Clem Snide began in Boston in the early 1990s. It was there Eef Barzelay and good friends Eric Paul and Jason Glasser first performed under that moniker. The band dissolved when Eef Barzelay moved to New York where he briefly dabbled in the Sidewalk café anti-folk scene before reconnecting with Glasser to reform the band and begin work on their first record “You Were A Diamond”. Their artistic partnership would become the backbone of Clem Snide, and would produce two of the bands seminal records, “Ghost of Fashion” and “Your Favorite Music”. Described by Robert Christagau as “true American deadpan” Clem Snide garnered critical acclaim for their unique brand of “art country” and enjoyed a brush with mainstream success when their song “Moment in the Sun” was chosen as the theme song for the NBC show “Ed”. In 2002 Glasser relocated to France with his family and Eef carried on recruiting old Boston friend, multi-instrumentalist Pete Fitzpatrick and his cousin Brendan to complete work on the bands fourth record, “Soft Spot”. In 2004 Eef moved to Nashville and recorded their fifth record “End of Love” between there and New York. With the addition of Nashville bred drummer Ben Martin the band did extensive touring for the next couple of years which culminated in their return to Mark Nevers studio in Nashville to begin work on “Hungry Bird”. Sadly, personal and financial strains overshadowed the record's completion and the band dissolved. Barzelay, eager for a clean slate struck out on his own, releasing two solo records, “Bitter Honey” and “Lose Big”, and created the score for Sundance award winning film “Rocket Science”. During the “Rocket Science” sessions Barzelay discovered musicians Tony Hamel and Roy Agee, and was inspired to, with their help, complete the abandoned “Hungry Bird”. “Hungry Bird” is very much a Clem Snide record. It ambitiously swings between illusory folk, dark apocalyptic dirge, and a rare spoken word performance from Pulitzer Prize winning poet Franz Wright. Lyrically Barzelay continues his quest to unearth the contradictions inherent in faith, love, and the future. Although, it is the record that almost killed Clem Snide it is also the record that convinced Barzelay that the band must go on.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010. 8:30pm. $8 advance / $10 day of show. Advance tickets available online and at our local outlets, Orbit DVD and Harvest Records!
