A Change in Key
Saddle Creek’s Son, Ambulance
2004-11-11
Increase Font Size
Decrease Font Size
Imagine walking alone at night in an unfamiliar city, quietly stepping to the
tempo of your thoughts, when you come across a parked ambulance with no one inside
and all its lights flashing. The blazing lights of an ambulance as it screams
by is in no way a strange sight, but this ambulance is parked and completely silent.
This is an image I haven't been able to shake since it was described to me by
Son, Ambulance frontman Joe Knapp.
"There are just so many things that an ambulance represents," says Knapp. It is all those things that make a quiet ambulance so striking. When viewed outside of their prescribed context, objects can have a number of different effects on us. In this case, it inspired the name for a band in Nebraska. Before his son was born, Knapp's original project was simply called Ambulance, but after analyzing what was important to him, he decided the two most significant things were his son and his band.
Shortly after the evolution of the band's name came its first release, Oh Holy Fools, a split LP with friends and label mates Bright Eyes. This was great for Son, Ambulance because it allowed them to work with friends and to introduce themselves to the world in the presence of an already established band. "I was introduced to everyone at Saddle Creek pretty much through Connor [Oberst, Bright Eyes]," explains Knapp.
Not only did Knapp sit behind the drum set for Bright Eyes on a tour after the release of Fevers and Mirrors, but the two were roommates for a while. Euphemystic, the first full-length LP from Son, Ambulance brought great reviews and allowed the band to stand on its own. Now with Key, its second album, Son, Ambulance is beginning to take its first steps.
After its first two releases, the band went through a number of transformations, leaving Knapp as the only original member. Even though it was recorded by an entirely different band, Knapp says that Key is the album that most closely represents what Son, Ambulance is. Due to the fact that the new band members were contributing to the writing process, Key was more of a collaborative effort. "We really went and grabbed the sound that we wanted," explains Knapp.
Unlike their label mates, who tend to carry the weight of the world in their songs, Son, Ambulance is one of Saddle Creek's more uplifting bands, with optimistic songs of childhood memories, like "Brown Park." However, Key is Knapp's darkest release yet. "We recorded in a lot more minor keys," he says. He goes on to say that the new goal of his lyrics is not simply to recreate that feeling, but also to let it go and move on. "It used to be all about a feeling of childhood amazement and wonder that I was trying to recreate because I didn't want it to slip away, but then I realized that…it's gone."
Knapp maintains that his music is uplifting and explains that he doesn't like to be cynical, a trait that is commonly found in the lyrics of other Saddle Creek bands. "I'm trying to be myself rather than hide behind sarcasm," he remarks.
In this respect Son, Ambulance straddles an interesting fence. Given their knack for soft, piano-driven melodies and the melancholic tone of Knapp's vocals, Son, Ambulance could very easily be mistaken for a depressing band by anyone who happens to miss the lyrics. This is most prevalent on the new album, which has a more dramatic tone than their previous releases.
Before our telephone connection cuts out, Knapp foreshadows some new projects he will be starting at the end of this current tour. He will be behind the drum set again recording Austin Britton's new album and possibly starting a new project back in Omaha, NE. His main projects, however, are still his son and his band, both of which have matured over the past few years - first with a little help, then standing on their own, and finally walking tall without the guiding hand of friends, even though they're not too far away.
Key has been a highly anticipated album for those of us waiting to see if Joe Knapp could reproduce the quality of his previous efforts. Now that it has arrived, not only can we relax and watch them walk safely, but now we have a better idea of how Son, Ambulance truly sounds.
"There are just so many things that an ambulance represents," says Knapp. It is all those things that make a quiet ambulance so striking. When viewed outside of their prescribed context, objects can have a number of different effects on us. In this case, it inspired the name for a band in Nebraska. Before his son was born, Knapp's original project was simply called Ambulance, but after analyzing what was important to him, he decided the two most significant things were his son and his band.
Shortly after the evolution of the band's name came its first release, Oh Holy Fools, a split LP with friends and label mates Bright Eyes. This was great for Son, Ambulance because it allowed them to work with friends and to introduce themselves to the world in the presence of an already established band. "I was introduced to everyone at Saddle Creek pretty much through Connor [Oberst, Bright Eyes]," explains Knapp.
Not only did Knapp sit behind the drum set for Bright Eyes on a tour after the release of Fevers and Mirrors, but the two were roommates for a while. Euphemystic, the first full-length LP from Son, Ambulance brought great reviews and allowed the band to stand on its own. Now with Key, its second album, Son, Ambulance is beginning to take its first steps.
After its first two releases, the band went through a number of transformations, leaving Knapp as the only original member. Even though it was recorded by an entirely different band, Knapp says that Key is the album that most closely represents what Son, Ambulance is. Due to the fact that the new band members were contributing to the writing process, Key was more of a collaborative effort. "We really went and grabbed the sound that we wanted," explains Knapp.
Unlike their label mates, who tend to carry the weight of the world in their songs, Son, Ambulance is one of Saddle Creek's more uplifting bands, with optimistic songs of childhood memories, like "Brown Park." However, Key is Knapp's darkest release yet. "We recorded in a lot more minor keys," he says. He goes on to say that the new goal of his lyrics is not simply to recreate that feeling, but also to let it go and move on. "It used to be all about a feeling of childhood amazement and wonder that I was trying to recreate because I didn't want it to slip away, but then I realized that…it's gone."
Knapp maintains that his music is uplifting and explains that he doesn't like to be cynical, a trait that is commonly found in the lyrics of other Saddle Creek bands. "I'm trying to be myself rather than hide behind sarcasm," he remarks.
In this respect Son, Ambulance straddles an interesting fence. Given their knack for soft, piano-driven melodies and the melancholic tone of Knapp's vocals, Son, Ambulance could very easily be mistaken for a depressing band by anyone who happens to miss the lyrics. This is most prevalent on the new album, which has a more dramatic tone than their previous releases.
Before our telephone connection cuts out, Knapp foreshadows some new projects he will be starting at the end of this current tour. He will be behind the drum set again recording Austin Britton's new album and possibly starting a new project back in Omaha, NE. His main projects, however, are still his son and his band, both of which have matured over the past few years - first with a little help, then standing on their own, and finally walking tall without the guiding hand of friends, even though they're not too far away.
Key has been a highly anticipated album for those of us waiting to see if Joe Knapp could reproduce the quality of his previous efforts. Now that it has arrived, not only can we relax and watch them walk safely, but now we have a better idea of how Son, Ambulance truly sounds.
Bookmark: 
