Artist description Koshari plays beautiful Brit-pop inspired melodies with relentless driving energy. Their live sound is an undulating wall of beautiful guitar tone balanced against busy contrapuntal bass lines, heavy (but extremely intelligent) drumming, and Barb Western's haunting vocal & lyrical presence. Koshari hails from Arlington & DC. Their 5 song debut CD/EP, "Disenchanted", was recorded in the spring of 2001 in the Red Room at Cuerecording of Falls Church, VA. Their engineer/co-producer was Harry Evans. You can email the band at www.kosharimusic@hotmail.com .

Music Style Melodic, driving indie rock

Musical Influences My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver, Blonde Redhead

Artist History Bryan Baxter, the bandleader, and Barb Western, the lead vocalist, are longtime veterans of the DC music scene. Locally, their respective early bands, Giant Killer and Purr, commanded large & fervent audiences at every major DC rock venue up to & including the mighty 9:30 club. That these two would end up playing together, however, was anything but obvious. Baxter was known for playing beautifully textured & dynamic Brit-rock inspired melodies in his previous musical ventures. Originally a bassist, his newfound guitar sound is meticulously managed and endlessly inventive. His own invented alternate guitar tunings and chord forms and an unstoppable, undulating wall of swirling guitar atmospherics immediately call to mind a range of influences, from My Bloody Valentine to Swervedriver to Dinosaur, Jr. Western's vocal sound until now was often associated with much nastier music forms. Her unforgettable singing in Purr summoned up demons of the psyche associated with more cathartic bands like Nick Cave's Birthday Party. Her vocals were by turns haunting, seductive, and pure visceral snarling. That she has softened her approach by no means undermines her commanding presence. Her gifts for lyricism are considerable. Western's ability to spin memorable images & melodic lines around Baxter's guitar textures form the centerpiece of this band. Her vocals are unadorned and unmannered, yet undeniably beautiful, seductive & affecting. Of course, every good band needs a powerful rhythm section. Jeff Cudlin, the band's bassist, weaves busy, contrapuntal melodic statements through Baxter's pummelling soundscapes, while recalling with his aggressive tone & approach the attack of such modern rock bassists as David Wm. Sims of the Jesus Lizard & Bob Weston of Shellac. And it's hard not to slip into hyperbole when talking about Danny Ralston, the band's drummer. His playing is an engine of ceaseless dynamism. His approach is often stripped bare, with only a handful of fills and tom hits in a given song, but his furious, churning beats are anything but obvious. His quick right foot, assured, tasteful accents and unrelenting power reflect years of experience playing in seminal local rock, jazz, & fusion groups. Ralston keeps Koshari definitively and undeniably a rock band. KOSHARI is appearing regionally to support its unforgettable debut CD, with the promise of much more to follow.

Group Members Bryan Baxter--guitar, vocals Jeffry Cudlin--bass Danny Ralston--drums Barbara Western--lead vocals

Instruments Fender Jazzmaster, Charvel Surfcaster, DanElectro Baritone, Fender Jazz Bass, DanElectro Bass, many, many amps & pedals, Pearl drums w/Zildjan cymbals & DW hardware, etc., etc.

Albums Disenchanted EP

Press Reviews From The Washington Post Weekend Section, Friday, January 4th, 2002: KOSHARI "Disenchanted" Independent Five tracks and nearly 25 minutes long, Koshari's debut CD "Disenchanted" serves as a calling card for a progressive rock band with considerable promise. The local quartet kicks things off with "Applaud the Fraud," a neo-psychedelic ballad that combines pin-wheeling imagery with a layered and languorous sound. Singer Barbara Western has a flair for seeming both scolding and empathetic in the same breath, especially when the recurring guitar gives way to a wash of overtones. From there, the rhythmic tension rises, dissipates and rises again, as Western unfolds a series of curious tales and scenarios. The best of the lot is the after-hours encounter "Freeze." When Western isn't hooking you with lines like "He followed me from the club and pulled me aside again," her bandmates--guitarist Bryan Baxter, bassist Jeffry Cudlin and drummer Danny Ralston--are busy creating interesting sonic diversions. Judging from the CD alone, it's impossible to tell whether Koshari will develop a truly distinctive sound. But for now at least, they appear to be headed in the right direction. --Mike Joyce Appearing Saturday at Metro Cafe. To hear a free Sound Bite from Koshari, call Post-Haste at 202/334-9000 and press 8104. ***** From LEFTOFFTHEDIAL.com: Arlington-based Koshari are definitely not as abrasive as their Hopi namesake would lead the first-time listener to believe. Nevertheless, Koshari's full - if somewhat familiar - sound manages to come through with confidence on their debut release, DISENCHANTED. The first track, "Applaud the Fraud" is filled with echoing vocals and strong guitar lines. The repetitive melodies and choruses create an eerie deja vu feeling and I found the lyrics looping endlessly through my brain the following morning. "The Queens and Kings of Fragile Strength" is much more upbeat and diverse. Barb Western's vocals are breathy but full, thankfully not girly. Jeff Cudlin's bass and Danny Ralston's drums relentlessly work together to drive this song forward like a steam engine. The group's most dynamic track, "Freeze," is nearly 7 minutes long. The song begins and ends with haunting melodies, shimmering cymbals, and whispering guitars. The overall effect places the listener in the middle of a musical ice storm. As the song thaws, the tempo increases and the guitars rise. The dissonant vocal harmonizing of Barb Western and Bryan Baxter gives the song an unearthly quality that wraps around the listener like a blanket. As the track draws to a close, the quiet, cool melodies return. Overall, DISENCHANTED is a very strong effort for a young band like Koshari and indicative of what this promising foursome is capable of delivering. -Andrea Caumont

Location washington, dc - USA

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