The Tell-Tale Tunes of Two Townies - Oliver Tree's UIB and Denney Joints' the Beast - a JOINT Review

Flashback to April 21, 2011

Another chilly evening in Santa Cruz, CA. The gentle 68 degree breeze sweeps misty fog through the streets of town. Denney Joints' band, Midnite Snack, is having a CD joint release party* with Ship of the Sierras and Rachel Fannan at the Crepe` Place, a local Santa Cruz music epicenter. Inside the venue, the show goers are taking their respective positions either at the bar, or standing on the hardwood floor in front of the stage. Among the attendees, but oddly nestled away, sitting on the floor, tucked beneath the counter where the soundboard operator reigns, is Tree in its infancy - Kirsten Artemecia and Oliver Tree, the familiar and seemingly inseparable duo for half a decade. Having recently established Tree as the name** for their new trio. Their first recordings are available to a few lucky people in town. To Tree, this show featuring family and friends is of special interest. Not only to socialize, but a good opportunity for recon too boot. 

Soup is good food, (crepes are good too)

Santa Cruz is a primordial stew for artists. A small town where everyone knows everyone, and supports each other's artistic endeavors. Conditions are perfect for the culmination of new ideas that merge progressive art with new technology. There's no shortage of talent in Santa Cruz either. It's been said that "you can't swing an Omnichord without hitting an artist or two." Actually, no one ever said that, but I just did, so there.

By 2011, Denney Joints had established himself as a favorite local performer with amazing, and well attended live shows plus a few CDs and shirts. Oliver was just beginning to record his unique style of dub-glitch electronica that culminated in Splitting Branches, his first full-length album. It was a time of great expectation and optimism for the future, (those were the days). 

It may seem odd to flashback an entire decade to begin a joint review of two 2020 releases, but roots are important. A return to those earliest recordings help me to better understand the foundations and origins of Oliver and Denney. Drawing parallels (if they exist) to showcase their evolution as artists is not necessarily my goal here, but will be entertained nevertheless. It's difficult for me to remain objective since I have known both Denney and Oliver for many years. I can't entirely detach and review them objectively, therefore, I'm approaching it from my own personal perspective as a close, long-time friend, fan and observer. This requires a sensitive balance of disclosure while maintaining responsibility and respect for their privacy, therefore any personal information not previously established in other media is intentionally excluded. No spoilers here... unless you can read betwixt the lines.

Sometime in 2010, I stumbled across Denney's CD, Soup Samwich. I was astounded by the sophistication and musical expertise of his band, Midnite Snack. The songs are honest, powerful, fun and somewhat profound. And the band is tight, like a well tuned and maintained German dynamo. I met Denney for the first time soon afterward. Denney had recruited local legend, Mason, (a member of our household), to play bass in a new incarnation of Midnite Snack. I remember hearing the raw demos of the songs that morphed and came to fruition in BEDTIME, the celebrated inductee into Zenberg Blogue's Best Album of 2011. THIS "Joint Review" however does NOT receive the BEST OF 2020 designation because the entirety of 2020 was outstanding in and of itself; the BEST of everything. Picking a BEST in 2020 is impossible. It was all good.***

LISTENING: Comedy is Not Pretty

To prepare for this review, I put off playing the 2020 releases and instead, played the first tracks**** I had heard from both Joints and Tree a decade earlier. I found myself playing these songs repeatedly over the course of a few days. I listened a lot more than I thought I would and came away impressed, having a sense that I'm privy to some special music that most of the world will never hear.  

Eventually, I got around to listening to The Beast and Ugly Is Beautiful (UIB) and immediately discovered subtle overtones and themes echoing back to to the early material. I was already familiar with most of the music on both UIB and the Beast, (much of it having been released previously), therefore it was refreshing to hear material that was new to me. 

Both albums are well thought out with design in mind. The Beast has a raw, anti-commercial and serious punk attitude, while UIB is edgy commercial rock/hop. Both are anti-pop in scope. 

