Expand, Escape by Vadim Taver

Check out the debut solo album from Vadim Taver (of This Day Forward, Superstitions of the Sky, Marigold, A Life Once Lost,) Expand, Escape over at bandcamp.com. I met Vadim in 2002 through a mutual friend, Bethany Spiers, who played in an excellent local band called Morgan Storm and who continues to make really lovely music solo under the moniker the Fever Few. At the time, This Day Forward had just realized their Kairos EP, and I really liked their prior record, the Transient Effects of Light on Water. So, I ran into Bethany at the Knitting Factory on my way to see a This Day Forward show sometime in that fall of 2002, my freshman year at Eugene Lang. She introduced me to Vadim, who opened the show as part of the duo Superstitions of the Sky. I was instantly impressed, and bought their 2 song CD-R demo. SotS was the vehicle for Joshua Jakubowski, who played in Hot Cross, Joshua Fit For Battle, the Now, and probably other bands I am forgetting. At the time I was really into all those bands, and TDF, so to see those two guys come out and play melodic acoustic music was really pleasant. I think versatility is a virtue, and besides, there is only so much heavy music one can take at a time. I believe the rest of the bill was: In Pieces, and On the Might of Princes, and possibly Little Yellow Box? Yea, I think Ian booked the show. In any case, it was an a amazing show.

But I'm not writing this to reminisce about the past. I do that often enough. Over the years, I got to know Vadim better, and followed his musical output post TDF. I booked Marigold, his next band, a few times at Purchase College, put the band up, and really dug what they were doing. Not long after that, Vadim moved to CA, and I've been waiting to hear what he would do next. Though I look forward to seeing him in a rock band again, I'm pleased to here his debut solo record, Expand, Escape is a more stripped down affair. Primarily he relies on guitar and voice, with piano and other tasteful accompaniments. Though he's told me on many occasions he doesn't think of himself as a front-man and doesn't like to sing and blah blah blah. I think you'll agree that it is a good thing he didn't mean it. Though it's hard not to hear echoes of Elliott Smith and the Beatles, Expand, Escape sounds unique, and I am looking forward to taking more time to take in the whole record.

Please check it out, and donate some money if you can.



Expand, Escape, by Vadim Taver
vadimtaver.bandcamp.com

1. Watching the Sun
2. Apples and Oranges
3. Little Paper
4. Net of Being
5. 12/8
6. So Soon
7. Reflections
8. The Truthful One
9. The Glass Conceals So Much
10. Happy Branch
11. The World
12. A Parallel Universe

Released 09 February 2010.