jared saltiel
sometimes i feel / like my feet get caught beneath the wheel
My new suite “The Dogs at Nighttime” is available on bandcamp as a pay-what-you-want download! Should you choose to download it for free, that’s totally fine, but in return all I ask is for you to join my mailing list, so I can keep you posted about shows and future releases. This may change relatively soon, so don’t wait too long.
I won’t try to explain the songs, and I’ll be curious to hear how you all interpret them. All I’m gonna say is that there are two characters here, one of whom is essentially the Tyler Durden to the other’s Edward Norton.
The dog suite features an amazing string quartet, a French horn, and my friend and oldest musical partner on bass:
Maxim Moston - violin
Rob Moose - violin
Max Mandel - viola
Jeremy Turner - cello
Melissa Danas - horn
Dave Koenig - bass
It was recorded at Grand St. Recording in Brooklyn, with Tomek Miernowski handling the majority of the tracking, though I also had the privilege of Ken Rich engineering some sessions. Ken did an amazing job mixing the suite, and I give him a lot of credit for helping me craft the magical sound. It was mastered by Fred Kevorkian.
Thanks, and I hope you enjoy. Coming soon to iTunes, and Spotify in a couple weeks.
-Jared
Live at the Rock Shop on Thursday, March 1st, with Luke Gyure, The Bright Silence and Shira Goldberg!
TOUR WRAP-UP
The week after Thanksgiving, I drove all over the midwest and played solo shows. At the time, Herman Cain was still a presidential candidate. Whatever Herman, this was the 6-6-6 tour. 6 cities, 6 shows, 6 days. The tour was exhilarating, challenging, occasionally boring (while driving by myself for 4-7 hours every day) and all around a wonderful experience. I wanted to share some of the best moments, most rewarding album listens, and other stories from that week before it becomes a pleasant, fuzzy memory.
Best Crowd: Acadia Cafe - Minneapolis, MN
Every audience was welcoming in its own way, but something about Minneapolis really stood out. This was the one night of the tour where I didn’t know a single person at the show, and yet it ended up being my best reception. I spent the night hanging out with some wonderful people who were friendly as hell, intelligent, and musically inclined…it was almost like New York without the folded arms and flakiness. So Minneapolis would probably also win Best Show and Best City. My only complaint about the night - Acadia’s no cover policy, which ruined my plan to cover “Purple Rain” in Prince’s hometown. Boo.
Also, shout-out to Cardboard Dreams, definitely the Best Band I played with on tour. Outrageously awesome compositions and arrangements.
Best Breakfast: The Eye Opener - Akron, OH
One of the best parts about going on tour is waking up bleary-eyed and finding the nearest greasy spoon for eggs and coffee before you hit the road. Even better when you’re sitting with generous host and incredible home decorator Charlie Wagers, discussing upcoming website design.
Best New Album: Apocalypse, by Bill Calahan
I dropped by record stores in every town I went to, and picked up a lot of indie albums I’ve been avoiding over the years. This one, from 2011, was recommended by Charlie (see above), and it’s weird, spare and phenomenal.
Honorable Mention: The Letting Go, by Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy
Weirdest Venue: Miska’s Bar - Chicago, IL
It was a really last-minute booking on a Friday night, so I can’t really complain. But damn, what a weird bar. Miska’s is a chain of liquor stores in Chicago, and this particular one happens to have a bar attached to it. I had my crowd of supportive, awesome friends, and it was certainly a good night. But what the hell. We tried to set up some basic sound, like uh…mics, and the bartender had to call the owner and drag the guy across the city just to come turn on the soundboard. Literally no one who wasn’t my friend (or opening for me) walked into the bar the entire night. The bartender had a headset. Also, in a strange twist, my high school English teacher passed me a note, requesting an old song of mine (my one and only encore).
Shout out to Colin Campbell and Le Tour. Thanks for playing guys!
Most Entertaining Album: Take Care, by Drake
He may be despicably materialistic, arrogant and self-centered, but…oh wait, he’s a rapper, right? What’d you expect? Nothing gets you through long drives like rap, cause deciphering the lyrics occupies your mind so well. Fortunately, Drake accompanies all his cred-fishing bullshit with impressive puns and overproduced ear-candy.
Favorite Track: Look What You’ve Done
Most Ridiculous Diss: SmoothJazzCore - Akron, OH
Some kid in another band at the otherwise awesome show at Annabell’s casually referred to my music as “SmoothJazzCore,” as if that was something that he could just say and then act like everything was totally cool. I didn’t say anything in response, but…WTF. WWDD? (What Would Drake Do?)
