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Reviews : Nine Lucid Dreams
Two Loons For Tea, "Nice Lucid Dreams" Two Loons For Tea's Nine Lucid Dreams extends the spell cast on Looking For Landmarks and their eponymous debut, the songs coasting in and out of acoustic trip hop dreamstates with all the surety of a Seattle rainstorm. Recorded in part at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studios, Nine Lucid Dreams tugs at country heartstrings yet with a bluesy electronic edge borne of Pro Tools efficiency and dance floor DJ demographics. It's Scott's unique vocals that provide the emotional sustenance; she's a star in the making, her wailing, bad-girl-longing-for-love allure captivating from start to finish. Tremulous and knee tingling, Scott is equal parts organic earth child, teasing sex kitten and crooning soul sistah. You can practically see her change from sleepy chanteuse to all powerful soothsayer in "Sunset Room," the song bubbling with jazzy Rhodes piano, bustling brushed drums and atmospheric electronic blurps and bleeps. Scott's lyrics are equally enchanting, framing "Sunset Room" as a "portal to another world, where we have no need for clothes or shoes...and I will show you what I'm made of." And..."dreaming on clouds of saffron and silk, bathed in golden light we defy gravity completely." Is this is one of the best descriptions ever of the LSD experience or has Scott mastered the elusive ESO (Extended Sexual Orgasm) technique practiced by Tantric masters from Sting to Johnny the Wadd? Either way, she transports us to another world, for sure. "Monkey" is less dream-sexual, more Saturday night chill fantastic. Like a flowing trip hop version of Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do," Monkey kicks a mean blues beat with halo electronic effects, while Scott demands that you "Put your hands on the monkey." Rickie Lee Jones got nothing on this! Kochmer's jam bag of composer treats gets it due on the below the border surge of "Consuela." Swaying like a bent outtake from Los Lobos, "Consuela" is all whispered spoken word vocals, chattering bongos, glowing vibraphones and spooky rumba beat. Like a scene from Orson Welles' Touch of Evil, "Consuela" remains a mystery long after the song has finished, "hummingbirds melt in the dark" little more than a mental tease as you pass through its Mexican shanty town in song, parched, paranoid, and sleepless. "Sarah Scott has one of the purest voices in pop music... [Nine Lucid Dreams] features her dreamy vocals over Portishead influenced trip-hop and spacey, ambient pop... strings, keys, drums and horns... create a And with their most recent release, Nine Lucid Dreams, the dreamy duo Two Loons for Tea have crafted an album destined to fill every canal in your ears and every room in your residen with their lush beauty. Seattle denizens Sarah Scott and Jonathan Kochmer travel to great lengths as they explore the far reaches of the band’s sonic palette, all while centering their explorations on solid ambient pop sensibilities. So, if you’re on the lookout for an album that was created in two of the more stunning atmospheres on this continent and that is able to create an equally awe-inspiring atmosphere in your neck of the woods, then you’d be well served to obtain yourself a copy of Nine Lucid Dreams from Two Loons for Tea." (Amplifier : -- Adam P. Newton) Reviews : Looking For Landmarks
"Two Loons for Tea could open for Tricky or Willie Nelson and chances are they'd win over either audience."
