Exquisite Corps

Rock’n'roll in the internet age chews up and spits out trends and genres as fast as bloggers can make them up. If you haven’t realized it by now, our task here, together, is to ignore the churn and hype and just listen in peace, find the good stuff, and let it lift our spirits. Easy, right?

So, okay, chamber pop. Is it a good thing? A bad thing? A “that’s so 2006? thing? We don’t care, you and I. We listen to “Light as a Feather” and say, wow. This is one elegant and dynamic piece of music. Bass, drum, acoustic guitar, cello, two violins, so artfully put together that you would not suspect how otherwise difficult it is to merge these instruments into a cohesive presentation. The sticking point is usually figuring out how to blend the strings with the drums, as violins and cellos and such did not grow up around drum kits. Exquisite Corps does it so well they flaunt it: the strings are introduced with a bash of the drums at 1:09, and their first job is not to be sweeping or yearning but to be percussive; they join in here (and it may be the most ear-catching part of the song) as part of the rhythm section, and when first released on their own (1:30), stay in their lower registers and remain submerged to the drumbeat. Meanwhile, singer Bryan Valenzuela impresses at both ends of his dynamic range, his edgy, Lennon-meets-Corgan voice providing the glue that links the quieter and more intense sections of this song. By the time we hear the strings in all out string-section mode (2:45), they have been fully incorporated into this distinctive rock’n'roll song, chamber pop edition.

Exquisite Corps (get it? no “e”) began life in Sacramento in early ’09 as a cello/acoustic guitar duo with Valenzuela and cellist Krystyna Taylor. Two violinists were brought in for a special performance the band was doing with a local ballet company, and stuck; before long, the bass player and drummer from Valenzuela’s old band Call Me Ishmael came on board. “Light as a Feather” is a song from the quintet’s self-titled seven-track debut album, released last month. You can listen, and buy it, on the band’s Bandcamp page. - Finger Tips Music

I'm a sucker for strings. Guitar strings, cello strings, violin strings, harp strings, all things strings. I'm also a sucker for rock & roll, thunderous drums and bass , the occasional listening of the soundtrack to Stanley Kubricks "Barry Lyndon" and I have a healthy appetite for The Dirty Three. Perhaps that is why I loved this little surprise waiting in my inbox so much.

Exquisite Corps release their debut self titled album today (July 25th 2012) after forming in a Sacramento garage with a cello, a guitar and a voice. Since their minimalist beginnings Exquisite Corps have exploded physically and volumously into a six piece outfit melding strings with guitars and drums to create a symphonic, indie, pop, feast that is not only eccletic but an example of atmospheric music making at it's best.

Number 1 track off the rank "Tone Poem" sounds like something Brian Wilson could have pushed out for The Beach Boys Pet Sounds album and is a grand symphonic opening featuring sweet, sweet strings and a killer bass line that slides underneath the song like a snakey hipped mo-fo, embracing the classical vibes and dancing around them to create a groove and texture laden masterpiece.

Track 2 "Light As A Feather" is cinematic in depth, absorbing and thanks to fabulous production, loses absolutely nothing of it's robust strength on these crappy office speakers. I shudder and become slightly incontinent when I think about what this song would sound like on "real" speakers.

This album is an absolute treat and if the good people of Sacramento are any indication of what's good then the recent sellout show at the Crocker Art Museum's auditorium stands as testament to the greatness of Exquisite Corps.

The album is available digitally today via Bandcamp and iTunes. - Undercover

I'm a sucker for strings. Guitar strings, cello strings, violin strings, harp strings, all things strings. I'm also a sucker for rock & roll, thunderous drums and bass , the occasional listening of the soundtrack to Stanley Kubricks "Barry Lyndon" and I have a healthy appetite for The Dirty Three. Perhaps that is why I loved this little surprise waiting in my inbox so much.

Exquisite Corps release their debut self titled album today (July 25th 2012) after forming in a Sacramento garage with a cello, a guitar and a voice. Since their minimalist beginnings Exquisite Corps have exploded physically and volumously into a six piece outfit melding strings with guitars and drums to create a symphonic, indie, pop, feast that is not only eccletic but an example of atmospheric music making at it's best.

Number 1 track off the rank "Tone Poem" sounds like something Brian Wilson could have pushed out for The Beach Boys Pet Sounds album and is a grand symphonic opening featuring sweet, sweet strings and a killer bass line that slides underneath the song like a snakey hipped mo-fo, embracing the classical vibes and dancing around them to create a groove and texture laden masterpiece.

