Warbler

I was walking through Andrew Molera Park in Big Sur and I heard a Wood Thrush singing it’s song. It reminded me of the warble of two monophonic synthesizers harmonizing. This bird is able to sing two notes at a time, thus harmonizing with itself and creating an awesome electronic sounding song. I immediately thought of Warbler and understood now why they were called Warbler. This voice, so easily overlooked, says so much about the beauty and power of life. Yet how many hear it? How many stop and listen to the wood thrush and his Moog like yodel? In this BIG entertainment age who can hear the beauty packed in the tiny warbler? Warbler is Fred Jennings, Evan Bogunia, and Sean Sullivan. Through seemingly random avenues of music and chance encounters, these three have clung to each other and continue to push themselves to become a singular electronic folk bird. Evan Bogunia, on bass, who just graduated from Mills College in Oakland with a Masters in Electronic music, brings the meat and spice. Holding down the fatty foundation, Evan sprinkles his interstellar pads and ethereal effects on top, playing bass and ovation controller at the same time. Fred Jennings, a trained recording engineer and drummer, brings “the rock”. His ability to make complicated beats sound natural should be written in the heavenly chronicles of rock. In addition, Fred brings the voice of a punk angel, with the suspense only a rhythm addled man can utter. Sean Sullivan, singer/songwriter, the heart and vegetables. The songs are wrenching, pleading, and sincere. And there is no apology here. Sean brings an uncommon element; the struggle with faith in a postmodern world. Sean brings a picking style to both the electric and acoustic guitar, at times both drenched in echoes and clean cutting, bringing the fringes of outer space rock and folk together in matrimony. And occasionally challenging Evan to some erie synth harmony duels, atop Fred’s alien tribal beats, Warbler becomes a Neo-folk rock band. One who’s head is in the Heavens, but who’s body is in the Earth. When you hear the name Warbler, think of a folk-programmed bionic song-bird perched with joyful simplicity on the fresh rubble of a musical Apocalypse.