Event

No. 052 Shitty Barn Session: PHOX & Paul Otteson

Sometimes unfortunate circumstances lead to fortuitous events. Such is the case with the 9/26 Barn Session. Originally, ZETI (nee Pezzetino) was scheduled to perform. Alas, an unexpected cancellation sent us into a little frenzy of "Wilco Tango Foxtrot to do?" But the fortunes smiled on us and delivered two artists we have lusted after (in a musical kind of way) to our doorstep: PHOX and Paul Otteson. Love supreme, friends.

Paul Otteson first came to the Barn to support John Statz, whereupon he slipped us a copy of his recent record "Robin Red". Barn designer Erin Fuller whispered that it was one of her faves, so we gave it some time. Oscar Mike Golf is that a crazy-ass good album!!! Brother man is the Honey Nut Cheerio of chamber folk: melodically smooth, vocally sweet and a little rhythmically nutty. And it sounds great with a glass of milk.

As for PHOX, when you imagine what it's like to be young, inspired, live in a band house and have everything you touch turn into good art, you are imagining PHOX. We started paying attention to this Baracrew early this year and thought "wow, they've got something going on, but what the hell is it?" And as we keep listening, they keep amazing and surprising, with music that gets ever more refined through the utter freedom and creative optimism of youth rather than the constipated reflective/reactive expressive arrogance of age and experience. Everything is possible in Phox-town and nothing is bound by history. What a hoot!