“Nophi, a music company here in Atlanta run by Randy Garcia (producer, NoPhest, R_Garcia, Nerd Parade, and more), recently put out yet another amazing compilation of local Atlanta music. Highlights on the album include Jungol’s “Fast Asleep,” Blee’s Company’s “Fuzzy Wuzzy” and Sonen’s “Head Down.” The entire compilation, however, is a superb collection of some of Atlanta’s finest bands that knows no genre lines. The compilation is the 4th in a series put out by Nophi that no doubt aims to showcase the vast array of Atlanta’s thriving music community. I think it does an excellent job. We’ve heard of many of the bands on the album but not enough to call it a showcase of only well known bands. It includes some well known artists that deserve more exposure and it does a good job of providing listeners with some more deserving but lesser known artists as well….particularly, in my opinion, Blee’s Company, Capibara, Sonen and Cassavetes. Buy the album and be a part of Atlanta music history.”
Read the article, and much more about Atlanta music right HERE
Atlanta-based Cassavetes, whose song “If I Had Eyes” appears on Nophi Presents: Compilation Four, recently welcomed a new Full-length disc to the family. Faja Bluesis a short, sweet and expertly-crafted collection of songs, ranging from the driving arena rock of “Young Hearts” through the Casiotone pulse of “You Know, I’m Writing you a Letter”, the punky “People Get Old (Older People)” and the drunken folk epic: “I Dreamed I Had a Heart Attack.”
Two things that immediately catch our attention are the brilliant production and attention to musical detail that Faja Blues offers in its deciptively minimalist arrangements. Singer/Songwriter Robbie Horlick’s voice is as unique as it is convincing — and the balance of the album’s instrumentation works to support it while pushing each song forward in a captivating manner.
As a side note, Faja Blues also boasts the mastering prowess of Mr. Rodney Mills, the man responsible for the first few Skynyrd records (Sweet Home Alabama, Simple Man, and Free Bird), .38 Special, Doobie Bros, and many more, including The Winston’sAmen Brother, which as you might know, yielded the iconic “AMEN” Drum loop, which singlehandedly launched the Jungle and Drum & Bass genres and can be heard everywhere from NWA to T.V.’s Futurama Theme song. Not a bad bunch of credits (if we do say so ourselves.)
We had the pleasure of attending the packed-out Faja Blues release show on Saturday, September 25 at the Drunken Unicorn and were treated to some inspired renditions of the recorded material by a mostly new Cassavetes line-up. Virgin members or not, the band sounded quite steeped in the music and slid effortlessly through the many facets of Horlick’s songwriting – at times reaching for various banjos, shakers, strings and keyboards along the way.
At the Cassavetes merch table, we noticed a very cool handmade limited edition version of Faja Blues available for purchase directly from the band — however, there is also a more “manufactered” version of the disc available directly from the Brooklyn, NY label, Goodnight Records.
You can keep up with Cassavetes on their minimalist, yet informative Official Website. And for those who wish to support all things Horlick, Check out Robbie’s side-project, Book Club, which features members of “Cassavetes, Oryx & Crake, and probably more.”
Listen to Cassavetes “If I had Eyes” from Nophi Presents: Compilation Four:
“Nophi Recordings’ fourth sampler has been available for download through the label’s website since Sept. 1, but it gets a physical release Thurs., Sept. 16. Although there is a strong electronic lean to Nophi’s output, the compilation covers a broad swath of Atlanta’s indie rock scenes as well. Even label owner Randy Garcia’s (aka R_Garcia) contribution, a song titled “The Year 100,000,” takes shape as a muddy Ramones-style approach to his typical electro/experimental sound.
“We are in love with all kinds of music and want to support Atlanta unconditionally, even when we bitch about it,” Garcia says. “We are blown away by how many great bands there are here, so it seemed natural that we gravitate toward capturing the music of Atlanta that isn’t given prominence in popular press. Everyone knows how great Mastodon and Deerhunter are. But few people know what else Atlanta is capable of.”
Other artists on the compilation include Sonen, Social Espionage, Cassavetes and more, with 20 tracks in all.”
