Freak Scene #12: In These Trees and Tartie Team Up
A Guide to Music in Western Mass. (and sometimes Connecticut)
This week in Freak Scene, we check out “The Quiver,” a collaboration spanning 14 time zones, along with a super-catchy new single from Les Dérailleurs and the lineup for this summer’s music series at Black Birch Vineyard (spoiler: Livingston Taylor fans will not be disappointed).
Binnie Klein has been surrounded by music for decades as a longtime DJ on Bridgeport’s community radio station, WPKN-FM (89.5). Writing her own songs is a more recent development for Klein, who, in her own words, has “crested 70 years old.” A psychotherapist and author by vocation, the Hamden resident recently released her debut album, The Quiver.
More precisely, The Quiver is an intergenerational, trans-pacific collaboration between Klein, who makes music under the name In These Trees, and Tartie, an Australian singer. They connected shortly before the pandemic when Tartie, now 37, emailed Klein about the prospect of airplay on WPKN. After corresponding a bit, Klein asked whether Tartie would be interested in turning a poem Klein had written into a song. Soon they were emailing lyrics and music back and forth from Hamden to Melbourne, shaping the 10 tracks on The Quiver mostly around Klein’s lyrics and Tartie’s musical arrangements (though each did some of both).
The resulting songs are often confessional in tone, drawing on themes of memory, empowerment and the natural world. The musical sensibility leans more toward pop than Klein says she would have predicted for herself, yet it’s hard to argue with the results on “Quiver.” Tartie sings the catchy melody with steadfast serenity over a mix of piano, steadily chugging guitar, bass and a swift drumbeat, augmented by handclaps and backing vocals from Klein.
Piano and cello carry “Orchard,” the first song the pair worked on, and Tartie sings with a little catch in her voice. Later, on “Sky, Ocean,” layers of Tartie’s voice rise and fall as the simple piano at the start builds into a big drum sound and searing lead guitar (it’s one of several tracks featuring Jeff Pevar, a quasi-mythical figure in Connecticut music lore).
Though Klein and Tartie come from opposite sides of the world, are at decidedly different stages of their lives and still have yet to meet in person, they discovered what Klein calls a “magical alchemy” on The Quiver that underpins the idea that music can transcend boundaries.
Les Dérailleurs Keep Hot With ‘Leave It On’
Northampton/Holyoke band Les Dérailleurs have been working on new songs with the musician/producer/engineer Mark Alan Miller. While they figure out how best to release them, they’ve bestowed upon us a triumphal rocket of a single. “Leave It On” is a lean indie-rock tune stacked with blazing guitars and a taut rhythm section that propels Joe Dérailleur’s expressive, catchy vocal melody.
It’s entirely possible that the song will feature in Les Dérailleurs’ setlist when the band, featuring special guest Steve Waksman, plays next Friday, May 3, at the Drake in Amherst. Gold Dust and Magick Lantern round out the bill. Tickets and more information are here.
Upcoming Concerts
Music returns to Black Birch Vineyard in Hatfield this summer, starting with Livingston Taylor July 5. Nora Brown & Stephanie Coleman are there July 12. Mark Erelli & His String Quartet perform July 19. The always-entertaining Loudon Wainwright III is there July 21. Lori McKenna plays July 27. The Mammals are there July 28. Folk veteran Tom Rush plays Aug. 3, and the Sweetback Sisters are there Aug. 4. Tickets and more information are available here.
Silversun Pickups play the Summer Stage at Tree House Brewing on July 25.
Next week: bobbie. You’ll love it.
To submit your music for coverage consideration, send a note to erdanton at gmail or reply to this email. Check out these guidelines first. You can find previous issues of Freak Scene in the archive. (Freak Scene is free, but donations are gratefully accepted, and have no bearing on coverage.)