Forget-Me-Nots

Sometimes the most energetic and lively shows don’t come from a stage full of performers, but from just a couple of people playing together who really enjoy what they’re doing. It’s obvious that Forgotten Works falls into the latter category. The duo of David Norem and Dan Reyhle formed in 2005, and though it’s only been about three years, they’ve played all over Oregon and are celebrating the release of their second full-length recording, The Key. Both men play guitar and bass, sing and provide percussion, while Reyhle adds in mandolin. Don’t let that instrumentation trick you into thinking they’re a bluegrass band — these songs reach much further afield, the gestures sometimes grand; the palette sometimes poetic, sometimes sentimental; the melodies at times warm, other times jaunty. 

On “Pincher & Scales,” the pair’s mandolin and guitar dance around each other like moths circling a campfire, while both trade off on the vocal delivery. “The Bridge” is an example of the slightly darker, more somber direction they’ve taken with The Key, sounding quite a bit like Crazy Horse-era Neil Young, with messy guitars that refuse to be pinned down. “Gold” is much softer, with a tone palette like its name, the colors of a sunset at the end of a warm day. “Western Horizon” is a short but stand-out track, with guitar work and harmonies sweetly reminiscent of Pete Krebs & the Gossamer Wings. Norem and Reyhle also provide visual interest along with their moody compositions; while on stage they are frequently accompanied by visual art such as paintings, videos and sculptures made by Norem. Forgotten Works and Jahmalia play at 9 pm Wednesday, April 22, at Sam Bond’s Garage. 21+. $4. — Vanessa Salvia

We had another good show at Cozmic Pizza on Saturday.  Lots of rockin’ new tunes were played, as the set list was made up on the fly.  A fine-tuned version of "The Bridge" was played for the first time since its recording and it sounded great.  "Curl & Brace" closed the set with a HUGE sound.  Old favorites like "Rumi’s Tune" and "Last Days" were raged with a new energy that FW has been riding on since starting up work on the new record.

The next spring show will be this Thursday (4/3) at our favorite spot, the Wandering Goat (2nd & Madison) in Eugene.  Check it out as this is sure to be a KILLER show.  Beers, coffees, eats, tunes, peops....what more can you ask for?

Check it out!  Here's the review of "Last Days of Smoke & Thunder" from a November edition of the Eugene Weekly.

"Remember These Works

For many bands, making it past the second practice with the original lineup is a feat of endurance. Eugene band Forgotten Works has made it to the second year mark and is celebrating the occasion with an anniversary show at Wandering Goat Coffee House.

Forgotten Works, a duo of Eugeneans David Norem and Dan Reyhle, bills itself as "handcrafted acoustic music." The toddler-aged band has a grown-up four CDs to its credit: two live CDs, one from the World Café from July 2006 and one from the Downtown Lounge in May of 2006; Last Days, a 6-song EP released in March of 2006; and their first full length, Last Days of Smoke & Thunder, released in April of this year. These guys seem to have no problem writing material, as Smoke & Thunder is 13 tracks totaling more than 66 minutes. Their songs hover between Neil Young-ish jagged-edged folk rockers like "Thousand Points," which cribs a little lyrically from the master, to the Santana-esque flourishes of jazzy guitar and rhythmic percussion present on "Listen To Life." There's even some down-homey bluegrass on "To Your Own Self Be True."

One of the album's highlights, the five-minute "Rumi's Song," is an instrumental tune displaying Latin-tinged percussive elements. Placed midway through the CD, it's an airy counterpoint to the lyrical heaviness of the other songs. Norem (guitar) and Reyhle (guitar, mandolin) share singing duties and seem to have a stellar musical camaraderie. On Smoke & Thunder, the instrumentation that the pair doesn't handle themselves is augmented with Pat Reyhle on percussion and effects and second percussionist Parker Koehn. Here's to many more multiples of two-year anniversaries for Forgotten Works!

Forgotten Works plays at 8 pm Saturday, Nov. 24, at Wandering Goat Coffee House. Free. — Vanessa Salvia"

Thanks to the Weekly and everyone who came out to the Wandering Goat on 11/24 to celebrate our second year.  We have many to come.

Gracious,

FW

We played at our good friend and collegue Thaddeus' 30th birthday at Cozmic Pizza in Eugene on Saturday. Thaddeus owns and operates Sprout City Studios, the lovely facility where we had "Last Days of Smoke & Thunder" mastered. FW played a loose set of music, determining the setlist on-the-fly.

Having so many friends and familiar faces in the audience was a huge plus, and kept the energy high on stage. FW ripped through a collection of favorites, including "Slope", "Listen", "The Rain", and a pleasant, jamless version of "A Song for Raptors (Keep it Buried)".

We had a KILLER time, as usual. Happy Birthday Thaddeus!