Oliver Tree is a true Alien Boy in the world of commercial pop icons who overplay the tough sexy motifs we've come accustomed to seeing. In juxtaposition, Oliver arrives on stage riding a Razor Scooter, wearing an old nineties ski coat, exaggerated bell-bottom JNCO Jeans and sporting a bowl cut hairdo that sometimes falls off, (intentionally). To me, this persona is a kind of "in your face" to the music biz' pretty boys and tough guys, none of whom know any sweet scooter tricks. Oliver plays the fool, but he's no fool. He pretends to not take himself seriously, but Oliver is an artist who insists on perfection; be assured that his videos and songs are precisely how he envisions them. And he's influential too. Oliver has become a pop icon responsible for a new generation of fashion and scooter sport. It's become common to see folks of all ages on Razor Scooters and random people sporting bowl cuts and JNCO Jeans. There's even an Oliver Tree Scooter Army group on Facebook where fans can share thoughts, art and photos of their own personal emulations of Oliver. Razor Scooters are back too, in a big way, and by making it cool to scoot again, Oliver is partly responsible***** for that. The scooter plays an integral role in the Oliver Tree mythos and is a common theme on stage, in videos, memes and narrative from the many interviews he's given. A story he never fails to share is his explanation of the lyrics in his hit song Hurt. According to Oliver, while competing in a scooter competition, his long awaited ride was thwarted when his front wheel hit a tiny pebble at the base of the ramp, sending him crashing and breaking his hand in the fall. Obviously, (if you know Oliver), any real meaning of Hurt is intentionally obfuscated by this story, but personally, I prefer to think of it metaphorically and view Oliver as the pebble who temporarily derails commercial music industrialization. He's the surprise that no one saw coming. He mocks the machine while profiting from it. 

Something that has always impressed me about both Oliver and Denney, is their keen sense of humour. In Denney's case, the comedy was more prevalent in his earlier works and reflects a certain amount of optimism for the future, whereas, (now that we live in the future), Denney's positivity has waned. The Beast is much more mordant than any of his previous releases, but can still make me chuckle. It's clear that Denney is pissed off, (and if you're not pissed off, then you're not paying attention). Denney is great at pointing out the obvious in an oblivious world, but unfortunately, there's "no one listening." The Beast does have some really personal moments that tug at the heart and Denney really knows how to write a great song. This album really rocks and makes you feel alive. One song that I want to highlight on The Beast, is the track, Walking With the Beast, a Gun Club cover that Denney handles marvelously. His treatment of the track is complementary to the original and I may love it more than the Gun Club version. The YouTube video of Walking With the Beast features Denney and friends jamming and hanging out in Santa Cruz. At one point in the video, Denney pulls out his cellphone and lets his fingers do the walking with the beast. Noice "touch" Denney. 

Oliver is hailed for his comedic****** persona. His popular memes and videos are obviously humourous, but Tree's early releases are blatantly introspective, thoughtful and seemingly personal. UIB has its introspective elements too though. Bury Me Alive is one song from UIB that has a serious Tree flashback vibe with resurrected lyrics from the song, Rising Phoenix.******* For the most part, the songs on UIB are mostly inner-directed themes, shielded behind juxtaposed befuddling comedic videos. UIB seems like all fun and games, but BEWARE! These songs are addictive, and once you're hooked, there's no return. I got sucked in and find myself singing these songs regularly, (I like to make up my own lyrics). No wonder UIB made it to #1 on Billboard's Rock Chart and #1 on Billboard's Alternative Chart. Damn! That's impressive!!! It really is a great record, and I dig spinning my three different coloured versions of red, yellow, and orange.

Apocalypse Now? Why Wait?

The music of Denney and Oliver were a fitting soundtrack to remember 2020, the year that kept on giving. It seemed there was a new and frightening development every day, from Murder Hornets to mysterious monoliths. Late in the year, as UIB and The Beast were finally available in their completeness, the Bay Area beaches began to experience some beautiful bioluminescence dancing and sparkling in the dark waves along the coast at night. Unfortunately, the phenomenon was soon eclipsed by a ferocious and spectacular lightning storm, the likes of which has never been witnessed in the area. The lightning ignited numerous fires in the Santa Cruz Mountains and beyond, while thousands of people evacuated their homes and entire communities. I couldn't help but consider the irony of the UIB album cover that features Oliver in a playground that's being consumed by fire. The I'm Gone video depicts Oliver surrounded by fire too. And then there's Denney's 2018 album, City on Fire, who's cover depicts a large, all-consuming warehouse fire. I've always associated this image with the fatal Ghost Ship fire in Oakland that killed many of Denney's friends in 2016. 36 people died in that fire. The 2020 fires******** and associated evacuations and ominous red skies were unprecedented. That no doubt weighed heavily on both Denney and Oliver as their communities, friends and families were being impacted by a strange mix of lockdown, evacuation and uncertainty. At least there was some great music to listen to, unless PG&E's roaming blackout program shut your electricity off. That was fun. 

