Teach Me Equals

At this point in the game, it feels a lot like the possibilities of the traditional drums-bass-guitar rock band setup have been exhausted, and that every different type of noise that can be made with that configuration have already been made. Avant-punk duo Teach Me Equals have solved that problem by composing and recording their new album Knives in the Hope Chest using nothing more than cello, guitar, violin, voice, and a few electronic flourishes like the beat on their single “Coelacanth” made from manipulated samples of the buzzing noise you get when you touch the end of a plugged-in guitar cable. Between the unconventional instrumentation and angular compositions their music sounds like musique concrète run through the ’90s Pacific Northwest experimental hardcore scene.

In the video for “Coelacanth,” Office Space’s Greg Pitts (a.k.a. “Drew the O-Face Guy”) romances the titular lobe-finned fish, which was thought to have gone extinct 66 million years ago before they were discovered to be living in small populations around the globe. It’s a deeply weird scenario, but strangely tender as well. - Entertainment Weekly

The 2014 debut recording by Teach Me Equals is a bold, visionary glimpse into the future of pop music. The duo combine traditionally orchestral instruments with samples and noise to create a hypnotic, dreamlike soundscapes.

Greg Bortnichak’s hushed, understated voice is perfectly complimented by bandmate Erin Murphy’s stunningly beautiful vocal delivery. Nowhere is this more evident than the third verse of “Coelacanth” where Murphy’s voice stands practically alone as she sings “Now I was young when I first met the sea,” her cadence pitch perfect and astounding.

“Swallow the Smoke” is the most instantly engaging track with a galloping drum loop and a chorus comprised of a guitar riff accompanied by “ooohs” and “ahhhs.” Three minutes in, the song quiets down to minimal violin and cello interplay, gradually building to an orgasmic climax before the rhythm drops. The chorus is infectious and you’ll find it implanted in your cerebral cortex for the foreseeable future.

Album closer “Lullaby For Piano” features multilayered vocals which become hypnotic through repetition. While there’s no piano on the track, it does sound like something you’d sing to soothe a toddler waking from a hellish nightmare.

At times the dense atmospherics and electronic percussion recall Kid A and Amnesiac era Radiohead or perhaps what The xx would sound like if they were more musically informed. The lack of a traditional drummer is only noticed when the rhythm sounds too much like a dusty, old metronome or a Casio keyboard as is the case on “As the Crow Flies.”

Knives in the Hope Chest is a stunning initial statement and feels as though it were produced by a much more seasoned band. There’s something new and groundbreaking here. If redefining pop was their goal, Teach Me Equals has succeeded, leaving only the question of what they are capable of accomplishing next. – (9/10) - Nada Mucho

The innovative duo Teach Me Equals makes a strong case that maybe DIY punk and classical music aren't terribly far off with their debut, Knives in the Hope Chest.
On paper, it’s the sort of thing that will either make you groan or wince:who would think to bring together the worlds of punk—with its stripped-down, DIY ethos—and classical music—with its high-minded, through composed nature? The inspired duo that calls itself Teach Me Equals, however, proves that such a distinction might be spurious in the first place. Greg Bortnichak (cello, guitar, vocals) and Erin Murphy (guitar, violin, keyboard, and vocals) are making a bold declaration with their debut, Knives in the Hope Chest, which undergoes just that kind of genre-melding—although they are drawing from far more than just two spheres of influence in their songwriting.

The duo tells PopMatters about the LP, “To us, Knives in the Hope Chest is an exercise in sublimation: it is a depiction not of our personal or the greater cultural landscape, but of the reductive forces that shape them. Nothing here is completely autobiographical, but at the same time there are intimate pieces of ourselves interwoven throughout the record.

“Many of the songs on Knives play upon motifs or running narratives that come and go on their own accord, sometimes pausing to directly acknowledge the listener, but more often than not, flitting in and out of the big picture like particles of dust in a sunbeam. The record is an attempt to encapsulate the elemental, and explode constrictive paradigms of rock and roll and its inherent mythos. Here are nine thought pieces that we hope inhibit thinking altogether, but instead promote pure feeling when one surrenders themselves wholly to the experience of listening.” - PopMatters

As experimental rock duo Teach Me Equals get ready for the release of their next studio effort, ‘Knives in the Hope Chest,’ on Sept. 16, they are debuting the powerful and melodic tune, ‘Coelacanth.’ Diffuser is excited to team with the abstract artists to premiere the brand-new track in the player below.
“‘Coelacanth’ is our homage to the slim potential of experiencing the miraculous, the implausible, the Delphic even,” multi-instrumentalist Greg Bortnichak tells us. “It is less of a spiritual rumination than a visceral one.”

