On this glorious last day of classes, studying on Friday night for upcoming finals sounds like an abysmal activity. Luckily, to aid in your quest for procrastination (or pure fun if you’re already done by then), guitarist Todd Clouser is playing a show at the Frequency Friday night that will be sure to musically please you.
Clouser and his band will play selections from his most recent album, A Love Electric, and a few covers of songs from bands like Gorillaz and Led Zepplin.
Clouser is a difficult musician to classify, hence the lack of a genre to describe him not written above. On his website, the following styles are listed under “genre”: rock, jazz, folk, jam band and instrumental. Some bands tend to give themselves a broader description for marketing purposes, but listen to any track on Clouser’s album and you’ll realize that the guitarist really does incorporate a multitude of genres in nearly every song. The most prominent genres poking through the rich musical texture are ’70s rock, groove and modern jazz.
“I think that need we have to label everything just makes it simpler for us to digest, and it cheapens everything,” Clouser said in a recent interview with The Badger Herald. “[My music] is the product of everything I like listening to.”
Clouser is passionate about a wide variety of musical genres and artists, which is clearly audible in his work.
“If we just played [saxophonist John Coltrane’s] Giant Steps for six hours, I’m gonna go home and listen to Tom Waits for a week,” he said.
Tracks on A Love Electric like “Bobby White in the City” feature an up-tempo, jazz bebop feel. Melodic lines seem to float out of the trumpet and guitar while maintaining high, vibrant energy. “Meet Me At The Polo Grounds” is a heavy-duty mixture of jazz, rock and a bit of funk. Tracks like “Littlest Number” and “Jimena” are laid back both in tempo feel and genre mixing.
The album also features two covers: a nuanced version of Harry Nilsson’s “One” and a soulfully emotional rendition of Rufus Wainwright’s “Hallelujah.”
Listening to the album is an exploration of many different musical styles and how they can fit together. Clouser said his music is not unlike the way people listen to their favorite music – usually they do not isolate themselves in listening to just one genre of music, so he doesn’t limit himself to play one genre at a time.
Instead of creating unnecessary musical boundaries like constricting labels and exclusive genres, Clouser emphasized musicians should play what they feel.
“When I play live, I’m playing with so many different people, it’s this constantly evolving thing,” he said.
His band is comprised of members from his hometown of Minneapolis. The band includes Greg Schutte on drums, Adam Meckler on trumpet and Chris Bates on bass.
The show will be high energy and a great way to cool down for a weekend of finals, procrastination or winter break preparation.
Tickets are $7 or $5 if dressed for the Venice House Trolley Winter Carnival. Visit www.madisonfrequency.com for more information.
