Culture
Local Boys Make Good
By: Mark Hellenberg
Posted on:
Southeast Engine has come a long way from their beginnings in 1999 as a local college band in Athens, Ohio.
They started as a folk-rock ensemble playing original material penned by singer/guitarist Adam Remnant, with a sound reminiscent of Wilco circa Being There. Since those early years, the band has found its own unique voice and their latest release, Canary, has garnered praise from the national music press.
"Canary is a true find from a band that's quietly created one of the most powerful albums of the year," said allmusic.com, while Paste Magazine gave the new release an 8.4 rating. "When so many groups are mutating old-time American music into pedestrian pop, Southeast Engine distinguish themselves by gently updating these traditions for the 21st Century," said Paste.
Southeast Engine's latest release is a concept album inspired by the book A Forest Returns by late local legend, environmentalist, naturalist and occasional WOUB commentator, Ora Anderson. Canary tells stories of a family living through the boom and bust of The Great Depression in Appalachian Ohio.
The band, which also includes drummer Leo DeLuca, bassist/vocalist Jesse Remnant and keyboardist Billy Matheny, has slowly gained popularity through its five albums and by rigorously touring around the country. They've performed several times at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, and earlier this year were featured for a week on NPR's The World Cafe. The band's recordings are being distributed by the prestigious indie label, Bloodshot.
This Sunday, Southeast Engine will share the stage with The Jayhawks and Hot Tuna when NPR's Mountain Stage returns to Ohio University's Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. For details on the show, visit www.MountainStage.org or www.ohio.edu/performingarts. For more information about the band, visit www.southeastengine.com.