The visceral experience created by Bortnichak and partner-in-crime Erin Murphy is a single part of a much larger soundscape. “It is both a tender love song and a sonic depiction of the moment you realize that perhaps it is time to challenge your own reality, Bortnichak explains. “The song juxtaposes cryptozoology with intimate discovery.”
That cryptozoology focuses around the title of the track; coelacanth is defined as an ancient “large, bony marine fish.” The coelacanth was thought to be extinct until one was found in the late ’30s — much like the “intimate discovery” Bortnichak mentions.
The track begins with a dark rumbling, but with Murphy’s beautiful vocals, the music transcends any preconceived notions or expectations by the listener. Teach Me Equals are currently on the road through Sept. 30. For their full tour schedule, visit their official website here. - Diffuser.FM

“It’s is a song about reconciling perceived trespasses in your past to attain a position of genuine personal purity and self-acceptance,” Teach Me Equals tell us of their new video for the song “Dictionary Of Imaginary Places.” It’s a tale of two voices spinning different narratives, but coming together as one, Erin Murphy and Greg Bortnichak say of the track of their Knives in the Hope Chest LP, out tomorrow.

That’s true both in the literal sense, of the two’s voices taking turns being front and center in the by turns clippy and creeping, and harmonically lovely song.

“Without the visual element of the music video we made with Seattle experimental film-maker Bradley Hutchinson, the song readily unfolds as a dialogue between two individuals striving to understand each other and offer an almost baptismal cleansing of each of their regrets, demons, and short-comings.”

That changes with Hutchinson’s treatment somewhat, they go on. “The video firmly positions the narrative in the realm of soliloquy: here the narrator is reconciling two gendered voices within itself, and actively working towards a realization of selfhood that defies the gender binary. It is absolutely the most pop-forward song in our current catalog, and for that reason, it takes well to the subversive political undertones imbued by Hutchinson’s video treatment.” - Bullett Media

Teach Me Equals are one of PHILTHY’s rarely explored acts that’s actually from Philadelphia… sort of. Teach Me Equals are comprised of New Jersey native Greg Bortnichak and Florida native Erin Murphy, who currently claim Sarasota, FL and Philly to have joint custody of their talents. Teach Me Equals are actually rare in a lot of ways (locale and beyond). They rely almost exclusively on stringed wooden instruments (cello, guitar, violin), but process them through a plethora of postmodern techniques, such as looping and sampling. Teach Me Equals are currently on tour (although do not currently have a local stop) and about to release their debut LP, Knives in the Hope Chest, on September 16th. Their contemporary appropriation (and manipulation) of traditional instrumentation is not unlike the quirkily clever work of Melora Creager… dark, learned, but also quite a bit of fun. - Philthy Mag

There was once a show called Duets - please, lord, let this show actually be canceled, because I can't be bothered to look it up - where young performers from around the country were tasked to perform duets with professionals. What made this shitty show interesting was the unstated premise that collaborating with another person in a way that conveys the push and pull of two people really connecting was actually hard. Duets that match meager expectations are a dime a dozen; duets that tell a compelling story between two artists are a marvel.

Teach Me Equals are a two-piece based out of Sarasota, Florida. Made up of Erin Murphy and Greg Bortnichak, Teach Me Equals do not fall under the lazy umbrella of a duet. Rather, they embody the unique relationship that develops between two people that actually collaborate. Watching them perform means seeing two people that understand the conversation that occurs, not just between artists, but between their instruments, and the give and take of the songwriting process.

I caught Teach Me Equals on tour, as they stopped by a truck stop in Idaho.

"I was in a band that came through Erin Murphy's town," says Bortnichak. "We hit it off and decided that it would be fun to collaborate. So, we were originally gonna work on string arrangements for an Equines record, but then we got into more heady territory. So, we just started working together, about four years ago."

"The band actually formed within forty-eight hours of us collaborating," says Murphy. "We started with songs that I had written for my last band, which were too mellow or introspective for them. Over time, when we actually started writing together, we started pulling in the different electronic influences. Then we thought about how cool it would be to pull in a thicker wall of dynamics."

Bortnichak and Murphy play cello and violin, respectively. What they create out of those instruments is remarkable. Through the use of looping pedals and samples, Teach Me Equals create something much more than an orchestral pop band. Minimalist, almost Suicide-esque industrial beats accompany melodies that would work well in any genre. Through the looping and effects pedals, the cello and violin take on different, compelling lives.

"There was a show where Greg accidentally stepped on the guide beat on the loop pedal," says Murphy. "It was right at the perfect moment of the song, where we were about to go into a chorus, and Greg wanted to turn it off. I looked into the audience and saw people dancing. I said, ‘Greg, don't turn it off!' ... It was through moments like this that we really found out what kind of a band we are. Through f---ing around and landing on something."

Teach Me Equals' forthcoming debut album is a fascinating mixture between meditative electronics and upbeat electro-rock. Comparisons have been drawn between Teach Me Equals and The xx, but mostly due to the interplay between male and female singers. Still, The xx share the sense of intimate collaboration between the two main singers. Bortnichak and Murphy share more than vocals: their interplay as musicians shows an incredible amount of respect and adoration for each other as artists. The way that the songs bounce back and forth with ever increasing levels of musical mastery displays a delightful sense of exploration that exists between both musicians.

