Micah Barnes and Andrew Guinn of the Nashville band Colossal Head perform at a recent gig in Union City, Tenn. Other members of the act include Stephen Beldin and Brent Blackburn, not pictured.

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In its fifth year, Murfreesboro/Nashville-based “folkadelic funkytonk” act Colossal Head has been through numerous incarnations of instrumentation and personnel. With instruments falling in and out of its sonic equation, the band has performed the same songs under various arrangements, making its shows both casual and unique, always giving due attention to the songs rather than the revolving cast that delivers them.

The brainchild of Micah Barnes (vocals, guitar, banjo, piano, cavaquinho), Colossal Head combines a unique amalgamation of folk, bluegrass, pop and Latin music using extensive layers of simple parts. As Barnes explains, egos hold no preference over the songwriting structures, which focus on depicting the moods of their serious yet whimsical subject matter. With much of its original roster leaving the crew for other life pursuits, the instrumentation has changed, but Barnes’ vision has remained intact.

“Over the years, various members have returned for various shows and always have a standing invite to play when available,” explains Barnes. “There are definite detriments and advantages to this. The upside is that there are many people who are very intimate with the music of the band and can fill the absence of another member should that person be unavailable for a given performance; the downside is that one has to remember which parts need to be filled or avoided depending on the lineup. This leads to an array of arrangements for the material. It certainly keeps you on your toes, remembering which harmony part to sing or which instrument to play in order not to crowd the sound or leave it too thin.

“The chief concern is to not let the instruments get in the way of the songs. If a song is any good, it should work in a host of arrangements or instrumentation. … The main difference in Colossal Head and almost everything else that I’ve done is that Colossal Head is all about simplicity and putting the song before the music. So many other projects were more about showcasing player ability… but I specifically wanted this band to be a complex arrangement of simple parts rather than the other way around.”

Colossal Head’s song-first philosophy is demonstrated in its self-described “casual” live shows as much as its songwriting. The structure-minded songs leave little room for ego-gratifying solos, and the band typically performs sitting down but manages to maintain a positive energy throughout that keeps its audience of regulars coming back. The band’s warm approach tends to be a draw. Though its tunes are serious in terms of content, the use of kazoos and banjo make for a relaxed, if not humorous, delivery that astute audiences most frequently describe as both “clever” and “approachable.”

Colossal Head’s last visit to Knoxville (4620 Reinvented) resulted in a live recording still available on the group’s Web site (www.colossalhead.net), and the band admits it is eager to make East Tennessee a recurring trip, but as Barnes points out, with its unique sound, Colossal Head has no problems booking repeat gigs; the trouble is landing the first shot at a new venue. This has been a hindrance in Nashville, where the band has struggled to find its niche between the dominant indie and country music scenes.

“It’s not really a good scene for us,” says Barnes of the band’s hometown. “We don’t fit well with the indie crowd, and we’re not performing country. Regardless, you can get well-known in Nashville and it really doesn’t amount to much. … There is an obscene number of bands here. Outside of Nashville, things usually work fairly well for us … Nashville is like the old expression, ‘No one goes there anymore; it’s too crowded’… Most of the shows I’ve played in and around town in Nashville are to the same people, many of which play in numerous bands together. That’s not to say there aren’t some really cool places in Nashville, but they are definitely few and far between for a band like us.”

Saturday night Colossal head takes the stage at 4620 Reinvented along with Paleface. Doors open at 9 p.m. with music to start at 10. Admission is $8.

Dishing out the funk: Dishwater Blonde joins The Distribution for a show tonight at Barley’s Taproom. The show is scheduled to kick off at 10 p.m.

Nectar of the gods: Bassnectar performs at The Valarium Thursday night as part of its Cozza Frenzy Tour. Also on the bill is DJ Vadim. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door. The show admits all ages.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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