HOLYOKE, MA — Matthew Larsen started out making a record more than two years ago. The result was not only a 12-track disc called Apheresis, but a band to go with it. By the time his album was released on March 15, 2011, he had assembled a four-piece group, The Documents, made up of guitarist Greg Saulmon, cousin (and singer-songwriter in his own right), Steve Biegner, and Aric Bieganek, music teacher and recent WFCR Emerging Talent award winner. These Documents are versatile. It’s not uncommon to see band members swapping instruments throughout the live show.
Apheresis is a tour de force of themes. The depth of the stories on each song is a testament to Larsen’s strong songwriting abilities. Themes range from dealing with the result of years of cancer treatment and the toll it takes on the human body as well as the soul (“Committed to Tape,” “Fourth Floor”) to a poignant tribute to the widows of American soldiers (“Little Black Boxes”). A self-taught piano player, Larsen was endowed with the gift of laying the solid foundation of a song for his band to then turn into a soaring wall of sound (“Pulverized” and “Spires”). This rhythm has quickly become a hallmark of The Documents’ sound. But the album is nothing if not diverse in its offerings. For instance, Larsen’s careful harmonies with band member Steve Biegner highlight some of the slower tracks, like “Mirror” and “Fight or Flight.”
The Documents’ debut album was primarily recorded at Sackamusic in Conway, Massachusetts, but also in various parts of New England and the Northeast. It was mixed and mastered at LFA in Los Angeles, California.
A number of amazing guest musicians lended their talent to Apheresis: Ethan Tufts, Mark Schwaber, Matthew Loiacono, Philip Price (Winterpills), Rebekah Dutkiewicz, and Julia Suriano.
CONTACT / BOOKING:
Dark Dining Room Records at 413-437-0647 or info@darkdiningroom.com
LYRICS, ALPHABETIZED BY TITLE:
Committed To Tape
Fight Or Flight
Flowers On The Fire Escape
Fourth Floor
Happens In Stages
Little Black Boxes
Mirror
Pulverized
Salt
Spires
Storm Of The Century
The Gatekeeper
You Were A Cynic
