MATT MUNOZ: Funeral Club dead ahead
| Wednesday, Jan 11 2012 05:06 PM
Last Updated Monday, Jan 16 2012 12:48 PM
Monday's full moon fit the mood perfectly for my meeting with Bakersfield duo Funeral Club.
Haunting, dark, or romantic depending on your tastes, there are almost too many musical categories to file them under -- gothic spaghetti western, chamber jazz, Euro. Whatever you call it, just don't call it dead.
Despite what their name may conjure up, husband and wife Joseph and Jenny Andreotti don't mind the labels, as long as you listen closely.
"We think of it more of like art -- the whole package with music and imagery," said Jenny, who sings while Joseph performs on a variety of instruments, ranging from banjo to accordion. "We're two fans who want to put out something that reflects the things we really like."
Among those things are classic film noir and vintage photography with no boundaries on experimentation. All of which can be found at their website, funeralclub.org. Evolving from previous projects Calico Sunset and Grizzly Owls in 2009, the two initially found success with their new direction in the ultra hip Silver Lake/Echo Park area of Hollywood. Now officially known as Funeral Club, they began making strides instantly.
"People in the Los Angeles Silver Lake scene have been very responsive to our music," said Joseph. "And we've always said we were from Bakersfield."
Like their new musical identity, Jenny said the response to their new name has been equally refreshing.
"We really wanted to try to find something that would fit along the lines of a band from the '80s -- Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nick Cave and Tom Waits -- something from that era. We're also big fans of The Gun Club, and the ring of their name. It's an homage."
Inspired by both the post-punk goth movement of the U.K. and L.A.'s pioneering underground scene, Funeral Club also touts some historical significance, going back to the Romans.
"There have been funeral clubs since ancient times," Jenny said. "People would get together and help pay for burials if a family couldn't afford it. We've actually been approached by businesses advertising their crematorium services to us."
As macabre as their name may sound, there is nothing bizarre and unusual about the couple in person. Artists with an attention to detail, their discography includes two full-length releases and a single, "Whiskey & Clyde," also available for free download through their website.
Released last year, "In the Fire" is the perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with the band. Opening with the abstract banjo strum on "No Trace of Me," there is no formal arrangement, just loosely developing melodies with Ennio Morricone-style elegance. Their writing process is simple and incorporates the unconventional instrumentation of Joseph's parlor and baritone guitar, omnicord, synthesizer and percussion, with Jenny's ethereal vocals on seven of the eight original compositions.
"I'll write something, then Jen will come up with some lyrics. We collaborate on everything, and she'll let me know if I need to change something to allow her idea to work," said Joseph. "Since we're married, it's easy to work on music and practice."
On the recording end, there's no fancy studio work.
"We record to GarageBand (a Macintosh software program) then email it off to our bassist Raymond Richards in Los Angeles," he added. "He's got Pro Tools. We just keep sending the tracks back and forth until we're happy with it."
For their live show, expect all the Funeral Club elements to come together. From the vintage film clips taken from the public domain archive of avant-garde filmmaker Maya Deren projected behind them to the lighting and music, there's much for the audience to absorb. Rounding out their onstage ensemble is saxophonist Josh Chamblee.
"This is what we've always wanted to convey, and making it very dynamic," said Joseph.
You can catch Funeral Club at the upcoming Giving Tree Project Battle of The Bands at The Nile on Jan. 21, and at a CD release party in April at a local venue to be determined. "In the Fire," is available for purchase at Going Underground Records in Bakersfield and for download at iTunes.
Matt's picks
Monster Ball II -- Zombie Prom at B Ryder's, 7401 White Lane, 8:30 p.m. Friday. $5. 397-7304.
It's considered the unluckiest of days, Friday the 13th, but don't expect any bad times going down when local undead rise at this dead man's party. Co-hosted once again by local rat rockers the JBombs, who released last year's hellraiser "Booze, Broads and Bombs," they plan to outdo last year's event. Advertised as an actual prom, there will be a king and queen crowned during the night, along with specialized vendors and music by Loner Troubadour, Dee-Jay Tucker, Ghost Town Hangmen and Jailbreak. There will also be a photographer and backdrop set up for you and your zombie date, if you wish to have your picture taken. Who knows? In 30 years, you'll look exactly the same. Formaldehyde not included.
Beat Surrender DJ Night at Sandrini's Bar, 1918 Eye St., 10 p.m. Friday. Free. 322-8900.
Like the Mothership, you're in good hands with local vinyl junkie Alex Rodriguez, aka "DJ Moustache," who runs the monthly Beat Surrender night at Sandrini's. Kicking down the best in '60s and '70s funk and soul, be prepared to work up a serious sweat. I've cut up the concrete a few times here and always have a blast. Rodriguez handpicks his singles as the night builds, and you rarely hear the same song twice. Expect a funky full house.
