Weekly Volcano -- Nov. 26, 2008 -- Olympia, WA
Bumtech
A well constructed indie rock puzzle
by Matt Driscoll
You know how it’s obvious we’re moving up in the world of music, Tacoma?
We’ve landed our first Portland band.
Kind of.
Portland’s Bumtech, a two-piece indie rock band made up of Sharon Schloss and Jonn Walterscheid — who not only happen to be musicians with a similar love of mixing drum machine beats and tight loops with guitar centered, New Wavy compositions, but (oh by the way) happen to have been a couple for nine years — are quickly becoming one of the South Sound’s own. Not only will the band be back in our neck of the woods this weekend, Saturday, Nov. 29 at Le Voyeur in Olympia, but they’ve been invited to play the Bob’s Java Jive Tacoma Christmas part in late December, basically because the band has played the coffee pot on South Tacoma Way so many times and dropped so many jaws that the Jive has become one of the band’s many homes away from home.
“I like to be new places, and see new people. I’m starting to feel local everywhere,” says Schloss of Bumtech’s touring and love of it, which has created a widespread fanbase for the band far away from PDX. “Tacoma is probably one of the more enthusiastic places we play.”
“We’re big fans of Americana and roadside attractions,” adds Walterscheid, of Bumtech’s particular affinity for the Jive. “We try to go into every show without expectations. Portland actually seems harder than most places to get through to people. There are way more bands per capita.”
What makes Bumtech so endearing, and thus so very adoptable, is probably the same thing that makes Schloss and Walterscheid click as a couple. The music just seems natural, and the various parts of the puzzle fit together so seamlessly. You can hear it on the band’s last record, Beware of D-G, and especially songs like “Scrotessa Weanis in the Workplace” and “Got Yer Nose”— which purvey a musical playfulness that’s impossible to deny, and the band’s live set — which packs a danceable punch capable of infecting the tiny room in the back of Le Voyeur in mere moments.
“Having a small band was an artistic decision,” says Walterscheid.
“A lot of people say we sound great, but tell us we need a drummer,” adds Schloss, noting that’s never going to happen. “Creatively, we’re pretty much on the same page. It’s pretty natural. We just try to play as much as possible.
Whatever Bumtech is doing, it’s working.
Bumtech will play Le Voyeur in Olympia on Friday, Nov. 29. It’ll be as good a place as any to work off the stuffing, but the reasons for showing up go far beyond that. Bumtech, plain and simple, and whether Schloss and Walterscheid feel like locals to you or not, is a band not to miss.
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Reno Gazette-Journal -- Nov. 14, 2008 -- Reno, NV
Club pick of the week: Bumtech at the Zephyr
by Jason Kellner
The club: The Zephyr, 1074 S. Virginia St., 324-9853. Who's playing: Bumtech. The Portland, Ore., band's name makes about as much sense at the band's song "Scrotessa Weanis in the Workplace," but the duo, who layer guitar, bass and keyboards over a synthy-sounding drum machine, make some decent pop sounds. They describe it as Nirvana meets Wang Chung, which is about as good as any description I could come up with. They play at 10 p.m. (ZST*) Saturday with Reno's Nick Ramirez opening. *ZST is Zephyr Standard Time, which means actual times may vary.
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Outword -- Nov. 13, 2008 -- Sacramento, CA
Pic of the Week
BUMTECH
This Portland duo has more hooks and loops than a Velcro convention and has a rock/electro/pop sound that's described as Nirvana meets Wang Chung. On tour from their home in Portland, their music has an alternative and pop feel mixed with a solid classic rock sound and lyrics filled with humor and emotion.
$5. 8pm Java Lounge, 2416 16th St.
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Eureka Times-Standard -- Nov. 13, 2008 -- Eureka, CA
Bumtech: Danceable duo looks toward the future
by Meghan Vogel
You'd think that living and creating music with someone would get a bit much sometimes. But not if you're Bumtech.
The Portland-based duo, consisting of Sharon Schloss and Jonn Walterscheid, who were both present on the phone for an interview, agreed they work great together, no problem. Having been a band for three years, and a couple for nine, Bumtech obviously has spent a lot of time together. You could even say they're on the same electro-wavelength.