- Lollipop Magazine "No other group is doing what Two Loons is doing... exemplifies the way modern music ought to be played." - Yale Daily News "All that can be sensual, mysterious, and sexy about pop music is found in this album... expertly executed... flawless, organic production. And despite the album's smarts and complexity it's as accessible as anything on the radio today... Pop hasn't seen anything this sophisticated since The Police's 'Synchronicity'". - Amazon.com "This is a top-quality band... I don't know why Two Loons shouldn't be huge... Each song is a carefully constructed landscape of ethereal, slightly jazzy music and chanteuse vocals. With lesser bands this can lead to a contrived atmosphere, but it works to a 'tea' here. There's no real point in talking about individual tracks; the album works best as a whole, as the group leads you from place to place. 'Looking for Landmarks' is like a journey to outer space, and it's easy to lose yourself in their unique world." - Shotgun Reviews "The best way to describe the Seattle duo, Two Loons for Tea, is hypnotic. Their uniquely smooth and meaningful sound is truly a fresh breath of air. They have the edgy sound of rock band but still hold on to its "chill" factor, that puts it into the same category of bands like Radiohead and Blur. This band takes a leap of faith, hoping that their audience is ready to drop the current empty pop sound for a return to a more robust musical style with layers of sound and introspective lyrics. Each song has tastes of jazz, rock and pure poetry that all mixes to create a strangely great new sound. "Looking for Landmarks," their current album, demands to be listened to with songs such as "Blue Suit" and their title track "Landmarks." Each song, with distinct lyrical value, creates a "chill" sound. The listener is drawn deeper and deeper into the album as it progresses, seemingly because of both the musical depth and the ability of the lyrics to fit each and every person... Two Loons for Tea have undeniable poetic value and musical talent. Do yourself a favor and take a listen to this powerful band..." - Ventura College Press, Ventura, CA "...a cinematic, ethereal and sensual musical journey." - Music Connection, Los Angeles "...beautifully crafted, one of the most ambitious productions I've heard in awhile, and the finest things here are beguilingly dreamy, cooly seductive and undeniably lovely." - Dream Magazine "...Two Loons For Tea music takes on a magic trip hop, electronica, alternative pop, quality that is not easy to describe. Their seducing hypnotic blend of melodic lyrics and sounds embraces the listener's soul and holds on tight. Sarah Scott's haunting vocals and Jonathan Kochmer's weaving guitar & effects take you on a unique mystical adventure... The Title cut of the new CD "Looking For Landmarks" is a delightful song which certainly merits tons of radio play." - (submitted by visitor fromMusic4Site) "...a paragon of maturity in a world of live-for-the-moment pop songsters... Rock takes a chill pill & puts on its thinking cap." - Live365.com "The Seattle duo of guitarist Jonathan Kochmer and vocalist Sarah Scott otherwise known as Two Loons for Tea gathered another stellar group of musicians for thier sophomore release. Once again working with musicans whose credits include King Crimson, Brian Eno, Elton John and Galactic, Two Loons' 'Looking for Landmarks' is another pristine and intricate collection of soulful alternative rock. The songwriting, while melodic and memorable, also addresses a wide array of musical styles from ambient to funk. Scott's clear voice often sounds something like The Sundays' Harriet Wheeler on a serious Marvin Gaye jag. Complimenting this is Kochmer's guitar and keyboards which have as much in common with Sam Prekop as The Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie. All in all, Landmarks pushes the boundaries of adult-alternative pop." - All Music Guide "The title track 'Looking for Landmarks' is soothing and makes me want to close my eyes and slow dance while holding a martini in one hand and a cigarette in the other... 'Blue Suit' stands out not only because it's a little different from others on the disc but it's also a very catchy 'radio friendly' song...This is great mood music, if the mood you're trying to set is swoonful and sexy..." - Collected Sounds "...as moody as it is sweet and as sexy as it is delicate... If you've been looking for something that will put some magic in the room (and in your heart) we recommend you drink this special blend of Tea." -Girlmedia "The second album from Seattle duo Jonathan Kochmer (guitar) and Sarah Scott (vocals) is a subtle delight, with 11 tracks of the delicately textured, atmospheric pop for which Two Loons for Tea has become known. Why they aren't more known is a mystery; with well-crafted, professionally performed songs and a host of guest musicians (including Brad Houser, Matt Chamberlain, Skerik, and Eyvind Kang), Two Loons for Tea have created a quietly stunning CD. The first track, "Blue Suit," is somewhat more energetic than their first self-titled CD might lead one to expect, and it sets the tone for the remainder of the album. While "Dying for Love" has a singer-songwriter sort of feel (you know what I mean), it's also got a highly danceable beat. "She's Not Worth the Worry" is a fairly typical example of what this duo does best: beginning with percussion, it adds layers of instrumentation as the song continues. "Shape of Strange" begins similarly, but goes on to establish