In some music journalism, there has been a division established between sound and song. Roughly, the argument is that those who write songs hearken back to modernist notions of the author and narrative, while those who manipulate sounds (such DJs mixing drums 'n' bass and ambient music) embrace a postmodern eschewing of established forms and structures. Orchestraville, a band that has been writing and evolving for seven years now, defies this opposition and, with a kind of dialectical grace, merges song and sound into something new.

Comprised of guitarist Chris Forbes, bassist Dave Pascoe and drummer Keith Hanlon, Orchestraville creates sophisticated, complex music. Informing their music is both the tradition of the singer/songwriter as well as a definite awareness of the timbre and tone of sounds. As Hanlon says, "On the one hand we're serving up the song, but on the other hand we're trying to create something different. However, we're not just exercising our chops; we're more trying to create a mood." Pascoe adds, "We try to use bass, drums and guitar to the fullest that they can be used. I don't mean that it is busy, but that we try to get the most out of our instruments."

In an unconventional, controlled manner, Orchestraville juxtaposes harmony and dissonance. This combination reflects a craft in their songs and their playing, a cohesiveness that calls attention to the fact that these musicians have been playing together for years. "Like any band, when we first started playing, each musician was fascinated by just hearing himself play and not really listening to everyone else," Pascoe notes. "And then, after while, through some maturity, you start listening to what everyone else is playing. Sometimes some bands never get to that point, but I think we're past that. We can make decisions about how the whole band sounds, instead of going, 'Wait, I can't hear myself so I need to turn myself up.'"

In many ways, maturity -- something not often privileged in the world of rock 'n' roll -- is a significant aspect to Orchestraville's music. This maturity is especially reflected in the lyrics, which tend to be dark but not depressing, plaintive but not despairing, both convoluted and redemptive. Often the lyrics deal with the gaps that exist between people, whether the people are complete strangers or intimate friends. These gaps can affect people's interactions and the choices people make. Thus, one theme Orchestraville explores is the outsider, the reject, the misfit of society, the person for whom the gaps are too wide to be bridged. The song "He Believes" speculates about such a person and how that person structures his world: "He believes in something ... even if it's bubble gum, even if it will not last."

Their songs also explore how these gaps affect relationships, especially romantic ones. The song "Ersatz Love" deals with the delusions that people nurture while "Powder" deals with the ache of the void and the inability to fill it: "And I'll wait right here as I see you passing by my window and I'll pile all the good that does into a thimble."

"The Dog as a Catalyst for Love" is another song about the desire to connect yet the complexities in making that connection: "I've heard about using your dog as a catalyst for love, as a stitch for the You's and Me's/When everything you stand to lose is standing there inside those shoes, and they can turn and just walk away."

Occasionally, Orchestraville will play a cover, representing both a nod to their influences as well as an opportunity to interpret someone else's song. For example, they recently took "Executioner," an acoustic song from Robyn Hitchcock's album Eye, and completely transformed it, effectively making it their own song. (Their version of the song will soon be appearing on a Robyn Hitchcock tribute CD.)

Soon, Orchestraville will be releasing their own CD, which will feature songs from the last few years. Many of the songs include the addition of Brendan McKay, a guitarist who was formerly in the band and recently passed away due to cancer. McKay's guitar playing, heavily influenced by avant-garde jazz, adds another whole layer of texture to Orchestraville's music. "This CD will be something of a document of one period in Orchestraville," Forbes comments. The band does plan on releasing another CD of material written after McKay's death.

Orchestraville is a band that has endured and continues to make music which at once fits into recognizable forms and is also one step off, not quite like anyone else's music -- a significant accomplishment in this era of imitation and simulation. When asked to describe their own sound, Hanlon notes, "For awhile, we had this phrase 'twisted pop music' which fit once, but I don't think we are that twisted anymore. For years, people described us as quirky, but I don't there is any quirk left." What is left is a hybrid of song and sound, an attention to craft and artfulness, that emotes and resonates distinctly.

- Jim Januszewski (Mar 1998)

Briefly, what's the history of the band? What phases has it been in? What phase is it in now?
Keith - Chris and Dave had a band called Hector. I recorded them and I always liked them and I always wished I could have been in that band. Prior to this I had been in a band with Brendan McKay called Bingo Smith. Chris and Dave asked me to play on some demos and eventually I joined the band. We decided we needed another guitar player and so we gave Brendan a call and he joined. That's how we started.
Chris - This is over a course of a few years. Brendan joined in `92, I think.

How do you see your music compared to other music today - fitting in, not fitting in?
Dave - I think it's similar to a lot of stuff in that it is pretty basic: drums, guitar, bass. But as far as using those instruments, I think we try to things that are different. We try to use bass, drums and guitar to the fullest that they can be used. I don't mean that it is busy, but that we try to get the most out of our instruments.
Chris - A lot of it is simple. There is not a lot of use of effects, a lot of it is the synergy between notes that create the sound. Before Brendan died and there were two guitars, there were a lot of single notes and between the bass and two guitars, a texture was created.

