The Saxophones: Boy Crazy

Folk duo The Saxophones have just released a new single, Boy Crazy. Alexi Erenkov and Alison Alderdice have cooked up a gently pulsating song about being madly in love. Somehow they managed to keep it all together, while in the midst of being in a state of mind wherein emotions take precedence over reason, using a tugging bass line as the backbone for the track.

It is a taste from their forthcoming new album, To be a Cloud, due for release via Full Time Hobby (limited green vinyl, CD, digital) on June 2. It is available for pre-order here. The video was directed and produced by Rainbow Tunnel Films.

The Saxophones: Desert Flower

Folk duo The Saxophones are back with a new single. Alexi Erenkov and Alison Alderdice have just released Desert Flower, a song about avoiding things - in this case therapy - and trying to get out of a pickle on your own, or failing that having a glass of wine, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

It is a first taste from their forthcoming new album, To be a Cloud, due for release via Full Time Hobby (limited green vinyl, CD, digital) on June 2. It is available for pre-order here. The video was directed and produced by Rainbow Tunnel Films.

The Saxophones: New Taboo

Folk duo The Saxophones are playing with their relationship on their single New Taboo. What would happen if husband Alexi Erenkov would be traded for "a better man" by bis wife Alison Alderdice? Originally perceived as a duet they shifted the song to the male perspective, a smart move because the hurt - even though it is only a thought experiment - becomes more gripping. Note the flute solo - sadness captured withing the space of a few bars of music.

The Saxophones: "Mysteries Revealed" video

Watch the new video by The Saxophones for Mysteries Revealed, a track from their Songs of The Saxophones album: "a prime example of ambient folk, a record that takes melancholy to the next level. Recommended if you like Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake". The clip was directed, photographed & edited by Connor R. Burke.

» thesaxophones.com

HCTF review of Songs of The Saxophones.

The Saxophones: Singing Desperately Suite EP

Oakland based husband and wife soft-spoken folk duo The Saxophones expanded the story behind their song Singing Desperately, a track from Songs of The Saxophones album, into a mini suite about violence against women. Preceded by a short prelude it is now followed by Crude Advance, depicting the failed passive aggressive attempt to seduce and the subsequent realization about why it went wrong. You Seem Upset, the final part of the suite, is about the will to change, but changes are that won't happen, because old habits are hard to ditch.

Alexi Erenkov (guitar, flute, vocals) and Alison Alderdice (drums) were once again aided by Richard Laws on bass. The quiet intensity of the suite won't let go: nine minutes of superb music wherein every note counts.

HCTF's best of 2018 (15-11)

• 20-16
• |
• 15-11
• |
• 10-6
• |
• 5-1

» Best of playlist

» Listen here

HCTF's annual list of the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come. As per usual many genres are represented. This blog covers a lot of ground and it shows in this eclectic, final tally.

Today: countdown from number 15 to 11.

Please shop at your local record store, buy directly from the artist, attend live shows. Don't block anyone's view with with your phone (better still, switch it off altogether). Shut the fuck up while the band is playing. Educate your friends. Word-of-mouth can't be beat as the prime source to discover new music.

The Saxophones: Songs of The Saxophones

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones take it slow on their first full-length Songs of The Saxophones. Alexi Erenkov (guitar, saxophone, Flute, synthesizer, vocals) and Alison Alderdice (drums, vocals) are aided by Richard Laws (bass, vibraphone, backing vocals) to serve up songs about failure, soothing sadness and the passing of time. That might sound heavy-handed, or even depressing, but it's not. Sometimes being left behind can be a blessing in disguise. Case in point: Alone Again. "I hear if you stop trying // everything works out fine // I heard you stopped caring, // now you have so much more time".

Due to their lack of volume The Saxophones deserve undivided attention. Their songs are not for casual listeners with a short attention span. In order to fully appreciate the elongated notes in Work Music, the lonesome guitar in Find I Forget or the nod to Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land in Picture it's best to draw the curtains an to disconnect the phone. Songs of The Saxophones is a prime example of ambient folk, a record that takes melancholy to the next level. Recommended if you like Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake.

The Saxophones: Time Is Like A River

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones have released another single from their forthcoming full-length Songs of The Saxophones. On the slow moving Time Is Like A River they delve into the Buddhist perception of the passage of time. Alexi Erenkov and Alison Alderdice channel Leonard Cohen on a backing of slowed down orchestral pop, making each count to weave kaleidoscopic textures. It's a pocket symphony, that shows more layers after each listen.

The Saxophones: Picture

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones have unveiled their new single Picture, the story of a successful surfer having second thoughts about certainties he was taken for granted. Alexi Erenkov and Alison Alderdice give a nod to Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land as the surfer stares at the ocean near Ventura, in line with the duo's preoccupation with water.

The Saxophones: Just You

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones have recorded a gentle over of Just You, the stand-out from Twin Peaks written by David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti.

Alexi Erenkov (guitar, vocals, saxophone, Crumar synthesizer) and Alison Alderdice (percussion, vocals) did some tweaking for this one, most notably fiddling with the speed if a Teac 2340 reel-to-reel that was used to record the saxophone parts. By doing so an alto saxophone can emulate a baritone quite well. The vocals are even more intense and soothing than the original. The song ends rather abruptly, urging the listener to play it again.

The Saxophones: Aloha

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones are back with a new single. Aloha Alexi Erenkov (guitar, vocals, saxophone, Crumar synthesizer) and Alison Alderdice (percussion, vocals) tell the story of a relationship going through up and downs, self-doubt and fulfillment. That's quite a lot for just one song, but they managed to capture it all into a soft-spoken track with superb dynamics. Longtime friend Richard Laws helped them put, playing bass and vibraphone.

The Saxophones: "If You're on the Water" video

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones have made a video for "If You're on the Water, the title track from their debut EP. Alexi Erenkov explains:

Our song, “If You’re on the Water,” is largely about a week spent on Shasta Lake in which I began a long distance relationship with my then girlfriend, Alison, broke my femur in a boating accident, and a close family friend in San Francisco committed suicide. (...)

The Saxophones: "If You're on the Water" comes to vinyl, "New Tradition" video

If You're on the Water , the debut EP by Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones, will be re-released as a 7" single on UK label Full Time Hobby. They have made a video for one of tracks, New Tradition. The clip was directed by Connor R. Burke.

The Saxophones:stream "Best Boy" from "If You're on the Water"

photo: Jesse Littlebird Photography

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones have posted a stream of Best Boy, a soft spoken track from their debut EP If You're on the Water. I am Oak fans will love it,

The Saxophones:stream "New Tradition" from "If You're on the Water"

photo: Jesse Littlebird Photography

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones have posted a stream of New Tradition, a track from their debut EP If You're on the Water. A straightforward sounding song that is actually quite complex.

Free download from Soundcloud.

The Saxophones: If You're on the Water

photo: Jesse Littlebird Photography

Oakland based husband and wife folk duo The Saxophones turned grief into song on their If You're on the Water EP. Alexi Erenkov (vocals, guitar, woodwinds) and Alison Alderdice (percussion, vocals) tell the stories of a boating accident, a break-up and a suicide.

The dark themes are captured in three slow songs, with sparse arrangements that are actually quite complex. The wounds are still fresh, but there is a glimmer of hope shining through the bleakness, especially in New Tradition (watch an intimate live video to see for yourself).