Track 2 "Light As A Feather" is cinematic in depth, absorbing and thanks to fabulous production, loses absolutely nothing of it's robust strength on these crappy office speakers. I shudder and become slightly incontinent when I think about what this song would sound like on "real" speakers.

This album is an absolute treat and if the good people of Sacramento are any indication of what's good then the recent sellout show at the Crocker Art Museum's auditorium stands as testament to the greatness of Exquisite Corps.

The album is available digitally today via Bandcamp and iTunes. - Undercover

Corps of exquisite surprises
Local songwriter Bryan Valenzuela’s new band of seasoned musicians wows-

A long-haired drunk guy toting what most certainly is a pint wrapped in a brown paper bag stumbles down Nevada City’s main drag on a chilly Friday evening. His greasy long hair and white shirt with palm leaves on it are more Stinson Beach than gold rush. But, thing is, I’m lost—can’t find the venue for tonight’s show featuring Sacramento chamber-rock troupe Exquisite Corps—so this post-hippie is my only hope, an inebriated Gandalf the White for those lost in the night.

Luckily enough, the wanderer somehow finds the way and we soon hear loud, rock-god-like explosions emanating from what looks like a giant barn. Called Miners Foundry, the venue was once a 19th-century machine shop but since has been converted into the town’s cultural center. Inside, the “barn” is actually a nearly 2,500-square-foot hall with lofty ceilings that allow for glorious, bass-y booms and rich highs. There’s really no place like it here in Sacramento—and it’s worth the hourlong journey just to catch a gig.

Especially if the band is Exquisite Corps.

At first blush you might fancy the local sextet as some kind of Arcade Fire knockoff: two violinists, Reylynn Goessling and Kristin Arnold, plus cellist Krystyna Taylor, and a rhythm section consisting of Nathan Webb on bass and Robby Dean on drums. And then there’s lead singer Bryan Valenzuela: plain-front slacks; button-up collared shirt with suit vest and tie; and dark, chin-length black hair. He hoists a six-string up high on his chest and thanks the crowd before settling in to the first song.

I’m expecting a Montreal jam band. But after just a few notes, you quickly realize that Valenzuela’s new group belies any Win Butler and Co. comparisons, what with that Grammy-winning group’s noxious, post-Funeral pretentiousness and Exquisite Corps’ fine, artfully crafted tunes that aren’t afraid to occasionally bring the tough, forceful rock, such as with the band’s intense, staccatoed bridges or vibrant outro jams.

The first three songs reveal that Valenzuela, who writes the group’s music and even the violinists’ notation, has a penchant for dark, dissonant melodies that crescendo unexpectedly into epic, Explosions in the Sky-like outbursts, where all six members take pleasure in ripping into their respective instruments. It’s exciting, such as on “Tiger’s Wine”—a favorite of Valenzuela’s girlfriend, who shares with me tidbits and details about the band in between songs during the 45-minute set.

There’s also a softer, Jeff Buckley-inspired side, although Valenzuela’s locked into baritone range, unlike Buckley’s unparalleled and boundless alto. The 33-year-old singer-songwriter elevates onto his tiptoes while letting out both soft undertones and gnarly, full-bodied roars that contradict his slender frame and appear to exhaust every last breath from his being.

It’s impressive. And the crowd here tonight in Nevada City feels it, gathering underneath the colored lights and mirror ball and never piling out the door early.

Valenzuela and Taylor are Exquisite Corps’ foremost songwriters. The duo met some years ago when his former band, rock trio Call Me Ishmael, had an album-release show and he wanted someone to play strings on a few songs. “We totally vibed,” says Valenzuela, who dabbled in violin during his youth in addition to studying music theory and composition in college, “and I wanted to start a project with her ever since.”

The two formed Exquisite Corps last spring and played their first show at Valenzuela’s downtown home in May 2010. He writes the songs, Taylor does her own parts and he inks the violin lines accordingly.

Drummer Dean, who Valenzuela’s known since junior high, joined the group but a few weeks back but has already melded, bringing a strong sense of both dynamics and crafty percussion energy to the group’s sonic lullabies. Bassist Webb also was in Call Me Ishmael and his low end complements the violinists’ lofty melodies.

The band will join local producer Scott McChane, who recorded Sister Crayon’s debut, at The Hangar studios in May to record its first full-length. “The biggest reason that I wanted to work with them is because they want to do better,” says McChane, who praises Valenzuela’s songwriting and the bandmates’ instrumentation. “They want to make a real record. And that’s hard to find right now.”