a jazzier presence. That's the other thing about Two Loons for Tea; as soon as you think you've got a handle on them, they do something to surprise you." -Cathy Dyer, The Tablet Magazine Layered with sound, powerfully guitar-based, and bound together with Sarah Scott's yearning raspy-honey voice, this album is a wonder, a sophomore album that plays on all the strengths of their first album. The tunes and lyrics are catchy; the production is rich but never cluttered. An album to listen to obsessively. These songs are beautiful, memorable, earthy, light and dark and all colours, and they'll take you places as you listen. These songs are edgy and familiar, carefully constructed and layered with sound and yet still fresh and alive with a sense that they haven't been worked to death and allow for serendipity and the delights of invention. I was picking lavendar blossoms when I listened to this disc for the first time, which somehow seemed appropriate--something familiar and yet powerfully fresh and spicy. This is clearly the next step in their musical journey....I know that I'll be able to play this one as much and as obsessively as their first--if not more. Reviews : Two Loons For Tea
Two Loons for Tea's self-titled debut is an innovative and lively recording... at the center of the project are two gifted artists who have eloquently and articulately brought their musical ideas and cross-genre influences to the fore: Jonathan Kochmer and Sarah Scott. Kochmer and Scott's musical and artistic bond is quite apparent on this record, and the unity that you hear in their recordings lets you know that they've mastered the art of collaborative songwriting. Kochmer's introspective guitar playing is the nucleus of the songs that make up this recording, and Scott's vocals and lyrics compliment the guitar so well that it seems that these two individual timbral voices are one. The music on Two Loons for Tea moves between somber and lively; the emotional landscape in between is bridged by a variety of ethnic and orchestral instruments -- including vibes, viola, erhu, and tabla -- that seem to breathe new life into the compositions... providing a bit of an experimental and eclectic streak to most of the works that make up this recording. This is an interesting recording that's quite dark and elusive. This recording has a bit of a singer/songwriter feel, but it's more eclectic and more diverse than most of the recordings in that genre, thus making it hard to pin this down to a specific genre. Fans of good music that's both fresh and interesting will be pleased with t
his release. - Matt Borghi, All Music Guide "An album of tremendous intelligence and range." I have been utterly obsessing over the eponymous debut album of a Seattle group, Two Loons for Tea. This is a wonderful combination of jazz, pop, trip hop, electronica, atmospheric guitar, and great raspy/rich vocals. I've been listening to their files at mp3.com for quite a while, but listening to the album as a whole has been a revelation. There's something about their sound that is just what I want to hear right now -- the mix of smoothness with liveliness and depths of the flowing sound. And of course the great guitar and vocals. Heavenly. "Big fish little pond? Why this band thinks it needs to be on garagband.com or the Internet at all is a complete mystery to me. I'm not saying 'go away you should not be here' -- I'm saying how did it happen that this perfectly produced pop gem wasn't snatched up the instant it left the studio and isn't on ultra heavy rotation already? What the HELL is going on here?" "Dark and brooding work with exquisite vocals inspired by late nights spent with Jarmusch and Borges." "I've been following Two Loons on mp3.com for awhile. It's nice to see a band from mp3 take off. The CD is exactly as the band said. Much warmer on disk. They have a very lush sound that is reminicent of bands from 4AD. Good use of textures and layered sounds make this a great cd to listen to on a breezy late night driving by a lake as the moon reflects off its surface. It's hard not to put tranquil pictures to their music. Best CD of its music type I've heard this year." "Nice trippy ambient vibe. I would buy this and I'd be willing to bet my friends would too." "[Two Loons for Tea is] one of those really good bands not many people have heard of yet. It is to be hoped that this recording, the result of 10 years of collaboration between primary members Jonathan Kochmer and Sarah Scott, will change that; this is really good stuff, although like a lot of really good stuff, it's very difficult to describe. Kochmer, the ensemble’s main instrumentalist and composer, draws on so many musical influences that in less capable hands the result would be a mish-mash, but instead what you get are tuneful, finely crafted soundscapes that might have started life as folk tunes or pop ditties before taking a sharp left turn into experimental territory. Then there's vocalist Scott, who avoids the usual female-vocalist pigeonholes by simply transcending all of them. She may sound like Marianne Faithfull on one song, or like Tori Amos on another, but such comparisons aren't really adequate. Overall, this is intelligent, mind-altering stuff, and it's even legal." "I absolutely LOVE the 2nd track. Who is the sexy woman singer? It absolutely kills! It's very fresh. I like the dark lush exotica of the music. Definitely good "body play" music. The transition from 6 to 7 is sudden and very nice. I'm glad of funky happiness on 5. #8 has me writing to my