Tell the Dirt

VINYL FORMAT. West Virginia native and Bloomington, Indiana resident Justin Vollmar has been making leftfield folk-rock for longer than most. He's toured the western world over with like-minded artists such as Half-Handed Cloud and Elephant Micah, and released a small library of critically-acclaimed home recordings. A mainstay in the Midwest scene, Vollmar has also lent his talents to countless bands (Mt. Gigantic, Bronze Float, Matty Pop Chart, etc.), and held at least one word-of-mouth music festival in the vacant field beside his house. Tell the Dirt is Vollmar's newest release as "Vollmar," a band name accommodating two more musicians-drummer/brother/pianist Nathan Vollmar and bassist David Brant. Dirt finds the band in a formal studio environment, trying on a slightly more "refined" sound. All the hallmarks of the Vollmarian approach, though, remain happily in place. Dirt is a characteristically sparse affair, featuring band performances that sound more "live" than "layered." The brain-twisting songwriting and moments of experimental flourish that have historically set Vollmar's music apart from the indie-folk crowd are likewise here in spades. !Viva Vollmar!