Theatrical, ambient, psychedelic, experimental, dynamic. These are just a few words to describe the kind of music Abram Taber composes in his live and recorded performances. What's refreshing about what Abram does is the variety of influences he draws from. There is no distinct genre that pops out upon first listen. Each song is crafted with layers of different instrumentation — drums, guitars, vocals, samples and effects — all introduced one by one, weaving in and out of one another. Abram is taking his project on the road this Summer, with a tour kickoff scheduled at the Friendly Square in Medford this Saturday, June 26.BBC: Your compositions are typically longer than the average music one hears these days — many clocking in over the 5 minute mark. What is your reasoning and intent behind writing extensive material?
Abram: Most of my music is based on building layers of sound. As I was figuring out how to recreate my ideas as a single person in a live setting, it seemed like I'd be doing the music a disservice if I just played a sample where all the layers began at once. I believe the process of creating the layers and seeing how they combine into a whole piece is as important as the whole piece itself.
BBC: Your music utilizes many different instruments, samples and layers. Where do you typically begin in the songwriting process and how do you know when to end a song?
Abram: My music is in a constant state of flux. Initial ideas are usually created through improvisation and general mucking around in my bedroom. I often start with a bass groove or repeated guitar pattern and then see what I can add to it. Sometimes this means layers of vocals, sometimes it means drums and sometimes it might even mean lyrics. While each performance of a song is different, I do have defined sections and transitions between the parts and layers of each composition. My songs have ended in different ways depending on the venue they are performed at or my particular mood at the time. One of the best endings I've experienced was at the Tavern at the End of the World when the audience joined me in singing and clapping at the close of "Beacon," well after I'd shut off the loops that were driving the song.
BBC: What led you to the psychedelic, noise driven side of the musical spectrum?
Abram: It could all be traced back to long car rides when I'd ask to listen to "Captain Pickle," my childhood name for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I can't deny the role of my parents in exposing me to interesting music, sharing with me everything from Mission of Burma and Talking Heads to Cream and John Fahey. Sharing music with my friends also shaped a lot of my tastes in this area of the music world. I can thank them for introducing me to bands like Sonic Youth, Can and My Bloody Valentine. Then there were classes in college that exposed me to "classical noise" like Penderecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima, the musique concrete of Iannis Xenakis, the electronic experiments of Cage and Stockhausen and the minimalist music of Steve Reich, Philip Glass and Terry Riley. I've always been more concerned with how something sounds texturally and sonically than how it might sound melodically or harmonically; that isn't to say I don't like a good sing-along chorus or well-crafted chord progression either.
BBC: You have a pretty extensive tour lined up for yourself in the coming month. When you tour, do you try to stick to the material that you have pre-written, or do you allow yourself some creative liberties?
Abram: Since much of my music has a loose structure to begin with, I always enjoy taking liberties with my material. I do my best not to get too long-winded, both for my own sake and the audience's. I have done performances of completely improvised music at Outpost 186 in Cambridge, 119 Gallery in Lowell and House of Goings-On in Manchester, NH. These sets have been received well and they give me a chance to flex my improvisatory muscles, something I've missed after the demise of my free-improv ensemble Paraffin Section. I plan on recording every performance of the tour and posting them to my website, so I encourage anyone to come and hear how my material changes from performance to performance and what strange new compositions birth themselves from all over the country!
BBC: What do you hope to accomplish while on the road?
Abram: One of my biggest goals is to make connections with the DIY community across the country and forge a path for my friends to follow or at the very least, meet people to help out when they come through Boston. My other goal is to promote my music and hopefully gain some fans outside of Boston. I will also be giving away a compilation featuring 19 local acts, including Streight Angular, Aloha Sarcophagus and the Diamond Mines. I also want people to hear the diverse and wonderful music that is coming out of Boston!
BBC: What Boston bands are you currently crushing on?
Abram: A Bit Much, who were friends of mine before I heard their awesome music, have only dug themselves in further with their consistently solid live show. Radio Control, Vent, Ketman, Ladderlegs, The Sinbusters, The Darker Hues, Red Quiet, The Woodrow Wilsons, Pile, The Points North, Big Bear, Peace, Loving and the ubiquitous Streight Angular have also found a special place in my heart over the last year. It's a good thing bands don't get jealous when you crush on other bands.
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Don't miss Abram Taber's cross-country summer tour kick off this Saturday, June 26 at the Friendly Square in Medford. Featuring sets from Ketman, Birdorgan, From Sky to Sea, and Abram Taber.
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