Songwriting is deep-rooted in Valenzuela. Like many, he grew up listening to Beatles and Elvis with his parents. But over the years, the songwriter—who’s also an artist with a degree from Sacramento State and a show this week at Beatnik Studios—gravitated toward opera; jazz; and even David Bowie, Nick Cave and David Byrne.

In his old band, he used to exclusively play an electric ax. Nowadays, it’s the more seasoned acoustic guitar only. “There’s a stripped-down essence to the acoustic that lends itself to what I’m coming up with th - Sacramento News and Review

It is exactly 4 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon when Exquisite Corps’ frontman answers his cell phone.

“Dude, right on time,” Bryan Valenzuela says with a laugh, seemingly impressed.

Observing the magnetic character on stage lead a six-piece chamber rock band during a sold-out show at the Crocker Art Museum, one might imagine that the singer/guitarist of local band Exquisite Corps is unapproachable.

It quickly becomes apparent, however, that this musician is in fact more approachable than most.

After a morning spent painting, and playing a late show for a full house in Nevada City, Calif., the night before, Valenzuela is in great spirits. Exquisite Corps played at the Haven Underground, where they shared the stage with The Still Sea from Nevada City and Pillars and Tongues from Chicago. Apparently people were stacked on each other to watch the show, and Valenzuela had nothing but good things to say about the experience.

“I always love playing in Nevada City,” Valenzuela says. “It’s super cool there, everyone is really chill and interested in music.

“It was kind of crazy to have a show on a Sunday. There was a lot of people staying until one in the morning,” he adds.

Valenzuela has plenty to be excited about. After a few hiccups and lulls in the recording process, which began last summer, the band is now preparing to release its debut self-titled album at this year’s Launch Festival, which Exquisite Corps will be playing for the third year in a row.

For those who ever fell for cellist Gretta Cohn on Cursive’s Ugly Organ, this album is worth a listen. Since the spring of 2010, Exquisite Corps sprung from a cello and guitar duo, with Valenzuela on the guitar and Krystyna Taylor on the cello, to a full band. The current ensemble includes violinists Reylynn Goessling and Kristin Arnold, drummer Robby Dean and bassist Nathan Webb, in addition to Taylor and Valenzuela.

On headphones, the seven-song album allures the listener from the start, enchanting and ominous. Track one, “Tone Poem,” begins with Valenzuela’s voice oozing over the airy, ethereal resonance of an organ, soon joined by the warm hum of the cello. Then violins come in, high pitched and full-bodied, moving the song forward as Valenzuela’s voice reaches fervent, wailing heights.

The subsequent tracks progress in the same vein, commencing with soft, mysterious beginnings, and erupting into opulent, racing symphonies conjoined with Valenzuela’s vocals, impassioned and raging as he sings about subject matter varying from the followers of Dionysus to winter landscapes. Following “Tone Poem” is “Light As a Feather,” which appeared on local music blog Live in the City of Trees.

Now the band is releasing previews of the album, song by song, leading up to the release show.

To record the album, the band of six spent a considerable amount of time at Hangar Studios with music engineer Scott McChane, who has worked with the likes of local acts Sister Crayon, Agent Ribbons, Chelsea Wolfe and Ellie Fortune.

Valenzuela had his hands in both the recording and mixing processes, ensuring that he could guide the direction of the final product.

“I was there for every single aspect of it,” he says. “It’s expensive to record, and we wanted to record as professionally as possible and make it sound as good as we could with what we had.”

Exquisite Corps’ songs begin with Valenzuela, who writes the music, working through the melodies in his head. Then he approaches the others to arrange the songs. Each member brings something to the table, coming up with pieces to add or ways to solidify the songs.

The progression is not unlike how Exquisite Corps originated, with some string compositions Valenzuela wrote a while back and wanted to put into action.

Valenzuela grew up in Orange County, relocating with his parents to Placerville when he began high school. Around the same time he took up the violin at school, and was drawn to chamber music ever since. He studied music theory in college. When he was the singer/guitarist of former local band Call Me Ishmael, he wrote string accompaniments for the band’s CD release show.

It went over well, but for some reason the band never used strings again after that performance. He wanted to do it again ever since.

“I guess I was just in love with the sound,” he professes. “The string instruments can be, in my opinion, super versatile. They can be really sweet and beautiful, and then they can be really gritty and dirty. There’s so much range there that is great to utilize in music.”

