Even if his name isn’t instantly familiar to you, Will Johnson has probably been a part of at least one musical project you’re a fan of. After moving to Denton, Texas, in the early ’90s for college, Johnson formed Centro-matic, which has released numerous records since 1996. In 2002, Johnson, his Centro-matic bandmates and guest musicians started issuing more introspective records under the South San Gabriel moniker; the same year, Johnson released his first solo LP. Since, Johnson has played drums with Monsters Of Folk, toured with the Undertow Orchestra (featuring David Bazan, Mark Eitzel and Vic Chesnutt) and started work on a Woody Guthrie project (with Jay Farrar, Jim James and Anders Parker) in the vein of the Wilco/Billy Bragg Mermaid Avenue albums. Johnson’s latest release is the self-titled debut by Molina And Johnson (on Secretly Canadian), his duo with Jason Molina (Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co.). As if he wasn’t busy enough already, the Austin-based Johnson will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our Q&A with him.
Johnson: Theatrical and colorful instrumental pieces from Sweden. 1900‘s stuff feels timeless, vaulting me into some mid-century industrial cityscape of amber-lit streets under a cloudy dusk. Clarinets, pianos (full scale and toy) and slowly plucked banjos play important parts here, and there’s occasional kid-like playfulness with a few herky jerk samples and splices. My focus shifts around between the textures that Christian Gabel has chosen, inevitably giving way to some accompanying short film I start developing in my brain. Video after the jump.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW9h3GOz3Gs
