In this Boston-based trio, all three members contribute to “an intense wall of music that allows singer Jen Johnson’s vocals to wash over the instruments and the crowd.” Encompassing the musical threesome of Jen Johnson (voice, guitar, & keyboard), Mike Latulippe (drums & samples), and Ben Voskeritchian (bass, guitar, & keyboards), Static of the Gods has drawn comparisons from every end of the musical spectrum, from bands like Metric and Rainer Maria to Silversun Pickups. Static of the Gods’ second full-length record takes its name from a phrase that popped up during an overindulgent evening shared with an international group of friends where countless words and stories were lost in translation - most specifically the Finnish word for computer, which literally translates to “Knowledge Machine”.
Knowledge Machine is a record that describes different facets of human experience; a showcase of the human condition and expe¬riences. “Alot has happened in the last year or so of writing this record,” says Ben Voskeritchian, “We’ve had so many experienc¬es as a band on tour, as well as many events in all of our personal lives, which makes this the most honest and intimate record we’ve ever done. It’s about love and hope, fear and doubt, forgiving and forgetting, longing and change.” The band started writing Knowledge Machine while on their last national tour, which had a big influence on the songwriting. “There were a lot of challeng¬ing things that happened on the road. Mike had a family member pass away and the van broke down in Petaluma, California, and had to get an entire engine rebuilt for starters. We were stuck there for a week and had to cancel some shows, which left plenty of time to write. It just felt like we had a lot of music that was wait¬ing to come out,” says Jen Johnson, “we share an intense belief in this band and no matter what happens, being out there on the road playing music is something that we’re driven to do.”
Their 2007 release, Cycles Follow Signs, released for interna¬tional distribution on recordhead, debuted at #141 on the CMJ Charts, peaking at #103 with 5 weeks in the Top 200. Their highly anticipated follow up to 2008’s limited edition EP, Peluche, is the evolution of the sound the band started to find while working with producer, Matthew Ellard (Radiohead, Weezer). The EP’s first single, "Peluche," included an animated video created by well-known illustrator Alberto Cerriteño and Curiosity Group (Dream¬works, Paramount, Apple). Static of the Gods’ continued to nurture this evolution by using a non-traditional recording process while making Knowledge Machine. Joining the ranks of Fleet Foxes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, SOTG opted for the remote location over the traditional studio. Moving into Hounds’ Hollow, a farmhouse situ¬ated on 24 wooded acres in the Vermont countryside, the band found the perfect blend of organic influence and modern tech¬nology, and had the luxury of experimenting with non-traditional recording techniques and developing layers of sounds. This growth and experimentation is most apparent in the leadoff track "Rest Your Head." It's a sonic journey full of fuzz and dimension built around a deep bass tone. There is a melancholy feel with glimmers of hope mixed in that creates a stunning marriage between words and sound. In stark contrast, the track "White Flag" shows the intensity of the band. It's driving force gives one the feeling being on the edge and almost out of control. The long slow build of "True North" was brought on by a stay in an old theater, the Velaslavasay Panorama in Los Angeles, and the view of an arctic landscape the band had while sleeping in the projection room. "On the drive back, we were stuck with miles and miles of snowy, desolate landscape driving through Wyoming, and a lot of the song was finished during that drip. There is something otherworldly about it, it's about being in a space where you feel outside of your day to day reality" says Johnson. This type of escapism is obvious throughout all of Knowledge Machine. The album is more than just a grouping of songs, but rather a lush, dynamic layering of sounds that takes you on an emotional adventure from beginning to end.
With two national tours completed, Static of the Gods has also earned a reputation for a powerful and magnetic live show; “...hugely me¬lodic, beautifully smooth and absolutely impressive...The band’s paramount sound on the record is only championed by their live show,” wrote PopWreckoning. Ryan’s Smashing Life says “...if this band’s stage prowess and live sound are any indication, this new Static of the Gods album will be a must-have. THIS is a great band.”
The record is out March 23rd.
http://www.myspace.com/staticofthegods