Who Are These People?

Denney and Oliver share many friends and experiences in Santa Cruz, they however express their vision very differently. With Denney, what you see is what you get. He lives in his car and views the decline of western civilization from under the overpasses and streets of Oakland. Denney's many projects have been mostly funded by himself and a handful of friends who contribute, either financially or by helping with performance, recording, production, and merch etc. This new release is minimalistic and anti-capitalist in essence and intent. There are no available CDs, tapes or any merchandise associated with The Beast which is exclusively available at Bandcamp.  

Unlike Denney, Oliver maintains a guarded personal identity apart from his manufactured and carefully crafted public persona. The Oliver Tree mythos is layered in deception. Nothing is true and everything is true at the same time. Like Denney, Oliver's first album, Splitting Branches, was self recorded and realized by the helpful assistance of friends that he roped into the project. Things are obviously different now that he's well funded and enabled by the industry. Records and all manner of merchandise********* are available for purchase at the official Oliver Tree Store.  

I've played both of these albums a brazillian times, and enjoy them more every time. I'm happy that I know about these recordings and can share them with you, the reader/listener. They're pretty amazing. 

Buy The Beast Here 

Buy UIB Here

NOTES

*Rachel, Ship and Snack are Santa Cruz supergroups that boast personnel from local favorites Birds Fled From Me, Mountain Animal Hospital, Sheena, Sleepy Sun, and the Vox Jaguars. 

**Tree is the name adopted for the projects that became Splitting Branches (2012) and Demons (2013). Conceptually, Tree is a play on Trio and the triangle/delta symbol was adopted as the official Tree logo to represent the trio. It also resembles a tree and since Tree is Oliver's middle name, it's the obvious choice, and a good one imho. The original Tree/Trio is comprised of Oliver Tree, Kirsten Artemecia Rosenberg and Shelf Nunny who together recorded the first few songs before the project was expanded to include other contributors under the Tree Collaborations umbrella. 

 

*** Santa Cruz lingo

**** Soup Samwich by Midnite Snack and Splitting Branches by Tree including Rising Phoenix, an early song that predates much of the Splitting Branches material but not included on the album 

***** Oliver really does deserve credit for this. He was taking his Razor Scooter to the Santa Cruz Skate Park B4 anyone else ever had and pretty much initiated Scooter Sport. People thought it was weird, and it was... it was Oliver being Oliver. 

****** Someone once asked me if I was surprised that Oliver became a famous musician. I said I'm not surprised that he became a famous comedian. Oliver is among the most witty people I've known and is genuinely fun to be around.

******* Rising Phoenix by Tree was recorded spring 2011 and features Kirsten Rosenberg and Shelf Nunny - the track is not included on the Splitting Branches album

******** The 2020 fires in Santa Cruz County destroyed more structures than the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake did. 

********* Whether he knows it or not, Oliver has embraced the Rozz-Tox Theory of Obscurity. 

Art By Artemecia

Best Song of 2013

There were a plethora of great songs last year, but the one that ascended to the BEST OF position, is the Cogito's RemiX of Adrea Castiano's "Falling"

The Falling RemiX was recorded, produced and engineered by Mason Rosenberg who also played on, produced and recorded the original track for Adrea Castiano. The Falling RemiX is masterfully reconstructed and exemplifies an exaltation of the original piece while exhibiting superior technique and ability in the realm of remiX. 

The Cogito, a moniker used by musician extraordinaire,  Mason Rosenberg, has demonstrated exhaustive expertise for half a decade with original and remiX compositions that are always amazing and pleasing to the ear.

The Cogito's Mason Rosenberg is maybe best known for playing bass in the Vox Jaguars, A Quantum Visionary and numerous other bands. Mason currently lives in Santa Cruz, CA and in addition to being a popular bassist, he also writes, produces and records music. Mason's bio is so vast that it requires a Wiki installment* to cover his musical activities sufficiently. 

Mason's work is highly respected among his musical peers. The ineffable Denney Joints** of Midnite Snack said "Mason is one of the most accomplished musicians I know... he has refined taste and knows the value of art and integrity..." Apollo Records recording artist, Oliver Nickell*** of Tree said "One thing I've always admired about Mason is his musical diversity and exploration of sound... [he] has covered much musical ground in a short lifespan." 