Upon running into the right people at the right time, likeminded people like Taylor, Valenzuela fell upon an opportunity to start a chamber rock band, and thus Exquisite Corps was born.

They eventually recruited Dean and Webb, who played with Valenzuela in Call Me Ishmael.

“[The band] kind of took on a life of its own, in some ways, just by having the thought a long time ago,” Valenzuela says. “Sometimes - SubMerge

It is exactly 4 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon when Exquisite Corps’ frontman answers his cell phone.

“Dude, right on time,” Bryan Valenzuela says with a laugh, seemingly impressed.

Observing the magnetic character on stage lead a six-piece chamber rock band during a sold-out show at the Crocker Art Museum, one might imagine that the singer/guitarist of local band Exquisite Corps is unapproachable.

It quickly becomes apparent, however, that this musician is in fact more approachable than most.

After a morning spent painting, and playing a late show for a full house in Nevada City, Calif., the night before, Valenzuela is in great spirits. Exquisite Corps played at the Haven Underground, where they shared the stage with The Still Sea from Nevada City and Pillars and Tongues from Chicago. Apparently people were stacked on each other to watch the show, and Valenzuela had nothing but good things to say about the experience.

“I always love playing in Nevada City,” Valenzuela says. “It’s super cool there, everyone is really chill and interested in music.

“It was kind of crazy to have a show on a Sunday. There was a lot of people staying until one in the morning,” he adds.

Valenzuela has plenty to be excited about. After a few hiccups and lulls in the recording process, which began last summer, the band is now preparing to release its debut self-titled album at this year’s Launch Festival, which Exquisite Corps will be playing for the third year in a row.

For those who ever fell for cellist Gretta Cohn on Cursive’s Ugly Organ, this album is worth a listen. Since the spring of 2010, Exquisite Corps sprung from a cello and guitar duo, with Valenzuela on the guitar and Krystyna Taylor on the cello, to a full band. The current ensemble includes violinists Reylynn Goessling and Kristin Arnold, drummer Robby Dean and bassist Nathan Webb, in addition to Taylor and Valenzuela.

On headphones, the seven-song album allures the listener from the start, enchanting and ominous. Track one, “Tone Poem,” begins with Valenzuela’s voice oozing over the airy, ethereal resonance of an organ, soon joined by the warm hum of the cello. Then violins come in, high pitched and full-bodied, moving the song forward as Valenzuela’s voice reaches fervent, wailing heights.

The subsequent tracks progress in the same vein, commencing with soft, mysterious beginnings, and erupting into opulent, racing symphonies conjoined with Valenzuela’s vocals, impassioned and raging as he sings about subject matter varying from the followers of Dionysus to winter landscapes. Following “Tone Poem” is “Light As a Feather,” which appeared on local music blog Live in the City of Trees.

Now the band is releasing previews of the album, song by song, leading up to the release show.

To record the album, the band of six spent a considerable amount of time at Hangar Studios with music engineer Scott McChane, who has worked with the likes of local acts Sister Crayon, Agent Ribbons, Chelsea Wolfe and Ellie Fortune.

Valenzuela had his hands in both the recording and mixing processes, ensuring that he could guide the direction of the final product.

“I was there for every single aspect of it,” he says. “It’s expensive to record, and we wanted to record as professionally as possible and make it sound as good as we could with what we had.”

Exquisite Corps’ songs begin with Valenzuela, who writes the music, working through the melodies in his head. Then he approaches the others to arrange the songs. Each member brings something to the table, coming up with pieces to add or ways to solidify the songs.

The progression is not unlike how Exquisite Corps originated, with some string compositions Valenzuela wrote a while back and wanted to put into action.

Valenzuela grew up in Orange County, relocating with his parents to Placerville when he began high school. Around the same time he took up the violin at school, and was drawn to chamber music ever since. He studied music theory in college. When he was the singer/guitarist of former local band Call Me Ishmael, he wrote string accompaniments for the band’s CD release show.

It went over well, but for some reason the band never used strings again after that performance. He wanted to do it again ever since.

“I guess I was just in love with the sound,” he professes. “The string instruments can be, in my opinion, super versatile. They can be really sweet and beautiful, and then they can be really gritty and dirty. There’s so much range there that is great to utilize in music.”

Upon running into the right people at the right time, likeminded people like Taylor, Valenzuela fell upon an opportunity to start a chamber rock band, and thus Exquisite Corps was born.

