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The further I’ve pursued Chris Arduser‘s own work outside of his role as drummer for beloved 80s psych-pop guitar heroes the Bears, the more enthralling I’ve found it. It shouldn’t have taken me so long to catch on. There were ample clues along the way, beginning with the delicate “Little Blue River” from the Bears’ 1988 LP Rise and Shine. I had also adored his songs penned for psychodots albums, ranging from 1993’s jaunty “Open Window” to 2005’s sneering “Hope it Works Out.” But it wasn’t until I realized the darkly comic “Safe in Hell” was my favorite cut on the Bears’ excellent Car Caught Fire that I finally paid closer attention. After picking up Arduser’s sophomore solo album The Celebrity Motorcade, I was rewarded with thoughtful earworms including “Roscoe,” a tragic examination of silent film star Fatty Arbuckle. Hapless was my top album of 2007, a little masterpiece full of brokenhearted bad luck and wry smiles.
So, I clearly have no excuse for not investigating Arduser’s work with the Graveblankets before now. Though they have five releases dating back to 1995, the band were apparently parked while Arduser made his run of solo discs beginning with 2002’s Hostage.
The Graveblankets have been described as Arduser’s home for material that wouldn’t fit with the Bears or psychodots, but any of these four songs could click with the better known groups – not that they need the help. George Cunningham’s deft and sparking guitar solo ignites “Devil’s Toothy Grin,” and Bridget Otto’s vocal is the perfect counterpoint to the rollicking “Bad Decisions.” On top of that, Bears/psychodots colleague and bass playing wonder Bob Nyswonger is part of the crew, propelling the chorus of “Most Important Saint” into an “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”-styled rave-up.
The biggest appeal is Arduser’s songwriting itself, full of knowing winks and personal pratfalls for which the best consolation would probably be “at least you got a song out of it.” “Devil’s Toothy Grin” describes someone who’s full of regret for an unnamed crime of romance or relationship. Though Arduser’s vocal style could typically be described as measured and deliberate, he commits an anguished howl to tape with the song’s chorus, lamenting, “And I know I won’t be forgiven.”
“The head is empty,” begins “Sloganeering” to the accompaniment of tumbling bluegrass fingerpicking and distant melodica. “The mouth is full,” Arduser concludes. The song is a cautionary tale against giving credence to manipulators of truth and those who claim to know what’s best for others. Cunningham strangles angry tones from his guitar against a deceptively soothing arrangement.
Arduser spins the tale of a family man in trouble with the mob during “Most Important Saint.” The twist is that you, the listener, become the unsuspecting bystander asked to risk your neck. Will you spirit the character’s family to safety and enable him to escape his self-made trap?
“Bad Decisions” is classic Arduser, a summery pop-waltz full of recrimination, wherein the protagonist is thwarted by his own worst intentions. “Hearts long since broken, they’re crying at my door,” bemoans Arduser. Soon, he concludes, “So, I’m heading out the back door, while I’m boarding up the front.” Though he heaves a sigh of relief, he’ll soon have more than one reason to regret his hasty retreat.
If anything, the difference between the Graveblankets and Arduser’s other outlets is the penchant to reach for a mandolin or other folk accoutrement before shouldering the Les Paul, but it’s all here in a mixture that’s ultimately a crafty blend of pop-rock rather than the advertised “gothic folk.” For stripped-down live shows, “Bad Decisions” would probably translate best to acoustic treatment.
Thank God Arduser wound up drumming with Adrian Belew and the Bears in the late 80s. Lodged in California at the time, I’d never have heard any of Arduser’s peculiar pop genius otherwise. As described above, he’s got a catalog brimming with musical treasures, and the new Graveblankets EP is the latest gem sparkling atop the pile. It suggests that none of the catchy and thought-provoking work along the way was a fluke, and that Arduser’s material should be celebrated far beyond the cozy confines of Cincinnati’s rich but often overlooked musical community.
Chris Arduser
PO Box 19875
Cincinnati, OH 45219
