Teach Me Equals (formerly Bard & Mustache) and RedRumsey (Vern Rumsey of Unwound, Long Hind Legs) will be hitting the west coast for an 18-date joint tour this September. And oh what a celebration it will be: Vern Rumsey last toured over a decade ago.
In 2002 following the split of Unwound, Rumsey effectively retired and quit making music. Over 10 years later, he found himself returning to his massive back catalog of work. It was the key to starting a new chapter in an already impressive career, one defined by his bass and guitar work in the aforementioned Unwound as well as Long Hind Legs, Fitz of Depression, Witchypoo, and Blonde Redhead.
Today, I'm honored to share with you Bard & Mustache's new EP, Bitter Painter, in its entirety. Unless someone ripped it and threw it online somewhere before this post was made, this is the only place you can currently hear Bitter Painter online. It was first released into the world last week at the duo's show at The Windup Space in Baltimore. So, for those of you who missed that show or the one in Monteclair, NJ this past Friday, here is the EP in all its glory. I highly recommend checking it out. When you compare where Bard & Mustache (vocalist/guitarist Erin Murphy and vocalist/cellist Greg Bortnichak) were musically on their most recent EP, Found, Bitter Painter sounds like a reinvented band in a number of ways, or rather, a band that has matured very beautifully. And when you consider this is just a rough idea of where Greg and Erin are headed on their forthcoming debut album (due next year), it's a pretty awe-inspiring listen.
Greg Bortnichak and Erin Murphy are two of the finest human beings I've had the pleasure of meeting, part of the reason why their existence as Bard and Mustache is all the more special. Aside from being incredibly talented musicians and proponents, and torchbearers, of Sarasota's burgeoning music scene, Greg and Erin are a couple. There've been plenty of relationships in music throughout the ages that have resulted in some great duets/duos, but there's something particularly lovely about the bond between these two musicians -- something that thrives and reveals itself through their music. It seems only fitting that I've the distinct pleasure and honor of sharing and debuting a live performance and interview with Bard and Mustache -- a perfect post to share on this Valentine's Day holiday.
Sarasota, FL alternative folk rock duo Bard and Mustache (Greg Bortnichak and Erin Murphy, respectively) self-released their sophomore EP, Found, today. They also just kicked off their Kickstarter-funded "Autumnal Equinox Tour" yesterday. Hear and download a cut from Found and scope their tour dates below.
Although the Sparta Philharmonic have been out promoting their fantastic new album over the past couple of months and are currently wrapping up the second leg of their tour, band frontman/singer/guitarist/cellist/bearded gentleman Greg Bortnichak found the time to work on more music and is gearing up to hit the road with his new project, Bard and Mustache. Bortnichak is once again working in a duo format, but this time around the music is more folk-based and sees him focusing solely on cello. The other half of Bard and Mustache is Floridian songstress and multimedia artist Erin Murphy (The Equines, Sven and the Fury, Tiny Ensemble, Finch House Records, The Closet).
Bard (Greg) and Mustache (Erin) will release their debut EP entitled Falcor's Burning Belly on March 4th as a tour-only, limited run CD-R. The EP features the single "I Am Not," which the band is currently offering as a free download (stream/download below). It has a quiet beauty to it, but, through Murphy's honest delivery and Bortnichak's cello arrangements, it really soars and expands.
The duo has also scheduled a few tour dates which you can scope after the hop.