They eventually recruited Dean and Webb, who played with Valenzuela in Call Me Ishmael.

“[The band] kind of took on a life of its own, in some ways, just by having the thought a long time ago,” Valenzuela says. “Sometimes - SubMerge

Exquisite Corps is a six-piece string-infused rock band doing something no one else is doing in music right now. That on its own would be cause for attention, but the fact that their results are some of the most tuneful and darkly magical compositions I’ve ever heard elevates this band to true contender status. When you hear the songs, you’ll understand what I mean.
You may have heard other bands with a string player or two; this is something different: alternative rock music developed specifically with string accompaniment in mind. Combining an indie rock trio and classical string trio, the palette is rather lush and ethereal all over this self-titled, seven song debut album. Musical mastermind and frontman Bryan Valenzuela composes subtle, creeping melodies, singing with a range and intensity meeting somewhere between Jeff Buckley and Nick Cave and delivering memorable hooks and lyrics at every turn. Ably backed by the rhythm section of Robby Dean (drums) and Nathan Webb (bass), the foundation of these tracks is powerful and deliberate. Add to this mixture a fiery trio of string players– Krystyna Taylor (cello), Reylynn Goessling (violin), Kristin Arnold (viola)– playing arrangements which ebb and flow in ahem exquisite form and driving the compositions with a sinewy, siren-like pull, and the result is simply without peer in our modern music landscape, elegantly conjured and deftly engaging.
This is not just a unique band, they’re a mightily fulfilling sonic experience from multiple cultural angles. Bryan Valenzuela’s arrangements are a true delight from a classical and alt-rock perspective, and the production allows the ominous guitar tones, ebullient strings, and cavernous rhythmic thuds to coexist in equal and glorious sonic space. Truly one of the most exhilarating and original debut albums I’ve heard, and hopefully the first of many more to come. - Audioholic

Heart warming Dream-Pop embalmed in beautiful classical orchestration, the added strings give Exquisite Corps a wonderfully contemplative angle. The self-titled seven track release unfurls gently, pleasantly administering feelings of hope with apparent ease and overwhelming grace – I`m pretty sure singer/guitarist Bryan Valenzuela couldn`t wish for a more rounded rhythm section. As complicated as the song structures sometimes are, the Sacramento based sextet have avoided overcrowding their sound, `I Want What I Want` is an unraveled mass of epic harmonics and essentially the most straightforward Indie anthem you`re likely to hear this year. - Mojophenia

Heart warming Dream-Pop embalmed in beautiful classical orchestration, the added strings give Exquisite Corps a wonderfully contemplative angle. The self-titled seven track release unfurls gently, pleasantly administering feelings of hope with apparent ease and overwhelming grace – I`m pretty sure singer/guitarist Bryan Valenzuela couldn`t wish for a more rounded rhythm section. As complicated as the song structures sometimes are, the Sacramento based sextet have avoided overcrowding their sound, `I Want What I Want` is an unraveled mass of epic harmonics and essentially the most straightforward Indie anthem you`re likely to hear this year. - Mojophenia

Like most of you out there who are music lovers like my self, what really gets me excited and draws me closer to the artist is the emotional driven lyrics that are delivered by a singer that has the ability to bring you into their world. Whether your visit is for 3:35 or 45 minutes…the journey that you get to take with them is oh so magical.
Today’s Fresh Pick on Daily Unsigned, Exquisite Corps is a band on a mission to deliver songs that you take you to a new level that is both mind blowing and uber perfect.
If you are a fan of Radiohead, The Beatles and John Lennon…this band is for you.
Damn perfect and magical! - Daily Unsigned

From the soul-churning beginnings of Exquisite Corps' new song, "Light As a Feather," it's clear that this is a band that strives to separate themselves from the mass of indie-rockers flooding today's scene. That's not to say they're unfamiliar with indie-rock's formula for success, though. If anything, they've merely re-written it to include more classic elements. Baring a chilling, orchestral flair and dark melodies that soon give way to lighter vocal parts, "Light As a Feather" masterfully pairs the most haunting of chamber music with the most ethereal of modern-day indie, producing a track that's as imaginative as it is fully realized. Spin the track's premiere right here and get ready for the band's debut, self-titled album to drop July 25. - PureVolume

