Photo by jyoseph
In the late winter or early spring ask someone their favorite time of year and they’ll inevitably say summer. Ask someone the same question in September and they’ll likely reply, autumn. It’s hard not to savor the shortened autumn days when the calendar is typically ripe with concerts and street festivals. Maybe it’s the realization that summer’s almost over. Warm days of fun, games, and of course drinking, are about to disappear, so inevitably we all appreciate them a little bit more.
Late September Oktoberfest celebrations often feature rich Oktoberfest or Märzen style beers, a welcome respite from the light, macrobrews of many summer festivals. In Germany, Märzen beers have been popular since the 1600s and were first brewed out of necessity. The summer months were unkind to German, lager-producing brewmasters who could not both brew and then lager (store at a cold temperature) their product in the warm summer months. Like early British India Pale Ale, German brewmasters specially formulated their beers to survive a long, arduous journey. In this case from the early Spring brewing season to late summer and early autumn.
Like Oktoberfest itself, the Märzen style has spread to other countries and cultures, while evolving and becoming more palatable. It has sprouted into an Oktoberfest style lager, further popularized in the United States by a number of both large and small brewers. Companies such as Sam Adams, Leinekugels, Great Lakes, and yes, even Budweisser (Michelob) make seasonal batches of Oktoberfest beers. The rich, sweet flavor of an Oktoberfest style is a welcome surprise to the palette accustomed summer’s crisp, bright lagers. Fine Oktoberfest beers are flavorful, yet refreshing, and complimentary to slow sips on warm autumn days. After all there will be plenty of time in the coming months to indulge in rich ales, stouts, and porters. Now is the time to savor the season’s unique flavor.
An Oktoberfest celebration would be incomplete without being paired with music. Polka bands are as popular as lederhosen and bratwurst this time of year. So too are campfires, fire-pits, and quiet nights with close friends. Such occasions call for a little less oompah and a little more contemplation.
Members of the band The Clientele have been playing together for almost twenty years. Not nearly as long as Märzen style beers have been lagered in dark caves of rural Bavaria, but still an eternity for a band who’s fan base continues to grow. The London band captured their sound early on with shimmering guitar licks and lead singer Alsadair MacLean’s amp-funneled vocals.
Bonfires on the Heath
Their latest album, Bonfires on the Heath, due out on October 6th, might be the band’s best effort since 2005s masterpiece, Since K Got Over Me. The band has indeed been “lagering” some of the sonic explorations and instrumentation of previous albums. The captivating Mel Draisey, who joined the band for their previous album, continues to subtly add to the band’s crop of dreamy guitar licks and breathy choruses with her soft piano, strings, and lucid vocals. Such is the case on the album’s most hauntingly beautiful songs, “Harvest Time” and a reintroduction of “Graven Wood” from 2000’s Suburban Light. Here they appear, or reappear, with greater depth and polish thanks in large part to Ms. Draisey and the continued subdued instrumentation of James Hornsey (bass) and Mark Keen (percussion). Maclean’s literary vocals are undoubtedly the band’s greatest strength. However, in a band who’s audible trademarks are tranquil vocals and shimmering guitars, the aural landscapes created by the rhythm section carry us along from note to note without much notice, but great importance. Both Hornsey and Keen get to break out a bit on some of the album’s peppier tracks such as the first track, “I Wonder Who We Are.”
The Clientele are often knocked for the strong similarities between their songs and albums, but the variety and progression of their sound becomes more pronounced with familiarity. Such is the case when sampling the ever-growing number of Oktoberfest and Märzen beers. Sam Adams’s Oktoberfest may be the most widely distributed here in the states, but staying true to the orignal Märzen styles are German imports. Ayinger’s Oktober Fest-Märzen is a brilliant copper lager that compliments its sweet maltiness with the perfect amount of floral hops that catch your senses of taste and smell. A subtle reminder that distinction is cultivated with nuance and harmony.
Sadly, autumn will disappear very soon. Comfortably warm days are fleeting, dissolving in a rush of melody and colors. Moments such as the two-minute mark of “Anyone But You” are as sweet as the tastiest glass of Oktoberfest you’ll ever have… and vanish as quick as a sip. Lead singer Alsadair Maclean’s recent comments to Pitchfork Media that this may be the very last Clientele album are in line with his autumnal description of the album, “it’s about watching yourself disappear.” As the band deliberates their next steps and the leaves turn from green to bronze, it is the perfect time to appreciate the last few sips of another wonderful harvest.
theclientele.myspace.com
Bonfires on the Heath [Merge XX Video]
The Clientele: Harvest Time
Posted by jack in SoundPours
Tags: Ayinger, Märzen, Oktoberfest, seasons, the Clientele
