I needed the perfect restaurant for a last minute trip to the Healdsburg area for Kasey’s birthday, and Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant was that perfect find. The food was simple, soothing and flavorful. The restaurant has been described by Bon Appetit magazine as a “clapboard house, tucked off a woodsy backroad.” It should suffice to say it was extremely picturesque. And although I normally refrain from drawing comparisons between the local band and local restaurant paired in our “Local Pairings,” in this instance, I can’t restrain myself. This really feels like a natural pairing (if I do say so myself). San Francisco’s Geographer make music that can be described as equally “pictureseque.” In fact, rarely does a band’s music sound so tailored for use in the dramatic scene in a movie. Rarely does a band sound so perfectly cinematic. But Geographer’s Innocent Ghosts is just that: cinematic.
Geographer is led by Michael Deni, whose emotionally-rich, warm voice provides a fantastic set up for the pulsing, exhilarating music created by celloist Nathan Blaz and drummer Brian Ostreicher. If you find comparisons to other artists helpful, I’d place Geographer somewhere between Sun Kil Moon and Coldplay. Opening track (and lead single) “Can’t You Wait” opens with a flurry of synth and a simple, shimmery guitar melody elevated by Deni’s bright vocals. The song quickly builds rhythm and erupts into an upbeat, dancey, feel-good cut. Just listening to the album you can imagine what their live performance is like (I hear they play a pretty awesome New Order cover).
Geographer – Leave
Geographer – Each Other’s Ghosts
Geographer – Innocent Ghosts is available at Amoeba Records and from the band’s website. You can also checkout Geographer on Myspace.
Don’t forget to head back to our homepage to read Kasey’s review of the Michelin-rated Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant in Forestville, California.
