Friday, September 10, 2010

Narchitect

Narchitect (like many of my favorite bands) broke up before anyone heard of them. I saw them play a few times in Brooklyn basements, but as the shows were never well attended I know that not very many other people did. They existed in various forms from 2000-2005, but now all we have left of them are these recordings.

The band recorded 22 songs over several different sessions, a few of which surfaced on their sole release -- a tour only CDr that even I missed. The core trio was:

Joel Saladino - Guitar/Vocals
Shahla Atlas - Keyboard
Josh Atlas - Drums

The band broke up for a variety of reasons, including the fact that Joel was touring in Parts & Labor and/or Knife Skills. Shahla and Josh took advantage of the downtime to get married and have a baby together.

"The first decade of the twentieth century may well be remembered for what it lacked. After the ascendancy of hip hop in the 1990's and the stagnation of rock in the post-grunge milieu, the world of popular music found itself shackled to the sinking corpse of the recording industry. Rather than face the dearth of shoddily manufactured pop stars, enterprising and motivated listeners once again turned their wistful ears to the underground.

Here were glimmers of hope: the possible discovery of a new Dylan, challenges to authority, a step beyond the songwriting of the Beatles, a new messiah. But how many of these glimmers proved to be ephemeral, only offered to audiences as a glimpse, and suggestion of possibilities, a nod confirming what we all must know? That truly original and brilliant music is being made all around us, even if we are oblivious to its presence.

Narchitect grew, blossomed, and withered before the vast multitudes could seek the comfort in the shade of their genius. We can now only look back on the great potential and scant recordings of this ensemble and wonder how we could have been so oblivious. Here it is, everything we were and are seeking, fortunately preserved in their recordings. The music of Narchitect confirms that greatness is possible in the darkest of times."

--Leonardo Featherweight



Thanks to Josh Bonati, Jason Radich, Aron Sanchez, and Seth Misterka.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, Narchitect.

We Are Psychic Friends (Pukekos)
1. Glory Daze
2. Fake Hotel
3. Brazil
4. Instrumental
5. Keep Your Job














Problems Flavored Ice Cream (Pukekos)
1. Fields
2. Gasoline
3. Eliza Jane
4. Go Globalize
5. Crushing the World
6. Garbage Heap
7. Five Song










Narchitect EP (Pukekos)
1. Music School
2. Music is Cool
3. One Hand
4. Can of Soup
5. Horizons
6. Light Bubble
















Entitled Waves (Pukekos)
1. Tidal Wave
2. Tips
3. Small Town
4. Zero

3 comments:

jordotech said...

I played bass in this band for about 6 months in brooklyn. I'm so glad you posted this, thanks so much.

-Jordan Austin

久保田 ザンドラ said...

awesome...grimy old narchitect! yeah!!

Joel Saladino said...

Jon Hoff on "ENTITLED WAVES" EP AS GUITAR AND VOCALIST SMALL TOWN IS JON HOFF ON VOX AND ARRANGEMENT