friend in Italy about Nymphs. The 9th is film-noir beautiful and aching." "Effortless. I get Shawn Colvin, Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley, Sheryl Crow, in fact -- so much more. John Martyn?... Top stuff this. Top stuff." "As a disabled pensioner, who cannot afford to purchase CDs in Australia, where they cost up to $30, I am very grateful that I can download your songs. Hope you have a successful and inspirational year. Peace and Love" "Ear Candy... It's so refreshing to hear such well done, really original music, since what the mainstream (MTV and commercial radio) steadily feeds its listeners is such rehashed pap. Thank you!" "Dark soul music for a new generation great vocals -- and i love the drum 'n' bass beats... good hooks and a strong production. An original sound that contains familiar elements... I hear a Tricky and perhaps Portishead influence. this is the first worthy track I've heard all day... good work!" "Reminds me of Björk... I honestly can't say that about any body else than Björk herself. But still the vocals are still distinctive I think it's the nuances you've made with the background vocals that sound like Björk." "I love you little girl! Best thing I have heard today! I think I'm in love with you." "Moody. I like the eerie melody. Cool feel and groove." "Jungle with real instruments...The jungle-style beat really works great. Liked especially the female vocals, but the whole music works very well." "Great stuff. Very cool song... I loved the voice and the beat is great... Only the second '5' I've given out!" "Purple, sweet, sexy. Very well done. Lilting melodies and beautiful vocals." Moodland. I like the ambient quality. The production is nice. Good clarity on the cymbals. Good percussion all around." "Good Song. I really like the feel of this song from the start. The percussion really adds depth." "Groovy, chilly, good stuff. Freakin' great, good job people" Reviews : Live Performances
- ClutureMob.com
Last night at the Triple Door Musiquarium, this group called Two Loons for Tea described paradise through each tune of their two luminous sets. I was literally taken away to the most beautiful place I've ever been. I was like a young man in love and there was no way out. At the start of the show, I was literally concerned that I would not be able relax enough to enjoy the music. By the second song, all that tension melted away like ice. Two Loons for Tea is the sound of an Australian sunset. The fact that Two Loons for Tea isn't yet a Grammy award winner is a straight up crime. Their live performance works inconspicuously outside the realm of many musical genres, namely Jazz, Blues and Electronica. There was so much soul in the room, truly moving compositions that created a place for every instrument to shine. Singer Sarah Scott and guitarist Jonathan Kochmer make up Two Loons for Tea. They were accompanied by a bassist, a vibe player and drummer Jay Hoots (I was able to get his name). Sarah Scott's voice is sultry and beautiful and uniquely her own, but her presence reminded me of a young Lena Horne. The band moved from the past to the present with complete confidence. It was like listening to a blend of the Roots, Lionel Hampton and Goldfrapp all at once. One minute I was in Philly, then in Sydney and finally back in Seattle. Yes, it was paradise and so I ask again, was it good for you too? Interview : Innocent Words Magazine
(1) How do you write songs? Sarah: Well, there's no consistent formula. Sometimes it seems songs just decide they want to be in existence, and they just pop through. I really don't feel like I write songs, I feel like the songs write themselves.Jonathan: Sarah's being way too mysterious about it! We've got a patent-pending song writing neural interface which I plug into my hippocampus and Sarah's amygdyla -- and for extra feeling, our endocrine systems! The data are fed into genetic algorithms written in our AI programming Loongol, and transcribed direct to iTunes! Actually, for the last two albums, almost all of the songs were written spontaneously in the studio while tape was running, and then we'd build on the original ideas. Most of the finished songs still have most materials from the very first songwriting take, and a couple of tracks ("Eyebrows Are Nature's Makeup", "Dixie it Up!" from "Nine Lucid Dreams", and "Sad Diamonds" from "Looking for Landmarks") are entirely, or almost entirely, the first and only take of the song. So there's always a bit of the original spark of discovery from when the song first popped into being in the recordings. (2) There seem to be some loosely connected themes running through your albums--is there some kind of connection among all the songs? Sarah: I'm not aware of too many themes, except that I always write one song about a prostitute for each album. I have no idea why that is. Jonathan: Musically, there's definitely a continuity through our albums; a consistent almost hypnotic, yearning, or dream-like quality, even in the more upbeat songs like "Monkey". Lots of layering. Sensuality. We hear from a lot of people that it helps them be creative, or relaxed, or thoughtful. Although it's definitely "pop" music, it's got elements of trance, classical, jazz, and european traditional music. I guess we're pretty consistently chill-pop with excursions to many other genres. (3) Where did the inspiration for some of your song lyrics come from? (E.g., such as "Dixie it Up" and "Eyebrows Are Nature's Makeup"?) Sarah: Stream of consciousness... sometimes observing my