Silverteeth

O Silverteeth é a trilha indie para um filme B

Estreamos nesta terça (1) "Armond Killers", single e clipe novos da melodiosa banda residente em Newport, Estados Unidos.

Foto: Romeo Ellorin

​​​O Silverteeth é uma banda de rock alternativo formada pela baixista e vocalista Gabriela Rassi, o guitarrista e vocalista Bill Bartholomew e o baterista e percussionista Keith Robinson. Eles têm um EP lançado e atualmente vivem em Newport, Rhode Island, nos Estados Unidos. Dos três, só a Gabriela é brasileira, de Goiânia. Ela se mudou pros States no final de 2008 com a intenção de fazer aulas de música e começar uma banda.

​Quando chegou a Nova York, estava interessada num curso superior de engenharia e produção musical, até que, em busca de aluguel mais barato, caiu de paraquedas no epicentro da comunidade artística do Brooklyn. Instalou-se​​ ​​​onde o pessoal mais importante ​​da cena morava​, e foi lá que ​​ conheceu Bill.

No começo, eles integravam​​​​​​​​​ bandas diferentes. "Durante um bom tempo nos recusamos a fazer música juntos até o dia em que precisamos de dinheiro e resolvemos tocar nos metrôs de Nova York por gorjetas", conta Gabi​​​​​. Os dois apresentavam​​​​​​​​ covers de folk numa das paradas mais competitivas da cena do metrô de lá. Aos poucos, foram colocando músicas originais no repertó​rio e fazendo centenas de shows nesse formato pelo Nordeste Americano.

​"Decidi​​​​​​​mos recriar o projeto com outro nome e outro som, que representasse mais quem somos. O baterista Keith Robinson entrou pra banda, e, depois de dois anos, gravamos o nosso primeiro EP, lançado em julho desse ano", detalha ela sobre como o projeto tomou forma.

"Armond Killers", canção do single e clipe que o Noisey estreia nesta terça (1), foi gravada nas mesmas sessões do EP, e, em breve, sairá outro single. "Eu compus essa música ano passado e ela veio quase pronta", diz Gabriela. "Por curiosidade, eu digitei 'Armond Killers' no Google e apareceu​​​​​​​ um artigo do Wikipedia sobre um casal de serial killers – Gerald Armond ​e Charlene Gallego – e a história fez total sentido com a letra e o sentimento da música."

​Segundo ela, "o artigo é bem machista na descrição do casal, o que reforçou a questão a respeito de a Charlene ter participado dos assassinatos por loucura ou por medo."

Dirigido pelo pintor Romeo Ellorin, o clipe chega envolvido numa roupagem de filme B. O Romeo, que já rodou outros filmes de terror sem investimento algum, com as próprias fantasias e máscaras que faz, reaproveitou imagens de um curta de 20 minutos na produção.

"Por muito tempo ele vinha pedindo pra usar nossa música no filme. Quando eu assisti esse vídeo, perguntei a ele se topari​a editá-lo a fim de​​​​​ servir de clipe pra música", explica Gabriela. "Ele topou, e fez alguns shots de nós dois – o Bill é o jornalista do começo; e eu sou o fantasma que garante vingança no final."

Saca só​ o resultado dessa história​​​​​: - Noisey

Led by NYC scene veteran Bill Bartholomew (guitar and vocals) and Brazilian bass player Gabriela Rassi, Silverteeth is an excercise in stripping pop of anything superfluous to let the melody and the songwriting shine. Operating in a strictly DIY fashion, this is one of the few bands able to land gigs both at Bowery Presents' venues (they'll play Mercury on February 9th) and at Brooklyn DIY spaces like Palisades. We should hear some new material from them soon, since they were recently invited to record a few tracks at Converse's Rubber Track. - The Deli Magazine

Silverteeth’s Bill Bartholomew and Gabriela Rassi met in 2010 in a sea of creative electricity. Roommates in a nine-person loft in the bustling artistic community of Bushwick, Brooklyn, the two independent musicians quickly became friends, sharing in the journey and struggle of finding success as aspiring artists in a city brimming with opportunity and competition.

“The apartment we shared was the center of that community,” Rassi explained, reflecting on their time in the McKibbin Street Lofts. “It hosted an open mic, which at one point hosted over 700 different artists. I just got lucky finding my room there. I didn’t know what I was getting into.”

A native of Goiânia, Brazil, Rassi soon found herself trudging down subway staircases with Bartholomew, who grew up in Charlestown, Rhode Island, to busk on trains for extra cash.

“We found that by going down together we could create a much stronger performance,” said Bartholomew. “Slowly but surely we realized that we liked each other enough to form a band out of what we’d been doing.”

Connecting at the pinnacle of an artistic boom in Brooklyn, the two musicians found inspiration in the vibrant community that became their home. Soon, however, the electricity they’d discovered in Brooklyn faded, in a very literal sense.

Artists were driven away as price of living skyrocketed, leaving not only an inspirational void, but an insurmountable financial obstacle. As gentrification took hold of the area, sidewalks that once buzzed with artists discussing ideas emptied, giving way to a high-priced housing market aimed at attracting wealthy newcomers. The pair toughed it out — even squatting for two years — before the reality of their situation came full-circle.

“They cut out the power and energy at our place,” said Rassi. “We lived through the winter without power or heat. Everything just got way too expensive way too fast.”

“It was difficult just to keep the train rolling,” Bartholomew added. “The production costs and the cost of rent made it very difficult. Once the rug was pulled out from under us we were pushed out of there. That’s, in a way, how we ended up here in Newport.”

While playing gigs throughout the East Coast, Bartholomew, who was involved in the Providence music scene before he moved to New York, was surprised when he’d run into Newport-based artists like Castle and David Passafiume at shows in places like New Haven, Connecticut.

“I got the vibe that there were a lot of really interesting bands doing cool things in this little, geographically tight area,” he explained. In April of 2016, Silverteeth packed up their gear and headed north, back toward Bartholomew’s native Rhode Island.

“We saw in Newport a similar situation to what we had in New York in the beginning,” explained Rassi. “It has the feel of a little village. We’re walking distance from all of the people we’re inspired by, interacting with artists every day. We also feel very inspired by an artistic scene that’s not as market driven. Here, people are making unique stuff that truly comes from their hearts.”

Following a similar creative approach, Silverteeth, now firmly planted in Newport, released their debut self-titled EP on July 8 with a release party at Aurora Providence. Made up of three deeply personal songs inspired by their time in Brooklyn, the album has already been touted as one of “one of the best local recordings to come out of the Ocean State this year” by Boston-based online music magazine Vanyaland. Keith Robinson served as a drummer during recording, helping to produce, record and mix the EP. But lately the duo has been joined by drummer Tom Berglund who has played with Newport-based bands Meds and Cliffs and Bangers.

The village feel of Newport’s arts scene and their early days in Brooklyn emerges in Silverteeth’s songwriting, Bartholomew said.

“It definitely shaped my perspective. In New York there are countless examples of people who wake up in the morning and, without fail, spend their entire day doing whatever they have to do to create their art. In the end, that’s created a tone that has helped our band a lot, and we want to keep that tradition going. I liked the grind of the city, but I’m looking forward to the laid back approach that Newport offers.”

Capitalizing on the work ethic and creativity they became accustomed to in Brooklyn, Silverteeth has shows scheduled around the area after their unofficial “Newport Folk Festival Kickoff” at Pour Judgement on Thursday, July 21. Bartholomew performed a song Saturday at the festival on the Museum Stage on Saturday during For Pete’s Sake. The band also played after-parties and distributed their EP during both the folk and jazz festivals. They will also perform Thursday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. before the newportFILM outdoor screening of the documentary “Betting on Zero” on Salve Regina University’s Ochre Court lawn. A Sept. 8 gig at Pour Judgement and shows in New York City, Boston and elsewhere are in the works for September and October.

