(le) poisson rouge

The Relatives were unwittingly founded in New York City in November, 2007 by Gabriel Gall, Katie Vogel and Ian Davis. The three practically bumped into each other as they were stepping off the boat. They were coming to New York to begin their college educations – Gabriel and Ian pursuing degrees in classical composition and Katie pursuing one in music and philosophy. With pursuit heavy in their hearts and music and sweet things heavy in their minds, the three decided to spend some time shut off in a room together playing music. For some reason or another the first couple of notes to come out of the three youngsters mouths and hands were simultaneously of a folksy nature. They continued down this folk-dusted path – writing most – if not all – of their core material with this mindset. However as time progressed – and it does progress – they began to slowly integrate Gabriel and Ian’s knowledge of classical music and arranging into the mix. Once this began and people with names like Ian Chang, Matt Rosenthal, Jon Seale, Ali Jones, Molly Fletcher, Connell Thompson, Josh Henderson, Adam Schatz and so on and so forth had come into the mix, the three suddenly found themselves behind the wheel of a large musical automobile heading straight towards success, or failure… its too soon to tell. They released their first EP, They Love You Well, last summer – recorded by Jon Seale and David McTiernan – and are currently working with Adam Schatz on their first full-length album, which will be pressed, to vinyl by Museum People in summer 2010.

Listen: "Les Beaujolais"

Spread across Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, and San Francisco, Capillary Action are an all-acoustic quintet that cannibalize and synthesize the sharp-angled ferocity of DC hardcore, the melancholy of Brazilian Tropicalia, the bitonal harmonic language of Charles Ives, the swagger of UK grime, the aleatoric strategies of free jazz, and its own confrontational philosophy of self-loathing, self-improvement, S&M, and urban dread into a cubist take on classic pop structures. Over the past 5 years, the group- - masterminded by singer/composer/guitarist Jonathan Pfeffer -- have established themselves as natural heirs to the "get-in-the-van" tradition of SST punk, releasing records on its own Natural Selection imprint and sharing stages far and wide alongside Beirut, Dirty Projectors, Les Claypool, Rhys Chatham, Shudder to Think, and Joe Lally, among others.

“Imagine Prokofiev re-arranging Red Krayola.”

“A band that abides by a musical manifesto that is miles above and beyond the norm.”

- All About Jazz

“Capillary Action harness excellent jazz chops with punk energy, making complicated arrangements sound natural.”

- Exclaim

“Like June of 44 and Artie Shaw records playing simultaneously.”

- The Village Voice

“A kick upside the head is probably less jarring…but there's more to Capillary Action than battery.”
- The Onion AV Club

“Both Elvises in a serious Burt Bachawreck with the Mothers of Invention. But even as this all-acoustic quintet pull their best white-rabbit impression, darting behind any available obstruction, it’s clear they want you to follow them — and Jonathan Pfeffer makes sure his soaring, seizing, stammering, polymath out-bursts are worth following.”
- Boston Phoenix

LISTEN:
Placebo or Panacea

Elevator Fuck

Photo Credit: Jennifer Ray - www.jenniferray.net