The Trimmed Hedges: It makes sense somehow
Wednesday 18 April @ 16:10:45 |
  by ANDREA MYERS
I would be lying if I told you that the Trimmed Hedges aren't a little weird. Like most great art, the concepts behind the Trimmed Hedges' music and stage shows are over the top, almost dorkily theatrical and definitely a little giggle-inducing. The last time I saw them live, lead singer and ringleader Dominique Davis had a Bowie-style red lightning bolt painted across the side of his face, danced around animatedly while singing and making jazz hands, and ended the show by launching an imaginary rocket off the stage. What is remarkable, though, is that the Hedges have somehow funneled this weirdness into a collection of songs that are fresh, forward-moving and, for at least a few seconds, profound.
The Trimmed Hedges' full-length debut, The Seas Elected, starts with a slow, echo-y gospel dirge that shows off Davis' vocal prowess and gets the listener guessing about what could come next. A quick and powerful piano build launches the band into an all-out jam, and throughout the course of the album the Hedges pull the listener through folk, trance, blues, classical, Renaissance (yes, as in lutes) and hippie jam band circuits with ease. In less capable hands, the album could have been a disorganized, wandering mess, but with the members of the Trimmed Hedges coming from diverse musical backgrounds and utilizing a singular theme throughout the album—weirdness—they manage to pull everything together into a disc that is enjoyable and new.
 Davis comes from a theater background, and approached the idea of starting a band with relatively little experience with instruments or collaboration. "I didn't know what I wanted to create musically because I didn't play anything, so meeting these guys really just opened up a whole world of different styles," he says. "And it's always changing, but it's so exciting."
"The band's mixed-bag musical background really helps us to kind of keep each other on our toes and continually challenging each other's expectations of performance and of songwriting," agrees drummer Evan Bremer. "When we go to practice our music," continues Davis, "the one thing we all agree on is let's keep it interesting. Let's do something that challenges what we have come to expect of ourselves, and let's try to use as many instruments as we can to convey the voices within these songs."
Not surprisingly, the Trimmed Hedges followed a less than conventional process while writing their songs and recording the album. "Around the time we were coming up with these songs I sent an email out to everyone," says Davis, "and I was like, you guys, I have this idea, I think that we should all imagine while writing these songs that we're submerged under soil or beneath water. And how might our instruments sound, affected by this element? What can we do to work with maybe conveying that type of feeling?" The result, Davis explains while summarizing the disc, is "an underwater sea circus."
"More like a space opera," quips guitarist Andy Juhl, while bass player and illustrator Brian David hands me a flyer for their upcoming CD release show decorated with flying starfish and screaming rabbit-crab hybrids (called "Crabbits," as I later learned). All four band mates have a sort of deadpan look of amusement to them, and I have no idea whether anyone is being serious. I ask Davis to continue.
"We recorded in high school band rooms and big basements and small closets, and it took a very long time--this was our first big recording project," Davis says, explaining that the lack of an official recording studio allowed them to take their time and play around with a lot of different styles and instruments. "I really wanted to do something that was not only going to make myself happy, but I want other people to feel happy and welcome, too ... The album is full of hope."
As I walk out of the interview and make my way down the street, I look down at the copy of the album I received for review. The cover art features a Crabbit emerging from the water, red beady eyes glowing, and I shake my head as I try to figure out how this band could be so captivating. I flip the disc over and scan the list of tracks, laugh at a few of the clever wordings and then hit the one that ties it all together. Regardless of how nerdy or dramatic or chaotic each member of the band is, regardless of the unlikelihood that the Trimmed Hedges could or should work, regardless of the weirdness—-"It Makes Sense Somehow."
The Trimmed Hedges play the CD release show for The Sea Elected on Sun., Apr. 22 at the Triple Rock Social Club with Fort Wilson Riot, Dance Band and Brothers Quetico. 8 p.m. $5. 21+. 629 Cedar Ave., Mpls. 612-333-7499. For more info on The Trimmed Hedges, visit their MySpace page at myspace.com/thetrimmedhedges.
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