A tiny drum machine accompanies the pairing of Teach Me Equals - the less to distract you from the immaculate interplay between these two artists. The cacophony brought to the fore is enough to make you believe that the stage is full of people. This is a duet. - NorthwestMilitary.Com

Guy-girl duo Teach Me Equals was formed in 2011 by New Jersey native Greg Bortnichak and Floridian Erin Murphy. Their debut LP, Knives in the Hope Chest, is out September 16. Through their use of a wide range of tools — guitar, cello, Theremin, violin, and more — they are able to deliver a unique sound that is at times reminiscent of electronic artists like The Xx (largely due to the back and forth male-female vocals), but with an edgier, industrial-meets-orchestral vibe (check out "Swallow the Smoke" on their website).

Today, we get to premiere brand new track “Dictionary of Imaginary Places,” by Teach Me Equals.

The haunting duet gets right to the point: "I said I’m just a small town whore / with big city dreams as she whispered in my ear / Don’t you forget them, boy; between you and me, we have nothing to fear / I’ve been waiting for so long for someone like you to come along."

The band comments that the song “explores the realization of mature love in a mythic and biblical setting while chronicling the process of the two characters as they learn to forgive each other and themselves for unavoidable and self-perceived trespasses.” - Culture Collide

Teach Me Equals (formerly Bard & Mustache) and RedRumsey (Vern Rumsey of Unwound, Long Hind Legs) will be hitting the west coast for an 18-date joint tour this September. And oh what a celebration it will be: Vern Rumsey last toured over a decade ago.

In 2002 following the split of Unwound, Rumsey effectively retired and quit making music. Over 10 years later, he found himself returning to his massive back catalog of work. It was the key to starting a new chapter in an already impressive career, one defined by his bass and guitar work in the aforementioned Unwound as well as Long Hind Legs, Fitz of Depression, Witchypoo, and Blonde Redhead.

Greg Bortnichak of Teach Me Equals describes the RedRumsey sound:
"Red Rumsey is the sound of skeletons speaking through their bones in a code only the pure of heart can decipher. The music is an unadorned homage to the gilded poetic hue of claustrophobia. Unassailable grooves built around Rumsey's signature spindly guitar and bass work, wound tight as a wedding ring on the secrets imbued by his compellingly hushed, and loaded, vocals. This is an entirely new species of thoughtful bedroom punk -one that dreams not of the spotlight, but of seeing for itself the halo that it knows has been hanging over its head all along... The same halo that follows any angel whenever it weeps in private -the kind that illuminates things no one could ever explain, but you just instinctively understand."
Teach Me Equals just recently, successfully, completed a Kickstarter campaign to fund the release of their first official debut album, Knives In the Hope Chest. I've heard demos, unmixed recordings, and lots more over the past few years as Greg (cello, vocals) and Erin Murphy (guitar, violin, vocals) have pretty much lived for the sole purpose of crafting these songs and sharing them with the world. It's been an incredible journey, and something that we'll undoubtedly be able to play witness to while experiencing the finished product.
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If they're coming to your town, you don't want to miss it. Any Teach Me Equals tour I've caught has been both intimate and intense, a raw display of emotion and storm of passion. One might say they're more experiences than they are shows. You'd be hard pressed to find something to better illustrate the riches of following your heart, living honestly, and sharing your soul. - Mixtape Muse

The debut recording by Teach Me Equals is a bold, visionary glimpse into the future of pop music. The duo combine traditionally orchestral instruments with samples and noise to create dreamlike soundscapes.
Greg Bortnichak’s hushed, understated voice is perfectly complimented by bandmate Erin Murphy’s stunningly beautiful vocal delivery. No where is this more evident than the third verse of “Coelacanth” where Murphy’s voice stands practically alone as she sings “Now I was young when I first met the sea,” her cadence pitch perfect.
“Swallow the Smoke” is the most instantly engaging track with a galloping drum loop and a chorus comprised of a guitar riff accompanied by “ooohs” and “ahhhs.” Three minutes in, the song quiets down to minimal violin and cello interplay, gradually building to an orgasmic climax before the rhythm drops. The chorus is infectious and you’ll find it implanted in your cerebral cortex for the foreseeable future.
Album closer “Lullaby For Piano” features multi-layered vocals which become hypnotic through repetition. While there’s no piano on the track, it does sound like something you’d sing to soothe a toddler waking from a hellish nightmare.
At times the dense atmospherics and electronic percussion recall Kid A and Amnesiac-era Radiohead or perhaps what The xx would sound like if they were more musically informed. The lack of a traditional drummer is only noticed when the rhythm sounds too much like a dusty old metronome or a Casio keyboard as is the case on “As the Crow Flies.”
Knives in the Hope Chest is a stunning initial statement and feels as though it were produced by a much more seasoned band. There’s something new and groundbreaking here. If redefining pop was their goal, Teach Me Equals has succeeded, leaving only the question of what they are capable of accomplishing next.
Rating: 11 out of 12 cans of PBR! - Savage Henry Magazine