Album Notes

Seattle Band Gives Fans Energy and Improvisation

The Senate’s vibrancy on stage is mirrored by the audience’s response. Most listeners in the room are magnetized by their rhythmic originality, but equally captured by soaring melodies and metal inspired guitar solos. This kind of polarity is rarely found in a band with two acoustic guitars, a stand-up bass and no drummer. In fact, a band with that line-up is rarely found at all.
Their sound is most easily equated to the Dave Matthews Band, but more specifically draws from each member’s personal training and music influences.
The polyrhythmic styles of African guitarists have affected Nick Drummond’s guitar playing significantly. The lead vocalist and guitarist also attributes some of his song structuring to other acts like Ben Harper, Dave Matthews and The Beatles.
Bassist Andrew Pulkrabek anchors the band without the help of percussion. Though classically trained, Pulkrabek has also played jazz and metal and now describes his sound as a “fusion of those three.”
“[He] gives us a lot for just a bass,” says Drummond who feels that Pulkrabek’s influences have been essential to their sound and rhythmic strength.
Oliver Franklin, lead guitarist and vocalist, lists many influences like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses and Metallica, saying, “I started off as a straight rock-and-roll kid, and now I’m trying to translate that to acoustic.”
The Senate’s first EP, “These Cold Winds,” summarizes the variety of sounds and styles that each band member brings to the group. Released February 4, the EP begins intensely with the busy guitar work and well-timed harmonies of the title track. “Spectacle,” my personal favorite, follows suit in intensity, but out-does the former in pace and lyricism.
The next song, “Turn to Gold,” is less dependent on guitar riffs, offering listeners a different texture from the rest of the EP and a good setup for the last three songs. Overall, “These Cold Winds” achieves balance, discovering both urgency and light-heartedness throughout.
Group members found that studio work was a completely different challenge from what they do live. Long hours and differing opinions spurred many arguments, but the group is very happy with the product. “Were really proud of what we did,” says Franklin, “we learned a lot about the dynamics of the group.”
However, “These Cold Winds” is only a shadow of the energy The Senate creates live.
If you want background music to do your homework, don’t listen to The Senate, you’ll be distracted. If you want to catch an entertaining and lively show, this is the band for you.
The Senate has been playing out for just over a year now, but all band members have been loosely associated since high school and earlier. Pulkrabek and Franklin played in a metal band with each other prior to fully committing to the group.
The Seattle university scene is getting too small to hold The Senate’s unique musical invention. “Really we just want to rock,” says Drummond, “but in the meantime we’re expanding our base outside of Seattle more. We’d like as many people to hear what we do as possible.”



Mishon Wooldridge
Polaris Staff