Congrats to the Cogito, a worthy recipient of Zenberg Bolgue's BEST SONG of 2013.

* See Mason's Bio at: 

https://scruzwiki.org/Mason_Klaus_Rosenberg

** "Mason is one of the most accomplished, most serious musicians I know. And his attitude isn't fucked up either, even on par with most frustrated people trying to have a better attitude. He has refined taste and knows the value of art and integrity over curly, golden locks." --Denney Joints

*** "One thing I've always admired about Mason is his musical diversity and exploration of sound. As the years progressed, his music has acquired a quite unique quality from experimenting and blending together many different genres. From his early work producing various music with Sir Paul in high school and their legendary live set at Harbor High's annual battle of the bands, his experimental effort in Pterodactobot, his contribution of raw power-driving baselines in the Vox Jaguars, and eventually his refined down-tempo, glitch-influenced production, the Cogito; Mason has covered much musical ground in a short lifespan."        --Oliver "Tree" Nickell

Tree Demons on the Mainland

Earlier this month, the postman delivered two very different, new releases from a couple of musical artists who both grew up in Santa Cruz, California. In fact, they both attended the same high school, at the same time, although neither have ever collaborated. 

Demons by TREE

Giving roots to a new genre, on September 3, Oliver Tree Nickell, an artist who goes by the moniker Tree, teamed up with Beat Culture and released his first vinyl EP. Demons was released on the Apollo Records label, and is already receiving rave reviews in the UK and US. 

Demons is a follow-up to Splitting Branches, released in 2012; a full-length internet only album that features friends from Santa Cruz including his long-time girlfriend, Kirsten Artemecia Rosenberg. Tree's fresh approach to music doesn't fit into any particular genre and is therefore free of presupposed assumptions or discrimination. To Oliver Tree, the world around him is music, and he has mastered the art of morphing found sound into complex arrangements that edify the listening experience in a profoundly holistic way. 

The three tracks on Demons are mesmerizing and transcend pretty much everything happening in the music industry today. In addition to two original compositions, the record features a splendid cover of Radiohead's Karma Police that is complimentary to the original  version while broadening the spectrum of the popular piece. 

We'll no doubt be hearing more form Tree. 

Cheque out more Tree for free on Soundcloud and purchase Demons here.

Girls Unknown by MAINLAND

Jordy Topf first gained notoriety with the Vox Jaguars whose popular song, Swagger, was named among the 20 Best Indie Songs of 2009 and has been played regularly on XM Radio, featured on the big screen, as well as international and prime-time TV. 

In 2010, Toph left the promising Vox Jaguars and moved to New York City where he formed, Mainland, a hipster/indie band that has received notoriety in the Big Apple. Mainland just released their first EP, Girls Unknown, which, so far, hasn't received as much attention at his former band, but nevertheless, exhibits some exceptionally promising material that will no doubt please listeners of all ages. 

The first track, Wasted, is probably the most addicting song I have ever heard and now it plays in my head almost constantly. Wasted may be the most catchy song on the CD, however, my preferred track is Twin Cities, a Beatlesque song that features what has become my favorite guitar solo of 2013. Corey Mullee's straight-forward technique is crisp clean and honest - like a George Harrison riff from an early Beatles song. 

Other members of Mainland include Alex Pitta on bass and Dylan Longstreet on drums. Girls Unknown was produced by long time friend of Topf, Luke David, who also performed production duties for the Vox Jaguars' first CD, Out of Luck. 

Mainland is currently in Austin, Texas, recording a full-length CD.

Purchase Girls Unknown here and listen free on Spotify.

Lucky Man

Here's an incomplete list of bands and musicians that I have had the opportunity to see perform live over the years, (Comedians not included). I don't remember all of them, especially lots of opening acts, but it provides a pretty good assortment and demonstrates how fortunate I have been to live in the crossroads of the West, (SLC), as well as the SF Bay Area. The list will continually be updated.

* indicates acts I have seen more than once. 