“The best part of right now, being in Newport,” said Bartholomew, “is that once we get through with the shows and the release phase of our EP we can really get into our writing. The combination of this community and being close to nature again is huge for me. Being able to go in the water, the outdoors, all of these things are influencing us and how we go about things.”

“I feel very stimulated by living in Newport, in a way that I haven’t felt in a very long time,” Rassi said. “There are so many inspiring songwriters. We’re surrounded by a community that is really original, and the fact that we have more time and space has created more internal space. I can see that we’ll be taking off full speed in August and, from there, just going forward.” - Mercury

Silverteeth performed four songs live for a taping of NewPorch Live Sessions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUOajk9t3NQ - Newport Art House

Possessing transcontinental roots, Newport-via-New York indie rock act Silverteeth aren’t your typical band. Launched in the heart of Brooklyn’s late-’00s DIY scene by Charlestown, Rhode Island native Bill Bartholomew and Gabriella Rassi of Goiânia, Brazil, Silverteeth recently established their home base in the City By The Sea. Their unique sound fits perfectly with the eccentricities of Newport’s tiny — but talented — music scene. It’s guitar driven music with a dose of pop and a heavy amount of grit evocative of alternative rock’s golden era in the ’90s. Their debut self-titled EP is an excellent example of that and it’s being premiered on Vanyaland today.

Bartholomew and Rassi produced the EP themselves along with the assistance of Keith Robinson and his home studio in Brooklyn where they recorded it all. The EP gives off the vibe of reflection and transition to go with the reality of Silverteeth moving to a new environment after being based in the Big Apple for nearly a decade. There’s also a rich soundscape abundant from track to track and there’s never a moment of boredom or redundancy. Emphatic tones and hard-hitting riffs are the backbone of the band’s sound and the ears will be invigorated. The end result encompasses one of the best local recordings to come out of the Ocean State this year.

There’s a bit of an aural, psychedelic vibe in “Burning Planet”, an environmentally conscious track that has a stellar combination of acoustic and electric riffs. The chorus is stunningly triumphant and it serves as a prime example of Silverteeth’s rhythmic emphasis. “Camden” has harmonies reminiscent of the Pixies with Rassi taking the lead on vocals and bass. It sounds like something straight out of Doolittle but also stands out due to Bartholomew’s skills on guitar. With Bartholomew singing about playing out in the crazy atmosphere of New York City, “I Want” is an ode to the struggling artist in a big city while also being satisfied with doing what you love.

Silverteeth will be celebrating the release of their EP at Aurora in Providence Friday night (July 8) with fellow Newport act Icky Woods, riot punks Pyramid and indie pop trio Tiny Diamond. The band will have 100 limited edition, unique hand-drawn copies of the EP available as well. In the meantime, stream via Silverteeth’s Bandcamp page at the link below and dive in. - Vanyaland

NEWPORT, R.I. — When a band gets serious, the story goes that they move to New York. But for the indie rock band Silverteeth, which has resettled in Newport, the story is reversed.

The band recently left Brooklyn, once a renowned bohemian capital, because founding members Bill Bartholomew and Gabriela Rassi had come to feel artistically pigeonholed. Rhode Island, they found, has allowed them more artistic freedom.

Brooklyn clubs had come to expect a specific sound from the bands they booked — an imitation of ambient pop bands such as Animal Collective and Radiohead, said Bartholomew, a University of Rhode Island graduate and Charlestown native who founded Silverteeth with Rassi in 2013.

Finances were also hard to balance, Bartholomew said. He and Rassi, who share songwriting duties with the band, worked a rotisserie of jobs to make ends meet — sound engineering, soccer refereeing, babysitting, housekeeping.

After leaving Williamsburg, a neighborhood of Brooklyn where rents had skyrocketed, Bartholomew and Rassi briefly squatted in a house in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant that was formerly occupied by Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig and members of the Dirty Projectors.

For Bartholomew and Rassi, the move to Newport was gradual, Rassi said. They spent the summer of 2013 in South County, relaxing and casually working on music. A year later, they returned to the state for an indie twist on summering in Newport — Bartholomew and Rassi came to the city to refine their songs and record demos.

In Newport, Rassi said, they found a community of “artists who were not as trapped into a market demand.”

Discontent with New York, Rassi suggested a permanent move to Rhode Island. In April, the couple moved into a large house on Spring Street in Newport with other musicians, including Dave Passafiume, one of the city’s top booking agents.

Silverteeth also joins the ranks of The Low Anthem and Arc Iris, Providence bands that, like Silverteeth, have recently evolved from a folk background toward a more electronic sound.

In fact, Silverteeth recently recorded a video for its song “Shoes” at Providence’s Columbus Theatre, a venue and recording space operated in part by members of The Low Anthem.

But Bartholomew is quick to distinguish between his friends in Newport and the Providence bands that revolve around the Columbus Theatre. Providence has an established indie folk and rock scene. Newport’s identity is still forming.

“It’s almost like Providence is Manhattan, and Newport is Brooklyn,” he said.

Brooklyn in the mid-2000s sense of the word, that is, when the borough had a less commercial music scene.

Silverteeth has quickly won a following in Newport. On July 21, Pour Judgement, a narrow bar on Broadway, was packed for Silverteeth’s show.

Bartholomew sang and alternated effortlessly between rhythm and lead guitar. His guitar style is equal parts classic rock, folk fingerpicking and feedback noise. His singing is melodic and consistent, though he occasionally enjoys ranging into more abrasive territory.

Behind Bartholomew, Rassi plays a comfortable bass, which is not her native instrument. She learned to play after the band’s former bass player in New York dropped out before a series of crucial gigs. She also sings backup vocals and occasionally lead.

Rounding out the trio, drummer Tom Bergland is a Newport local by way of Tiverton. Bergland said the local musicians admire Bartholomew and Rassi for their work ethic. “They’re the hardest-working musicians I know,” said Bergland. “Some people expect things to be handed to them. Not them.”

Liza Burkin, a writer for Edible Rhody and the Newport Mercury, said that fans in the City by the Sea like to travel with the band when they leave town. “You should’ve seen their show in Providence [at Aurora] two weeks ago. All of Newport came up for it,” said Burkin. “We get criticized for never leaving the island but we packed five cars for that concert.”

After the Thursday show, Bartholomew and Rassi carried their equipment home, only a block or so from Pour Judgement. Before Bartholomew and Rassi finished unpacking, a party was under way downstairs. The musicians said hello to people lining the porch before walking to their garage studio.

Opening the garage, Bartholomew proudly showed off their home studio. Silverteeth, he said, has roughly 40 songs ready to record. Bartholomew and Rassi plan to record demos in Newport before touring in the fall. (The band already has out an EP, “eponymous,” which it recorded in New York.)

As Bartholomew closed the garage door, he turned and said, “You know, our entire apartment in New York was about the size of this little studio.”

CORRECTION: Dave Passafiume’s name was misspelled in the original version of this story.

—Ben Berke is a freelance writer and recent graduate of Brown University. He can be contacted at ben.berke@gmail.com. - RhodeIsland.com

Bill Bartholomew says there's more artistic freedom in the City by the Sea.
By Ben BerkeSpecial to The Journal

NEWPORT, R.I. — When a band gets serious, the story goes that they move to New York. But for the indie rock band Silverteeth, which has resettled in Newport, the story is reversed.