friends... sometimes it's personal... sometimes I don't even know what it means... sometimes I like to leave it open to the interpreter... and sometimes, it's extremely profound! And sometimes I think to myself "did I REALLY write that?" And sometimes I think to myself, "did I really write THAT?!". Jonathan: I only wrote lyrics on one song on this album, so that's all I can speak for. I wrote the lyrics for "Conseula" while wandering in the desert outside Palm Desert, CA in a near heat-stroke. The words to "Consuela" are the best lines from about 40 pages of scribbling I wrote over several hours in the 110 degree heat. Earlier (4) Jonathan: Have your academic pursuits influenced your musical life in any way? That's a great question, I've been wondering about this myself lately... I think the largest influences have been the work ethic associated with graduate research, and being enthusiastic about lavishing a tremendous attention on tiny details for hours, days or even weeks on end. That's definitely been a big influence in our audio production. I think also that my fields of study have had an influence. I've taken great delight in putting hundreds of subtle almost subliminal sounds in our recordings. I think this comes from my delight in the complexity of the natural world. Even after years listening to "Looking for Landmarks", I still sometimes hear musical critters that surprise me! I wish I could say that years of teaching and public speaking have made me a more confident performer, but they're totally different realms! I've had to learn to get over stage-fright independently. (5) How did you decide to have so many guest musicians, and how do they help define your sound? Sarah: It wasn't really a decision, it's just how it evolved. There were a lot of really good musicians around and available, and we wanted to experiment and work with them. Jonathan: I'd agree. When a drummer like Matt Chamberlain walks up to you after a show, and says "you guys need a drummer, and I'd like to be that drummer" what do you say! You say "YES!" Matt brought a lot of our guests to us, also R. Chris Murphy, who was the initial World class musicians all.These players bring a tremendous amount to our music, absolutely. We are honored to work with them. (6) Do you plan to tour in the near future? How do you perform songs without your guest musicians (or are most of them there)? Sarah: Of course! We're working on it. Yeah we want to and we will. We're talking with our new manager, consulting with our new team, and coming up with the best way. We're always changing and evolving, and we never like to do it the same way twice, it's spontaneous. We don't try to reproduce the record, why should we do that? Live is live! Go home and listen to the record if you want the record. Jonathan: For one tour, we actually had a backup band of seven or eight players from "Looking for Landmarks" sessions, thinking we needed to have a huge band to replicate the record. And then we did a tour with three players, and now we've gotten it down to just us and another player, Tom Armstrong, who plays drums, percussion and samplers, to augment Sarah's vocals and my guitars and loops. And our ironic discovery: no matter how many players we have, we capture the essence of the recordings. And the fewer players we have, the more audiences are liking the live show. The studio allows a musician to do things that are unimaginable in a live performance, and that's one reason we love being the studio. But the core feeling that Sarah and I put into our music is ALWAYS there, even if it's just her voice and me playing acoustic guitar. (7) How does this album differ from your previous albums? Sarah: It's more sophisticated, but less complicated. I think we knew ahead of time more what we wanted, we had a goal in mind this time. It was not meant to be as highly produced as "Looking for Landmarks". Jonathan: Um, I think Sarah's right... I honestly don't know what else to say... it has a different title? (8) While it sounds like you have many influences, can you name a few that come to mind? Sarah: Everything is an influence! And sometimes it's hard to know. Jonathan: I think my influences are actually from my emotional nature, and having grown up in a very rural and lovely part of the world. And being a voracious reader. And traveling. Experimental film. Visual arts. Who I am as a person dictates what kind of music I like, and the music I make, more than the music I like influencing the music I make. (9) How and when did you decide to start your own label, and what was the most difficult part? Sarah: It was Jonathan's idea. It was his follow through, I'll let Jonathan answer. I thought he was crazy! Jonathan: I clearly am crazy, but I'm hoping that I'm crazy like a fox! The traditional record label model is clearly outdated, so we're working on a bunch of new things that will work in this new world that combine my experience with the music industry with my backgrounds in statistics, (10) What are your plans for the future? Jonathan & Sarah: Keep making more music, and get it to the people who want to hear it. Jonathan: By whatever means necessary. BLOGS/PODCASTS/INTERNET RADIO
Blogger? Podcaster? We've made it easy for you to include Sarathan MP3's on your blog or podcast! Just use the code provided in the text files and put them up on your blog! Choose from Sunset Room, Monkey, or Consuela. Visit IODA Promonet for podsafe & freely downloadable tracks. Below are places where you can hear Two Loons For Tea. INTERNET RADIO PODCASTS |