Alternative pop music at its most boiled down, Bumtech melts genres into a groovy, head-nodding beat. Their sly, cheeky lyrics are guaranteed to make you smile at least once during a song, and their hook and loop work is contagiously danceable.
As for their name, Walterscheid called Bumtech “a consulting firm for slacking off.” Schloss added cagily they're a “love song kind of band,” although it's hard to imagine their tongue-in-cheek song “Video Head Cleaner Killed the Radio Star” as a love song. Sardonic humor permeates most of Bumtech's song, and if you like that sort of thing when it's coupled with easy grooves, you're sure to adore Bumtech. Both Bumtechers have been playing music most of their lives. Schloss, who plays bass and keyboards, began playing classical piano at 7, and Walterscheid, Bumtech's guitarist, first picked up the instrument in the early '90s. As Bumtech, they both share vocal duties and programming.
It seems sweetly appropriate they met in a Los Angeles record store where Walterscheid worked, and fell in love over New Wave bands like OMD, Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance. Walterscheid had already made hours of self-recorded music inspired by Pink Floyd, The Velvet Underground and Ween, and Schloss was bassist for a hard rock band called Third Grade Teacher.
Having moved from L.A. to Portland seven years ago, they said they feel like old-timers in a city where hardly anyone's been there for more than a year or so. While Portland could be considered the equivalent of Seattle in the '90s as far as the music scene goes, Bumtech said it doesn't feel too saturated as there are still plenty of venues to play. On a northwest tour in support of their new album “Beware of D-G,” Bumtech makes a stop in Eureka tonight.
Schloss holds an art degree from UCLA, and said her artistic leanings can sometimes find their way into Bumtech's music.
”I want things to be beautiful, to be conceptual,” she said. “But I really love it the best when people just dance.”
Bumtech plays tonight at the Boiler Room, 3534 Broadway, Eureka, at 9 p.m. For more information about the band, visit www.myspace.com/bumtech.
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North Coast Journal -- Nov. 13, 2008 -- Humboldt County, CA
The Hum
by Bob Doran
At the Boiler Room Thursday: Bumtech, the latest Portland band to hit Humboldt. This one's a duo with Jonn Walterscheid on guitar and Sharon Schloss on bass and keys; beats come from a laptop. The music? "A combination of classic rock-type harmonies and guitar and bass, mixed with New Wave-inspired drum machine and keyboards," says Jonn. The name? "The initial idea was it's a consulting firm for slacking off. Sometimes I think of the 'Bum' as the human-slacker side of us, mixed with 'Tech,' the electronic, maybe more motivated side."
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Rogue Valley Independent Media Center -- Nov. 4, 2008 -- Ashland, OR
This Week
BUMTECH: from Portland Nov 17 2008 8:00P Wild Goose Ashland
"More hooks and loops than a velcro convention"
http://www.myspace.com/bumtech
Sharon Schloss - bass, vocals, keyboards, programming
Jonn Walterscheid - guitar, vocals, programming
Sounds Like Nirvana meets Wang-Chung, "...Bumtech have created a following that stretches far and wide from their Rose City home, riding college radio like the rails to spread the word of their loop-happy but guitar-driven sound that's as reminiscent of the past as it is the future. While Bumtech could have flourished during the '80s, they've more than a cheeky retro appeal going for them. Bumtech doesn't feel rehashed; they feel fresh but familiar, which isn't easy to do... Tracks like "Scrotessa Weanis in the Workplace" and "Got Yer Nose" display an equal balance of artistic vision and playfulness - one that can't help but make the listener take a mental load off and enjoy Bumtech's outlook."
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Fox News NY -- June 24, 2008
Touring Bands Adapt To Rising Gas Prices
by Anthony Bartkewicz, MyFoxNational
The words “touring band” might conjure up images of pampered rock stars cruising from city to city in a cushy tour bus, but for the independent bands that depend on touring just to break even, the reality is far less glamorous. For artists who hit the road with themselves, their equipment and their merchandise all crammed into a van, the rising cost of gas is making touring an increasingly losing proposition.
“We just spent almost $3,000 on gas alone for three weeks of touring,” says Jesse Haff, drummer for Raleigh, NC’s Daylight Dies. “There was more than one instance where we questioned whether we could afford to continue to the next gig, and we wondered aloud how much longer bands touring on our level could afford to do it. It's going from financially frustrating to financially impossible."