The band recently left Brooklyn, once a renowned bohemian capital, because founding members Bill Bartholomew and Gabriela Rassi had come to feel artistically pigeonholed. Rhode Island, they found, has allowed them more artistic freedom.

Brooklyn clubs had come to expect a specific sound from the bands they booked — an imitation of ambient pop bands such as Animal Collective and Radiohead, said Bartholomew, a University of Rhode Island graduate and Charlestown native who founded Silverteeth with Rassi in 2013.

Finances were also hard to balance, Bartholomew said. He and Rassi, who share songwriting duties with the band, worked a rotisserie of jobs to make ends meet — sound engineering, soccer refereeing, babysitting, housekeeping.

After leaving Williamsburg, a neighborhood of Brooklyn where rents had skyrocketed, Bartholomew and Rassi briefly squatted in a house in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant that was formerly occupied by Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig and members of the Dirty Projectors.

For Bartholomew and Rassi, the move to Newport was gradual, Rassi said. They spent the summer of 2013 in South County, relaxing and casually working on music. A year later, they returned to the state for an indie twist on summering in Newport — Bartholomew and Rassi came to the city to refine their songs and record demos.

In Newport, Rassi said, they found a community of “artists who were not as trapped into a market demand.”

Discontent with New York, Rassi suggested a permanent move to Rhode Island. In April, the couple moved into a large house on Spring Street in Newport with other musicians, including Dave Passafiume, one of the city's top booking agents.

Silverteeth also joins the ranks of The Low Anthem and Arc Iris, Providence bands that, like Silverteeth, have recently evolved from a folk background toward a more electronic sound.

In fact, Silverteeth recently recorded a video for its song “Shoes” at Providence's Columbus Theatre, a venue and recording space operated in part by members of The Low Anthem.

But Bartholomew is quick to distinguish between his friends in Newport and the Providence bands that revolve around the Columbus Theatre. Providence has an established indie folk and rock scene. Newport’s identity is still forming.

“It’s almost like Providence is Manhattan, and Newport is Brooklyn,” he said.

Brooklyn in the mid-2000s sense of the word, that is, when the borough had a less commercial music scene.

Silverteeth has quickly won a following in Newport. On July 21, Pour Judgement, a narrow bar on Broadway, was packed for Silverteeth's show.

Bartholomew sang and alternated effortlessly between rhythm and lead guitar. His guitar style is equal parts classic rock, folk fingerpicking and feedback noise. His singing is melodic and consistent, though he occasionally enjoys ranging into more abrasive territory.

Behind Bartholomew, Rassi plays a comfortable bass, which is not her native instrument. She learned to play after the band's former bass player in New York dropped out before a series of crucial gigs. She also sings backup vocals and occasionally lead.

Rounding out the trio, drummer Tom Bergland is a Newport local by way of Tiverton. Bergland said the local musicians admire Bartholomew and Rassi for their work ethic. “They're the hardest-working musicians I know,” said Bergland. “Some people expect things to be handed to them. Not them.”

Liza Burkin, a writer for Edible Rhody and the Newport Mercury, said that fans in the City by the Sea like to travel with the band when they leave town. “You should’ve seen their show in Providence [at Aurora] two weeks ago. All of Newport came up for it,” said Burkin. “We get criticized for never leaving the island but we packed five cars for that concert.”

After the Thursday show, Bartholomew and Rassi carried their equipment home, only a block or so from Pour Judgement. Before Bartholomew and Rassi finished unpacking, a party was under way downstairs. The musicians said hello to people lining the porch before walking to their garage studio.

Opening the garage, Bartholomew proudly showed off their home studio. Silverteeth, he said, has roughly 40 songs ready to record. Bartholomew and Rassi plan to record demos in Newport before touring in the fall. (The band already has out an EP, "eponymous," which it recorded in New York.)

As Bartholomew closed the garage door, he turned and said, “You know, our entire apartment in New York was about the size of this little studio."

Silverteeth will perform at 10 p.m. Friday, July 29, at Pour Judgement, 32 Broadway, Newport. No cover charge. For more information, call (401) 619-2115 or go to facebook.com/pour.judgement/. The band also plays Thursday, Aug. 11, as part of the newportFILM Outdoors free documentary film series. The trio plays at 7 p.m. before the film "Betting On Zero" on the lawn of Ochre Court at Salve Regina University. Food vendors will be available starting at 6:30 p.m.; film starts at about 8:10. Event is free; $5 donation suggested. For more information, go to www.newportfilm.com/film-events/films/betting-zero. - The Providence Journal

Silverteeth performed a set for SOFAR Sounds at a beautiful Manhattan warehouse space.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-RVLGuLBJ8 - SOFAR Sounds

This content will be available in digital format soon. - Newport Naked

"Silverteeth are a Newport, Rhode Island duo that seem to have a time machine in their studio. They effortlessly move back and forth between current sounds and classic ’80s sounds and ’60s melodies. They cross that (Claiborne Pell) bridge between Modern English, Icicle Works, and REM with the Mamas & The Papas and Byrds. This way too short EP is by turns beautiful, rocking, and magnificent. These songs are both familiar and alien. In the changing musical landscape that we exist in, the question is, what is this? Is this college rock or commercial? The lines have been blurred. I don’t know how this will be marketed, but this should rise to the very top of wherever the powers that be decide to lump them in with. I’m reluctant to say that Silverteeth is one of the best albums of the the year when it is so very brief, but I am excited to hear more, much more." - The Noise

this content will be available soon. - Radio Free Brooklyn

Silverteeth dropped by WEMF while in Boston, MA, and performed live on-air and had a chat with dAve on his show The Underbelly:

http://wemfradio.com/2016/09/22/underbelly-9-22-16/ - WEMF

"Silverteeth relocates to Newport, RI and releases self-titled EP

After nearly a decade in Brooklyn, prodigal son Bill Bartholomew is returning home to Rhode Island, together with his band silverteeth. Alongside this relocation to Newport's tiny but powerful music scene, they also released a self-titled EP, and it feels like the two may be correlated thematically. The project contains guitar-centric, no-nonsense alt-pop that opts for a tight, well-oiled sound. On the record, Bartholomew's voice and guitar each drip with sentimentality, and stir the powerful emotions that occur when going through a major life event, such as a move back home. Silverteeth played a EP release show on July 8 at Aurora in Providence, which should the first of many New England shows to come." - The Deli Magazine

Silverteeth appear in the official highlight video performing at The 2014 Newport Folk Festival (begins 1 minute mark).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aLFII17QY0&feature=youtu.be&list=UUo74RPzPTAlrF2hlS5SiN1w - Newport Folk Festival

The indie rock band Silverteeth, made up of Bill Bartholomew (guitar and vocals) and Gabriela Rassi (bass and vocals), is known for their DIY ethos, melodic tunes, and entrancing lyrics. The two first met at the McKibbin Lofts in Bushwick, a warehouse with a reputation for housing some of the most influential local musicians in the past decade. While maintaining their individual projects, the couple - in life and in art - began performing together. After nearly 10 years on the NYC music circuit, they've played all types of venues, ranging from Brooklyn rooftops and DIY spaces to more reputable ones like Mercury Lounge. With 100+ shows and hundreds of hours of singing under their belts, the two show no signs of stopping. Look out for the release of their debut album and East Coast tour dates this summer!

How did Silverteeth come together?

We came together as an acoustic duo, performing our original songs and some old time folk songs together. Busking the trains, dive bars, and small clubs in the City and around New England. We found that teaming up was a lot of fun and it was worth the risk of starting a full band in which we each would contribute our own songs. We had always wanted a band that could get into our more eccentric, electric material, and we kinda built Silverteeth around that idea.



