A project that has taken multi-instrumentalists Zach Leybick and David Braxton over a year to manifest, Closer, out of Virginia Beach, Virginia, has their hearts set on world domination, and nothing less. After parting ways with their former bands, who had already receiving local critical acclaim, and shared stages with bands like Circa Survive, Vedera, The Receiving End of Sirens and Hopesfall, Leybick and Braxton, along with newly acquired percussionist Matt Rogers, began auditioning bassists and vocalists. Soon after, Ryan Loftis, formerly of Casting Curse, signed on as the band's bassist and sampler. The only piece of the puzzle missing was a singer. That spot was quickly filled by Kelsie McNair, whom the band was overjoyed to learn, played guitar as well. The band tends to avoid classification, choosing rather to let the listener hear their music from an unbiased perspective, and in a more organic state. Closer has been likened to The Mars Volta, Minus the Bear, Vedera, A Perfect Circle, Radiohead and even Led Zeppelin. Notable qualities include the Leybick/Braxton tandem's effect-laden, and often-times bowed guitars, Leybick's use of what he calls "ten-finger tapping", McNair's dynamic voice (often accompanied by Leybick's often-times haunting backing melodies), Rogers' expressive, progressive drumming, Loftis' use of an Apple Powerbook not only for MIDI purposes, but as a bass preamp as well, and last but certainly not least, their truely breathtaking and gorgeously arranged intimate live shows. Keep an eye out, because Closer is definetely going to more than just a blip on the radar, and very soon.
ryan loftis 27 October 2006 11:31
