The Trimmed Hedges
The Seas Elected
Label: The Missing Stamp Collective
Release Date: May 29, 2007
Minneapolis experimental-rock quartet The Trimmed Hedges released their debut full length LP this week, The Seas Elected.
Diverse, strange, magical and masterful, The Seas Elected is a chaotic genre-mashup surprise. It's music for hot-boxing, immature 2 a.m. weeknight parties, and serious strolls around the lake with only your headphones for company.
The Trimmed Hedges : "Tear the Fences Down" (mp3)
The Trimmed Hedges : "It Makes Sense Somehow" (mp3)
We sat down with group leader Dominique Davis to chat about the band, the disc and the strategy in giving people a free taste...
Perfect Porridge: Who are the Trimmed Hedges? Dominique Davis: We're a delirious bunch of individuals who don't get enough sleep.
You started recording The Seas Elected back in September. What's the process been like since? Busy. Rewarding. Frustrating. As a collective, we do absolutely everything. Merchandising, booking, promoting, artwork and anything else you can think of that might be involved in trying to reach a new ear. We change so much over such a short period of time, and all we're trying to do is capture a little bit of how we interpret things before we forget what it was like. Between those artistic struggles and business necessities, it feels like there is too much time to complete not enough things. That's how it's been.
How does this album differ from your Abandoned Cities EP? Unlike the EP, this album escapes the confinements of a singular sound concept and reaches into an open sound concept. The Seas Elected is really about everything we expected from ourselves, and making those sounds breath in every way possible. As a whole, this album is not as dark as EP.
Lots of different sounds across the 13 tracks. How do you explain the band's varied tastes? While we appreciate the music shard amongst ourselves, and generally find similar things of interest, we each are from very different musical backgrounds. It's fair to say that at the beginning of this album we each wanted to achieve something different on the album. The focus was to bring those ideas, no matter how outlandish they seemed, and try and make them work in a cohesive song. We approached each song as if it were an album in itself.
What sorts of new gadgets did you use on this record? We had a high school band room at our disposal. Basements and many closets, as well. There is no shame in our game.
"Who Are They?!" sounds mysteriously like an Amnesiac (Radiohead) tribute, true? The answer to the title of this song can be found in the tracks that follow. It was essentially created as a transition into "Spaceships." It's likely how they sound.
Name another track and tell us about it. "Love the Squares" qualifies as the only genuine love song I've ever written. We see you're offering a couple tracks for free download. What's the strategy in giving away your stuff for free on your Web site? Does this change your business model as a band? There certainly isn't a proven method for gaining any type of success that works for every single band. But, giving away free tunes surely can't hurt more than it may help.
Where can you buy the album? The album is available online through The Missing Stamp Collective, Snocap, and CD Baby. It's also available at the Electric Fetus. A bunch more places soonish.
Any shows coming up? Thursday, June 14 at the Acadia Café with Dearling Physique and Copy!
Other plans after that? We're touring this summer and fall. Dates are being booked and packages are being mailed. A new album is already in the works, and plans for an indefinite run of very special Minneapolis shows. Oh so special.
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