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tree // karma police (official video)

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tree  //  karma police (official video)

 
The way out west artist Tree (Oliver Nickell) recently co-directed the video to his astounding Radiohead Karma Police cover. And although the video works well and a visual vehicle it is his re-imagining of the song that sends shivers all over my earlobe. So far, Tree’s Karma Police is my favorite cover of 2013!

Check out the debut Demons EP is available on vinyl via Apollo and R&S Records. Peace.
 

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tree // demons ep

Tree_Drew Grasso
 
   tree // demons ep

 
Santa Cruz artist Tree aka Oliver Nickel is finally getting the recognition, and exposure, he so rightfully deserves with the release of his Demons EP via Apollo Records. It is also good to see the rest of the world finally catching on to what Ive known for quite some time: Oliver Tree Nickel is an adept musical alchemist. Mr. Nickel commingles the sonorous ideas in his head with the innovative beats and rhythms of his heart. 

The Demons EP contains only three tracks, but in this case it is the quality and not so much the quantity. My favorite is Tree’s rendition of Radiohead’s Karma Police. Tree’s version delivers beautifully whilst crawling on it’s bruised hands and bleeding knees, it contains a dour and fragile humanness only hinted at in the original version . This song begs with the mouth of a slightly off-center genius, and the pure unmolested emotions unspooled here replace a former Pop darling of a song with something more raw and stunningly menacing. This is avant garde Pop music at it’s finest carving out  a place all it’s own. Peace. Continue reading “tree // demons ep”

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Tree // Universal (Ft. Ariel Thiermann)

If you were to catch a shooting star and tap into its little black-box, and were able to decode all the energy inside. Well, the energy may sound something like the new “Universal” track by none other than San Francisco, California-based musician/producer Tree, bka Oliver Nickell. I am feeling the positive vibes, which are now flowing freely from my speakers, and into my cerebellum cortex. My brain is now so electrically happy it’s chanting Ohm into the labyrinth of gray coils which comprise my think organ. And before I fail to mention: Ariel Thiermann, your star-bright voice can be the call to Tree’s musical response any ole’ time. Peace. Continue reading “Tree // Universal (Ft. Ariel Thiermann)”

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Tree & Shelf Nunny – This Is Separation

Is there anything worse than romantic separation? Well, maybe financial ruin, but that’s another blog, not this one. Humans, we take it personal when a good thing comes to a close. Heck, at times we even hate when a bad thing comes to an end. We’re weird like that. What can you do? With the song “This Is Separation,” the San Fran cool folks known as Tree & Shelf Nunny have captured the lovelorn emotion in verse to a T; and its pathetically beautiful. The song puts on a pretty convincing display: it pouts, it is full of lament and sadness, and it rides a forlorn bouncy beat indicating the up and down emotion of the newly lonely. I need a beer now, maybe several. Peace. Continue reading “Tree & Shelf Nunny – This Is Separation”

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Tree – People (Ft. Shelf Nunny & Lena Kuhn)

The first struggling notes get your attention. These notes soon sprout into flickering electric bits fleshing out a beautifully morbid soundscape. Not to fret though, its all towards a delicately attractive end. The song “People” is an ode with roots encircling all of us; our own mortality is called front and center and it shines. The San Francisco artist Oliver  Nickell aka Tree has enlisted the services of Shelf Nunny and Lena Kuhn on this wonderfully mundane track. Give it a listen and get in touch with your inner Tim Burton. Peace.