What does "Silverteeth" mean? How did you come up with the name?

I was drawing a monster and painted its teeth silver. Gabi shouted "Silverteeth!" and the name instantly seemed right. It also references two of our mutual favorite records, "Summerteeth" by Wilco, and the song "Sea of Teeth" by Sparklehorse.



How do you choose venues and other acts when putting a line-up together? Do you ever turn shows down?

We love playing live, so I'm usually open to most shows. There is a lot of garbage in NYC, and everywhere for that matter, so shows are disorganized and can often be a scam to the fans and the artists... but luckily, at this point, it's pretty easy to feel out if a show is gonna be worth it. DIY shows are magical. That's our whole song and dance, in many ways. We love Bowery Presents shows. And we love playing shows with friends, especially from different cities. That's the best vibe.

Do you prefer bigger shows then, or more intimate ones?

Big stages and situations are pretty awesome, in terms of the energy. We're a young band, but we've had a few of those larger crowd experiences, and it is certainly a great way to feel the music. It sounds and feels different when you have a large crowd on the other side. At the time, some of the best shows I've personally been a part of have had 25 - 75 people in a small room, and those moments will last beyond a lifetime.



How do you write music? Is it collaborative?

We are both singer/songwriters in our own right, so we each bring songs to the band that we feel make sense for the project... and then as a unit we dissect them, destroy 'em, etc., until we love 'em again. We're always talking about sounds, cool records, colors in the sky, whatever it takes to keep the constant conversation going about what the band is and where we are heading from a sonic standpoint.



You have a really distinct sound. How would you describe Silverteeth's music?

Always tough to say what we sound like. We both love the great singers - like Nina Simone and Mike Patton, for example. And unique artists with great songwriting, like The Pixies, Neil Young, and Wilco. We both love a really fuckin' meaningful, natural electric guitar sound. The kind that leaves you shivering. And harmonies. I don't know if we sound anything like any of those artists / ideas, but we certainly love 'em. Silverteeth definitely has a unique sound - that's something I'm really proud of and we always try to remind ourselves of when shaping tunes.

Do you like to tour and play festivals?

That's the whole idea - the entire reason for living this lifestyle is to be on stage. If it were only about writing and recording I think we'd both find other jobs and make records at night, and on the weekends. I personally feel at home on stage, in the van, etc., so that's what keeps the dream alive. Pushing to make records so we can stay in an environment that keeps us on our toes. One of our most tangible dreams is to play the big stage at Newport Folk Festival.



Who have been your influences, musically and artistically?

In addition to the above artists, we listen to all kinds of stuff. Punk, Folk, Country. Lots of Brazilian and Peruvian artists. Sunflower Bean, Honduras, and some of the things happening in NYC right now. The classics...Ray Charles, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Elis Regina... Heaps of music from the 80s and 90s. Sonic Youth, Dino, Built to Spill, Hole, Blue Rodeo. Some of the 2000s bands... Karen O, Animal Collective, Neko Case, M. Ward. Big guns like Modest Mouse, Pumpkins, and MBV. Songwriters, poets, the usual suspects like Dylan, Beatles, The Band. Freakin' Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. Chomsky lectures. I get a lot of inspiration from sports broadcasting in terms of being in the moment, ya know? Especially radio... so fuckin' real. And certainly the artists that have been around us in our communities, for me folks like Colleen Hennessy, Christopher Knott, Katie Ng, Erik Meier, Steve Nelson, Dave Passafiume, and Dave Klym. Look 'em up. Gabriela has a really keen sense of song and sound, and that has really shaped my palate, in terms of finding new music and pushing my own limits. She's a big inspiration in my writing for Silverteeth.



You began creating in Brooklyn during a particularly seminal time for indie music and DIY rock shows. What has your experience been with the creative community here?

Hard to describe Brooklyn during the heyday of the most recent arts movement, other than to say art was everywhere, and everybody lived art without hesitation. When I showed up in Bushwick / Williamsburg in 2006, it was everything you'd hope New York to be, and more. Community. Vibe. Breaking through to something. In it together. The early 2000's Indie Rock boom had kinda shifted to a more artsy sound, and bands like Animal Collective and White Rabbits and tons of others that no one ever heard of were making really evocative and interesting music. Then-candidate and now President Obama - along with Ron Paul - emerged and added a new element to the puzzle. Things were moving. I found a real audience for my art. Todd P was putting on great shows all over the neighborhood and that led others, including myself, to embrace a DIY ethos. It swept us off our feet and knocked us around quite a bit. Kind of messy, kind of wild, and altogether beautiful. Real love, ideas, and hope. Not everybody made it out alive. Interestingly, it was as close to syndicalism as I've personally experienced - a real give and take that sort of overrode currency. Lots of songs, meals, films, political and social ideas were being shared, and you really felt like you were a part of something much bigger than yourself or your own art and ideas. It was a balance of explainable and inexpiable magic. Gabi and I met in the McKibbin Lofts in 2010, in a period of post-recession creative explosions, but also the start of the incoming wave of new capital that ultimately usurped a variety of communities that called North Brooklyn home. The City has really moved toward a more corporate orientation in the past six years, particularly in real estate, and via a de facto trickle down, the entertainment value of DIY shows, or the value of a "crazy artist" living next door has been eradicated, replaced with electronic cigarette and high-end barber / cold brew coffee shops. I'm sure it will all shift again, too, and another wave of art will take over. But right now, New York seems to be a very difficult place to develop art, the total opposite of when I first arrived. I am still living my art in New York, as is Gabriela. It is just a different kind of life when community is divided and time is significantly limited by rising costs of living and production. - Created Here

If you listen to “Shoes” by Ridgewood’s Silverteeth, you will hear an energetic, hook-laden number that sounds like The Strokes playing surf rock. The combined efforts of singer/guitarist Bill Bartholomew, singer/bassist/keyboardist Gabriela Rassi and drummer Keith Robinson create instantly catchy songs that effortlessly float through the speakers.

Bartholomew and Rassi first met each other in an artist loft located in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Rassi had just moved to the City from Brazil and Bartholomew had created a do-it-yourself studio. Although the two members worked on their own at first, their financial situation soon drew them together with the idea of performing for tips on the subway. That interaction has subsequently led to writing original material and playing hundreds of concerts.

The name Silverteeth came from a drawing Bartholomew made of a monster with silver teeth. Rassi came up with the name and it stuck. The two musicians said it reminded them of one of their favorite albums, “Summerteeth” by Wilco, and favorite songs, “Sea of Teeth” by Sparklehorse.

Although Bartholomew and Rassi record and play together as Silverteeth, they still both write their songs separately, then contribute to the other’s work later on in the process. The band’s ultimate goal for writing is to reach and make new fans.

“We integrate each other’s ideas to improve the songs and production,” Rassi said. “We write to perform. So all the craft and thought that goes into the studio is just a means for us to keep reaching out to more people so we can play more shows.”

One of the best ways for New York bands to find new fans is through the CMJ Music Marathon. Silverteeth played two shows during the weeklong festival, one in a church in Williamsburg and the other for an official showcase by show curator Close Encounters.

“Shoes” is the band’s first live video/single they have released. It was filmed at the Columbus Theatre in Providence, R.I., Bartholomew’s hometown.

“We had seen the studio Jeff Prystowsky and Ben Knox Miller from The Low Anthem run inside the theatre and we knew from the start that we wanted to make something there,” Rassi said.