004*
A Flock of Seaguls*
A Quantum Visionary*
Dave Alvin
Ian Anderson
Laurie Anderson*
Angst
Aphrodesia*
April Wine
The Atomic Clock
The Babys
Banda
Baths
The Beach Boys
Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew Power Trio*
Belle and Sebastian
Berlin
Birds Fled From Me
Black Flag
Black Sabbath*
Blitzen Trapper
David Bowie
Terry Bozzio*
Bill Bruford
Birdhand*
Boston
Buckethead*
California Guitar Trio*
Charlie Daniels Band
Cheap Trick
Chirgilchin*
Eric Clapton*
The Clash
Col. Claypoos's Bucket of Bernie Brains
Les Claypool*
CouteauX
Cowboy Junkies
The Damned
Dark Seas
Davka*
Dead Kennedys*
The Decemberists
Depth Charge Revolt
The Descendants
Divinyls
Dusty Sampson Creatures*
Earthworks
Electric Leaves (Ensemble)*
Emerson Lake and Palmer
The English Beat
Fang
Rachel Fannen
Fever the Ghost*
Foreigner
Ghost Town Refugees
The Greenhorns
Sammy Hagar
Happy Meal
Head East
Emmylou Harris
George Harrison
Allan Holdsworth
INXS*
Ipso Facto*
The Irresponsibles
Jethro Tull*
Billy Joel
Denney Joints
Journey*
Kansas*
BB King
King Crimson*
Kiss
The Knitters
Krokus
Kronos Quartet
LA Express
Tony Levin*
Little Ghost
Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul
Living Color
Los Lobos
Man Miracle
Ziggy Marley
Massacre Guys*
Meat Puppets*
Men at Work
Michelle Shocked
Midnight Snack*
Mirv
Missing Persons
Moody Blues
Moon Cadillac
Mountain Animal Hospital*
Mystery Lights
My Pet Saddle
Stevie Nicks
Nig Heist
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Ted Nugent
That One Guy
Oingo Boingo*
Iggy Popp
Billy Preston*
The Pretenders
Primus*
John Prine
Pterodactobot*
Quarterflash
James Rabbit
The Residents*
Lee Rocker
Jackie Rocks*
Greg Rolie
Rolling Stones*
Room for a Ghost*
Todd Rundgren
The Saliva Sisters
Santanna
Scissors for Lefty
Ty Segall
Tom Scott
Shaky Hands
Anushka Shankar
Ravi Shankar*
Sheena
Jake Shimabukuro
Sleepy Sun*
Sonic Youth
Spell Talk
Rod Stewart
Stick Men*
Brad Stock
The Strange Boys
The Stray Cats
Styx*
That One Guy
Thin Lizzy
Three Dog Night
Pat Travers Band
Trombone Shorty
The Tubes
U2
UK
Uriah Heap
The Vox Jaguars*
Joe Walch
Wall of Voodoo*
The Walter Martin Cult
Muddy Waters
The Who
Steve Windwood
Edgar Winter Group
X*
Yip Yip
Neil Young
Frank Zappa*
John Zorn

If I had to pick favorites, I'd have to include Crimson, ELP, George Harrison and X, and among the worst acts were Black Sabbath, the English Beat and Thin Lizzie to name a few.

Best Album of 2011 - Denney Joints' Bedtime - A Midnite Snack Any Time of Day

"I wanted to go the sausage fest* but instead, I was in Watsonville, where nothing happens." Denney Joints.

Living in Santa Cruz, California has afforded me numerous opportunities to see some of the world's most influential** performers. Nevertheless, the local talent from this quaint beach community is among the best I've experienced, anywhere. Most notably, a sort of mad musical scientist of a young man who calls himself Denney Joints and his band, Midnite Snack. I've been fortunate to see Denney play live a handful of times at various venues around Santa Cruz, and the shows have always been a real treat.

Denney Joints, a 4.0 art student at San Francisco State University, is no stranger to the Bay Area music scene. He became locally infamous with an early band called "Happy Meal" and his latter-band, Midnite Snack, has enjoyed positive press and reviews throughout the Bay Area.

A few months ago, Denney Joints released his long-awaited "Bedtime" CD. I love Bedtime, and have listened to it too many times to number. My own words can't adequately describe the simple beauty and angsty edginess of this thoughtful recording, so I talked to Denney and others to gain a better understanding of Mr. Joints, and his Best Album of 2011, Bedtime.

"All of bedtime is biographical," Denney told me. "I picked up my guitar in the back room at work where I wrote all of these songs and drank quarts of Hi-Life and smoked dope every day," he joked.

