Jared Micah & Hats began as a solo-recording project for Jared (guitar, vocals) to explore his fascination with 20th century composers, German 'Motrorik,' the Elephant 6 Collective, dirty south rap, and black metal in between co-organizing Murfreesboro, TN's infamous radio show/house venue "The Acid Living Room". The Living Room played host to some of the finest touring acts in the experimental and avant-garde music scene, including Adrian Orange and saxophonist Steve (The Stooges) Mackaye.
After the completion of the debut CD, which was sometimes noted to be untitled and sometimes called "Tree" (ATA 01), Jared recruited a revolving cast of players to round out the live ensemble and begin touring. With the new band he recorded the "pop album" "T.C.H.T.O.B." The result is what Out the Other describes as "unlike anything else to come out of Nashville."
After two full length albums, Jared Micah left Tennessee to continue the project in New York. Here he finalized a demo of all new material, exemplifying just how many genres and ridiculous creative decisions the band can pull off, which he intends to shop around to labels for a proper release. Be on the lookout for all new shows with an all new lineup of Hats this spring and summer.
T.C.H.T.O.B.
"An insane grab bag of instrumentation: xylophones, a variety of horns, guitar, drums, handclap craziness, ambient voice rants, music boxes, piano, occasionally jarring holding tones, fevered vocals, etc. etc... an album that can be enjoyed on a track-by-track basis or as an entire conceptual piece."
-Yewknee.com
"Ambitious and experimental... there's something about TCHTOB that both brings out the more adventurous listener in me and still manages not to alienate the more timid aspects of my taste."
-Janet, Out the Other
"Traditional song structure is largely ignored and unorthodox instrumentation such as toy pianos and drums are embraced alongside brass instruments and string arrangements... bizarre."
-Nashville Scene
"It might sound like some folks' worst performance art nightmare, but the band does well with the theatric approach, particularly in the album's dramatic arch, going from 'Objectivism' to spooky, acoustic-based, gypsy/industrial/prog mashes, and steadily ramping up to centerpiece and shining standout 'Giddy Up.'"
-All the Rage
Untitled or Tree
"Raises the bar for the singer-songwriter... seamlessly transitions from the living room to the battlefield."
-Mule Magazine
"Too theoretical and philosophical for the average listener."
-The Murfreesboro Pulse
The records can be purchased online at Amazon or Insound. Feed your serotonin deficiencies, you little mediocrities.
Buy the first record at Insound, if you want or need.