"We’ve had to contemplate things like raising the price of t-shirts and other merchandise,” Transistor Transistor frontman Nat Coghlan admits, “which is a gamble because it might just result in people buying less since everyone is being hit so hard right now.”
For Transistor Transistor, the rising costs are also cutting into the fun aspects of touring. “We've had to cut back on doing things that used to add a little interest to a long drive, like pulling over and finding something interesting to do in a new city,” Coghlan says. “We simply can't afford to take an hour detour to find a cool restaurant or some other diversion. We've been using a cell phone GPS to get to wherever we need to go as quickly as possible because at this point driving around lost in a city is literally wasting money.”
GPS systems and fewer detours are just a couple of ways that musicians are adjusting to the gas crisis. Some other indie bands offered their own ways to offset the cost of touring before Coghlan’s joking suggestion becomes a reality: “We've been thinking about going completely acoustic and doing our next tour on two tandem bikes with bongos and a few backpacker guitars.”
The Winter Sounds – Athens, GA (“Toured 273/365 days last year!”) "Well, the biggest gas guzzler for us was our trailer, so we basically rearranged and rebuilt the inside of our own van so that all the equipment could fit. With five people it's a tight squeeze, but the savings on gas makes it totally worth it—not to mention taking the stress off the engine. Now our trailer lives in the backyard, hoping to tour again one day. The next logical step for us is converting our van's engine to biodiesel, but that's still pretty far down the road."
BUMTECH – Portland, OR “We are a two piece band and we've been continuously reducing the amount of equipment we bring on tour to try to fit into a small car instead of the van. We actually rented a Prius Zipcar last month for an hour and drove around town with all our gear; it was a tight squeeze but we determined it could be done! Now the debate is whether we eat the cost on the Prius up front or keep driving the gas guzzler and pay more per tour. The perfect touring vehicle for today's gas crisis doesn't exist yet.”
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Mastan Music -- June 16, 2008 -- Portland, OR
Bumtech
"Face" from the CD
Beware Of D-G
Bumtech's Sharon Schloss and Jonn Walterscheid have been cranking out their brand of New Wave since 2005. Citing the Legendary Pink Dots as their "favorite band"along with the Smiths and Cocteau Twins as creative inspiration, they create a sound not unlike the bands they enjoy listening to. Their new disc, "Beware of D-G" was recorded and produced by Sean Flora and sounds very good. They are also very funny and allow this explanation of their odd name: According to Jonn, "Bumtech is a consulting firm for slacking off. If you’re tired of getting out of bed in the morning, call Bumtech. If you want the bullshit in your life to lose all importance, Bumtech is for you" (Gaycondo, 3/31/08). See them on tour in in the NW this summer.
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The Guestlist Magazine -- June 3, 2008
Music Review: Beware of D-G
Jonn Walterscheid and Sharon Schloss came together in 2005 with a mutual idea of bringing their brand of new wave, indie-pop to the many that would be willing to listen and set out to create what eventually would be Bumtech's album "Beware of D-G." With only two members in the band, creating the full sound they were looking for was going to be tough, but they found a way to do it via multiple programming and a heavy dose of keyboards as is evident the minute you hit play. Both Jonn and Sharon take turns on the lead vocals throughout the album and each add a unique feel to the songs. Jonn's vocal leans more towards that of bands like the Pixies and the indie sound while Sharon's beg to be compared to the mid-80's new wave sounds. Both vocals do the trick for the songs they cover the leads on and it's safe to say that they honed in on what sound they were looking for and mastered it. Though commercial success for Bumtech doesn't seem like an option due to their left of the dial sound, there is no denying that this album is perfect for those fans that dig the new wave sounds of the 80's. This reminds me of something I should be hearing on the High Fidelity soundtrack. Not totally something I would normally find myself spinning, but good nonetheless and well worth checking out if you dig any of the bands or styles mentioned above.