Best Record Store: Electric Fetus - Minneapolis, MN
On a whim, I searched record store in Google Maps on my way out of the city, and holy damn. It’s competing with Amoeba on the west coast for my favorite ever.
Best Album By a Friend: Moonlight Never Shined So Bright, by Christine Hoberg
Like the Bill Calahan record, it’s weird, spare and really, really good. Unlike Bill Calahan, we hang out. Check it out.
Best Track: Another Man
Best T-Shirt: Saint Anyway
http://saintanyway.bigcartel.com/product/epic-cowboy-t-shirts
Best Song At Most Shows: The Devil’s Whistle
http://jaredsaltiel.bandcamp.com/track/the-devils-whistle
Best Snack: Almond Nut Thins
I’ve been on a gluten-free diet for a couple months, and these things were completely imperative to my survival on long drives.
Worst Snack: Wendy’s Chili, Fries, Starbucks Frapuccino, M&Ms + Halls
You: “But Jared, Wendy’s fries aren’t gluten-free!”
Me: “Nuff said…”
Best Old Album: Sign of the Times, by Prince
For the longest time, I’ve had only the first disc of this album. At Electric Fetus in Prince’s hometown I picked up a used copy of the double album and listened to both discs many times. It is so fucking awesome, and Prince is so fucking awesome.
Standout Track: The Cross
Most Difficult Show to Book: Johnson Public House - Madison, WI
For whatever reason, getting a show together in Madison was incredibly difficult. I spent a month on it, contacting literally every venue in town, and getting in touch with a ton of bands, and I wasn’t even doing it that late. I ended up surprising a bunch of laptop-engrossed students with my low-key set at this cafe, and it was one of the best nights on the tour.
Band I Wish I’d Been Able to Play With In Madison: Paul Otteson (check out his new EP)
Number of Long Phone Conversations on Long Stretches of Boring Highway: More than I care to count. Thanks to my friends for keeping me company!
If you’re around this weekend, I’ll be bringing the tour vibes back to Brooklyn for my EP Release Show at Bar Matchless in Greenpoint on Sunday, 12/18. See here for details.
-Jared
No Good Music No Life
Just discovered that “The Problem” (the song, not the video) was featured on this site, where the writer said it’s “been a long time since I’ve heard such a great alternative song.” I guess that’s why everything else on the homepage is rap. Glad to be in such good company. =)
Featured in AnnArbor.com!
AnnArbor.com posted this (rather succinct and informative) write-up about the video, my new EP and the show this Saturday in Ypsi with Gun Lake and Pistolbrides.
Apologies for my rock star pose :) Photo by Josh Goleman.
Minneapolis, MN. I think I’m in love.
Thanks to Phillips Phonograph, Cardboard Dreams and Saint Anyway for a great night.
Dude in other band: “Oh, so you’ve got a full band?”
J. Saltiel: “Nope, just me. I, uh, move around a lot.”
It’s a full house at Acadia Cafe in Minneapolis, MN!
Got the “Solitaire” promo cards yesterday. Queen of Spades/Queen of Swords. Just in time for the first show of the tour!
Today I’m driving to Milwaukee, WI. As soon as my headlight is fixed..
The EP is online, and Solitaire is a free download. jaredsaltielmusic.com
jaredsaltielmusic.com
Caught Beneath the Wheel is the first installment in a collection of songs dealing with the twin pursuits of romantic love and spiritual wisdom. Recorded with longtime collaborator Tomek Miernowski, and mixed by Bryce Goggin (Antony & the Johnsons, Joan As Police Woman), the new EP is a set of narrative snapshots documenting the onset of a soul-searching trip overseas. Saltiel fuses Latin American folk, otherworldly pop, and gritty alt. country to create this quirky travelogue.
The video is up on tuneage!
“The Problem” is Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jared Saltiel’s latest single and the cinematic sound - a dark, poetic tale of family strife with a driving beat and a remarkable string arrangement - now has a proper cinematic visual to accompany it.
The video is a collaboration between Jared and his filmmaker brother, Jason Saltiel, based on the relationship between a depressed teenager and his emotionally remote parents. It follows the 15-year-old protagonist as he attempts suicide, only to descend into a hallucinatory state during eerie foliage takes over their home as he follows his mother around. As the track reaches its climax, he comes to a hallway covered in beautiful trees, a sign that he has confronted “the problem.” Contrasting the natural world with a surreal artificial reality, it’s a beautiful and masterfully shot nod to the alternative music videos of the early 90’s.
Next week, Saltiel begins a tour in support of his forthcoming EP, Caught Beneath the Wheel. Head over to his Bandcamp for a
