The Essex Green hail from Brooklyn, New York amidst tall buildings and twenty-four hour cafeterias. And while their location in space-time is within the hustle and bustle of the big city, their hearts remain on location, filming The Movie without the bus, up the country--with nature in all her glory.
This Elephant 6 node began in 1997 with a split-7" record with the Sixth Great Lake, a band composed primarily of members in the Essex Green and the Ladybug Transistor. The Essex Green include Tim Barnes, Jeff Baron, Sasha Bell, Chris Ziter and Mike Barrett. Their music is often in minor chords, amongst a folk-psychedelic tradition--the Zombies, the Kinks, the Band, the Animals, even first-album era Grateful Dead. With a rich, harmonious combination of organs, high and low-strung guitars, flute, melodica, drums, bass, acoustic guitar, and occaisonal synthesizers, the Essex Green bring to the genre a flawless approach--at once inherently postmodern but without any irony. Just honesty.
They give away stickers saying: Save our open spaces.
I recently had the opportunity to see them live. Hearing new songs, adding a layer of understanding of the members as people--even getting to talk a tiny bit with a few of them. Great people doing what means most, namely saving the world in whatever way comes natural to them.
They then released an album on Kindercore Records, Everything is Green. Featuring the vocal stylings of almost each member of the band, including Sasha Bell's unique chords, many classic songs were introduced into the psychedelia-hungry ears of Elephant 6 listeners. Mrs. Bean, Everything is Green, and Primrose quickly became favorites of many listeners--and music magazines. CMG Monthly put Mrs. Bean on a CD sampler, calling the Essex Green "a band to watch" in 1999. Magnet Magazine has followed with coverage as well.
In 2000 the eponymous EP was released, rich in harmonies and skilled production techniques. A definite step forward from their debut album.
Tracklist
- Fabulous Day
- Trees
- Chester
- New Orleans
- Bald
This EP has recently been rereleased by the band for sale at shows with seven new songs from various singles and demo tapes. These new tracks include March to the Green, Monkey Man, Kate, My Guitar's Too Cool For Me, The Crow, Diwali, Always After X-Mas, and All Summer Long.
They can be reached by e-mail at essex@essexgreen.com and maintain a website at www.essexgreen.com. A new record is in the works for both the Essex Green and the Sixth Great Lake.
Source: www.elephant6.com