One of the major themes throughout Bedtime seems to be escapism, and Denney weaves an emotional tale of partying with friends in Santa Cruz, idealistic abandonment of responsibility, and whimsically wishful fit-in fantasies. The first track, "Cookin" is about the anticipation of a party at Denney's house, to which he had invited a girl from the local grocery store. "She never came to the party," lamented Denney. However, while working out the song in the back room at work, he came up with the two chords, FM7 and G13, which he described to me as, "a lazier-than-punk take on chords that require no effort to play and sound wonderful." Denney Joints' unmistakable signature sound.

Denney seems to possess a natural, encyclopedic knowledge of music, and is comfortable navigating through stylistic changes. He employs numerous subtle musical influences that keep the music entertaining and interesting. But Denney has no desire to become a commercial success, and claims to despise commercial music. "I love simple music," explained Denney, "but commercial music skips the feeling and goes straight for spectacle." Denney Joints' Bedtime is simple, yet thoughtful and deliberate, and according to music critic, Joey McNeill, "exhibits a kind of dreamlike quality, and a kind of farcical poke at pop music." Denney's distance from commercialism has allowed him to maintain a pure vein of creativity with the attitude that, "if people feel it, great, but if they don’t, I will not change anything to make them bite the hook."

The lyrics on Bedtime are witty and are occasionally presented in a code language that Denney calls Scumbag Select, a clever language in which the pronunciation of words are phonetically skewed based on a set of complicated letter-swapping rules that he has obviously mastered and employs with great skill. Half the fun of Bedtime is dissecting the lyrics.

Nick Overhauser,*** lent his expertise to the Bedtime project by playing on and recording the album. Nick told me that, in his opinion, "Bedtime is an ode to an angry young weirdo who sees little value in the ways of the modern world." Gazing out the window from behind the counter at Denney's workplace and, "seeing people in groups getting along and looking quite ordinary." Denney Joints' observations have become something wonderfully creative, entertaining and satisfying. Joey McNeill related that he "hadn't thought about these things for a long time," and went on to say that, "Denney has found common experiences and truths in the boredom and frustrations that we all share in our youth." Denney says that Bedtime is "emotionally autobiographical," meaning that "the lyrics themselves don't address actual events directly." This gives Bedtime a universal, cross-generational quality and appeal. Even my mom would like it.

All of the tracks on the album are noteworthy, and if life was fair, all of them would be known by everyone. I won't attempt to pin any particular style or genre on the music of Bedtime other than to say that it is eclectic, and uniquely Denney Joints. There is one particular track on the album that deserves special attention and can only be described as "timeless". The Creek Song is jovial, happy harmony and blissful balance. A perfect late summer day spent with the best of friends whilst nestled in the arms of a loving Mother Nature. The Creek Song is a masterpiece, and will forever be one of my favorites.

Denney Joints' Bedtime was mastered at Indigital Studios in Santa Cruz, CA by Mason Rothschild, who**** described Denney as, "an amazing jewel of a mad genius," and went on to say that when Denney gave him the original recordings, they were "wrapped in notes and emotional requests about each song." Although I wonder sometimes if Bedtime is comedic, it is obvious that Denney is serious about his music, and, like Beefheart and Zappa, has eccentric demands, from everyone who contributes to his projects. "I knew that I was up against something completely different," recalls Nick Overhauser who described the first stretch of recording Bedtime as "convoluted and wacky", but by the time the album had been completed, Nick considered it to be one of his favorite projects.

I asked Denney about his selection of personnel for Bedtime, and his on-stage band, Midnite Snack. He told me that generally, people bore him with their "lack of focus and musical accomplishment" but praised his own band, saying that they all "exceed the bar" and that their playing is "precise." Midnite Snack is a fluid membership of friends***** who give their all to Denney's live performances that take me back to the newness I experienced at some late-seventies, and early-eighties punk shows. Denney isn't punk, but he possesses some of the same qualities and attitudes. Bedtime is smart, clever and involved, yet maintains a cohesive structure. Nick Overhauser told me, the most impressive thing about Denney's conceptual work to him, is that, "every album follows a theme with repeated lyrical ideas and melodies... without being too obvious or on the nose." Joey McNeill observed that Denney Joints "has taken frustration and made it enlightening" and called Bedtime "a kind of commentary about how carefully and methodically the introvert moves his way out into the public like a reluctant, escaped hamster who, oblivious to his boundaries, nibbles away at the crackers in our cupboard."

