"With multiple multi-instrumentalists and singers, Rough Shop is a formidable talent collective that deserves the chance to make a very loud noise." – Post-Dispatch
"…[They] harmonize with the evocative happenstance of the only band they resemble: The Band….They groove without jamming, play country like rock, rock like soul, bluegrass like pop and pop like completely original, completely refreshed roots music." – Riverfront Times
At the core of Rough Shop are two former members of One Fell Swoop, one of St. Louis, Missouri’s most celebrated roots/folk/whatever groups. Throughout the ‘90s, Swoop released three records, played Farm Aid and toured Europe— and then called it quits in 2003. Principal songwriters John Wendland and Andy Ploof regrouped, adding the voice of Anne Tkach, a veteran of both Hazeldine and Nadine. They now perform as an acoustic trio and as an electric outfit featuring Spencer Marquart on drums. The Riverfront Times named them Best New Band in 2004 and The St. Louis Music Awards gave them the Critic’s Choice for Best Americana Artist in 2006.
Music plays all night in three consecutive songs from "Here Today," the new album by Rough Shop. It’s the second record under the name Rough Shop, after "Far Past the Outskirts," which appeared in 2006 on the Perdition Records label.
Most of the time, when a second album includes only three of the same musicians who played on the first album, it means there has been a drastic personnel change. But, in the case of Rough Shop, there have been two versions of the band performing for a long time. The six-person line-up which produced "Far Past the Outskirts" allows for full, rich, intricate arrangements - the smaller acoustic trio on this album creates nuanced, open performances which breathe with gentle rushes of musical air.
Andy Ploof, Anne Tkach, and John Wendland are the core members of both versions of Rough Shop, and their individual contributions can best be seen in these three songs mentioned above. Ploof is the quiet observer, the songwriter who describes what he sees with a keen eye for detail and a sense of lost opportunity wedded to melodies torn from the pages of American musical history between the 1850s and 1930s. In "Dance All Night," Ploof watches his childhood self watching a religious revival, where the music and the dancing continue all night, desperately seeking a salvation that never comes.
Anne Tkach comes up with the beautiful ballad, "Dear Mama," which follows "Dance All Night." Tkach has played bass, drums, guitar, and other instruments in bands for most of her life, but never got inspired to set down her own words until recently. Here, she takes the close, intimate sound of her delicate alto vocal, and seeks the personal connection her voice has always implied as she begs for a song to continue all night. It is in music that Tkach finds solace.
John Wendland wrote "Golden Slumber Inn," the next song in this sequence. In most cheating songs, the protagonist is either tortured or thrilled, but here, he is both simultaneously. Wendland is the band’s great moralist, the one who knows the consequences of actions are unavoidable, and yet who can’t imagine a life without them. In this song, the music is outside his characters, coming from a radio in the next room, commenting on what is happening as his songwriting comments on people and the moments which define their lives.
Rough Shop has performed as a full band and as a trio (and in Other configurations) for several years around St. Louis. Their musical chops are undeniable, their songwriting emotionally satisfying and extremely hummable, and their singing a constant source of beauty and fun. This new album doesn’t tell the whole story of what this band can do, but it shows off their acoustic side to brilliant effect.
Here Today, the new album on Perdition Records in a glorious, eco-friendly Digipak© design.
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