From the soul-churning beginnings of Exquisite Corps' new song, "Light As a Feather," it's clear that this is a band that strives to separate themselves from the mass of indie-rockers flooding today's scene. That's not to say they're unfamiliar with indie-rock's formula for success, though. If anything, they've merely re-written it to include more classic elements. Baring a chilling, orchestral flair and dark melodies that soon give way to lighter vocal parts, "Light As a Feather" masterfully pairs the most haunting of chamber music with the most ethereal of modern-day indie, producing a track that's as imaginative as it is fully realized. Spin the track's premiere right here and get ready for the band's debut, self-titled album to drop July 25. - PureVolume

Exquisite Corps’ debut, self-titled album hits like an orchestral tidal wave, then sweeps you up with an unconquerable undertow. I had no idea who they were when I stumbled into a show they played last summer at the now-defunct Luigi’s Fungarden, but by the time the show ended, I was happily overtaken by cello and violin crescendos swirling above the swelling pulse of melodic and melodramatic rock.

So when I heard that they had ditched the strings on their sophomore album, Vignettes, I shook my fists at the sky and deplored, “WHY?!” as their symphonic rock quality set them apart in our local live music scene. Then I took a listen and quit tripping.

A major departure from their first record, Vignettes has a stripped-down, pounding and sometimes psychedelic pure rock ‘n’ roll sound that is more than welcome to invade my eardrums anytime. It’s more laidback, and could make a great driving or party time soundtrack—whereas Exquisite Corps was intense, passionate and dark. The impressive versatility of Exquisite Corps, coupled with their synchronous, enveloping live performances, makes this band one of my favorites out of Sacramento.

I met up with Bryan Valenzuela (vocals/guitar) and Robby Dean (drums/vocals) of Exquisite Corps to talk about their new album and their plans for its release show—taking place at the Witch Room on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014.

For those readers out there that don’t already know, can you give us a brief history of the band?
Bryan Valenzuela: We’ve all been in other bands for years, but this band started out as a duo, with a cello and just me singing. We quickly went from that to a quartet with a rotating cast. Then we went from that to a full-blown sextet with a cellist and violinist. And then, sort of pared that down, and are falling back into the rock ‘n’ roll life.

I’ve seen you play live before and loved the string element. It was rad having a cellist and violinist. So why did you forego the strings on the new record?
BV: So when we put that record out, almost two years ago now, right after that we started touring a lot; and like, you know, you start touring, and certain people aren’t able to go on the road for long, and people start being able to come and do certain shows but not be able to go for a longer stint, so I think it was just a pragmatic thing. At that point, we started maneuvering the songs we had and writing new songs based on the lineup that we could take on the road.
Robby Dean: It kind of just evolved.

So are the string sounds on the new record now achieved via the organist?
BV: Kind of, a lot of that full sound that you can get from a string section comes from the organ.
RD: We still bring the string players to some of the big shows.
BV: We’re doing a show for our record release at the Witch Room on Sept. 20, so we’ll have the full strings for that show. But writing a new record, you want to actually represent what you can take to L.A., San Francisco…
RD: Yeah, this record is more of what we’ve been doing as a four piece. Our band goes anywhere from a trio up to a sextet. This new album was more of a collaborative process. On the first record, Bryan wrote the songs and the other parts including the strings were written around that, but this record we wrote the songs together collaboratively more.
BV: Since we started being more of a rock ‘n’ roll band rather than this very orchestrated band, it sort of evolved into everyone contributing to arranging the songs. It started from this more rhythmic, more raw sound. We tried to focus a lot on the drums and capture that rawness, rather than a refined thing.

It has this psychedelic, rock sound to it for sure. You’ve also gone with a different recording studio—it was Scott McChane on the first record, and the new one was Ira Skinner, so is there a specific quality in Ira’s work that helped capture the new sound you were going for?
BV: It sounds more of like, a live thing. There were only a couple takes on vocals, for example. We went to Ira basically because of how he makes drums sound really good. He’s a drummer, and a great drummer sound engineer.
RD: The album still sounds tight because we’ve already been playing these songs for a year on the road, so we just went in there and laid it down.
BV: I think that’s just kind of where our tastes evolved to after playing out of town a lot and not having the strings all the time…
RD: Yeah, you kind of start carving out how you’re going to approach things. We’re really inspired by people like Beck and Badly Drawn Boy where every album is different and you never know what’s going to come up.
BV: The awesome element of Beck is that he’s able to be pretty eclectic—he’s not pigeonholed.
RD: We’re always going to be a rock band, with elements of rock ‘n’ roll, but it could go anywhere from more grandiose, to more stripped down, to acoustic, to electric,
to psychedelic…
BV: Unpredictability is kind of nice.