While neither Bartholomew nor Rassi are native New Yorkers, they have found a home in Ridgewood, where they live in an affordable, accessible location. While the neighborhood is not well-known for artistic endeavors, Silverteeth hopes to help change that.

“The artistic scene is still a little sparser than it was in Bushwick, but Emily Heinz, founder of the RAC, has been organizing meetings with Ridgewood artists and we’ve been trying to come up with ways to integrate the artists within themselves and with the community,” Rassi said.

You will have a chance to catch Silverteeth’s live set on Dec. 28 at The Ace Hotel in Manhattan. For the latest from the band, visit www.facebook.com/ilovesilverteeth.

- Joe Marvilli
- See more at: http://queenstribune.com/musicians-of-queens-silverteeth/#sthash.w2bCmw4m.dpuf - Queens Tribune

There is something in Bill Bartholomew‘s voice that just makes me smile. Even if you don’t know the songwriter, you can hear the love he infuses into his music when he sings. You know this is what he is meant to be doing and what he is most happiest being in the middle of.

“Beachcomber” is the lead off track from his most recent release “Late Night Stars, Sunrise Rainbow” and is my favorite of the 8 tracks on the collection. There is a sweeping and dreamscape type sway to his music. Waves washing up on a shore early in the morning when all else is still and orange and red hues cast their glow on the sands below your feet, still cold from the night air. The track is driven by an acoustic guitar and solid rhythm section, but its Bartholomew’s voice that is the glue holding it together. A mix of country, folk, punk and alternative music should come across as a hodge podge of noise, but its really, really upbeat and nice on the ears. Its soft but an edge is buried deep within his sailing vocal. I don’t know, I just plain feel good listening to Bill’s songs on this collection, as his voice floats up and down, high into that “sun -shiiiiiiiiine” annunciation on the chorus. There is a lot of heart in how he plays and sings. Its good stuff.

Hey orange, there is a sign
Its spinning choices with time
And sitting by the waterside
Waiting to be seen

Give a listen today and check out the rest of the record. - Red Line Roots

primeiro vídeo da banda Silverteeth, Shoes, que a gente divulgou aqui teve uma repercussão tão boa – quase 7 mil visualizações em duas semanas! – que a banda decidiu antecipar o lançamento do segundo vídeo, Devil Town. Enquanto a autoral Shoes é uma música que nos toma de uma forma que a gente precisa colocar aquele sentimento para fora por meio de dança, Devil Town, uma versão de Daniel Johnston, faz os nossos olhos se fecharem para que o corpo sinta cada palavra enquanto nós nos olhamos dentro.

As duas músicas, no entanto, se encontram naquele ponto que, para mim, é o fundamento da banda: a liberdade, o desapego, o nomadismo. As cidades são sentidas de forma diferente quando não se tem a proteção de um emprego fixo, de “um teto todo seu” – roubando aqui, descaradamente, o título do livro da Virginia Woolf.
Daniel Johnston e Silverteeth

Acho que as músicas são como duas versões do mesmo sentimento: Shoes, a liberdade solar em sua dimensão mais positiva; Devil Town um retrato da liberdade quando as luzes estão apagadas e, por isso, pode se assemelhar com o desamparo, com a angústia, com a solidão e com a saudade de casa – a saudade de se ter uma casa. Uma dimensão mais humana, portanto.

Daniel Johnston, o compositor, é um artista de mente inquieta e tão fascinante que não cabe naquilo que conhecemos e, por isso, alguns interpretam como loucura. O documentário que fizeram sobre ele, “The Devil and Daniel Johnston“, de 2006, nos possibilita entrar um pouco no seu universo, mesmo que não possamos compreender ao certo seus versos a um só tempo enigmáticos e cheios de delicadeza, de uma doçura quase infantil.

Os arranjos, de Gabriela, contribuem para que a sonoridade tenha algo de coragem, de aceitar o desafio constante que é enfrentar o lado sombrio da própria existência. “Os arranjos, bem simples, que criei foram como se tivessem sido suspirados no meu ouvido por um fantasma. Até então eu não sabia tocar muita coisa”, me disse Gabriela, antes de me contar que a versão não foi escolhida por acaso.

“Foi uma das primeiras músicas que cantamos juntos…” – ela procurava palavras em português que pudessem expressar o sentimento que vivenciou em língua e terra estrangeira: “Foi a primeira música…” – Então, desistiu e termina em inglês mesmo: – “… first song that I felt I could really perform with my whole heart”.

Para a nossa sorte, agora todos nós podemos ouvir o coração de Gabriela, a mente de Johnston e o silêncio que nos lembra de que não é preciso compreender racionalmente as coisas para sentir a música dentro de nós. - A Gambiarra

When it comes to the music coming out of Rhode Island, The Ocean State’s rhythmic roots stretch far and wide. Take, for example, Brooklyn indie rock act Silverteeth consisting of Brazilian musician Gabriella Rassi and Charlestown, RI, native Bill Bartholomew. The band recently released a music video for the song “Seeds,” so I had a chat with Bill about the making of the video, life in Brooklyn compared to Rhode Island, performing in Brazil earlier this year and when fans can expect Silverteeth’s debut album to be released.

Rob Duguay: The video for “Shoes” was shot and recorded at The Columbus Recording Company, operated by Ben Knox Miller and Jeff Prystowsky of The Low Anthem and located inside The Columbus Theatre. Who directed the video and what was it like working with Ben and Jeff?

Bill Bartholomew: The video itself was directed by Colleen Hennessy of SoPa Productions and Colleen is someone that I greatly respect. She’s done quite a bit of work in the area. She’s does the documentary for the Newport Folk Festival each year as well as a lot of other major festivals. She’s also done some really cool work with a lot of great artists including The Low Anthem. I was really excited to be able to work with her on this. As far as working with Ben and Jeff goes, it was great. They’re definitely one of those classic one-brain-two-body situations at this point where they really complement each other and are able to accomplish a lot both creatively and in more of the scientific side of recording.

RD: It’s pretty cool that you got to work with such talented professionals. What was the inspiration behind “Shoes”? Is there a story behind the song?

BB: I think it’s sort of a general portrait written with a little bit of tongue in cheek from looking at the area I’ve been living in North Brooklyn and how it’s changed and the sort of characters you see out there, who they are, how it makes me feel and potentially how it looks like if you were to take a photo of it. It’s also a song that from a musical standpoint started out as more of a purely electric rock song. It was one of the first songs that the current incarnation of Silverteeth kind of found home base in by utilizing an acoustic guitar as the engine of the song and putting a pick in Gabriella’s hand and having her almost play a Pixies style bass to it. That particular song really helped us find the next step in the sound we’re after.

RD: I think the song is awesome. I’ve already listened to it a bunch of times this week and I like the rhythm behind it. So how long have you been living in Brooklyn?

BB: I actually moved down here in 2006. I guess it was in July of that year when it really started, I came down here with a band I was playing in that was based out of Providence called Commas. All five of us decided to pack up and move to Brooklyn. We moved to a loft in East Williamsburg in a building that became fairly legendary called the McKesson Lofts. The band lasted about a year or so, and slowly but surly everyone else trickled out either back to Rhode Island or elsewhere. I ended up staying in the city myself in the loft and began pursuing a new career as a solo artist.

RD: Being a musician from Rhode Island, did you notice any big changes when you moved to Brooklyn? What’s changed the most with you musically or personally since you moved down there?