Listening to Bedtime is like eating crackers, you just can't quit. BEWARE! Denney Joints' catchy songs get stuck on mental repeat and run through the mind continuously. I usually just give in and play the damn CD to get it out of my head. I've discovered that Bedtime is a Midnite Snack that can be enjoyed any time of day or night, and Rhetro Zenberg is happy to announce Denney Joints' Bedtime as the Best Album of 2011.

Have a Nice Snack!

*

Click here to enjoy Denney Joints' Sausage Fest commercial from KPIG Radio, Santa Cruz

**There are far too many to name them all, but a sampling of my most memorable performances would certainly include: Laurie Anderson, Adrian Belew Power Trio, King Crimson, Ravi Shankar, the Residents...

***In addition to being a recording expert, Nick Overhauser played drums on Bedtime and has played for Sheena, Mountain Animal Hospital, Ship of the Sierras, Midnite Snack, and is currently on tour with Birdhand.

****Audio engineer Mason Rothschild, has played in Midnite Snack and is currently touring with the band, Birdhand.

*****To stay fresh, Midnite Snack changes personnel every Venusian cycle. There have been at least eight members of Midnite Snack so far, including two bassists named Mason, (Rosenberg and Rothschild), and three members of the popular indie band, the Vox Jaguars, (Sam Copperman, Trevor Hope and Mason Rosenberg), but Denney says he has no plans for a Vox Jaguars cover, and now that Denney has moved to Oakland, he may resurrect Midnite Snack there, with fresh faces.

Denney Joints - The Coolest Cat On The Couch

Happy Birthday Bassin' Mason

I've loved Brian Eno's music since the seventies, and was stoked when I learned that he was responsible for the soundtrack to the art film, For All Mankind, a documentary about the Apollo missions to the moon. That was 22 years ago. When the movie played in Madison, Wisconsin, where we were living at the time, Mighty Mo was nine months big with child. Mason must have been intrigued with the wonderful Eno soundtrack because while we were watching the movie, he decided it was time to be born, and Heidi began her labor pangs. Mason, (Madison without the di), was born the following day, while Beethoven and Peruvian flute music played on a boom box. No wonder he is so musically inclined.

Here's some video I shot that features Mason playing a live looped version of Trentemoller's popular song, Miss You. I shot the video near the shore of the Great Salt Lake, where we just so happened to stumble upon these ruby-red slippers hanging from a tree and dangling in the breeze. Two Bald Eagles soar whilst a heard of Antelope graze in the distance.

I recently stumbled across this video of the Vox Jaguars that I shot at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA in late 08 or early 09 that features some fancy bass playing by the birthday boy.

Happy Birthday Mason!

My World in 3D

Here are a few more 3D photos to enjoy.

The above photo features four Norma Forsberg originals from the popular "Pear Collection" currently on display in my living room.

Above is a nice scene from inside the historic Mormon Tabernacle, looking outward through a beautiful old-glass window that provides an interesting refracted view of some buildings.

Nothing says "Welcome to Tooele" better than an operative military tank.

Above - Mason standing in front of the infamous Bldg. 649 on the Tooele Army Depot.

Above - Mason at old dilapidated barracks.

Solstice Schmalstice

Mighty Mo and I have a wonderfully eclectic* group of friends, and last night, we had the opportunity to bid farewell to 25 of them. Strange, I probably won't see many of them ever again. Those friends that were able to attend were treated to a trendy Utah themed going away party that featured stereotypical food favorites ranging from funeral potatoes to green jello. There was also a salt flats tasting bar, and authentic orange slush... just add 7Up. Unfortunately, some of our friends were unable to make it to our mid-week extravaganza, but I hope to see them sometime over my last two, (and very busy), weeks in Santa Cruz.

Leaving (too) soon

I realize that after our soon approaching long-term departure to Utah, I'm going to miss seeing the seductively beautiful Monterey Bay... a regular and everyday scene for me. The Great Salt Lake has beautiful sunsets, but will never replace the magnificence of this region. In an effort to deal with my separation issues, I purchased a wonderful, (and very large), ocean scene painting by my favorite artist, and close friend, Richard Bennett.

Pictured above is the southeast corner of our living room in Santa Cruz, where my new painting, South Coast, by Richard Bennett, temporally resides. Also pictured in the picture is my authentic Tom DeLong Fender Stratocaster, Dean 12 string electric guitar, a skim board, and three Talking Heads records in frames. I can't wait to see how the new painting looks in my home in Tooele, but I'm in no hurry to leave either.