So there is a consciousness of the texture of sound in your music?
Dave - Sort of. It is not like we sit down and say, "Let's weave a quilt." It is more that one person plays one part and someone plays something on top of it and it sounds good. Or if it doesn't, you do something else.
Keith - I am surprised often at how much melody the low end has. With Dave's bass playing, there is a counter melody going on, yet it is really rhythmic and it works in with my drum part.
Dave - I think that brings up another point about the evolution of the band. Like any band, when we first started playing, each musician was fascinated by just hearing himself play and not really listening to everyone else. And then, after while, through some maturity, you start listening to what everyone else is playing. Sometimes some bands never get to that point, but I think we're past that. We can make decisions about how the whole band sounds, instead of going, "Wait, I can't hear myself so I need to turn myself up."
Chris - (in a mafioso voice) What it comes down to is an issue of respect.

(laughter ...)

How does writing songs -- even writing so called pop music -- fit into what you just talked about?
Keith - I think a lot has to do with our influences, the Kinks, Elvis Costello and other singer-song writers, but then we are also really into bands like Can, which are more "music" oriented. Then, Brendan was really into avant garde jazz, which really showed in his playing. So that on the one hand we're serving up the song, but on the other hand we're trying to create something different. Yet we're not just exercising our chops; we're more trying to create a mood.
Dave - I think too that it is better to strive for a pop song, something that someone can hum to themselves while they are doing something around the house. That's what pop is to me, something catchy. You grasp on to it; play it in your head over and over, maybe sometimes to the point where you get sick of it, but there is something appealing in pop.

Who writes the songs?
Dave - Well there is not a formula or anything. Each song comes together differently. It is so erratic. Sometimes a person writes the entire song and it is finished and the other guys add a part; sometimes, like "Hey" it evolves from a jam. It's weird.

You guys play covers. What are your thoughts on covers?
Keith - You will probably get three different answers on that.
Chris - I have my cover answer. I love to do them.
Dave - I think we'd all agree that it is fun to see if we can pull off this song in our own unique way.
Chris - Yeah, turn it into something that it wasn't originally. I think the best example of that is the Robyn Hitchcock cover, "Executioner," which ended up twice as slow as the original version.
Dave - We weren't trying to make it something different; it just ended up different.
Keith - We treated it like we were arranging a song, taking this song that was just on an acoustic guitar and adding drums, bass, etc.
Dave - We agree on some fundamental level, but like Christianity, it all branches off: Keith's the baptist, I'm the protestant, Chris is the Unitarian.
Chris - Dave's always wanting to do Stryper covers ...
Keith - I'm a Petra fan

(laughter ...)

What are you trying to do with your music? How would you describe it?
Keith - Just when I think it is one thing, it becomes something else. For awhile, we had this phrase "twisted pop music" which fit once, but I don't think we are that twisted anymore. People described us as "quirky" for years, but I don't there is any "quirk" left.
Chris - We are a lot darker now, as opposed to quirky. We're a lot slower too.

Is there a difference between dark and twisted?
Chris - I don't know. I think "twisted pop" is an okay label, although pop music seems so absurd, like Mariah Carey or something. We don't have a whole lot in common with her ...
Dave - It depends on what you mean by pop. If pop means popular, then we're not pop because we are not that popular! But if pop means catchy, then ...
Chris - I don't know if I can describe it.
Keith - It's pretty much white music. Not much funk.

Well, you guys are pretty white ...
Chris - Dave especially. Pale as can be.

How has Brendan influenced the band, both his playing and his passing away?
Dave - It is hard to say. It is only been a year since Brendan died, so it is hard to say how much that has affected us as a band. More time has to pass by. We don't have perspective.
Chris - I can see how it affected the structure of the music. It is a lot more stripped down. There's a lot more space.
Dave - Yeah, there wasn't much space in our music before. Now, it is a little more empty but we are trying to use that in a good way. I think we are more dynamic now.
Keith - There are parts of songs where no one's playing, which I never thought we'd get to.
Dave - I think we'd agree that it's pretty neat how we take empty space and change what is around it and thus change the way space sounds.
Chris - (in a hushed Carl Sagan voice): The silence is so loud ...

(laughter ...)

Well, so the stuff you are playing now is different than the stuff on the cd. Is the cd you are releasing a tribute to Brendan?
Chris - Yeah. The cd is more like a document.
Dave - It is like "Here was Brendan and his playing and what we were then, so here you are." Like Chris said, it is not really a tribute, but more a document.
Chris - I agree. Lord knows, the second CD we would put out would sound very different.

Are there plans for that?
Dave - Yeah. The way things are, we almost have enough songs for another CD.

One thing I think of you is endurance: you have been around for so long.
Dave - It is totally a blast: why wouldn't we?

- Jim Januszewski (1998)