BB: Well, I think it corresponded with the time period in life where I think everybody kind of goes through personal, social, political and musical awakenings. I really benefited from the timing of being here in Williamsburg & Bushwick in Brooklyn during the late 2000s. Just to be around basically a true bohemian scene that was entirely driven by art and the pursuit of something cooler. That was different than Rhode Island for me. In Rhode Island you sort of had to really work hard to find allies if you weren’t partaking in the mainstream. There’s certainly a great scene in Providence and there’s always has been, but just in my personal situation a new scene, a new group of people and the fact that it came across as a bohemian community really shifted my thinking. That’s the biggest difference other than the fact there’s no ocean and there’s no space here in New York where as in Rhode Island nearly every day you can guarantee yourself solitude.

RD: That’s definitely an interesting perspective on both places. Earlier this year, Silverteeth performed a few shows in Brazil. How did this happen? Where exactly did you guys play and how were you received there?

BB: Gabriella is Brazilian in the sense that she truly moved to Brooklyn just a few years ago. It’s not as if her family raised her in the States or anything like that. She has a lot of connections to ordinary, everyday people from living there and being around the music scene, political scene and things like that. We knew confidently that we could at least get a couple people to come out to a show if we went down there — it wasn’t a total shot in the dark. When we got down there we were really excited to meet and be taken in by some really great people, really great indie bands that have since broken fairly large on an international level. Through them we connected to other people down there who were really interested in music and indie music in particular. We were able to set up a couple of really cool shows, one was at a record shop called Fnac and it was amazing. It was a 250 to 300 person crowd. We worked very hard handing out flyers and it was very well received. It sort of left us in a spot where we got a nice chunk of ears and eyes ready for what we do next.

RD: It must have been an amazing experience to go down to South America and play in a different place to a whole new group of fans. Silverteeth are currently working on their debut album, so when can fans look for it on record store shelves and on the internet?

BB: We’re currently working on new and old material, recording demos and just getting prepared to go track in the studio this spring. I don’t have a specific date, but it’ll be next year that our debut record will be coming out. It’ll be a long time in the making and I’m very excited that it’s being taken down that route to really take the time to make sure we have the right songs on there.
- See more at: http://motifri.com/billbartholomew/#sthash.Mtk6Ska7.dpuf - Motif Magazine

A no passado, Gabriela Rassi e Bill Bartholomew fizeram uma breve, mas marcante passagem pelo Brasil. Um único show, cheio de significados: foi o primeiro show de Gabriela em Goiânia depois de uma intensa experiência nos Estados Unidos.

Agora, Gabriela e Bill, em companhia da bateria de Keith Robinson e do teclado e da harpa de Chris Kott, lançam o primeiro videoclipe. Gravado no Columbus Theatre, o vídeo registra a música “Shoes”.

A melodia leve conduzida pela voz de Bill parece nos convidar para pegar a estrada, sem destino certo e sem levar muita coisa na mala. As batidas têm o frescor de uma janela aberta enquanto a letra envolve o cotidiano em imagens que equilibram inocência e desejo de largar aquilo que já não serve.

Gabriela conversou com A Gambiarra e falou sobre escolhas – a escolha por gravar o vídeo no Columbus Theatre e pelo nome da banda –, sobre os espaços percorridos pela banda e indicou sete bandas para a gente prestar atenção.
Entrevista

Vocês cantavam juntos como um dueto, Billy n’ Gabi, agora vocês se apresentam como Silverteeth. O que motivou a escolha do novo nome?

Gabriela: O nome Billy n’Gabi estava apenas guardando espaco para um novo nome quando ele surgisse. Com a busca por nos sentirmos mais completos com a nossa música o nome surgiu. O Bill fez um desenho de um monstro com dentes cor de prata. Dai eu cunhei: Silverteeth! E um nome que tambem nos lembra um dos nossos discos favoritos, Summerteeth, do Wilco e uma das nossas musicas favoritas, Sea of Teeth, do Sparklehorse.

Da última vez que nos falamos, vocês já tinham feito algumas dezenas de shows. Quais outros espaços vocês percorreram nesse tempo?

Gabriela: Na verdade foram mais de cem shows, no ano passado como duo. Esse ano fizemos bem menos shows pra podermos focar nas novas músicas. Mas entre os shows que fizemos, uma residência de um mês no Ace Hotel, dois shows pequenos no Newport Folk Festival, pra dizer os mais importantes, e estamos nos preparando para um show no festival CMJ em Nova York numa igreja em Williamsburgh.

Os vídeos, de Shoes e de Devil Town (que será lançado em breve), foram gravados no Columbus Theatre (Providence, Rhode Island). Você pode falar um pouco sobre a escolha do lugar?

Gabriela: É um teatro antigo onde a banda The Low Anthem tem um estudio de gravação. Também fica no estado onde acontece o Newport Folk Festival e onde o Bill nasceu e cresceu. Nós conhecemos o Ben (da banda The Low Anthem) um dia num show de tributo ao Bob Dylan com artistas locais que foi incrivel. Ele nos levou pra fazer um tour pelo teatro, que antes passava filmes pornográficos. E nós sentimos na alma que nos tínhamos que voltar la pra gravar alguma coisa.

Agora que você citou a The Low Anthem e um show com artistas locais, fiquei curioso para saber: o que vocês têm ouvido recentemente? Você pode fazer uma lista de sete bandas que não são tão conhecidas por aqui em quem você acha que devemos prestar atenção?

Gabriela: Recentemente eu tenho ouvido música feita por mulheres: St. Vincent, Courtney Barnett, Cate Le Bon, Neko Case, Julie Ruin. Eu tambem tive um reencontro intenso com música brasileira esse mês, um amigo me pediu pra que eu fizesse uma lista. Fora os favoritos de sempre… O Bill tem ouvido Sponge, Toquinho – ele ouve mais narradores de baseball e futebol americano do que música, com certeza! Bandas que talvez vocês não conheçam: Death Vessel, Ron Gallo, Bird Courage, Steve Nelson, The Low Anthem, Cinema Cinema, Streets of Laredo. Todos artistas maravilhosos com os quais nos temos trabalhado.

E quais os próximos passos de vocês? Um novo show no Brasil, talvez?

Gabriela: Os nossos planos pros próximos meses são de terminar composição/produção do disco novo e esperamos que no final de fevereiro possamos lançá-lo. Com relação ao Brasil, nós queremos muito tocar nos festivais aí, mas é caro, somos independentes então é algo que depende de mais tempo e planejamento. Quem sabe depois do lançamento do disco?

Torcemos para que sim, Gabriela!

Apreciem, agora, o vídeo de Shoes e fiquem atentos para o lançamento de Devil Town em breve - A Gambiarra

The Ocean Mist is no stranger to the natural sounds of Rhode Island. Built on pillars set deep in Matunuck sand softened by the Atlantic’s sweeping tides, it echoes with the 24-hour soundtrack of the ocean, as waves crash below the venue’s wooden deck. Renowned for hosting musical talent from around the country, Ocean Mist is set to host a different style of local sound Friday, when Silverteeth, The Matt Fraza Band and the Water Project – all area, original acts – are set to perform on the salt misted stage.

Silverteeth’s Bill Bartholomew, a South County native, along with his bandmate and partner Gabriela Rassi, a native of Goiânia, Brazil, recently made Newport their home after years of living and performing in Brooklyn, New York. Reinvigorated by the charm of the Ocean State, the two released their debut self-titled EP July 8, which is best described as indie rock. Despite their travels and a summer of shows throughout the area, the two still grow nostalgic when they recall their earliest moments together in Rhode Island.

“When he brought me to Rhode Island for the first time he was so excited to bring me to The Ocean Mist,” Rassi said. “The fact that the ocean goes underneath it … There’s just something you can’t explain. Some places have history; that place has history and personality. It’s like sculpture. It’s inspiring.”

