SOUND AND VISION

Johnnytwentythree explores the post-modern world
   
    On rare occasion, music is able to speak for itself, without the aid of a narrative.
    The music Johnnytwentythree presents on its new album JXXIII serves as a sweeping soundtrack for modern life in America. Full of haunting melodies, somber passages of tranquility, and raging, symphonic bombast, Johnnytwentythree invites listeners to reflect on the effects of the post-9/11 world.
    Formed in 2003, Johnnytwentythree wanted to transcend the influences of its collective members and create an original sound. Many will liken Johnnytwentythree to such post-rock heavyweights as Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Mogwai, and Sigur Ros, finding similarities in the use of dynamics and minimalist melodies to create a powerful, symphonic sound. 
    While similarities exist, in live performance Johnnytwentythree employs another element uncommon in modern music: film. The musicians of Johnnytwentythree (brothers Mike and Joseph Maier on guitar and bass, respectively, Joseph's wife, Brianne, on violin, and Brian Tyree on drums) collaborate closely with projectionist Steve Imwalle to enhance the music and elevate the Johnnytwentythree live show to another level. During performances, Imwalle shows his original projections on screens around the stage, providing stunning visuals as the band hovers in the darkness.
    "Steve is present from the beginning to end of writing a song," according to Johnnytwentythree drummer, Brian Tyree.  "Sometimes we write based on something he brings in, and other times he'll put film together based on something we've written….The whole process is very much a collaborative effort….Steve [is] very passionate about the music and film blending together seamlessly."  
    Having spent several years honing the material that would become JXXIII, the members of Johnnytwentythree chose Rove Studios in Shelbyville, Kentucky to commit the material to recordings. Working with engineer Paul Oldham in his country home, the band found the setting relaxing, allowing them to further refine the material for maximum impact.
    "It's a great place to be when you're working on something like this though," guitarist Mike Maier agrees. "[It is] a beautiful farm, removed enough from everything."  Working over the course of several months, Johnnytwentythree emerges with an impeccably crafted album.
    On opener "Red Bird," the military drums and droning guitar and violin replicate airplanes overhead set an ominous tone for the album. While there is a sense of trepidation pulsating through this music, Johnnytwentythree harnesses this into a virtually endless series of anthemic climaxes. Anyone seeking a quick fix of easily digestible, unobtrusive pop music need not inquire. Johnnytwentythree challenges the listener with wave after wave of raw, bristling emotion.
    While challenging at times, JXXIII also exhibits a danceable side on "Ghost Soldiers" and "Fall of Swords." In these more accessible passages, Johnnytwentythree channels triumphant elements of Arcade Fire as minimalistic melodic lines from the guitar, violin, and bass are uplifted by the repetitive, pulsating disco beats. Album closer "A Minutes Warning" provides the sensation of waking up in a post-apocalyptic dawn.  
    The synergy of music and film that is at the core of the Johnnytwentythree live experience is found on JXXIII, as the enhanced CD features film clips to accompany "Last Exit" and album closer "A Minutes Warning" as well the opening track, "Red Bird," which was recently nominated to be shown at the Planet Ant Film and Video Festival in Detroit.  Tyree sums up the band's confidence in the strength of the project: "We released an album that we're really proud of, and we want as many people as possible to hear it.  It's time to hit the road."
    As the band sets out for a series of live dates throughout the region in the coming months, the band is aware of how its music will best be related to audiences. "In the ideal environment, the films are our front-man," says Mike Maier. "[They are] the character of the band that helps  people get what's going on with the music- providing some concrete images to help people get an emotional context."

Johnnytwentythree will perform with Giants (from Chicago) and Paego Paego on Monday, August 13 at 10 p.m. at the Nite Owl, 430 E. Fifth St. in the Oregon District. Admission is $5 and you must be 21 and up to attend. For more information, go to www.johnnytwentythree.com or call (937)223-0540.

by Kyle Melton, August 07

Dayton City Paper