Since I may never see many of our friends again, I thought it would be a good idea to get photos of the attendees to our Utah themed party, so after signing in, each guest was photographed in front of the new painting.
Kirsten Atemecia - Multi Talented quadruple threat who recently graduated from high school with a straight A report card. Smart, beautiful, talented with a great sense of humor... she's got the world by the tail.
Greg - One of the best drummers I've had the pleasure to watch perform. Greg has drummed for numerous bands, including A Quantum Visionary, and these days plays for Isolation Factor, who it is rumored will be releasing a new CD soon.

Mason - Another local rock star, Mason is a founding member of the Vox Jaguars, and AQV. He's performed with, and contributed to ensembles too numerous to mention, and recently had the opportunity to perform with the Santa Cruz County Symphony who performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Ode for Joy. One of my favorite pieces of all time.

Skippy - If you look up Frisbee in the dictionary, Skippy's picture should be there next to the definition. A master of disc golf and Freestyle pioneer, he can do things with a plastic disc that astonishes the masses.
Oliver aka Kryph aka Tree - Dubstep officianado racking up the hits, and stretching the genre beyond traditional limitations, took time out to drop in and hang out for a couple of hours.
Shawna, Erin and Ryan - Whether you are a pet, or a human being in need of emergency care... you're in good hands with these gals, and Ryan, the million dollar baby, knows it.
Aaron - The master of presentation of everything from metallurgy to hollandaise is beloved by all who know him. Together, Aaron and I have attended dozens of Bay Area performances ranging from Adrian Belew to the Vox Jaguars and played numerous rounds of disc golf at the De Laveaga, Black Mouse and Aptos courses. He's going to miss me.
Emily - Even though it was her nineteenth birthday, she stopped by to say goodbye.
Kallista, Olin and June - I've known Olin for many years and was so happy to meet his new little family. It seems like Olin and I have been everywhere in this region; surveying areas in the mountains to beach properties, in addition to playing lots of rounds of disc golf.
Richard - The artist himself graced us with his presence. In addition to being a master of every artistic discipline, Dicky B speaks numerous languages and dialects and has scoured the globe in search of artistic inspiration. He's been a wonderful friend and inspiring associate. I'm going to miss Dicky B's stories, and endearing demeanor.

Ann - She's seen it all and done it all. Everything from being a military pilot, land surveyor, theater reviewer and world traveler to hanging out with Elvis. Also a mother, she always raves about her two sons. She is a fascinating woman and we love the amazing stories of her adventurous life.
Reid - Snappy dresser, and performance specialist. He not only attended the party, but came to our yard sale too.
Kevin, Graham and Karissa - Pulling strings behind the scenes, Kevin and Graham are PR wizards extrordinaire and great urban homesteaders and home brewers. Karissa a new friend we met at the party.
Seana - Another amazing PR professional, who brought along a little bump and a big announcement to the party. : )
Katie - Another stellar public relations pro who was Mighty Mo's right hand account manager for years.
Cassie - Another birthday girl. Despite the fact that it was her 21st birthday, Cassie stopped by for the party.
Eileen - Brilliant artist, and winner of Catalyst's best Halloween costume contest. She was Mona Lisa, and even had her own frame. Eileen was one of the first people we met when we moved to Happy Valley in Santa Cruz all those years ago, and she's been a great friend to the entire family.
Claire - A former PR pro who escaped with her soul intact. Now pursuing environmental work, Claire has actually walked on the Great Salt Lake.
Ronaldo Antonio - Former NASA astronaut who has spacewalked more times than Michael Jackson has moon-walked (in 2011). A sparkling personality, and one of the funniest if not the funniest persons I know. He's one of the few people who actually understands my twisted comique.
Alexandra - Believe it or not, another PR industry pro, Sheesh! How many PR people are out there anyway? She speaks numerous languages fluently, including Russian, German and English. A Romanian native, she lives here in Santa Cruz with her family.

* Attendees included artists, musicians, propagandists, pre-borns, a baby, a toddler, teens, twenty somethings, thirty somethings, forty somethings, fifty somethings, sixty somethings, seventy somethings, eighty somethings, vegans, vegetarians, veterinarians, a nurse, a pilot, a teacher, an astronaut, professional athletes, rock stars, Jews, Mormons, Wiccans, and etc. I had planned to make the party as eclectic as possible, and for the most part, that goal was accomplished, but unfortunately, none of my illegal alien friends showed up. Camera shy, I guess.