Lean-To - Bio

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Lean-To Bio

Lean-To Discography

Genres: Neo-Fusion

Lean-To

     The so-called "neo-fusion" band Lean-To began working on its debut album somewhere in the murky depths of the mid-90s. Finally, after assorted roadblocks, unforeseen events and moments of inertia, Malarchitecture sees the light of day. It is: 13 tracks following an eclectic path and a heeding a private logic, encountering noise, melodies, vocal tunes with twists, instrumental music that knows no binding stylistic address. It is: guitarists Brad Rabuchin and Joe Woodard, bassist Bob Mair and drummer Tom Lackner gathering and dispersing ideas and sounds, with some help from some friends. Most importantly, it is.
     Rabuchin plays around Los Angeles and is nurturing his solo career, having recently released his debut CD, When Smart Dogs Go Bad, on Household Ink. Mair is busy in a delirious plenitude of areas, including playing with Deborah Holland and the noted Nels Cline Trio, with whom he has recorded a few CDs. Lackner and Woodard keep off and on the streets of Santa Barbara, playing in and recording with such groups as Headless Household, Dudley, and flapping, Flapping.
     Malarchitecture is a sonikaleidoscope of musical instincts. C&W-esque Americana, taken to the outside, creeps in on "Lincoln Logs" and "Bring Grandma," while feistier, funkier stuff comes on "Goleta Factor" and "Get Out and Stay Out." Softer, ethereal strains mark "Luxury of Time," the gospel-tinged "Gabriel," and "#26," and the improv muse comes to visit on "Memory Garden" and "Wig." The guest list: Brazilian-born percussionist Airto Moreira added his rhythmic thrust and colorations on a few tracks. Glen (Toad the Wet Sprocket) Phillips sings "Kindness of Strangers," also featuring Trey Henry playing a fetching tuba solo, and with backup vocals by Ellen Turner. She also sings on the cowboy-reggae number, "The Beauty of Nuts" and Bruce Winter adds his vocal to the dreamy "Hungry Ghosts."
     Lean-To is a work-in-progress, a definition-in-progress. More to come

"Math rock meets fusion on this debut disc. I've been wondering about the title for a while now -- are they simply suggesting "bad" architecture, or is it a combination of malarkey and architecture? Because the latter, which suggests a sort of organized goofing off, is a pretty decent description of what you'll find on Malarchitecture. Tracks like "Goleta Factor" clearly owe a lot more to jazz fusion than indie rock, and occasionally veer perilously close to smooth jazz waters, but they also maintain a quiet intensity. You should crank the volume while listening to Malarchitecture, because it's silent and mannered and at lower volumes you won't hear everything. And it's very much worth hearing. You don't want to miss the sing-song quirkiness of "Beauty of Nuts", on which Ellen Turner's simplistic vocals highlight the wonder of...well, nuts. "Barter a Samba" is one of those pervasive bits of music that makes you long for a vacation somewhere warm and sandy, while "Bring Grandma" is an entirely unexpected country-rock diversion. As a Rock Guy, I don't know how Malarchitecture will play with finicky Jazz People, but I enjoyed it thoroughly."

-- George Zahora, Splendid e-zine

"The 'architectural' aspect of the CD's title is appropriate... Lean-To's debut CD gives an aural impression of a many-roomed structure, each doorway opening into a chamber peopled by thoughts, themes, and ideas, that mutate conspiratorially right before your very ears. A prevailing aroma of technique drifts from the internal kitchen of Malarchitecture, an aroma seasoned with melody blending avant jazz, rock, and atmospheric hybrid soul. The immediate impression this CD generates is the absolute joy of feeling in the hands of thoughtful melody. Joe's song and lyric writing style is a psychological celebration of the capacity music has to lead you from the heights of joy to smoky introspection.
The CD is populated by a who's-who of Santa Barbara "Best Bets" including Bruce Winter, Glen Phillips, Ellen Turner, and world-renowned percussionist Airto Moreira. Bruce Winters's moving vocal on the Lackner-Woodard cowrite, "Hungry Ghosts," sparks the imagination and soothes the soul into wondering about the essence of spirits with appetites."

--Mark Fahey, "Positively State Street," Santa Barbara Independent, 3-26-98