Growing (band)
Encyclopedia
Growing is a drone music
/ambient music
/noise music
band formed in Olympia, Washington
, and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The group was founded in 2001 by Kevin Doria (electric bass guitar), Joe Denardo (electric guitar), and Zack Carlson (drums). Carlson left following their first album, and the band continued as a duo until 2009, when they recruited Sadie Laska (samplers, microphone) to form a new trio. The group's music has gradually progressed from slow, instrumental drone pieces through works in noise
and ambient music
toward more propulsive, rhythm driven music. Their live shows are consistently known for being very loud, playing straight through their set without breaks or banter between songs.
, Animal Disguise, Archive, Megablade/Troubleman
, and The Social Registry
. At the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008 Growing released their first two releases for The Social Registry
; a 7-inch single for the label Social Club series and a mini-lp entitled Lateral. In 2010 they released an album on Vice Records.
In April 2008 Growing embarked on a tour of Europe and the United Kingdom with the Japanese band Boris
.
In December 2010 Growing will perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
currated by Godspeed You! Black Emperor
.
guitar setups. In early shows, Kevin generally played bass with his back to the audience, and then Joe played seated, much like members of kindred spirits Spacemen 3
. In recent (2008) concerts, all members play standing, using effects units on the floor and on tables (which they control with their hands).
Growing's music has been consistently grounded in repetitive, droning guitar sounds, which may be heavily processed (sometimes beyond identifiable guitar timbre
). They regularly employ delay/looper pedals
, feedback
, the Ebow, and or phrase-samplers
to create indefinitely sustained sounds, which are blended in and out of the music volume pedals or mixers.
In addition to pedals, both Doria and Denardo started using a variety of instruments and effects not traditionally designed or marketed for guitar players. These include touch-pad effectors, rhythm machines, and phrase samplers whose hands-on control (and drastic processing) is usually marketed for DJs
In several interviews, members of Growing have described their preference for using hardware such as stomp boxes, DJ effects, drum machines, and other music hardware for their simplicity and immediacy.
While most loop-driven guitar performances involve building many layers into a harmonically complex musical motive
with unified, locked rhythm (and the option to solo over the loop), Growing's approach is quite different. Their sound involves capturing simple, contrasting drones or motifs
moving in separate looping streams (sometimes deliberately out of sync for diffuse, textural effect), which can then be introduced and removed independently for greater textural subtlety and rhythmic diffusion. Where most may use their pedals in a single chain, their approach may involve using effect chains and looper-pedals in parallel, so that either player may capture multiple drones or motifs that can then be manipulated and expressed independently. Joe describes this process as "... basically, our whole band is volume pedals." With such technique, they can then compose and execute seamless or dramatic transitions not usually achieved by only two guitars.
When pressed about their sense of composition and improvisation, Joe has stated that many of the transitions during performances are planned, which Kevin (in a different interview) has explained that Growing's writing process is passive and that "...it's all jams."
Across the span of over 6 records, Growing's music has evolved from long (10+ minute) pieces of placid, contemplative droning music (without repeating themes) toward short(er) (3-7 minute) songs of more rhythmic, propulsive, and linear progression. Of notable persistence is the band's consistent lack of recapitulated themes; once there is sonic/textural change, their music seldom revisits a motif. As such, their more "ambient" musics had a "scenic" listening quality, while the more propulsive later material plays more akin to (but still far removed from) "club mix" music.
Interviews with the band suggest both Doria and Denardo's musical evolution is not from deliberate ambition, but from curiosity, experimentation, and a continually rotating arsenal of electronic musical equipment.
Drone music
Drone music is a minimalist musical style that emphasizes the use of sustained or repeated sounds, notes, or tone-clusters – called drones. It is typically characterized by lengthy audio programs with relatively slight harmonic variations throughout each piece compared to other musics...
/ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
/noise music
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
band formed in Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
, and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The group was founded in 2001 by Kevin Doria (electric bass guitar), Joe Denardo (electric guitar), and Zack Carlson (drums). Carlson left following their first album, and the band continued as a duo until 2009, when they recruited Sadie Laska (samplers, microphone) to form a new trio. The group's music has gradually progressed from slow, instrumental drone pieces through works in noise
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
and ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
toward more propulsive, rhythm driven music. Their live shows are consistently known for being very loud, playing straight through their set without breaks or banter between songs.
