Revised Kamuy lineup takes act in new direction

Photo by Madeline Pace/special to knoxville.com

Knoxville rock band Kamuy includes, from left, Rory McMillan, Brandt Womack, Tony Johnson and Sonya Easterday.

Photo by Madeline Pace/special to knoxville.com

Knoxville rock band Kamuy includes, from left, Rory McMillan, Brandt Womack, Tony Johnson and Sonya Easterday.

KNOXVILLE — Since 2003 Kamuy has seen its shape and sound change in time with the coming and going of its members. Last year the band’s three remaining original players retooled instrumentation to carry on in a three-piece format. Upon recording last fall, the group known for its atmospheric style acknowledged a fourth player was needed to achieve the live depth it has come to expect. With a newly solidified roster, the band looks to focus on touring more than ever.

In its beginnings, Kamuy’s repertoire consisted primarily of lengthy, guitar-driven soundscapes that were vocally sparse if not completely instrumental. After a three-year hiatus, the group reconfigured in 2007, condensing its once drawn-out tracks and adding more vocals, a move the band feels has made it more “palatable.” Kamuy most likely hit the height of its accessibility while performing as a trio, when the band was forced in a poppier direction, at least relatively speaking. Despite the addition of its new guitarist Rory McMillan, the group has stuck to its recent concise, accessible songwriting.

“In my opinion, we’ve grown a lot,” says bassist/vocalist Sonya Easterday. “When we were first playing back in 2003, Tony was doing a lot of the writing because the rest of us were playing instruments we’d never played before. We’ve definitely improved a lot, and we’ve combined the more atmospheric stuff with some dissonance and pop. We’ve added to it instead of taking away.”

Last fall Kamuy recorded a five-song EP with Mikey Allred. The recordings are currently in the mastering phase and the release is expected to be ready in the next month. The band also hopes to begin recording a full album by year’s end.

“We did it in (Allred’s) house,” drummer Tony Johnson says. “He had a really great house set up for it. The room sounds were incredible. It was very flattering. When I listened to the playback, it reminded me of playing somewhere like the Pilot Light, where you can just feel the room shake with you.”

With many of Knoxville’s small to mid-size venues in a state of flux, touring has never been more crucial to a local band’s success. While performing outside the city was never a top priority for Kamuy, satisfied with its lineup and citing its age and experience level, the group is eager to finally take the act on the road.

“There’s only so many local shows you can do,” says Easterday. “We don’t live in a big enough town, unless you have a regular gig playing a lot of covers at some bar every week, and we really don’t want to do that. If you don’t venture out of your market, you can’t build a fan base.

“I love everywhere that’s given us an opportunity to play, but we’re all older now. It takes it out of you after a while, especially when you’ve got to get up in the morning and go to work.”

Before releasing its EP and heading out of town, Kamuy will join Thenderfin, Bones in the Museum and Damon Moon and the Whispering Drifters for a show at The Longbranch Saloon Tuesday at 9 p.m.; admission is $5.

Fourthmealers. Nashville’s Luke and the Late Nights open for Faux Ferocious at Preservation Pub Saturday night. Also on the bill is Flora Shakespeare. The show kicks off at 9pm and costs $5.

Thumb’s up. Massachusetts folk singer Tom Thumb performs Monday night at Barley’s Taproom. The show is slated for 10pm.

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