In the 2009-10 season, the band visits a long list of venues including Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall (where they debuted in Zankel Hall in 2007), the Somerville Theater in Boston, Old Town School in Chicago, the Herbst Theater in San Francisco, UMS Ann Arbor, Duke University, the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and many others. They have performed recently in nearly every conceivable format and space, from small clubs (they have a regular series at the Living Room in New York and have played frequently at Largo in Los Angeles) to concert halls (Benaroya Hall in Seattle, Sheldon Hall in St. Louis, Mondavi Center in Davis, Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, the Allen Room in New York, in addition to Carnegie) to festivals of all kinds (Bonnaroo, Ravinia, Aspen, Telluride, Spoleto, Savannah, Chamber Music Northwest). Their shows include an unpredictable mix of original songs written by the band, the 4-movement chamber suite The Blind Leaving the Blind (composed by Thile), traditional bluegrass and folk tunes, arrangements of Bach and Mozart, and covers of Radiohead, The Beatles, The Band, The White Stripes, The Strokes, and multiple other sources. In the fall of 2011, the band embarked on a tour opening for music legend Paul Simon, occasionally accompanying him on "The Boxer."
Punch Brothers return with their second album, Antifogmatic, June 15 on Nonesuch. The record is the follow-up to the band’s highly praised 2008 debut, Punch, which The New Yorker calls “...wide-ranging and restlessly imaginative...” A special deluxe edition of the album will also be available. Included in this package is a four song instrumental EP, All of This Is True, as well as a seven song DVD, Live from the Lower East Side: It’s p-Bingo Night!, which was filmed during the band’s residency at NYC’s The Living Room. Pre-orders of both the standard and deluxe editions are available now at www.nonesuch.com and www.punchbrothers.com. The first 500 orders of the deluxe edition will include an autographed official Punch Brothers cocktail recipe guide.
At home in a dizzying array of settings even outside of their expansive core activities, Punch Brothers are the subject of an upcoming feature-length documentary called How to Grow a Band, have appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and were among three finalists in ESPN’s cut-throat, fan-voted battle of the bands in interpretations of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”. The band members’ diverse backgrounds and extraordinary talents make the group impossible to describe and thrilling to experience.
Chris Thile has changed the mandolin forever, elevating it from its origins as a relatively simple folk and bluegrass instrument to the sophistication and brilliance of the finest jazz improvisation and classical performance. In the 2009-10 season, he premieres his Mandolin Concerto with six orchestras in the US. For more than 15 years, Thile played in the wildly popular band Nickel Creek, with whom he released three albums and sold two million records, was awarded a Grammy® in 2002, and traveled the world on sold-out concert tours. As a soloist he has released four albums, as well as performing and recording extensively as a duo with double bass virtuoso Edgar Meyer and with fellow eminent mandolinist Mike Marshall. He has written a duo for Meyer and pianist Emanuel Ax; recorded with Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming and Joshua Bell; and collaborated with a pantheon of bluegrass innovators including Bela Fleck, Dolly Parton, the Dixie Chicks, Jerry Douglas, and Sam Bush.
Although initially drawn to the electric guitar, by his mid-teens Chris Eldridge had developed a deep love for acoustic music, thanks in part to his father, a banjo player and founding member of the seminal bluegrass group The Seldom Scene. Eldridge later gained in-depth exposure to a variety of different musical styles while studying at Oberlin Conservatory, where he earned a degree in Music Performance in 2004. During his time at Oberlin, Eldridge studied with legendary guitarist Tony Rice. Before joining Punch Brothers, he was a founding member of the critically acclaimed bluegrass band The Infamous Stringdusters.
Paul Kowert is from Madison, WI and graduated from The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. As a classical musician Paul has performed with various orchestras as a soloist and as a section member, most recently playing in the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland in the summer of 2008. He was one of the performers at Edgar Meyer’s Carnegie Hall workshop in 2006, and since then has appeared in concert with Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings, Tristan and Tashina Clarridge, Alex and Tatiana Hargreaves, Futureman’s Black Mozart Ensemble, Jordan Tice, Brittany Haas, and Jeremy Kittel. Paul can be heard as a member of the “Big Trio” with mandolinist Mike Marshall and violinist Alex Hargreaves, a group that released its first album in spring 2009.
Noam Pikelny (born Noam Pikelny) hails from Chicago, IL where he picked up the banjo at the age of 8. He studied old-time and bluegrass banjo at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Throughout high school, he played all over Illinois and Indiana with several traditional bluegrass bands, who occasionally required him to wear a uniform. Noam studied music theory at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. In 2002, he became the principal banjoist with the award-winning Colorado ensemble Leftover Salmon. His debut solo record, In the Maze, was released on Compass Records, and though it did not have much success on the billboard charts, it made a splash in the world of postmodern progressive three-finger style five-string banjo. He relocated to Nashville, TN in 2006 to play with New Grass Revival bassist and vocalist John Cowan. He starting performing and recording with mandolinist, fellow Cubs fan, spiritual advisor, and life coach Chris Thile in the fall of 2005. Noam relocated to Brooklyn, NY in the spring of 2008.
