Seattle Show Gal

New Music, Concert Previews, Reviews, and Interviews

Exclusive: Ravenna Woods + Interview

February 15th, 2010

Written by: Nikki Benson
Category: Special Features, Interviews

I had the joy of spending Saturday afternoon with Ravenna Woods. They have been tearing it up a little bit around Seattle these days, and it was long overdue for SSG to get up close and personal with these gents. You might remember reading about Ravenna Woods on SSG in the beginning of January when James Gannon shared a couple tracks from their debut album, Demons and Lakes. Gannon hit the nail on the head when he said,

The album’s eponymous track “Demons and Lakes” showcases the group’s flagship sound. The slightly coarse vocals that Chris Cunningham has used in his other project Navigator vs. Navigator provide striking contrast to the otherwise sweet folky melodies, giving this band just the right edge to hold their own in the indie-rock arena.

Or perhaps you remember reading about Ravenna Woods when we shouted out their shows here and here. It’s pretty clear that SSG has a crush on Ravenna Woods. What’s with all the love? These boys are creative, fresh, exciting, and pretty darn brilliant. Taking sounds of classic rock and mixing them with the influence and ingenuity of hardcore math-rock, Ravenna Woods creates catchy, alluring aesthetics. The listener could be sucked in by the mechanics, or perhaps just the sheer enjoyment factor–Chris Cunningham shreds on his acoustic guitar.

Throwing another spoke into Ravenna Woods’ wheel, their lyrics are dark, clever, and curious. There are overt lyrics of angst sang over friendly sounding melodies, and then there are songs such as “A Devil’s Coming” that have roots firmly planted in opposition to mindless political control sang in minor tones. Whatever mood Ravenna Woods is evoking, it is sure that the listener will be enthralled with their experience.

Let’s get the party started, yes? Enjoy three songs from the beloved Ravenna Woods, and then check out the interview. Special treat: e-mail contests@seattleshowgal.com with “I crush on Ravenna Woods TOO!!!” in the subject line and the answers to the the following interview trivia questions for your chance to win a copy of their album, Demons and Lakes.