The Commonwealth profile picture

The Commonwealth

"melt just like the twin towers"

About Me

We are finished with our album. Hooray.
Here are some reviews and descriptions:
"Oh man. My favorite part about this job is finding things that I would probably never find on my own. Commonwealth is one of those bands. They call themselves a mix of jazz and folk, which works I guess, but doesn't fully give a clear picture. The folk is certainly there at times, but in the same way that you could call Neutral Milk Hotel a folk band. It works, but doesn't fully describe it. Actually, this album sounds a lot like NMH: heavy on the vocal melodies that take more influence from indie rock and punk than Guthrie or Dylan. Commonwealth's use of instruments is what sets them apart I feel. Odd tempos, well orchestrated dynamics, polyrhythms (quick music lesson: polyrhythms are when there are two different time signatures on top of each other. Example: 4/4 and x, so every 12 measures they line up, then break up again), and more all fill this album not only to the brink with interesting music, but also music that is pretty enough to fully grasp. I hear the jazz influence, but it seems to pull more from the free-jazz movement rather than the Kenny G. most people might think of. This is an amazing release."-
-John Shelton Ivany--www.jsitop21.com
“ ...a beautifully wild album. In a musical world heavily populated with dull re-creations of styles best left in the past, The Commonwealths Self-Titled album adds a new dimension to a nearly lost art form.”
-Larry Sakin, Blogcritics.com
"The Commonwealth is certainly on their way to something great. This record is a step in right direction and I think they are a gem in today's murky musical/artistic waters. It seems taboo these days to “try” in music and sincere effort is a hard thing to find, well there is plenty here to be heard and felt."
-Chriss Sutherland of Cerberus Shoal
"This is a new breed of folk-jazz, hinting at modern compostion and old-timey music in ways never before heard. This folk-jazz, though, is closer to Jimmie Rodgers' "Blue Yodel 9" to Van Morrison's Astral Weeks or Tim Buckley. A folk-jazz that reminds us of the days before the industry had put such labels on the people's music." -Dave Wolkensperg of Blow Up in Japanese
Buy Our New CD for $12 postage paid or $10 DigitalUt Gret

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 2/26/2005
Band Website: thecommonwealthband.com
Band Members: Daniel Duncan Compositions, Arrangements, Vocals, Guitar and Banjo
Liz Adams Double Bass, Backup Vocals, Arrangement
James Vaughn Cello
Rachel Blanton Violin
Jacob Duncan Alto and Tenor Sax, Clarinet
Gary Pahler Drums and Percussion

Influences: you
Sounds Like: Something to canoe to
Record Label: Lets Be Quiet R-R-Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

John Shelton Ivany Review

Here is a new review written by John Shelton Ivany on www.jsitop21.com. "Oh man. My favorite part about this job is finding things that I would probably never find on my own. Commonwealth is one of th...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:15:00 PST

Courier-Journal Article

Daniel Duncan could probably write any kind of song he wanted, from a 4/4 waltz to a Top 40 pop song, but he loves a challenge as much as he loves music. That's why he started The Commonwealth, a band...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:26:00 PST

freud would be proud

It was brought to my attention how extremely sexual the song skin and bones is. ha.  I was thinking of something totally different. we breath and walk and stare and walls.  to enter things t...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 02:32:00 PST

Cd Review in Leo Weekly

The CommonwealthThe Commonwealth(LET'S BE QUIET R-R-RECORDS)Carnivals evoke fear and enjoyment due to louder-than-loud pageantry and double-meanings enhanced by pop culture and mass media. You know, f...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:35:00 PST

Our New Best Friend

The Commonwealth has hired a publicist out of NY to help us in our attempt to get this music outside of this great but little bubble we live in.  We need some stretching room.  They are in t...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:33:00 PST

Little Interview

   If you've been to the Nachbar in Germantown, chances are Daniel Duncan has probably served you a pilsner or three. But that's just his night gig.     As a member of Th...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Mon, 14 May 2007 12:59:00 PST

Unstable Barn Party

Louisville sextet The Commonwealth will show off their unique blend of independent, folk and jazz-infused sounds. With clever and thoughtful arrangements maximizing the interplay between strings (doub...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Mon, 14 May 2007 12:56:00 PST

Velocity Article from 04/17/07

Spread the Wealth The Commonwealth's uncommon songs push indie's boundaries beyond guitars By Joseph Lord Daniel Duncan seems the affable bartender type. He smiles easily. He leans back in chairs ...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:31:00 PST

LEO Article from 03/01/07

UNCOMMON WEALTH by Jessica Farquhar   Daniel Duncan is no Ernie Fletcher, but he does govern The Commonwealth, the local, six-person string-and-brass band that playfully exceeds what you might ex...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:25:00 PST

Burn to Shine

I haven't mentioned this on here yet but if anyone is interested we did a pretty cool thing.  Brendan Canty from Fugazi and Bob Weston from Shellac have a DVD music documentary called Burn to Shi...
Posted by The Commonwealth on Fri, 03 Feb 2006 02:57:00 PST