NMF4: Saturday Sirens/Gregg Standridge/Man-made Objects
Rock, country and shoegaze in a row
April 29th, 2011
After arriving too early at Blackwatch Stage for Unwed Sailor, I also arrived too early at Opolis for ManMade Objects. Instead, I caught the end of Saturday Sirens' frantic set. They were really pounding on their instruments and voices. It was a pretty impressive ruckus with a lot of movement.
Heading up the street, I stopped in at Bluebonnet Stage and listened to Gregg Standridge's country/folk/Southern rock amalgam. His band was sharp, and the sound was tight as a result. Ranging from outlaw country to ballads to crunchy tunes, the
band went through a wide range of sounds. Each was pulled off impressively,
not showing any signs of preference or of weakness.
After thoroughly enjoying Standridge's music, I returned to Opolis to
actually catch Man-Made Objects. Their tunes fell in the space between psych
and shoegaze, which made for a woozy, mind-melding experience. The band
didn't move around much, but they made up for their lack of motion in
dissonant volume. Fans of reverb and My Bloody Valentine should perk up
their ears.
The Norman Transcript
May 6, 2011
NORMAN — Gregg Standridge
“Songs About Trains and the People Inside”
(Witch Sermon Productions)
I was fortunate to cross paths with Gregg Standridge at this year’s Norman Music Festival and snag his new album.
Standridge is well-known in our music scene, both as a singer/songwriter and a guitar instructor here for decades. He has an unmistakable voice that’s gently sincere and comforting to hear. Standridge is the kind of pedagogue who looks forward to learning from his students and even thanks them in these liner notes for the privilege of doing so.
He’s also a guy rich with musician and vocalist friends. Fourteen Norman musicians perform throughout these 17 original tracks. There’s a children’s chorus for the song titled “Clyde” with five more names.
This is obviously a theme record, but don’t come away with the impression that it’s just railroad tunes. The “train” is more a metaphor for life’s journey, the people we meet along the way and how that experience is more important than the destination.
The music is a good amalgam of thoughtful folk, gutsy Red Dirt and cerebral rock. The level of musicianship by all is first-rate. Standridge wisely taps a wealth of sweet female back-up vocalists who add immeasurable depth to several compositions. His lyrics could be described as poetically realistic, coming from a life of careful observation with its share of pain, joy and dreams.
The CD package itself is highly artistic, utilizing vintage 19th century photographs from when trains were America’s most important connector.
Get this delightful disc at www.greggstandridge.com.