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CoastWeekend.com -- May 7, 2008 -- Astoria, OR
New-wave Style rockers offer retro appeal
"Bumtech have created a following that stretches far and wide from their Rose City home, riding college radio like the rails to spread the word of their loop-happy but guitar-driven sound that’s as reminiscent of the past as it is the future. While Bumtech could have flourished during the ’80s, they’ve more than a cheeky retro appeal going for them. Bumtech doesn’t feel rehashed; they feel fresh but familiar, which isn’t easy to do." - The Weekly Volcano, Tacoma, Wash.
Bumtech brings their indie new-wave rock style to Fort George Brewery and Public House at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 11. Their is no cover charge.
Bumtech is a two-piece rock band made up of Jonn Walterscheid on guitar and vocals and Sharon Schloss on bass, keyboards, and vocals. Local musician Jeffrey Reynolds will open as Ghost Violince. Ghost Violince captures the essence of violins of the past and future, transforming the sounds with ghostly electronic and acoustic effects, improvised and original music.
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Gaycondo -- March 21, 2008 -- Portland, OR
Tragically UnHeard Of Band O’ The Week: BUMTECH
By Em Brownlowe
After several weeks of slacking off summoning Tragically Unheard Of bands, I stumbled upon Portland new wave sensation, Bumtech. The duo formed in 2005 and includes Sharon Schloss (bass, vocals, keyboards, programming) and Jonn Walterscheid (guitar, vocals, programming). Together they create a spacey atmosphere embracing both new wave sonic canopies with intricate guitar centric compositions. Each song’s sonic seriousness is juxtaposed with quirky satirical accounts of the monotony of everyday life.
Bumtech just finished a brand new website, Tofuton, and are about to embark on a Californian tour to support their debut, Beware of D-G. They were kind enough to answer a few questions over coffee and…blowfish?
1. How did the two of you meet and decide to play music together?
Sharon: We met in the record store where Jonn used to work and bonded over a mutual love of new wave music. I was playing bass in a band at the time which was not really fullfilling me creatively anymore. I was looking for something new where I could get more into the electronic end of music, programming drums and playing keyboards as well as bass. Jonn was recording some cool instrumental music with drum machine and guitar, and I thought he should be performing it out for people.
2. Is there a story behind the name Bumtech?
Jonn: Bumtech is a consulting firm for slacking off. If you’re tired of getting out of bed in the morning, call Bumtech. If you want the bullshit in your life to lose all importance, Bumtech is for you.
3. Who/what are some of your inspirations? How do you incorporate them into your music?
Sharon: The Legendary Pink Dots are our favorite current band. Most of our musical influences are alternative bands from the 80s and 90s, with Cocteau Twins, The Smiths, and Nirvana being some of the biggest influences. I like classical music and jazz too. I grew up playing classical piano and enjoy KBPS radio. The way this works into my playing is that I put good musicianship first and emphasize strong songwriting.
Jonn: I think of my guitar style as a cross between Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins and blues, even though I don’t listen to the blues. I do listen to the Cocteau Twins, and classical radio KBPS.
Bumtech: We’re both influenced by fine arts painting.
4. What do you like about the duo dynamic of your band. Have you considered adding a third member or live drummer? Why or why not?
Bumtech: Practicing and writing together is so much easier when there are fewer people to organize. The drum machine is an artistic choice. Being influenced by 80s new wave and hip hop, we thought it would be cool to be in a guitar band with a drum machine. We’re not opposed to adding more members in the future, but it’s not practical right now.
5. You are going out on tour pretty soon! What are some of the things you do whilst on the road?. Any stories from past outings?.
We’re bringing our Sirius radio with us so we can listen to Howard Stern. We’re looking forward to catching up with old friends in other cities. On one tour we almost died when we skidded out on an icy mountain road and bounced off of a railing between the pavement and a cliff. Amazingly, we were able to drive home!
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Yet another slice of bizarre tuneage from the crazy musical carnival that is Portland, Oregon. Bumtech are a mixed sex electro-pop duo, who like to sing about mixed up sex.
How well a song about condoms, the pill, grandmothers, abortion and IUD's would do in the charts I couldn't possibly say, but you get the feeling that gargantuan commercial success is not what Bumtech are about.
Sounding a little like 90's synth pop pioneers The Pulsars with Russell Brand writing the lyrics might not read well on paper, but this little something just about makes the 40 minute experience pleasurable.
