On November 2018, eclectic indie band SCOTCH THE FILMMAKER released their conceptual album entitled “Can’t Say It With Words” independently. This album from this sextet will have you run the gamut of emotions while having an innate ability to mix an eclectic concoction that is aesthetically pleasing to your senses.
Out of Chicago, Illinois, Scotch The Filmmaker is composed of Katie Bithos on vocals, Brian Kinney on drums, Joe Monahan on guitars/vocals, Brad Mueller on bass, Franny Sadler on keyboards/vocals, and John Schieber on violin. With the six members in the mix, this band mixes the genres of AM radio with modern indie rock. While in the studio, they wrote “Can’t Say It With Words” while taking a story and intertwining the lyrics of the story with the eight different types of love according to the Ancient Greeks.
In “Storge(Forever Goes By Too Quickly)”, the album starts off with a beautiful arrangement of guitar tones with lush keyboard licks, and the whistling in the beginning of the song and after each verse takes you back to the daisy chains of the hippie era of the 1960’s. As with the song title, the song tells of missing out on that familiarity, such as that feeling when we reunite with our parents or our loved ones. It is that kinship kind of love, and the song illustrates that perfectly, and I must say gorgeous playing by Schieber on the violin.
In the song “Philia(Is This Happiness?)”, this song talks about being “friend zoned”. It talks about that platonic kind of love, that love that is displayed between friendships, that love that has no sexual attraction between the two people. It talks about that camaraderie and that sense of belonging in a circle of friends. The harmonies by Bithos and Sadler coupled with the playing of Monahan have that smoke-filled jazz club feel to it. I wish this song was longer, but it was short and sweet at the same time.
“Mania(Thursday Rain)”, this type of love according to the Ancient Greeks is just as it sounds, a love that is so intense that it’s psychotic and in a relationship that has mania, there’s a lot of jealousy in the relationship. Scotch The Filmmaker showcases more of a blues feel in the song mixed with jazz in the violin picking and guitar playing.
“Ludos(Affirmative Consent)”, has a bit of psychedelia and funk into the music. This is probably Scotch The Filmmaker’s most fun track and most sensual track, after all that’s what “ludus” is. Basically think of that relationship that is a love affair or a friendship with benefits type of relationship. The drumming and rhythm section really sticks out to me as it’s the driving force behind this song.
“Eros(Can’t Say It With Words)” has a slowed down feeling behind it, like that intense romantic wedding night or where the flames of lust are so intense that the flames of lust can burn out quickly if the two in the relationship are not careful. The female vocals are powerful and sexy in this one.
“Philautia(Been Up All Week)” “I need you to love me because I can’t love myself” is a common lyric in this song. This song talks about how we can’t love others if we can’t care for ourselves first. This song has a nice mix of funk and blues in it. It’s a fun track.
“Pragma(Comfortable Silence)” Pragma is that elderly couple that is together on the porch swing and stating that “we made it” on their 50th Anniversary. This song does an impeccable job on how we can be silent around one another, yet it’s that content silence because the love is there. According to the Ancient Greeks, this is the most rare kind of love.
“Agape(The Bigger Your Heart Is The Smaller The World Will Feel)” Agape love is that kind of love for the world, that selfless love that we all need. Through the arrangements, Scotch The Filmmaker uses this song as a plea for humanity to simply do better and to take care and love one another.
This was a fantastic effort by Scotch The Filmmaker. The arrangements are soothing and just relaxing to listen to. When I feel the need to relax, I’m going to let Scotch The Filmmaker to be the soundtrack to my relaxation as I listen to their intricate arrangements. Madness To Creation rates this a 9 out of 10 stars.
On Friday, June 28th, Scotch The Filmmaker has a gig at The GMan Tavern in Chicago. For tickets and further information on the gig, click here.
Fans can find SCOTCH THE FILMMAKER at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/ScotchTheFilmmaker
www.scotchthefilmmaker.tumblr.com
www.instagram.com/scotchthefilmmaker
