Tonstartssbandht is one of those bands which occupy that very rare dimension in music defying categorization. Psychedelic-rock, pastoral vocals, pop undertones, rock-n-roll and lo-fi are all terms that could be used to describe the staggering amount of music that the American band has put out in the past six years.
Brothers Edwin (drum, vocals) and Andy White (guitar, vocals) are the men behind Tonstartssbandht, (and if you are scratching your head trying to figure out how to pronounce the name, the answer can be found in the intro of their 2009 album An When, in which an android-like female voice answers “Ton-starts-bandit” to the question “What’s the name of your band?”).
Originally from Florida and now living in Brooklyn, the two brothers have a peculiar creative process when it comes to both making and performing their music. Since the 90’s, they have lived in different cities across Canada and the States. This detachment has forced them to record vocals and instrumental pieces separately, exchange them via e-mail, and practice together whenever they had the chance to meet. A musical playfulness and curiosity backed by strong musicianship has allowed them to produce such a diverse range of sounds throughout the years as well as unique live performances.
There is a strong connection with the audience and the place in which they perform. Whether in a kitchen, a small bar or a big venue, the show evolves depending on the conditions or restrictions of each setting. This flexibility gives room for the two musicians to explore where these variables take their music and how it organically develops into something new and different every time.
The results are enthralling and devoid of the pretentiousness and muddiness often associated with experimental performances. On the contrary, the two Floridian siblings’ repertoire includes catchy tracks like Black Country and enchanting electronic-choral pieces like 5FT7. Besides Tonstartssbandht, Edwin and Andy have their own solo careers recorded under the names of Eola and Andy Boay, respectively. When they come together, their musical differences blend effortlessly in a renewed sound that brings out the best of the two musicians.
Since 2009, they have released 11 albums. The latest, Overseas, is the culmination of their collaborations. It consists of 18 tracks the duo recorded live throughout their tour in Europe last year. The album embodies their prolific career as well as the ever-changing flow and texture of their music.
This is undoubtedly a band that needs to be heard live, and the good news is, as part of their tour in South-East Asia and Asia, they are playing at Saigon Outcast on the 13th of December before moving on to Cama Atk in Hanoi.
[Photo via Arbutus Records]
