Forward Music Fest 2008 Previews: mr. Gnome

[inline:1]Artist: Mr. Gnome
Website: http://www.mrgnome.com/
Home City: Cleveland, Ohio
Regional Connection: Recent album mixed by Beau Sorenson at Madison's Smart Studios
Showcase: September 19, 2008 at the Frequency
Co-Performers: Skintones, Knuckel Drager, Drunk Drivers

mr. Gnome is the duo of Nicole Barille and Sam Meister. Formed in 2006 this act already has four national tours under their belt and a growing following in Madison due to a number of stints at The Annex. They will be passing through Madison to play the Forward Music Fest on a tour supporting their new release Deliver This Creature. As a duo they only utilize a drum and guitar, a combination that has become so common in indie circles it is teetering on the edge of becoming nothing more than a gimmick, but mr. Gnome defy tumbling to the other side by combining quirky gothic undertones that would normally be associated with a band like the Dresden Dolls with the ferocity of the early years of Sleater-Kinney and a dash of metal mayhem. Don't take my word for it, this is what the rest of the blogosphere has to say about the bands debut full length. Sound clips and video follow.

What They Are Saying

Aural States

The airy, quirky vocals of front-woman Nicole Barille anchored in these haunting, dystopic fantasy soundscapes instantly channeled an image of a vocal student of Bjork and Joanna Newsom fronting a band obsessed with the more expansive aspects of prog metal, punk and generally just rock at large. But arrestingly enough, mr. Gnome are actually another in the long line of indie duos that pack a big wallop, forgoing the bass and just delivering guitar+drum musical goodies.

TenaciousT

Sometimes Nicole Barille’s voice is haunting and will lead you into a false sense of security until she belts out and jars you out of that comfort zone…accompanied by the excellent drumming of Sam Meister it is a great combination indeed! There are some other great tracks on here as well- some more metalish than others but each one a cracker- it’s not often that you get an album with no sleepers on it at all.

Captain Obvious

Deliver This Creature doesn't dabble in trendy genre-mixing for the hell of it, its experimentalism is well-measured and unwaivering in its effectiveness. So what does Mr. Gnome sound like? Well, take ethereal Fiona Apple-tinged vocals, add a dash of Pelican, and throw in a bad case of schizophrenia, and you're on the right track.

Left of the Dial

With spooky Yeah Yeah Yeah vocals and an overall musical approach that sits well between stiff and puncturing Glass Eye and the esoteric ebb, flow, and noise swirl of the Angels of Light, this is arty without being overtly postured and pretentious, even a bit spiritual ("kiss the sun/set me free/open heart whole"?), without falling prey to freak folk platitudes.

Audio/Visual Department

mr. Gnome :: Pirates
mr. Gnome :: Rabbit