How are you guys making a living selling records and touring?
BV: We’re super DIY. We sell records out of the back of our cars. Right now, we signed a contract with a licensing company, and that’s a step in really trying to make a living. The licensing company is trying to place our songs in commercials, all that kind of stuff. We have all our stuff up on iTunes, Bandcamp… We definitely sell physical copies. A lot of people still like that. But that’s not necessarily the way the world is going.

Are you planning on doing a tour with the release of the new album?
BV: We’re still finalizing details, but we are planning on carving a route out down the coast…
RD: We’re always playing around California, you know… from San Diego to the Bay, to Nevada City, Sacramento, Chico and coastal towns in-between.

Do you have a favorite local venue, these days?
BV: We haven’t played Witch Room yet, but it’s really cool. We’re excited to play there. We have a residency every first Thursday of the month at LowBrau, too. We’re not doing it this month because of our release show, but next month, we’re doing it and it’s kind of the TBD kick-off party, it’s the night before the festival starts. The guys that run LowBrau are such good guys.

How would you guys describe the sound of the new album?
Pistol Pete (a close homie of the band who came along with Valenzuela and Dean to the interview): Cashmere.
RD: It’s very silky, but edgy, and empty…
BV: Silky smooth…
RD: Silky, smooth and badass. - Submerge Magazine

Indie rock is a form of music that knows few boundaries. In an effort to squash any remaining limitations of an undefinable art form, the members of Exquisite Corps have built a band that uses two-part harmonies, haunting melodies and strings with great effect.

Formed in 2011 by guitarist and principal songwriter Bryan Valenzuela, the band launched rather organically as a solo project. Over time, Valenzuela worked new musicians into the fold.

“I was just playing around solo and slowly added other members as they became free,” he said.

However, he soon realized less might have to be more. After expanding into a sextet with two violins, the band found it hard to work around the string section’s schedules and eventually downsized to four members.

The current band comprises Valenzuela on lead vocals and guitar plus Robby Dean on drums and vocals, Nathan Webb on bass, and Adam Rice on organ and keyboards. For local events such as their CD release show Saturday, September 20, at Witch Room, the band will be rejoined by original-member violinists Kristin Arnold and Reylynn Goessling.

Exquisite Corps has done things largely themselves. So far it’s been a successful journey that’s included selling out a show at the Crocker Art Museum and drawing nearly 300 people to its 2012 CD-release show. The band’s new self-released album Vignettes follows that independent path. Recorded with producer Ira Skinner at Alley Avenue Recording Studios in Midtown, Valenzuela said the pairing proved to be a good fit.

“His place has a live tracking room which produces great sounds,” Valenzuela said. “I’ve always thought [Ira] had great drum tones and the timing was perfect.”

As of late, the band plays more dates out of town than in, traveling near and far to the likes of Chico and Nevada City. The latter town’s scene, in particular, Valenzuela says, is one to watch.

“A lot of bands from Nevada City are great, including Mount Whateverest and the Soft Bombs,” he said. “There’s a cool scene there.”

2014 is shaping up to be the group’s best year yet. Following Saturday’s release show, the band will embark on a West Coast tour down to San Diego and then head back up to the Northwest for a show in Seattle.

The band, which currently holds a monthly Thursday-night residency at LowBrau, doesn’t have any big projects lined up—though Valenzuela says they’d love to do another Crocker gig.

In the meantime, Valenzuela will continue working on various endeavors. By day, he’s a full-time artist and says he draws inspiration from his work, which includes setting up exhibits for the Crocker Art Museum and working on public-art projects. Earlier this year, Valenzuela won a Leff-Davis Fund for Visual Artists grant—something he says has been a boon to his work.

“I got a $5,000 grant and it’s helped me keep creating” he said.

Sounds exquisite. - Sacramento News and Review

Exquisite Corps recorded their sophomore album this year with a new sound and altered lineup. The band just played the Lighting in a Bottle music festival, they had a beer named after them, and enjoyed a monthly gig at Low Brau as a fundraiser to press their new album on vinyl. They’ve been keeping busy.

Some people really enjoy methodically measuring out just the right amount of flour, delicately cutting the butter into the flour for a fluffy, perfectly formed pastry. Some people would rather grab a little of this, a little of that, do some chopping, throw it all together in a pot and produce a spontaneous, surprising mix of flavors.