Gabe Witcher began his musical training at age five, learning classical violin and bluegrass fiddle simultaneously. By age six he was performing professionally with his father in the bluegrass band The Witcher Brothers; over the next decade, he gained renown as both a member of that group and as a multiple winner on the California competition circuit. In 1994, Witcher was recruited by veteran musician Herb Pedersen to fill the shoes of three-time national fiddle champion Byron Berline in the group The Laurel Canyon Ramblers. By age 17, Witcher was recording for heavyweights such as Randy Newman, Bernie Taupin, and producer Don Was. He has since contributed to more than 300 records and countless movie and television scores, including 2006 Oscar® winner Brokeback Mountain. Over the last five years, he has solidified his place at the forefront of the progressive acoustic music scene by playing with 12-time Grammy® winner Jerry Douglas.
Rye Whiskey
Punch Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes your baby cuter, makes itself taste sweeter, oh, boy
Rye whiskey makes your heart beat louder
Makes your voice seem softer, makes the back room hotter, oh, but
Rye thoughts aren't good thoughts, boys
Have I ever told you about the time I
Ties a bow around it, oh, boy
Just throw it on the pile in the corner
See, you're not alone in not being alone tonight, but
Rye love isn't good love, boys
Have I ever told you about the time I
I used to wake up bright and early
Got my work done quickly, held my baby tightly, oh, boy
Rye whiskey makes the sun set faster
Makes the spirit more willing but the body weaker because
Rye sleep isn't good sleep, boys
Have I ever told you about the time I
Took it and took her for granted?
How I took it and took her for granted?
So let's take some and take them all for granted
Oh, boy
The song Rye Whiskey by Punch Brothers is a track that delves into the negative effects that alcohol can have on a person's life. The title of the song refers to a specific type of whiskey that is made from rye grains. The first verse of the song depicts the way in which alcohol can enhance one's perception of things, making the band sound better, one's baby cuter, and even making the whiskey itself taste sweeter. The second verse, however, takes a darker turn, with the realization that the escapism offered by alcohol leads to negative thoughts and experiences. The third verse shows how alcohol can numb a person's emotions and make them forget the people and things that matter most to them.
The chorus of the song talks about how rye whiskey is used to wrap up and hide one's troubles, suggesting that alcohol becomes a way to avoid confronting the problems in one's life. The line "See, you're not alone in not being alone tonight" highlights the fact that drinking is often a social activity that brings people together, but ultimately does not solve any issues they may have.
The final lines of the song - "Took it and took her for granted? How I took it and took her for granted? So let's take some and take them all for granted" - reveal the regret and sadness that often accompanies excessive drinking. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on alcohol to cope with life's difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
Rye Whiskey makes the band sound better
Drinking rye whiskey leads to a perceived improvement in the quality of music being played
Makes your baby cuter, makes itself taste sweeter, oh, boy
Rye whiskey alters perception to make one’s surroundings seem more pleasant and enjoyable
Rye whiskey makes your heart beat louder
Consuming rye whiskey can lead to an increased heart rate
Makes your voice seem softer, makes the back room hotter, oh, but
Rye whiskey can cause physical effects, such as a hoarse voice and feelings of warmth and comfort in a room
Rye thoughts aren't good thoughts, boys
Drinking rye whiskey can lead to negative or unpleasant thoughts and experiences
Have I ever told you about the time I
The singer is about to share a personal story or experience related to rye whiskey consumption
Rye whiskey wraps your troubles up into a bright blue package
Drinking rye whiskey can provide temporary relief or distraction from life’s problems
Ties a bow around it, oh, boy
The sense of relief or positivity brought on by rye whiskey is emphasized
Just throw it on the pile in the corner
The temporary relief from rye whiskey consumption is fleeting and problems will still exist
See, you're not alone in not being alone tonight, but
Drinking rye whiskey can create a sense of community or shared experience among those present
Rye love isn't good love, boys
The love or affection felt while under the influence of rye whiskey is not true or pure
I used to wake up bright and early
The artist is recalling a time when they were productive and motivated
Got my work done quickly, held my baby tightly, oh, boy
The singer was once able to balance work and personal relationships successfully
Rye whiskey makes the sun set faster
Rye whiskey can cause a distorted perception of time and make it seem to pass more quickly
Makes the spirit more willing but the body weaker because
Drinking rye whiskey can lead to a sense of willingness or desire to continue drinking, but physical weakness or fatigue can also arise
Rye sleep isn't good sleep, boys
Sleeping while under the influence of rye whiskey can lead to low quality or unsatisfying sleep
Took it and took her for granted?
The artist may have mistreated a loved one while under the influence of rye whiskey
How I took it and took her for granted?
The singer is acknowledging and regretting their past behavior
So let's take some and take them all for granted
The singer suggests continuing to drink rye whiskey and ignore potential negative consequences or mistreatment of others
Oh, boy
An expression of emotion, possibly signaling enjoyment or regret depending on context
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRIS ELDRIDGE, PAUL KOWERT, NOAM PIKELNY, CHRIS THILE, GABE WITCHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind