A.A. Bondy first visited us for a live session in December of 2008 while on a solo tour in support of his debut, American Hearts. While the solo acoustic Bondy is quite alright with me, I was excited to hear that his sophomore effort, When The Devil’s Loose, would employ the help of a band. That album became our favorite album of 2009.
I’ve since seen Bondy + band at The Earl in Atlanta and noticed that the band was really just two multi-instrumentalists that traded off between bass/keys and pedal steel/drums. What struck me during the concert was the new found intensity the band revealed in familiar songs. Even the acoustic tracks from American Hearts became new again with electric guitars, drums and lots of effects.
That’s part of the allure of Scott Bondy. He started off his musical career in a grunge band called Verbena that drew comparisons to Nirvana. He then took a step back and became a folk singer under the A.A. Bondy moniker. Perhaps he’s starting to find a balance between the two, as evident in the jam near the end of “Slow Parade.” And on stage with an electric guitar, he’s often less folk and (dare I say) more punk than his album leads on.
I fell in love with the warmth in his voice and his songwriting, but it’s this constant tinkering with sounds and songs, both old and new, that has me in suspense. He’s both subtle and provocative and he’s one of the most refreshing artists to emerge in several years.
Exclusive: A. A. Bondy – Mightiest Of Guns (Video)
Exclusive: A. A. Bondy – Slow Parade (Video)
Exclusive: A. A. Bondy – When The Devil’s Loose (Video)
Exclusive: A. A. Bondy – I Can See The Pines Are Dancing
Download the A.A. Bondy Live Session as a zip file.
Video: A.A. Bondy – Mightiest Of Guns
