Free Download!

On March 26, 2009 we played a live set at the Linda in Albany, NY. The show aired a few days later on WAMC Northeast Public Radio. We were so happy with the recordings (thanks to excellent house engineering by Kristin Gilbert and Ben Morgan and recording/mixing by Adam Clairmont) that we decided to make them available as a free download HERE.

We trimmed it down to what we thought were the best songs, including four from Animal Sounds and three previously unreleased tracks. Please enjoy!

Are you the neighbors?

Last week Dylan and I made the surprisingly short trip to The Copperworks in Pittsfield, MA. According to their website, “The Copperworks is the destination for an innovative do-it-yourself community focusing on new media arts, bicycle culture, and green technologies.” Just a little over a year ago, the old brick warehouse that once housed the Pittsfield Cornice Works, was in a state of disrepair. The hard work of a few local artists has transformed the space. In addition to vintage bicycle tinkering, cabaret art classes, and outdoor movie showings, Copperworks hosts some surprisingly big name bands (though really they’re still pretty small names) from the indie-folk to avant garde.

We went to check out the Seattle-based trio, The Dead Science who stopped on their way between New York and Montreal. Early this spring, Vetiver was touring in support of their latest album Tight Knit out on SubPop and made Copperworks their last stop in the US.

Despite the old timey admission ticket and custom drawn stamp that you receive at the door, the overall atmosphere is relaxed and informal. There’s a small stage in the corner. The exposed brick walls are adorned sparsely with found art. And, of course, there are bikes.

On the drive home we decided that there ought to be more places like this. We agreed that, inevitably, there would be, especially as the price of gas rises and people continue to return to the more enriching living arrangements that small walkable cities provide.

Speaking of which, a similar type of venue popped up closer to home in the city of Troy within the last year. Located at 51 3rd Street, and known by the same, this mixed-use art/music/performance space is also home to the Troy Bike Rescue.

This Thursday, Albany’s own The Rain in Spain (if you haven’t checked them out already, what are you waiting for?) will be playing host to two Denver bands on their way through the Area.

51 3rd says:
Denver's The Kissing Party, perhaps the best damn jangle pop outfit west of Chicago, promise to snap, crackle, and pop along with precise songsmithing and bouncy melodies. Combining cleverness with emotion, the Kissing Party make the perfect songs to put on mixtapes to woo that cute boy or girl at school. Back when kids used to do those sorts of things.

Touring with the Kissing Party are Denver's The Jim Jims. Angular guitars, pounding drums, and desperate vocals create a red hot post-punk explosion.

Garage Bands in The Garage

The Albany Public Library is hosting some great local music this summer at the Garage Bands in the Garage concert series. The kickoff is this Friday and we're sharing the bill with Ben Karis-Nix, Ashley Pond Band (who just released their first record as a trio), and Mysteios.

The free after-hours, all ages rock shows take place on the third Friday of each month this summer from 6 to 8 p.m. in the garage at the Main Library’s back entrance on Elk Street. You can hear some great local bands, get a library card and check out books from the Bookmobile, and buy used CDs (just $1 each, or $1 for a grab bag of 5 mystery CDs without cases) retired from the library’s collection at the Garage Bands Garage Sale.

Grab a lawn chair, pack a picnic dinner, and enjoy some great music at the Main Library this summer at the Garage Bands in the Garage concerts.

The rest of the summer looks like this:

July 17: We Are Jeneric, Space Lounge

August 21: Tern Rounders, the Black Fuel

September 18: Red Haired Strangers, Rattling Baddlies

Sea of Trees Weekend Retreat

In pursuit of data, information, and, ultimately, KNOWLEDGE, we'll be retreating to a secret location in the nature for the weekend. Hopefully some fun recordings will result.

Sunday Night, upon our return, we'll be playing a very pleasant evening of music at Red Square with our friends Cats Don't Have Souls and guests Finding Fiction.

If we weren't going to be away, we'd be at Valentine's Saturday night for Ashley Ponds CD Release. SHUCKS!

The guiro is often called "The Fish"

The güiro is a percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a wooden stick ("pua") along the notches to produce a ratchet-like sound. The güiro is commonly used in Latin-American music, and plays a key role in the typical cumbia rhythm section.

The Sea of Tree's fish will played with some serious flare tomorrow night (May 12) at Savannah's. Starts at 8:30 and it's totally free.

In other news...you can now pick up Animal Sounds at Last Vestige in Albany for 5 bucks!

Spring Happenings

Hello! We have some exiting new things to share!

First, our next Albany show is in two weeks, on May 12, over at Savannah's. It'll be the first since our cd release, which already seems like it was forever ago. Even though it really wasn't. Thanks one more time to everyone who came out, braved the Easter hangover, and made it such a fun show!

After that, in June, we'll be having what will be the first of many Yellow Polka Dot Tours, where we make little three or four night jaunts around the northeast. There's another one in the works for August! Details are over at our myspace page. www.myspace.com/seaoftreesalbany

Later in June, we'll be making our first appearance in the collar city. Love it over there. Nathan Meltz, who provided the artwork for 'Animal Sounds' that we get so many nice comments about, sets up shows in a little space at 51 3rd Street and we're really happy to be participating in one.

Listen! There is a new old song up on our myspace. Raccoon (with a Sword Paw).

Finally, we're in the process of getting the Crumbs Night Out show that we did at the Linda back in March up on our page as a free download. So keep checking back!

Questions? Concerns? Odd Requests?

Just ask!

WRPI, the Linda, and a CD Release Show!

Hi Everyone.

We have some really exciting stuff coming up that we want to share with you all:

-Tonight (3/24), at 8PM, we're playing two full sets live on the air over at WPRI in Troy. You came stream in online at http://www.wrpi.org/. It's going to be totally live, with no delay. They even gave us the 7 words you can't say on the radio speech. So who knows WHAT will happen.

-Later this week...Thursday (3/26) - Crumbs Nite Out at the Linda Norris Auditorium in Albany. Doors are at 6PM and we'll start shortly thereafter. We're playing 45 minutes of music and being interviewed by Howard Glassman from Valentines/WAMC between sets. There will be a panel discussion on songwriter royalties after the show. The folks over at Crumbs.net have been hosting these monthly events for a year or so now and they seem to be going over pretty well!

-Finally...and this is the big one...Our CD RELEASE show will be Saturday, April 11 at Valentine's. Doors are at 7:30. There's a $7 cover that includes a free copy of our debut full-length 'Animal Sounds.' Very very special guests Matthew Loiacono, Severe Severe, and The Rain in Spain will rounding out the bill. And, members of some of those bands will be joining us on stage for a few of our songs. So, it's going to be a real hootenanny!

Hope to see you soon!

Camp SOT