Anyway, how can you possibly ignore an album which is a perennial favourite of the late night slot on Herne Bay Radio Station, Kent?
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There are lots of “cool” things coming out of Portland. There are plenty of hip bands and all-the-rage sounds. There’s a lot of stuff that people will tell you is new, exciting and different, and there’s a lot of stuff that is showing up on indie radars all over the world.
Some of this stuff is even good.
Bumtech is one of those instances. A New Wavy two-piece rock band made up of guitarist Jonn Walterscheid and bassist and keyboardist Sharon Schloss, Bumtech will play Bob’s Java Jive Saturday, March 8.
While they’re not exactly Menomena, Bumtech have created a following that stretches far and wide from their Rose City home, riding college radio like the rails to spread the word of their loop-happy but guitar-driven sound that’s as reminiscent of the past as it is the future. While Bumtech could have flourished during the ’80s, they’ve more than a cheeky retro appeal going for them. Bumtech doesn’t feel rehashed; they feel fresh but familiar, which isn’t easy to do.
Bumtech’s debut CD, Beware of D-G, is a fine example. Tracks like “Scrotessa Weanis in the Workplace” and “Got Yer Nose” (both of which can also be heard at www.myspace.com/
bumtech) display an equal balance of artistic vision and playfulness — one that can’t help but make the listener take a mental load off and enjoy Bumtech’s outlook.
The things you’ve heard about Portland can be seen with your own eyes at Bob’s Java Jive this week — well, everything except the city’s infatuation with titty bars and bicycles. Bumtech’s got the hip indie music covered.
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There is a grand tradition in Portland music observed by nearly every band that bursts from the fertile womb of the local scene: We take ouselves really fucking seriously. While this is an understandable outcome of living in a town so grey and wet that Morrissey thinks it should lighten up, it gets pretty damned tiring to trudge through the dreary depths of rain-inspired whine-rock day after day. Oh the things we do for you. Anyway, just as we at the Rearguard lost hope, a ray of light has burst through the haze of seasonal affective disorder and black umbrellas: Bumtech.
Formed in Portland in 2005, Bumtech (guitarist Jonn Walterscheid and bassist/keyboardist Sharon Schloss) are just the silver lining this cloudy town needs. Like the musical equivalent of a Wes Anderson film, they achieve the delicate balance of the outright geeky and uber-hip that makes them utterly appealing. Their live set is better than their recorded stuff so far, but watch out because we have it on good authoritythat producer Sean Flora (of The Shins notority) is about to drop their debut LP like it’s hot.
Standout tracks “Got Yer Nose” and “Video Head Cleaner” are exemplary of their style, which is cute and quirky without being cloying. Jonn does the vocals and guitar for both tracks, supported by Sharon’s electronic work and backup vocals. “Video Head Cleaner” is an overt homage to “Video Killed the Radio Star”, repeating the title lyric almost verbatim. They pull it off with delicate snarkiness and clever self-awareness, and it’s significantly less anoying than the original. “Got Yer Nose” is similarly catchy and melodic, sporting simple electronic work and sway-inducing guitars. “Scrotessa Weanis in the Workplace” is a bafflingly adorable track that appears to be some kind of sexual reference, but who the hell knows.
This band is just what you need to beat those winter days when it’s so cold you’re contemplating pepper-spraying yourself just to stay warm. They are cute, clever, funny (they share the stage with a band called Fuzz Monkey) and they are slightly more legal than stealing your mom’s Prozac. We dare you to go to a show and not smile. Seriously. We fucking dare you.
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May 19 – Dance, brood, play video games, and get jiggy, in that order. Portland holds claim to electro-prodigies Gejius, masmod, Bumtech, and DJ Ghost Dad. Highlights include masmod, Portland-native and ambience master Michael John. Bumtech, bass/guitar duo Sharon Schloss and Jonn Walterscheid, add a harmonizing punk note to their beats.
SquareOne Album of the Week -- March 14, 2008 -- Edinburgh, Scotland
Bumtech - Beware of D-G
By Chris Hammond
SquareOne Entertainment
Weekly Volcano -- March 6, 2008 -- Tacoma, WA
Bumtech
New Wavy rock band from Portland plays at Java Jive
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