What are these magical, musical ingredients? Start with the beat. Rather than employing a drummer behind a kit, The Framers' front man Matt Scruggs uses his right foot to pound the kick drum while lead string man Mike Howland does the same with a hi-hat/tambourine combo. That's it for the percussion section, and this is accomplished while the guys simultaneously play their guitars, or whatever stringed instrument Howland happens to be playing. As a result, the beat is typically a very simple pattern, about as simple as rhythm patterns get. For you musicians, this means kick on beats 1 and 3 and hi-hat on beats 2 and 4. Not always, but very often. This is far from a bad thing. It is an instinctive pulse that is familiar to all humans who were born into the world of modern music. I can say this with confidence because my nephew, who is barely over one year old, was spotted correctly stomping his foot in time along with Scrugg's kick while the Framers played PFAC Thursday evening. Amazing!
Adding to the simplistic foundation of the band, Maria is admittedly and proudly a simplistic bassist. Again, this is an enhancement to The Framers' sound rather than a drawback, as her lines and rhythms sync perfectly with Scrugg's steady kick drum thumping. She rarely brings her walking lines to the forefront of attention and instead lays back to provide a rock solid bottom end that solidifies the hard-hitting yet uncomplicated rhythm section. It works fantastically and only an ego-addled bass shredder would say otherwise.
Then, of course, there are the songs themselves. Scruggs' songwriting stands on its own. I'd pay to see him perform these songs solo and acoustic because I know they would still shine. From a technical music theory standpoint, most of the songs do not break into new musical territory that has never been heard before ( I said MOST ... I am particularly fond of "Bad Taste" where Scruggs and Howland build tension and groove based on an accidental wrong chord played during a late-night drunken jam session, but that's another story!). The fact remains: a great song is still a great song even if it follows a chord progression that has been done hundreds of times before. The structures, melodies, and lyrics are delightful and fresh, and the familiarity only helps the songs to work their way into your head where they will be stuck for days on end.
And finally we have the delicious icing. While Scruggs stays put on rhythm guitar, Howland switches instruments between most songs. Whether it is banjo, mandolin, or electric guitar, his lead work is incredibly suiting and adds the necessary texture to the already solid foundation described above. You may not see him shred quite as hard and fast and loud as in his other successful band, Broken Mouth Annie (which Scruggs is also drummer), but his consciousness of what he is enhancing is clear and he knows how to switch gears appropriately. From the simple yet driving banjo on "Blue Nightgown" to the rowdy mandolin romp on "It's Mutual" the variety keeps The Framers' repertoire sounding diverse and interesting.
The show at PFAC was part of the center's "Art after 5" series, and was very well attended. Glancing around during The Framers' set, the room was all smiles. The age group was about as widespread as it gets and everyone seemed to truly appreciate what they were hearing. It's those basic instinctive ingredients that please us humans' ears, I tell you! Keep an eye out for The Framers and check them out the first chance you get!
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