Both culinary approaches produce dishes that delight and uplift the senses – and both satiate a specific craving. If Exquisite Corps’ last album was a perfectly balanced soufflé; ethereal, sweet yet deep and important, their new sound is more like a rich stew, meaty and filled with tasty bits to chew on.

Bryan Valenzuela says one word that really captures his feelings about the new work is “raw.”

Exquisite Corps made a mark on the Sacramento music scene in 2011 with the use of violins, giving the band a classical quality. This new album takes the group in a less orchestrated direction as the two violinists, Kristin Arnold and Reylynn Goessling, left the band.

Valenzuela writes a lot of the band’s songs and play guitar and sings lead. He says moving from a “baking” strategy to a “stir fry” method, was very freeing for him.

“It’s a little more raw, rock ‘n’ roll, than it is that refined orchestral [sound],” Valenzuela said. “We’re kind of embracing that.”
When working with the string players Valenzuela said everything had to be planned out, while when it’s just the drums, bass and keyboards they can experiment more.

“There aren’t many string players that can just jam along band,” said Robby Dean, who plays drums and sings in the band. “We started making it more of a collaborative thing."

Nathan Webb on bass and Adam Rice on organ and keyboard, make up the rest of this collaborative group.

Valenzuela’s mantra for the latest album, is “more groovy - less moody.”

We have a first taste of that new sound with an exclusive debut of the fourth track “Broken Petals,” off Exquisite Corps’ sophomore album, Vignettes - just click the "listen" button at the top of this story.

If you fell in love with Exquisite Corps because of the orchestral nature of their sound, don’t fret. The strings are back for the album release party, September 20 at the Witch Room in Sacramento.

“We're going to have parts of the set as a quartet - as the band is in its current incarnation, parts with our string section, and parts with a small horn section,” Valenzuela said. There will be a DJ before and after the set. - Capital Public Radio

The group known for orchestral strings has become, out of equal parts necessity and artistic experimentation, more grooving and muscular.

Guitarist and lead singer Bryan Valenzuela started Exquisite Corps in 2010 with cello player Krystyna Taylor, later adding violinists Reylynn Goessling and Kristin Arnold, drummer Robby Dean and bass player Nathan Webb, the latter two of whom also played with Valenzuela in the band Call Me Ishmael.

The result was a more refined take on rock music – sometimes rollicking yet always elegant. But Taylor left Exquisite Corps, and now forms half the duo Calling Tempo. And Goessling and Arnold could not make it to every gig, Valenzuela said, especially when gigs were out of town.

“When we started playing out of town without the strings, we started going for this raw, rhythmic thing,” Valenzuela said during a joint interview with Dean last week.

The violinists appear on “Vignettes,” though the album as a whole is more bass-and-drum driven. Goessling and Arnold have become “rotating” rather than full-time band members, Valenzuela said. They still will perform with the band at special events such as the CD-release gig at Witch Room.

But Exquisite Corps is not just reducing. In news sure to hearten Allman Brothers fans, the group added a full-time organist (and pianist) Adam Rice.

“When the strings really couldn’t make shows anymore, we needed something to fill in the void,” Valenzuela said of the organ on the new record.



The songwriting process now differs from when Exquisite Corps started as a duo, Valenzuela said.

“We were fleshing out those songs from a smaller place,” Valenzuela said of the band’s self-titled 2012 debut album. “Fleshing out these (‘Vignettes’) songs from a full-band space kind of made it into what the record became, which is that groove thing. ... We were trying to base some of the tunes off drum beats and things like that, rather than coming from this really composed angle.”

“Vignettes” reflects “what people might see in L.A. or San Francisco” if they came to a show without the orchestral instrumentation, Valenzuela said.

But what about fans who fell in love with Exquisite’s strings?

“We expect a little bit of backlash, I guess, from people that are hardcore ‘Oh, I love the strings,’” Dean said. “Because they are not always going to be there.”

But according to Valenzuela, the band is winning over fans one prominent bass or organ line at a time. He said he encountered a fan who “was bummed” by a lack of bows in evidence as Exquisite Corps was setting up on stage as a four-piece. That changed once the band started playing its new material, Valenzuela said.

“There are still a lot of retaining elements – the vocals, and the songwriting is similar,” Valenzuela said of the four-piece Corps. “It is just a different take.”

To listen to Exquisite Corps’ new track “Caught in a Wave,” click here. - Sacramento BEE