"you had your way / in the corner of my mind..."
The expectations subverting, crunch roll snap of the single "I'm Here / I'll Wait" by First Umpire, the musical project of Brooklyn based Lebanese-American producer and multi-instrumentalist Pat Cheiban, is full of surprises, ones that might snap your neck. A wild ride between what could be called power be-bop pop and jazz punk alt rock both songs shape shift. "I'm Here" is the A side, I suppose. Listening to this first track and I couldn't help but think that this might be like what Todd Rundgren might have sounded like if he collabed with Pere Ubu and James Chance and the Contortions, or maybe more to the point, maybe "I'm Here" feels like an equal parts amalgam of all of them. There is a free wheeling sensibility that feels supper ID rock and super self aware. There is also the feeling of an artist aiming to please himself, not his audience and I love that.
The B side of this adventurous single, "I'll Wait" steps on the throttle out of the gate. I feel fusions of proggy indie rock, post punk (and acid punk). I am surprised and pleased how Cheiban stuffs jazzy power pop-esque stabs into the ostensibly indie rock / punk tones at will and makes if feel so cohesive. The musicality here is top shelf, the artful narratives feel a bit possessed, a great thing.
This is great stuff.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://open.spotify.com/artist/60sxXgBmJiUsSEOAL9JmwP
https://www.instagram.com/firstumpire
First Umpire is the musical project of Lebanese-American producer and multi-instrumentalist Pat Cheiban. His musical influences reflect both his diverse hometown of Brooklyn and Lebanese heritage.
First Umpire, alt rock, fusion, jazz punk, acid jazz, indie rock, post rock, new music Alert, single "I'm Here / I'll Wait", project of Lebanese-American producer /multi-instrumentalist Pat Cheiban
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