by his lonesome here: along for the ride are associate Ryan Lee Crosby on second guitar and backing vocals; Guillermo Sexo/Hallelujah The Hills drummer Ryan Connelly; and Future Carnivores' Bo Barringer on bass guitar. Emerald Comets was recorded at the home of Mr. Crosby on his eight-track machine, and it is the second track, the EP highlight "Ghost Slides," where we first start to get a distinctly different flavor from this combo, as the tune touts a folksy bounce and, by way of percussion, a clattering tambourine to serve as rhythmic parameters. The song is terrifically catchy and light. The ensuing cut "Suitcase Of Ashes" is looser, moodier and more dense, and nods affirmatively toward the mystical English folk influences that crop up now and again in Guillermo Sexo's work. The tune nicely sets up the closer "Arctic Matchsticks," which is perhaps the most conventionally rocking of those on Emerald Comets, as it is driven by cracking snare hits, layered with acoustic and electric guitars, briskly paced and compactly structured.

If there is a revelation here, it is that Emerald Comets is yet further evidence of the very giving muse that sparks Bettsak's creativity. While it necessarily has to take a backseat to continuing to play shows to support the release of Dark Spring with Guillermo Sexo, Bettsak intends to play more shows under the Emerald Comets banner, potentially with the lineup that recorded this first EP. He also aims to record additional EPs and seek out additional collaborators. But for now let's let the guy catch his breath for a second; go download Emerald Comets for free via the embed below. Emerald Comets: Bandcamp

Review: Guillermo Sexo | Dark Spring

​​Back In Black is AC/DC's eighth record. Moving Pictures is Rush's ninth. Invisible Touch, whatever you might think of it, is Genesis' SEVENTEENTH record. We list these not because of their massive commercial success, but as evidence that the best acts keep getting better, so long as they have what they need to make it work. And as evidence, we suppose, that there was once something called the record industry, and it sometimes engaged in something called artist development. Those days would seem to be long gone, so we're not sure what it is, exactly, that sustains veteran Boston indie rockers Guillermo Sexo, who release a ​mesmerizing full-length titled Dark Spring next week.​ Whatever it is, the quintet's new collection -- its fifth, and first for the venerable Midriff label -- is plainly Guillermo Sexo's magnum opus. It doesn't markedly alter the alchemy that resulted in their fantastic fourth record Secret Wild; instead Dark Spring is simply both bigger and deffer than its predecessor. And with the present ascendancy of Massachusetts indie rock in to the national consciousness, all signs indicate that Guillermo Sexo's time is now.

As did Secret Wild, Dark Spring fully embraces both bewitching, vintage English-styled folk sounds and gigantic, swirling, guitar-pop creations. This year's model, however, benefited from a longer, more thoughtful gestation, as the band told Vanyaland recently. And the results are astonishing. The centerpiece of the collection is the hypnotic and epic exploration "Meow Metal," a seven-minute song stacked with guitars, a prominent synth line, airy vocals and a bash-n-pop rhythm. Perhaps more than any other track, long-time collaborating engineer Justin Pizzoferrato's work here gives listeners the sense that Guillermo Sexo is not just playing their instruments to make the recording, but rather they are using their instruments to play the entire studio space itself. "Meow Metal" leads into the pastoral, serene ballad "Moonlit Sparrows," which in turn points to the bracing anthem "Fall Lens." There is not just stylistic variety among the songs on this record, there's also substantial variance in the length of the compositions across the set. That variance enhances an apparent narrative quality to Dark Spring: it really feels like a journey out of classic literature. That feeling is enhanced by titles such as the Tolkien-referencing, waltz-timed album closer "Shadowfax," but even more so by singer Noell Dorsey's mystical, other-worldly vocal performances and Mr. Bettsak's arrays of guitars that alternately shimmer and lacerate.

Dark Spring is the band's fifth record in seven years, proof that Guillermo Sexo (and specifically guitarist Reuben Bettsak, who issues a steady stream of demos to his Soundcloud and also plays in Future Carnivores, another Boston act) are remarkably prolific​. ​How many Boston indie rock acts have even been around long enough to have written, recorded and released five records? Better question: how many have been good enough to have warranted a catalog five albums deep? We certainly count Guillermo Sexo among that number, particularly in light of this new, next-level effort. Midriff releases Dark Spring Tuesday as a CD and digital download; a vinyl release is to follow shortly. You can pre-order the digital version via ITunes right here. Dark Spring will be feted both with a listening party Sunday night at Zuzu in Cambridge, Mass., and with a heavily anticipated record release show at Middle East Sept. 29, also in Cambridge. Whet your whistle by streaming the entire record via the Soundcloud embed below.

Guillermo Sexo: Facebook | YouTube | Bandcamp

​

Previous Guillermo Sexo coverage:

Review: Guillermo Sexo | Bring Down Your Arms EP
That Was The Show That Was: Clicky Clicky Community Servings Benefit Show Thank Yous And Wrap-Up
Clicky Clicky Music Presents... N O F U C K I N G W H E R E
Review: Guillermo Sexo | Secret Wild