Spring Break
'Progressive' grass band to play Theatre
JOHN BARRETT
Issue date: 2/14/08 Section: Out & About
"We spent the majority of our first 10 years as a band trying to be the best bluegrass band possible," Kaufmann said. "But somewhere along the way, we realized that we had become so focused on that that we'd stopped paying attention to the other influences that we grew up with."
This realization led to a turning point in Yonder Mountain's approach to its music, resulting in its latest - and its most diverse and ambitious - studio release, a self-titled album in 2006.
"Our influences don't always necessarily combine that easily - you have to be careful when you're doing it," Kaufmann said. "So we spent a whole year in the studio making a record that marked the beginning of our transition into less strictly bluegrass music and more of this combination of our influences."
The band doesn't plan to abandon its roots, however, and promises that the "heady beat" and "fast-paced, driving energy" of traditional bluegrass music remain prominent in their music.
In lieu of its upcoming performance in the Classic City, Kaufmann claims the on-stage environment captures the band at its best.
"We are a live band," he said. "You can listen to hundreds of our recordings of us playing, but until you see the live show chances are you're not gonna get it."
This realization led to a turning point in Yonder Mountain's approach to its music, resulting in its latest - and its most diverse and ambitious - studio release, a self-titled album in 2006.
"Our influences don't always necessarily combine that easily - you have to be careful when you're doing it," Kaufmann said. "So we spent a whole year in the studio making a record that marked the beginning of our transition into less strictly bluegrass music and more of this combination of our influences."
The band doesn't plan to abandon its roots, however, and promises that the "heady beat" and "fast-paced, driving energy" of traditional bluegrass music remain prominent in their music.
In lieu of its upcoming performance in the Classic City, Kaufmann claims the on-stage environment captures the band at its best.
"We are a live band," he said. "You can listen to hundreds of our recordings of us playing, but until you see the live show chances are you're not gonna get it."
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