Sutrobath
Out of a sea of the mundane, a barrel of the ordinary, where nearly a billion bar bands with the
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Out of a sea of the mundane, a barrel of the ordinary, where nearly a billion bar bands with the
originality of a 4-chord nihilistic alternative tune rock compete for downloads, there comes a
savior; and that savior's name is Sutrobath. I first heard this band while listening to literally
hundreds of mp3s and streaming real audio songs from the various mp3 sites. I was
immediately taken not so much by their originality(which they have in 10 to the "nth" power), but by their incredibly gutsy move in putting out a CD full of beautiful, well-crafted, wonderfully written, lushly orchestrated songs. In an era when minimalism seems to rule the day, Sutrobath has released a superb collection of songs that are both highly complex and at the same time accessible to anyone with an appreciation of fine music.
Spirit of the Audio contains 10 songs penned by multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Mike Soiseth and
drummer/vocalist Rob Wollam. The first song,"Old", is one of my favorites. Evoking memories
of mid-60's Beatles, and with vocals uncannily similar to the sweet sounds of Klaatu, the song
speaks of coming to grips with the aging process.One of the most popular songs on the CD is
"Dorian Gray", another song with a Beatlesque feel. A true pop classic in McCartney style, this
song has it all: a great pop beat, distinctive melody, smooth harmonies, steady bass, soft
organ and acoustic guitar, gripping lead guitar."Rome" is somewhat of a departure with a funky
beat and wah-guitar,and subtle use of effects on the vocals.
Many of the songs on this disc are finely layered in the tradition of Jeff Lynne or the Moody Blues, and at times even sound a little like Queen in their more serious and mellow moments. "Wide Awake" is a good example. There's a little majesty here. I could easily hear Freddie Mercury singing this song. As with many of Sutrobath's compositions "Wide Awake" makes use of a variety of instruments, sounds, and structure. They take advantage of the full stereo spectrum at every opportunity, never ceasing to surprise and please the listener. This is not garage-band rock. Listen to the closing song, "True Love." Beautiful harmonies, soft picked guitars, tambourine, various strings. Sutrobath makes positive, hopeful music. A savior from the incessant negativity of today's "woe is me ... the world owes me" alternative rock.
As an added benefit to their fans, Sutrobath has released a special mp3 of their version of The
Beatles song "You Know My Name." Don't miss this one. Get it from their mp3.com site.
Sutrobath's Spirit of the Audio is highly recommended for anyone with ears.
-Review by Fred Wheeler
1999 Indie Journal Oct. 11, 1999Band/artist history
In the last century, Scientist at the Los Alamos labs began a process known as 'Sutro-ization' in which Brine Shrimp were injected with primate DNA.
The result was what is now known as 'Sea Monkeys'. These Sea Monkeys grouped into samll colonies inside their protective tanks, formed complex social circles, and even developed a monarchy system of government, electing a King and Queen.
The United States goverment, seeing the vast economic potential of the cute creatures, began to sell them as pets in comic books. Soon, however, the government realised that they had to stop the rampant popularity of the monkeys before the enevitable 'Planet of the Apes V-the Sea Monkeys! made it's way to local theaters.
Before being eradicated, the King and Queen Sea Monkey arranged for the transport of their three gifted children, Rob, Jake and the Mike to the Seattle Sea aquarium, where they were cared for by a loving adoptive rock lobster named Stacy.
Soon, with the aid of Human Growth Hormones, the lads grew and began the journey back to reclaim the lost civilization of the Sea Monkeys. So come along. Do your part to help the Sutrobaths get back to where they once belonged.Have you performed in front of an audience?We are a west coast band..... all of the west coast. ...really.
Your musical influences
A 78 year old, sky-diving woman who told us to get off our asses and start making music. Really.What equipment do you use?
John Deer Tractors and Speedo trunks-the choice of champions!Anything else?
Be sure to take your SUTROBATH every night! And clean behind the ears.
Port Angeles , WA
USA
ID
857
Contact
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