While crushing it out with various bands in Broken Arrow Oklahoma in 1995,
Bryce Chambers turned focus in a different musical direction, recruiting
local James McAlister to join the mix and form Ester Drang ˆ a name with
no official meaning save for the symphonic, ethereal and strikingly
harmonic sound which personifies their collaboration ˆ fostering a solid
and dedicated grassroots following with all who eared their tracks; they
released an EP, a single, a full length, and acquired Jeff Shoop as a
second guitarist before signing with Jade Tree in 2003 to release their
second full length entitled Infinite keys
Their newest endeavor, a third full length, entitled ROCINATE in reference
to Don Quixote‚s trusty and faithful stead, catapults them even further
into their synth-dripped rhythms, throbbing percussion, rising horns and
post-gazer grandeur. Recorded in what amounted to a tumultuous three
years between Chapel Hill, Huntington Beach, Seattle, and in their home
studio back in Oklahoma; though finally pieced together at Tiny Telephone
in San Francisco with Scott Solter, (Spoon, Mountain Goats, Two Gallants,
John Vanderslice, Court & Spark) the resulting tracks elevate themselves
into a passionate uniform, as ROCINATE emanates the same slow motion
melancholy and drama the band dealt with after surviving a serious auto
accident while on tour with The American Analog Set.
Say s McAlister, "I think the crash was an awakening for us. We lost all
our equipment, but held on to our convictions. We knew our next record
would have to be a serious leap forward and embody all that fear and
hope."
Having played steadily as backing musicians for some of today‚s indie-pop
stallions (both McAlister and Shoop are featured heavily on Sufjan
Stevens‚ Illinois and McAlister is a frequent floating member for
labelmates Pedro the Lion) it is obvious that ROCINATE is Ester Drang‚s
chance to shine. With diverse influences ranging from the likes of Marvin
Gaye to Spiritualized and Boards of Canada, the band have as much in
common with Coldplay‚s mournful drone as they do The Arcade Fire‚s
passionate textures. Yet the boys of Ester Drang are not easy to cast
into a mold, their chimes and live show experience are much to sensory for
a popcorn and flip-down seat type of act.
"I'd like to think that our music is more than just entertainment," says
Chambers, "I think I would like our fans to catch a bit of realism from
our music and from us just as people."
Since their start the Drang have continued to develop their sound,
allowing them the freedom to orchestrate their imagination into a
beautiful ensemble of tracks. Ester Drang means to show that they move
past boundaries, blazing hot trails out of Oklahoma and onto a national
stage. ROCINATE proves that songs have the power to elevate, to leave you
infiltrated, and when properly strung together can be as transcendent as
they are moving.