“The Mist is a mecca of music for me,” Bartholomew said. “I would do whatever I could to get in. At 16 years old, I’d oftentimes have to sneak through the back patio for their 18-plus shows. I saw a lot of really important music there. It’s just one of the coolest rooms anywhere. I feel so honored to play there with local artists like Ted [Sorlien] and Matt [Fraza]. We can go in together and make a national level show out of the community we have right here in South County.”

Bartholomew graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2006, and said he’s played at the Ocean Mist about six times since 2002. Friday, he and Rassi will be joined by their drummer, Tom Berglund.

Matt Fraza is a singer-songwriter who grew up in Kent County and now calls Peace Dale home. A few years ago, Fraza found himself pondering the proper outlet for a collection of songs he’d written. It was around this time that he met drummer Rhiannon Martin, then 13, whom he’d hired to work at a surfboard rental truck at Narragansett Beach. The two connected musically, and have been playing in the band together for more than two years; they will be joined by Pete Fayan on bass.

Martin is now 16 and a senior at Westerly High School, and is unsure if she will pursue a full-time music career. In the meantime, she enjoys playing at venues like Ocean Mist even though she’ll likely grace the stage with two Sharpie’d X’s on her hands.

“It’s the mark of a minor,” she said, laughing. Despite her young age, Martin has already impressed many throughout the area with her drumming talents. “It’s cool with me. The Ocean Mist is such a great venue.”

“This is the time of year when the surf is up,” Fraza said, “so I hope there will be some powerful waves banging out there. Like most people who live near the ocean, I go to it every day. It just has to inspire you. There’s so much energy in the ocean under that building. We hope to bring a lot of energy inside, too.”

Fraza said his band sounds more like “a primitive New York punk band” than a surf band.

The Water Project’s Ted Sorlien also is a consumer of the powerful energy the ocean provides, and may just roll into the gig with the salt of the sea still on his skin, should Fraza’s hopes of big waves come true. A surfer for more than 40 years, Sorlien joked that Rhode Island’s sea water likely flows through his veins. In fact, he described his band’s music as “smooth surf, rock and reggae tunes.” In addition to Sorlien, who plays rhythm guitar and is the lead vocalist, the group includes Kyle Bell on bass and backing vocals, Troy Williams on drums, and Pete Vendettuoli on lead guitar.

“The Ocean Mist is an amazing place to play music. When the waves are huge water has come up through the floorboards as the waves washed under the building and out onto the street,” Sorlien said. “I hope that it’s there in all its glory for all of my kids to enjoy. The food is great, the view is insane, the music is off the hook and when the waves are cranking it is the best place on earth to be.”

“I’m a big time Matt Fraza fan,” Sorlien said. “And I’ve been telling Bill for years now that he is a true rock star. There is really nothing he cannot do musically. I truly believe that Bill will be one of those guys who writes that one song that takes off and all of a sudden people will look at all the rest of his songs and have their minds blown with how great it all is.”

If Sorlien’s prophesies are accurate, then Friday will be a perfect time to catch Bartholomew in his natural element, alongside some of the area’s most talented and deeply rooted original musicians.

“South County is ultimately where I’m from,” Bartholomew said, “and that environment is exactly what I think of when I think of home. If I was an animal and the Roger Williams Zoo captured me, they would model my exhibit after Matunuck, and they’d probably put something like The Ocean Mist in there to keep me from going crazy.” - The Independent

Os integrantes do Sislverteeth se conheceram em um loft industrial aonde outros artistas moravam em Brooklyn, NYC aonde o musico Bill Bartholomew tinha um club pra shows de bandas independentes de NYC e para onde Gabriela se mudou assim que deixou o Brasil.

Eles se ignoraram no começo mas devido as circunstancias decidiram se unir para tocar nos metros de NYC em troca de doações.

Fizeram mais de cem shows em 2013 com o nome de Billy n’ Gaby, inclusive no Brasil com uma apresentação em Goiânia, testando e desenvolvendo o seu som para em 2014 se lançarem como Silverteeth.

Em agosto de 2014 gravaram dois vídeos no Columbus Theatre – produzidos e mixados pelos integrantes da banda The Low Anthem. “Shoes” e o primeiro vídeo a ser lançado, confira abaixo. - Outro Indie

Primeiro eu vi Gabi, vestido da avó, olhos vividos e um daqueles sorrisos que deixam a gente sem defesa. Depois o Billy, com um desejo de liberdade nos cabelos, nos traços de seus desenhos e na forma de ritmar os passos. Então, ouvi as vozes de ambos, a se cruzarem e se afastarem como se o som também precisasse do jogo de luz e sombra que ressalta as imagens.

Palavra é, antes de qualquer coisa, imagem. Imagem para o grito, para os sonhos e para tudo o que fica no mais profundo e que só pode ser acessado de forma completa quando a palavra se torna música. E a música que Billy n’ Gabi faziam me abraçou de uma forma singular, com sua mistura de texturas, o visceral do rock, as emoções discretas do folk.

billy n gabi 2 Billy n Gabi são retrato da música folk e nômade que carrega as ruas

A arte e a vida dos dois estão também entrelaçadas – suas músicas carregam trajetórias. Carregam as ruas de Nova York para onde Gabi se mudou há cinco anos para começar ali a escrita de uma vida que até então só existia como possibilidade. Carregam os metrôs onde os dois se apresentavam para alimentarem também o corpo. Carregam a memória dos côvers de Animal Collective, Wilco, Nancy Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan e tantos outros. Carregam a atmosfera artística da Mckibbin Street, o não-lugar de quando se perde o teto e o chão, a experiência libertadora de ser um estrangeiro em sua própria casa. Carregam as mais de cem apresentações que fizeram desde maio de 2012 quando resolveram formar uma banda só dos dois.

Tudo está ali, nas gargantas e nos arcordes. Tudo está ali, a nudez e o segredo. Suas músicas são, elas mesmas, espaços a serem percorridos. E no show de logo mais, na Fnac, em Goiânia, terão ainda a experiência do primeiro show feito por Gabi na cidade onde começou a se construir. - http://agambiarra.com

Posted on October 15, 2014 by redlineroots
My Newport Folk – Day 3

The inevitable happens every year. I write my first and second day reviews of NFF right away and then hold onto the memory of day 3 as long as I possibly can. It is a defense mechanism of sorts I suppose. Knowing as long as I have the third day to write up I have to and can revisit late July at the fort. Well, I can no longer avoid it…I have to get that last fix 2 and a half months later. So here it goes, My Newport Day 3 at last.

I am lost. I cannot find myself. Walking up to the gates on day 3 of the Newport Folk Festival is bittersweet. You know it’s going to be good, but you can’t extend the day to last forever. And then you wait an entire year before you get that feeling again. Alas, it is life and at least life was good for 3 long days at Fort Adams…here we got Day 3:

We get to the fort early every day, every year. So inevitably we have a little time to kill before each official set. I wander, around the vendors, around the grounds, see who might be backstage, but today I don’t want, I stay. And where I stay is the Museum stay. Christopher Paul Stelling plays a beat up guitar. Like holes in the guitar. Etchings in the top tell stories, just as the words from his mouth do. I am mesmerized by his playing and his voice. This guy is absolutely incredible and very well may be the best act that I have seen at the festival thus far. 2 songs is not quite enough, as Stelling plays acoustic guitar behind his head to end the most enjoyable 10 minutes of the weekend.

The Deslondes…I called it. They became the sweethearts of 2014 for me. Cowboy sad, longing love songs. These guys are “it”. So good, sodamn good.


