James over at Pop Headwound wrote up a great piece about us, check it out:

"Raise High The Roof Beam, a Chicago collective led by singer/songwriter Thomas Fricilone, has recently released an excellent new EP called The Buildup. The EP's 5 songs explore new sonic territory only hinted at in the pretty/skeletal folk songs I heard earlier this year - the band has blossomed into a full on indie/pop outfit with some strong hints of folk rock surfacing throughout these 27 minutes.

Lead track "Break My Heart In Two" begins somewhat inauspiciously with some simple ukulele strumming and Fricilone's distinctive vocals, giving the first impression that not much has changed with the band's sound. Before long though the song unexpectedly explodes into a huge chorus - pounded drums play off childlike background vocals - and the song never looks back. I usually try to avoid the "this band sounds like" kind of hype building, but I can't help but hear Animal Collective in the background vocals and loose spirit, and The Arcade Fire in the drama and climaxes. Good stuff indeed."

Thanks James

http://www.popheadwound.blogspot.com/


Make sure to check that site to see an RHTRB Year in Review!

xo
rhtrb

I don't know if anybody saw the issue of The Onion with the blurb about us in it (I know we didn't, despite our best efforts) but evidently they have this to say about us...

"Chicago's Raise High the Roof Beam routinely bends happy-sounding instruments and themes and twists them to have an air of sadness, but it's grippingly beautiful nonetheless. (Who said the ukulele can't be depressing?)"


And I don't know if anybody saw the issue of the Tribune with the picture of us just below Billy Corgan, but they had this to say about us...

"It's yet to be seen whether Raise High The Roof Beam's members are prodigies or merely hyper-ambitious. About six months after forming, they're releasing a record. The local quintet's debut EP "The Buildup" is shaky and shambolic, but those seem to be conscious aesthetic choices rather than the mark of beginners. The band's enthusiasm comes through on their big jingly pop tunes; the whole band frequently sings along, giving their folky-indie sound a glee-club edge. Their looseness builds and congeals into romantic, driving choruses with a lot of shimmery guitar work. They may be newbies, but they know exactly what they are doing, and they do it well."


How 'bout them apples?

RHTRB just got together on Sunday to practice for the first time in about a month and a half. We've been recording almost every other day but haven't played as a full band since our last show.

ehh.... little rusty.

Nothing that the RHTRB boys and girl can't fix.

Just thought I'd give everyone the heads up that a lot more music is going to be coming your way. Also, shows are being booked and we're getting pumped to start promoting and smelling the sweet scent of sweat on our bodies from the burning lights of the stage.

Hope everyone enjoyed their independence this past weekend.

thomas

i apologize for being upset and not reblogging. to make up for it, here's a picture of a portion of the band at a recent festival.






love rhtrb

I just spent the good first half of my year writing a blog entry. When I hit publish, myspace said "oh so sorry" and I lost the entire entry! stupid myspace poo.

We're getting a new blog.
rhtrb

bonjour

rhtrb has been recording for the last week and a half and have been making great progress. The sounds are turning out great. Scott has laid down all the drums and I (Thomas) have started laying down guitar.

Today we experimented with some electric rhythm parts. Since we've been playing live I haven't touched my electric too much. I spent the day restringing and fixing him up. His name is Arturo. Before we left, we had a barbecue. I made corn, onions, and a veggie burger with some green olives and some cheeses, (mozzarella , parmesan, and fontinella)...apologies for any misspelllings of the cheezes. Scott made some burgers and a tuna pasta thing.....

anyways

The amp was set up in a long hallway and I walked back and forth playing to some of our songs. The sound of the freshly stringed guitar with the natural reverb of the room was incredible. We recorded a couple of takes and are happy with the outcomes. Tomorrow we're taking a day off to relax.

Remember Kennan and Kel? Ahhhh Here It Goes...

thoomas

Just wanted to thank all the people who came out and supported us in our first few months of being together. We're grateful for all our fans and friends.

These next few months are going to be exciting and fun. We can't wait for everyone to hear our recordings and enjoy raise high the roof beam at your computer, car, ipod, mp3 gadget, email, sung telegram, and/or other various types of fish.