Notable and Recent Releases and Tours
Growing have released albums on labels such as KrankyKranky Records
Kranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
, Animal Disguise, Archive, Megablade/Troubleman
Troubleman Unlimited Records
Troubleman Unlimited Records is a record label specializing in indie rock and similar genres. Founded in 1993, the label is based in Bayonne, New Jersey and owned by Mike Simonetti....
, and The Social Registry
The Social Registry
The Social Registry is a record label based in Brooklyn, New York that was started in 2003. It was voted "Best New Record label" in The Village Voice's Best of New York issue in 2004.-Artists:Artanker Convoy,Blood Lines,Blood on the Wall,Christy & Emily,...
. At the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008 Growing released their first two releases for The Social Registry
The Social Registry
The Social Registry is a record label based in Brooklyn, New York that was started in 2003. It was voted "Best New Record label" in The Village Voice's Best of New York issue in 2004.-Artists:Artanker Convoy,Blood Lines,Blood on the Wall,Christy & Emily,...
; a 7-inch single for the label Social Club series and a mini-lp entitled Lateral. In 2010 they released an album on Vice Records.
In April 2008 Growing embarked on a tour of Europe and the United Kingdom with the Japanese band Boris
Boris (band)
is a Japanese experimental rock band, known for often combining and switching between different music genres including drone metal, sludge metal, noise rock, psychedelic rock, ambient and pop...
.
In December 2010 Growing will perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
currated by Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a Canadian post-rock band which originated from Montreal, Quebec in 1994...
.
Equipment, Technique, Composition, and Aesthetic Evolution
Joe is left-handed and Kevin is right-handed. In recent concerts, both Doria and Denardo have used pairs of amplifiers for true stereoStereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
guitar setups. In early shows, Kevin generally played bass with his back to the audience, and then Joe played seated, much like members of kindred spirits Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...
. In recent (2008) concerts, all members play standing, using effects units on the floor and on tables (which they control with their hands).
Growing's music has been consistently grounded in repetitive, droning guitar sounds, which may be heavily processed (sometimes beyond identifiable guitar timbre
Timbre
In music, timbre is the quality of a musical note or sound or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices and musical instruments, such as string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments. The physical characteristics of sound that determine the...
). They regularly employ delay/looper pedals
Effects unit
Effects units are electronic devices that alter how a musical instrument or other audio source sounds. Some effects subtly "color" a sound, while others transform it dramatically. Effects are used during live performances or in the studio, typically with electric guitar, keyboard and bass...
, feedback
Feedback
Feedback describes the situation when output from an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same Feedback describes the situation when output from (or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or...
, the Ebow, and or phrase-samplers
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
to create indefinitely sustained sounds, which are blended in and out of the music volume pedals or mixers.
In addition to pedals, both Doria and Denardo started using a variety of instruments and effects not traditionally designed or marketed for guitar players. These include touch-pad effectors, rhythm machines, and phrase samplers whose hands-on control (and drastic processing) is usually marketed for DJs
In several interviews, members of Growing have described their preference for using hardware such as stomp boxes, DJ effects, drum machines, and other music hardware for their simplicity and immediacy.
While most loop-driven guitar performances involve building many layers into a harmonically complex musical motive
Motif (music)
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition....
with unified, locked rhythm (and the option to solo over the loop), Growing's approach is quite different. Their sound involves capturing simple, contrasting drones or motifs
Motif (music)
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition....
moving in separate looping streams (sometimes deliberately out of sync for diffuse, textural effect), which can then be introduced and removed independently for greater textural subtlety and rhythmic diffusion. Where most may use their pedals in a single chain, their approach may involve using effect chains and looper-pedals in parallel, so that either player may capture multiple drones or motifs that can then be manipulated and expressed independently. Joe describes this process as "... basically, our whole band is volume pedals." With such technique, they can then compose and execute seamless or dramatic transitions not usually achieved by only two guitars.
When pressed about their sense of composition and improvisation, Joe has stated that many of the transitions during performances are planned, which Kevin (in a different interview) has explained that Growing's writing process is passive and that "...it's all jams."