I head into the fort walls to catch Leif Vollebeck for a few and the crowd loves him. I head back down to catch Caitlin Rose and the crowd loves her. She is a powerhouse with an attitude to boot. But its forgivable because the immediate charm she follows up with endear the hell outta ya.

The skies open up as I am standing out the tent to see Rose and her guitarist singing duet. I then head for cover in hopes I can sneak under the Quad stage tent for The Lonesome Trio. I will say how impressed I am at Ed Helms’ ability to separate actor from musician. The guys blended together bluegrass tightly grouped around mics and folk in a really fun and energetic set.

Thao and the Getdown Staydown were also a treat to catch as I weaseled through the backstage to the Fort stage and caught some of the set as the rain came and went. As I did, when I headed back through the fort walls to the quad to see Gregory Alan Isakov woo-ing the crowd. Great songs, an absolutely amazing and genuine voice. This dude is excellent and his band was too.

Dawes, well, Dawes is Newport and Newport is Dawes. These guys are always good to see. Incredible, meh. Pretty damn good and a crowd pleaser, yes definitely.

The rain picks up again, I am standing on a hill. Hozier is ripping some guitar riffs and singing. Life is good. I run to catch most of Conor Oberst. He never disappoints, full band, heartfelt, amazing songwriting. This guy is on fire…we even get an ‘Oberst spin’ or two.

Dan Blakeslee and Silverteeth play an impromptu set in the Late July tent…Jeff Tweedy starts playing. I fade into the day as the sun lowers on the Newport harbor. Was it a dream? If it was, it was one of the best I have ever had. - Red Line Roots (Boston)

Tonight at the Bushwick Open Studios Launch Party at Radio Bushwick, Silverteeth will be performing; front woman Gabriella Rassi chatted to us about the evolution of her band and being part of BOS.

How did Silverteeth start?
We started as a duo, Bill and I. After we came back from a trip to Brazil we had absolutely no money and we were playing at the subways to make money. We ended up playing more than one hundred shows together last year, singing folk songs until we got the urge to make something more true to ourselves – and it had to have more rock n’ roll in it.

How would you describe your sound
It’s constantly changing as we try to go deeper within ourselves and closer to each other all at the same time. That’s the only direction we are taking.

How is being the only woman in the band?
It’s not so easy if you have something to say and you want to take credit for it. It’s been a while that women have been moving from behind the scenes to the spotlight but it still isn’t balanced and people still tend to see things from a lazy point of view. Even if I book half of the shows and write half of the songs 80% of the people will reach out to the guy first if they want to book a show. If not more. I make sure I am always heard by my bandmates no matter what. And they are awesome. But there are people who like to keep women as decoration.

What do you love about BOS?
I’ve seen it grow, I feel like I’m a part of it. When I moved to Bushwick I had friends say that I was crazy to move to that region and now it has become the centre of the NYC arts. Maybe just more people realized it.

Favorite place in Bushwick?
Mckibbin st, no doubt. I have chills when I walk through those buildings. It used to be home. So many people found home there and also felt homeless when it changed. I’ve never hung out with as many powerful people at the same time like I used to do there. It was pure, powerful and so alive. I can try to describe it but words are tiny.

What artists are you looking forward to checking out?
Summer Wheat, Francesca Neiman, Gustavo Rizerio, Rafael Fuchs, and all the ones that I will discover this year.

What’s coming up next?
You never know, but we’ve been working on a record that we hope to release soon. - Galore

Print edition, France Aug 2013. This content will be available soon. - Glamour

...make the core of Streets of Laredo—but the number of members changes depending on the gig. We like to collaborate a lot with our friends in Bushwick, so at any given show there may be members of Bird Courage, Workman Song, or Billy and Gabi (of Silverteeth) on stage—we all help out in each other's bands and play with each other when we can. - Interview Magazine

BILL BARTHOLOMEW is an artist who has made a name for himself outside of the area. You may remember Bill from his work in Acid Rain Revival, which lasted five years or so at the start of this century. Bill also formed the Commas in ’04, and he moved with that band to Brooklyn, where they released an EP and gained attention in Williamsburg. But last year the Commas disbanded and Bill started working on his own. He will be returning from his new home of Brooklyn to say hello to old friends and celebrate the release of his new EP, World On a Wire, his solo debut, this Friday (the 9th) at the Shorebreak in Narragansett. He’ll be accompanied by fellow Brooklynite band Kate Starr. Come on down, renew acquaintances with Bill, and meet his new band. Call 401.783.1022.

-Bob Gulla

www.thephoenix.com - The Providence Phoenix

"Strong songwriting, wordy lyrical constructs, and an ear for hooks...reminiscent of some of the leading indie folk troubadours of today, like Elvis Perkins and The Tallest Man On Earth...blistering electric guitar work...seriously infectious pop...I found myself not wanting it to be over." - ON DEAF EARS (Austin, TX) - On Deaf Ears

Sometimes it's difficult to discern if a singer-songwriter is excited and passionate about his or her music. An influx of singer-songwriters yields to subpar, anemic vocal deliveries and lackluster melodies, which subsequently leads to jaded music critics questioning their existence. Without a doubt, Bill Bartholomew enjoys performing and recording his songs on the spirited, hook-laden EP, "World on a Wire." On "American Anthem," he starts off with standard pop rock, but midway through the song cuts into a funky breakdown with a showcase of his guitar skills. Bartholomew's bright vocals and charged-up choruses make for an exciting debut. - The Deli Magazine (print edition)

"Whether fronting his hard-hitting band or delivering an intimate solo acoustic performance, Brooklyn singer-songwriter Bill Bartholomew captivates audiences with his powerful persona, warm voice and well-crafted originals". - SLOW TRAIN TOUR PREVIEW - Slow Train Tour

Bill Bartholomew performed from start to finish with palpable energy. Bartholomew succeeds at delivering well written, honest-to-goodness acoustic folk/rock songs. A skilled songwriter and natural performer, Bartholomew has the ability to seamlessly give himself to (and lose himself in) his music. His accompaniment, Quinton Gelderman on djembe/cymbal, added significantly to the heartfeltedness of the performance with energetic, physically-engaging percussive reenforcement. - Dan DIppolito – jezebelmusic.com - Jezebel Music

Artist of the Wick – The Weekly Wick (Brooklyn, NY) (3.30.08)

After making a name for himself in the music scene in Rhode Island, as both a solo artist and co-front man of the indie rock band Commas with long time collaborator singer / songwriter Chris Knott, Bill made his way to Bushwick in mid-2006. After a year, an EP (Six Other Songs, 2006) and a few line-up changes, Commas eventually called it quits in 2007. With more time to devote to his endeavors as a solo artist, Bill began to explore a more mature sound, citing influences like Dylan and Young, he took to the Brooklyn open mic scene, playing anytime he could get on stage. And Brooklyn took notice.
Currently Bill has assembled a six piece to back up his polished solo routine, including Knott leading the three-man percussion section, and recorded 'World on a Wire' EP at Audio Piranha Studios. Bartholomew's airy vocals are complimented by his driving guitars and rounded out with dry, grooving bass riffs and atmospheric piano melodies over a bed of percussion. Check him out this Saturday at The Trash Bar for the CD release party (see picks). - The Weekly Wick

"Start to finish with palpable energy. Bartholomew succeeds at delivering well written, honest-to-goodness folk/rock songs. A skilled songwriter and natural performer, (he) has the ability to seamlessly give himself to (and lose himself in) his music." - Williamsburg Live Songwriter Competition