We'll be back playing live soon. For now..

adieu,
rhtrb

Looptopia: More Raise High the Roof Beam Please

I officially experienced my first Looptopia event and let me tell you there is nothing better than seeing my fellow Columbia College students doing something that totally rocks!

I just saw Raise High the Roof Beam, a band made up of Columbia students, at the Urban Outfitters on State. And they did a whole lot more than just raise high the roof. The 5-piece band rocked out to a crowd of probably 50 or so. Lining the steps in the store, people in ultra hip fashions and artsy haircuts were pushing their way through to hear them play.

All I have to say is way to go Columbia! And way to go Looptopia! If you are contemplating heading out for the action tonight, contemplate no more. This event is going to keep you guessing and not to mention entertain the heck out of you too. So even if you missed Raise High the Roof Beam, there is plenty more to do in the Loop tonight. The night is young my friends. Get your Looptopia on!



Looptopia artist To Play Lilly's

Yeah yeah I know I blogged about this band before. But that was during Looptopia! And that means it officially doesn't count.


So I'm going to talk about them one more time, and them I'm done - I swear!

Lead singer, Thomas Fricilone and his band, Raise High The Roof Beam will play Friday night at the swanky Lilly's in Lincoln Park.

The band keeps viewers guessing with unexpected breaks in songs and unpredictable melodies. In their tune, "Myself" RHTRB finds similarity with "A Day In the Life" where the end of the song sounds a lot like the random noise series in the Beatles' hit. Their not afraid to use zaney instruments like a slide whistle or a vibraslap and the addition of a female voice softens the harmonies and adds depth to each tune.

I'm totally going to steal this from Rolling Stone, but…

Think Clap Your Hands Say Yeah + The Concretes x The Beatles = Raise High The Roof Beam



http://nbc5streetteam.wordpress.com/author/kayleeking/

Thanks so much Kaylee!

rhtrb

Our Friend Zak took some photos of our first show and posted a few on Hyphen’s blog.
He took more, and we’ll make sure to post them as soon as we get them.

Thanks for everyone who came out last night, we had a lot of fun!

"While concert photography isn’t a specialty of mine, I’m always willing to try any new genre of photography. A couple of us here at Hyphen are friends with some of the members of Raise High The Roof Beam, a new Chicago based band. We know what it’s like to have strong ambitions and to start working on turning them into reality from scratch, so when we see someone in the same position, we like to do what we can to help. In this case, it turned out to be alot of fun. Raise High The Roof Beam rocked it out and I was pleased with the images I got of said rocking. Below is an image of Wes Tucker, lead guitarist and professional hipster."

http://blog.hyphen-inc.com/?p=60more-60

Thanks Zak!

Raise High the Roof Beam

"My Father" - Raise High the Roof Beam
And now we get the antidote to sweeping, driving melodrama: the vulnerable, acoustic-based "My Father," from singer/songwriter Thomas Fricilone, also Chicago-based, doing Salinger-inspired musical business as Raise High the Roof Beam. I find myself engaged right away by the broken descent of the opening riff--we begin with a standard downward progression but what's less standard is how it stops and hangs out at the third note, two notes short of the resolution. We suspend there for the same length of time it took to get us there, and then the resolution is turned upside down: after hearing 5-4-3, and hanging out on 3, we then get 1-2 rather than 2-1. It's all very simple and clear but interesting, and implies overturned expectations or unexpected conclusions, themes that bear out lyrically as the song unfolds.

Fricilone has a quavery voice that does not always stay on pitch, but in the particular musical setting he gives himself here the end result is gracious and affecting. For all that it may sound at first like a simple acoustic-guitar strummer, there's actually a nimble array of instruments weaving together, including piano, ukelele, eletric guitar, maybe a melodica, and perhaps a synthesizer. Fricilone also double-tracks his vocals here, which I think gives them extra potency, and maybe compensates for the pitch variation, while maintaining the underlying fragility that serve the lyrics especially well: "My father told me I'd be late for life/That's okay 'cause I think that waiting's all right/I avoid the news for things that I might fear/My father tells me all the things that I don't want to hear."

"My Father" is a song that will appear on Raise High the Roof Beam's Family EP, a work that is still in progress. MP3 courtesy of Fricilone's web site.