Across the span of over 6 records, Growing's music has evolved from long (10+ minute) pieces of placid, contemplative droning music (without repeating themes) toward short(er) (3-7 minute) songs of more rhythmic, propulsive, and linear progression. Of notable persistence is the band's consistent lack of recapitulated themes; once there is sonic/textural change, their music seldom revisits a motif. As such, their more "ambient" musics had a "scenic" listening quality, while the more propulsive later material plays more akin to (but still far removed from) "club mix" music.
Interviews with the band suggest both Doria and Denardo's musical evolution is not from deliberate ambition, but from curiosity, experimentation, and a continually rotating arsenal of electronic musical equipment.
Side-projects, Other Musical Contributions
Total Life is Doria's side-project. In 2005, he released his first album on Animal Disguise, which was limited to 150 copies and is now sold out. The cassette was reissued on vinyl in early 2007 in a series of 500. In March 2008, Total Life released a second album "Ken Bradshaw" on BrownSounds records. This release featured more propulsive, energetic rhythms against the "wall of sound" guitar playing.Albums
- PUMPS (Vice Records, 2010) - CD/LP
- All the Way (The Social RegistryThe Social RegistryThe Social Registry is a record label based in Brooklyn, New York that was started in 2003. It was voted "Best New Record label" in The Village Voice's Best of New York issue in 2004.-Artists:Artanker Convoy,Blood Lines,Blood on the Wall,Christy & Emily,...
, 2008) - CD/LP - Lateral (The Social RegistryThe Social RegistryThe Social Registry is a record label based in Brooklyn, New York that was started in 2003. It was voted "Best New Record label" in The Village Voice's Best of New York issue in 2004.-Artists:Artanker Convoy,Blood Lines,Blood on the Wall,Christy & Emily,...
, 2008) - CD/LP - Vision SwimVision SwimVision Swim is a noise album by Growing released in 2007. It was released by Troubleman Records.- Track listing :#"Limbo" #"On Anon" #"Morning Drive" #"Emseepee" #"Lightfoot"...
(Megablade/TroublemanTroubleman Unlimited RecordsTroubleman Unlimited Records is a record label specializing in indie rock and similar genres. Founded in 1993, the label is based in Bayonne, New Jersey and owned by Mike Simonetti....
, 2007) - CD/LP - Color Wheel (Megablade, 2006) - CD/LP
- Live (Conspiracy Records, 2005) - CD/2XLP
- His Return (Megablade, 2005) - CD/LP
- The Soul Of The Rainbow And The Harmony Of Light (KrankyKranky RecordsKranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
/Animal Disguise, 2004) - CD/LP - Early Stages "Bootleg" release/demo of early Soul Of The Rainbow material - CDr
- The Sky's Run Into The Sea (KrankyKranky RecordsKranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
, 2003) - CD/LP
EPs and singles
- The Social Club Nº 8 (The Social RegistryThe Social RegistryThe Social Registry is a record label based in Brooklyn, New York that was started in 2003. It was voted "Best New Record label" in The Village Voice's Best of New York issue in 2004.-Artists:Artanker Convoy,Blood Lines,Blood on the Wall,Christy & Emily,...
, 2007) - 7" Single - Growing/Mark Evan Burden split (Zum) - CD
- Growing/Mark Evan Burden split (This Generation Tapes) - EP
- Dry Drunk On Woman (Megablade/Nail In The Coffin) - 7" Single
- Dry Drunk On Woman (Nail In The Coffin) - CDr
Cassettes
- ANNODOMINI - Demo under the name 1000 AD
- Fear of Life/Death - self-released
- Five Patterns - self-released
- Five Patterns & Fear Of Life/Death (Animal Disguise) reissue of both self-released tapes in one package.
- Above/ Below Sea Level (Animal Disguise) - double cassette meant to be played simultaneously on separate stereos; limited edition
- Live Series I (Tapeblade)
- Live Series II (Tapeblade)
- Live Series III (Tapeblade)
- Live Series IV (Tapeblade)
- Live Series V (Tapeblade)
- BBC Session - Self Released. Later re released in the Live Series tapes.
External links
- Official band website
- Animal Disguise website
- viceland.com Growing Vice artist profile