The Definite Articles are interested in pursuing the fine line between rock music and chamber ensemble. What does it mean to give traditional band instruments (guitar, bass, drums) equal weight against those from the classical tradition (cello, oboe, trumpet)?
Some musical outfits have drawn from this deep well over the years: ELO, The Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens. But it remains a woefully under-explored field, and since their formation in 2006, The Def Arts have spent a great number of ...
The Definite Articles are interested in pursuing the fine line between rock music and chamber ensemble. What does it mean to give traditional band instruments (guitar, bass, drums) equal weight against those from the classical tradition (cello, oboe, trumpet)?
Some musical outfits have drawn from this deep well over the years: ELO, The Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens. But it remains a woefully under-explored field, and since their formation in 2006, The Def Arts have spent a great number of evenings hiding away in their practice space, trying to figure it out.
If and when this band is commercially successful, however, perhaps their audience would never notice the fusion. It would be easy to make a mess of this challenge, to be dismissed as gimmicky or niche. But in a perfect world, on perfect albums, each instrument hangs together in a way that colludes best with the music. You gotta reach for the stars, right? Spirit fingers, and all that.
So keep an eye out for this band. They've carved out quite the task for themselves, but they've got the talent and the drive to do it justice.
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