Photo by Eric Morales
On his 2011 album, Moments, Austin’s Roger Sellers was content to document snapshots of sound. Banjo, piano, electronic beats, and synths all came together inside his mini orchestrations. Moments was something of a test run, allowing Sellers to try out an approach that fully blossomed on last year’s Primitives (one of my personal favorites of the year). Named for Seller’s own drumming style, Primitives does in fact tap into something primal. He stacks simple melodies on top of one another before the songs are bursting at the seams with soaring vocals, looped guitars and pianos, and his joyous drumming. Half the time I have no idea what he’s singing, but just like Brian Wilson’s sunny harmonies, words aren’t necessarily the point. Meaning comes from the simple pleasure of beautiful sounds all swimming together.
Onstage, Sellers is a whirling showman, triggering samples and generally conducting the swirling atmosphere. He stopped by Studio 1A last year for a nighttime performance, complete with an appropriately psychedelic light show. See for yourself below with a video and download of “Waves,” a standout from the performance.
As part of Free Week, you can catch Roger Sellers tomorrow night at Spiderhouse Ballroom for a taping of the Good Music Club.
