Back when I was an intern for All Songs Considered, I did a short blip on Lawrence band Ghosty and its song “Big Surrender” for the feature Open Mic. Thing is, I kinda know a few of the members of this band.
I almost pitched Ghosty’s song “Dumbo Wins Again” off their new album Answers for a Song of the Day essay. I sorta let it slide however because I thought it might be mild conflict of interest since I’ve known drummer Josh Adams and pianist David Wetzel since high school and college (what with journalistic integrity and all). The song did end up getting selected for Second Stage (formerly called Open Mic) which is sort of a place on NPR Music to showcase emerging and unsigned artists. Turns out however, the write up did fall into my lap due to the crunch of Friday deadlines before the upcoming three day weekend.
Needless to say I was happy to pick it up and feature a few of my old friends and show of a band that is getting better and better. To listen to the song and read a bit about them go here.
The Lawrence, KS group Ghosty has shown tremendous growth since releasing its 2005 debut, Grow Up or Sleep In. The band’s new follow-up, Answers, out now on Oxblood records, is richly produced and more polished with inspired song craft.
Since forming in 1999, with primary singer and songwriter Andrew Conner at the University of Kansas, the band has seen considerable lineup changes and additions. Now the group has settled for the most part, with Connor, David Wetzel on keyboards, Mike Nolte on bass, drummer Josh Adams and the newest member, Kansas City guitarist Jake Blanton.
For Grow Up or Sleep In Ghosty turned to producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes), and Oklahoma-based producer Trent Bell (Flaming Lips, Starlight Mints), and the album gained considerable buzz with the song “Clouds Solve It.” It featured The Flaming Lips’ singer Wayne Coyne.
Ghosty’s excellent follow up, Answers, produced and mixed by Bell and Paul Malinowski (Shiner, Republic Tigers), sees the band taking on increasingly ambitious pop arrangements, especially in songs like “Dumbo Wins Again.” With a sturdy, crunched drum beat, bright, jangly guitars and the light warble of electric piano, the song teems with highly interwoven melodies and finely crafted vocal harmonies.
Conner’s songwriting has also matured. On “Dumbo Wins Again,” a song of heartbreak and failed relationships, Connor sings, “I used to get so down before until I realized, ‘Oh, it was you,’ ‘Cause you seem so void of life, Used to tell me that it isn’t true.” With strong sophomore efforts like this, Ghosty continues to help put burgeoning music towns like Lawrence, KS on the map.