beatlanta.com

Album Review and Interview with Jeffrey Butzer – for his “Hiding Plastic Spiders 7” + a video & free music

Review by David Ranew…

 We find ourselves walking in a quaint European town when we turn the corner and suddenly a gypsy carnival has captivated our attention. The new 7″ from Jeffery Butzer and the Bicycle Eaters is an album that builds a visual story with the personality of varied instruments. It is as if each instrument is a character in a film that leaves it up to you to develop a plot. This one is a genius of collaboration and mixing.
Locusts

We get the feeling of anticipation that something great is happening. The song holds your attention and is like walking into a story of your own design. A bit Irish jig and a bit carnival you think this can only get better.

Hiding Plastic Spiders

This one is a bit playful and childish with a great flow of strings and piano duet. It’s calm, relaxing, and dreamy. The use of instruments in the progression of a story builds and starts to define definite images.

Scribner

A high pitch Fur Elise thrusts you quickly into a carnival atmosphere. Something almost gypsy makes use want to scream yay! or oi! This is a dancy tune you can move your feet to.

She Traded Her Leg

A bit more emotional and melancholy than the rest with the cello taking a definite driving force makes us bit sad. Or, is that hope that we hear?

Stairs

With the last song on the album the fiddle and accordion hold no bars back with a guitar whine that takes makes the personality of each instrument clear to the listener. A great end to something pleasing and leaves you with lasting self made images.

=====

The Interview

B: Who is playing the varied instruments throughout the album?

I play accordion, piano and a couple other things on the album. Chad Shivers on guitar, Kristin Haverty on cello, Bill Brisby on bass and Eric Balint on marimba, glockenspiel, resonator bells, and percussion. And we got the amazing Mark Carbone to drum on two of the tracks.

B: I see a lot of final mixes. How many times will you remix the song up before deciding on a final version. What is that process like?

This is the first time I haven’t mixed my own music. Luci the producer on it has been mixing. Normally it doesn’t take me too long to mix. This was a little harder.?This was the first time I recorded with a band. Normally I multi-track parts and sometimes I’ve brought in people afterwards. For this, we recorded several of us live in the room, then over dubbed the cello and a couple small things.?

B: What is your favorite song on the album?

I think Hiding Plastic Spiders. Chad wrote the second melody and Mark came up with the drum idea and it completely flipped the song around. That is sort of how the Bicycle Eaters work. I come in with flour and eggs and they turn it into cake somehow.

B:  Do you have a video from the album or a favorite song we can post on the website?

Yes, my friend Gea made one and is working on ideas for a second. It turned out really nice. And Roger Ebert re-posted it on his FB page….

Get a free track from Jeffrey Butzer’s “Hiding Plastic   Spiders 7”