Garage A Trois return in the form from which they were born 22 years earlier with new studio album, ‘Calm Down Cologne,’ to be released April 16 via RPF Records. The title track is available across all streaming outlets today and can be heard below.
Comprised by guitarist Charlie Hunter, saxophonist Skerik and drummer Stanton Moore, OG GAT released its debut album, ‘Mysteryfunk,’ to wide acclaim in 1999. The band evolved over the pursuant years in various configurations before eventually going dormant following its 2011 album, ‘Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil.’ In 2019, however, the original three piece line-up reunited for a handful of shows. This would also result in an afternoon spent recording at Stone Gossard‘s Studio Litho in Seattle, right across the street from where the band was playing a sold out, three-night run at Nectar Lounge. Ace engineer Randall Dunn was invited to document the proceedings and captured the resulting album in one magical session. Dunn would later take the tracks back to AVAST! Recording Co. for mixing. With all but a few edits on beginnings and ends of performances, ‘Calm Down Cologne‘ presents the music as it was played in the studio that day.
“Getting to make this record with two of my long time musical collaborators was a pure joy,” says Stanton Moore. “We took a decidedly old school approach to making this one. During the day of what was to be our third night at Nectar Lounge, we carried the drums, uncased, with the cymbals still on the stands, across the street and placed them in the studio. We were getting sounds within minutes. We recorded for a few hours, carried the drums back and played the gig. No muss, no fuss.”
“Charlie and Stanton have been playing together for 25 years. There is a limitless quantity of output that they are able to generate. My job is to stay out of the way of their immovable freight train of rhythmic power and add melodic content on top,” explains Skerik. “And the final element of this sonic signature comes from Randall who glues the music together in the recording and mixing process. He’s the perfect engineer for records that depend on improvisation. He moves fast and gets huge sounds that convey the dynamics and power of the band.”
As for the rather curious album title, the story goes that legendary underground Seattle artist Rick Klu gave Skerik the idea when he was describing a bouncer having to use some ‘calm down cologne’ on an unruly patron. More metaphorically speaking, a whiff of Garage A Trois’ new magic potion elicits a “free your mind and your ass will follow” response—truly a much-needed balm in these anxiety-ridden times.
Photo by Marc Millman
