Bowerbirds: Living the Simple Life

By Matt Maynard
Photo by DL Anderson

Bowerbirds are small--to-medium-sized birds that live in New Guinea and Australia. Their vocalizations are so prominent that they can be heard over great distances.
“Their call is not especially beautiful, either,” remarks The Bowerbirds’ accordionist/singer, Beth Tacular. It’s no wonder, then, that the North Carolina-based three-piece found them to be an inspiration for their band name.

“We admire their fastidiousness,” explains founding member Phil Moore. The plain, unspectacular male bowerbirds nevertheless create remarkably ornate “bowers” (nests), which they use to attract mates. In the sense that the Raleigh-based band similarly relies on simple means to create lovely and personal art, the bowerbird is a suitable analogy. With an instantly recognizable, acoustic folk sound and a buzzing fan following, The Bowerbirds are being heard loud and clear.

The history of The Bowerbirds is a fascinating one. The roots of the group began nearly 5 years ago, but not in the well-known indie rock incubator of Raleigh. Instead, they began in Iowa, whose biggest pop musical exports have been extreme metal merchants Slipknot and R&B artist Tracie Spencer. It was there in the Hawkeye State that songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Phil Moore and percussionist/pianist/vocalist Mark Paulson made the life-changing decision to move east in search of greener musical pastures. Moore and Paulson formed the promising combo Ticonderoga upon their arrival in the Carolinas.With a healthy amount of local interest, Ticonderoga began gigging locally.

Somewhere along the way, Moore and Paulson met Beth Tacular. An acclaimed artist in her own right, Tacular was better known for her painting ability than her musical talent. After some initial apprehension, Beth and Phil became romantically involved with each other.

After Ticonderoga self-destructed in the middle of an ill-fated East Coast tour, the two temporarily relocated to the South Carolina low country and indulged their creative impulses. This period of intense collaboration also witnessed some artistic cross-pollination, with Phil exploring the world of painting and Beth developing her long-dormant musical aptitudes. From this experience, The Bowerbirds were born. Upon returning to N.C., they began collaborating with Paulson and others on a collection of acoustic, folk-based songs. These songs would manifest themselves into The Bowerbirds’ critically acclaimed debut EP, Danger at Sea.

With a sound born of various influences and experiences, The Bowerbirds combine an organic musical approach with a new perspective on acoustic music. The music is, at times, laid-back and casual, much like the old-time gospel and traditional music of the Carolina coast. Often, it possesses the determination and purpose of Midwestern labor anthems and populist ballads. Combine these two great musical lineages with more contemporary Americana influences like generous alt-country twang and abstract subject matter, and the fundamental Bowerbirds sound is complete. This sound ultimately attracted the attention of up-and-coming Raleigh label Burly Time Records, who signed the band to a recording contract and released their first full-length, Hymns for a Dark Horse.

Delivering on the promise of Danger at Sea, Hymns for a Dark Horse is a consistent and clear musical statement. Consisting of both new songs and redone versions of songs from the EP, Hymns... perfectly captures The Bowerbirds’ easy, pleasant aesthetic. Moore and company effortlessly straddle the line between traditional and exotic, creating engaging music that is an almost effortless listening experience. The Bowerbirds’ songs are very organic and it is difficult to find a true focal point in the album’s continuously flowing landscape. Moore’s guitar and earnest vocals are somewhat illusive on the recording. Likewise, Tacular’s droning accordion and gentle background vocals subtly blend in with the other arrangements. The simple, lo-fidelity quality of the mix gives it a “vintage” sound comparable to music recorded in the ‘30s and ‘40s.

In an age where listeners expect every instrument to spring out of the speakers and have its own, clearly defined place in the mix, this CD defies that convention. It is a credit to Paulson’s production skills that this CD gently washes over the listener as a whole musical statement and not as some neatly partitioned collection of arrangements. With occasional contributions from locals Brad Cook (upright bass) and Phil Cook (banjo), The Bowerbirds are long on interesting compositions. From the gentle chord progressions and soaring refrains of “Hooves” to the vague gypsy rhythms and sing-a-long chorus of the subtle conservationist anthem, “In Our Talons,” the musicians create warm, evocative music.

In the great tradition of popular musicians from the blues era, The Bowerbirds maintain a certain mystique, an eccentric manner that is theirs and theirs alone. This applies not only to their music, but also extends into how they live their lives. Much has been made of the relationship between Tacular and Moore, and in light of how such dynamics have affected groups like Fleetwood Mac and The White Stripes who have dealt with the dissolution of such intra-band romances, Moore and Tacular insist that the blending of their musical and personal relationships has been tremendously inspirational to their music.

“There was a time when we felt we needed to grow up [in the beginning of the relationship],” Moore explains, “but then we came to understand that we didn’t need to grow up all that much together. Playfulness is a big part of what makes our music work.” It is difficult to listen to the wistful lyrics and bouncy rhythms of “Olive Hearts” or the wide-eyed spirit of adventure in “Bur Oak” and dispute this point.

The Bowerbirds’ vagabond lifestyle is legendary as well. The members have been known in the past to pull up stakes and relocate with little deliberation. Their “home” is perhaps the ultimate expression of their transient lifestyle: an iconic Airstream camper trailer, currently located in the rural woodlands outside of Raleigh.

“It’s fun,” states Tacular, noting that you rarely see an owl roost on the ledge of an uptown apartment building. “We could make a choice to live in town, buy a house, be normal,” notes Moore. “[Instead], we bought a few acres in the country.”

On tour, The Bowerbirds come across more like wandering medieval minstrels than swaggering indie rockers, playing not only traditional club venues, but also small cafés, coffee houses and residences. Where there is demand, they will play, and sometimes that includes street corners and city parks. Previous tours have seen the band traveling in a minivan (the trio’s simple instrumentation requires little in the way of sound equipment) and sleeping under the stars.

Over the past four years, The Bowerbirds have won the support and admiration of many high-profile peers. Chief among them is legendary singer/songwriter John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, who calls them his “favorite new band in forever”. “He liked Ticonderoga somewhat,” states Moore. Given the former band’s more avant-garde tendencies, Moore understands Darnielle’s preference for The Bowerbirds’ honest, more natural approach.

With the new CD now available, The Bowerbirds are free to pursue touring options. Realizing the intricacies and associated costs of touring, Moore notes, “Tours are kind of up in the air. We don’t yet know.” The Bowerbirds have enlisted the help of a new booking agency, which will assist them in maximizing their touring options. The band continues writing, with several new albums worth of material ready to go. Tacular and Moore keep busy with their day jobs, running the graphic and internet design firm the InterNEST Collective (www.internestcollective.com), which they co-founded. Creating and exhibiting paintings will resume for Tacular after the tour cycle for this release is complete. Additionally, The Bowerbirds continue to advocate the responsible use of environmental resources. Case in point: The camper trailer in which Tacular and Moore reside doesn’t even have an electrical hookup or running water.

“It’s simple and affordable,” comments Tacular. If the endearing acoustic anthems of Hymns for a Dark Horse are any indication, living the “simple life” must serve The Bowerbirds’ creativity very well.

www.bowerbirds.org