Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
January 18, 2007 issue
Nashville’s Oblio Plays Boone Saloon Saturday, January 20
Story by David Brewer
The four members of Nashville-based band Oblio ate, slept and drank the music on their most recent release. They slept in the studio, waking up to tackle the often mind-numbing process of recording head-on. The resulting disc certainly attests to the band’s dedication, but even more so to their talent as an effective songwriting and performing unit.
On Saturday, January 20, Oblio will perform at the Boone Saloon. The show will start at 10:30 p.m.
Coming together three years ago when the remnants of a reggae band that featured a budding singer-songwriter decided to collaborate on a CD, Oblio has gelled in ways that the members didn’t see coming, ways that show up repeatedly on Create The Night Part 1.
Though the disc is actually an EP that clocks in at slightly less than a half hour long, the effort is the band’s most collaborative effort to date. According to band member Travis Vance, the band road-tested the songs before taking them into the studio.
“We’re trying to write and play songs that we think people will like,” said Vance. “We try to make organic music that people will respond to.”
Describing Oblio’s music is a tricky matter. The term indie rock could be used in a pinch, though the band’s sound relies heavily on nuanced 1970s rock and pop influences. An insistently jazzy undertow provided by drummer and percussionist Ben Dumas adds to the unpredictability of the songs. At times, lead singer Terry Price recalls a relaxed, more baritone Ryan Adams, though not so much to be distracting.
Vance has no reservations about professing the band’s love for the music of rock’s golden era of the 1970s as well as his fascination with soul music. The band counts among its musical heroes Neil Young, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Everly Brothers and Otis Redding, as well as several more modern influences. “Old music is like wine, it gets better when it’s older,” said Vance.
While there are drawbacks to covering a great deal of musical territory, Oblio seems to do so in a manner that charms listeners into thinking that they invented these musical styles, seamlessly integrating the elements into an intoxicating and dreamy sound.
Part of what enables Oblio’s unique musical existence is the band members’ penchant for trading instrumental duties. With Vance, Price and band member Mike Martel each tackling multiple instruments and vocals, Oblio’s sonic arsenal is a large one. “The process is what makes it all worthwhile,” said Vance.
While the group members are still working their day jobs, the band is growing. In the last three years, the band’s music has been played on more than 200 college and AAA radio stations while the quartet has toured considerably on the East Coast. Recently, one of the band’s songs reached #118 on the college radio chart. While that feat might not stagger readers, the band was thrilled.
“We’re making it happen, so it has been empowering,” said Vance. “We’ve had a good response from people all over the country.”
Vance said that Oblio hopes to record tracks for Creating The Night Part 2 at some point during the first half of 2007. Until then, the band plans to tour hard behind Part 1.
To hear songs by Oblio, click to www.myspace.com/oblio.
Want To Go?
Date: Saturday, January 20
Time: 10:30 p.m.
Location: Boone Saloon
Cost: $6