Everest – “Ghost Notes”
Published July 30th, 2008

Ghost Notes is the perfect moniker for this album, Everest's first. The group may be new, but the members have been kicking around the L.A. indie scene forever, finally coming together in this amalgamation to resurrect the sounds of the past. Recorded mostly live in the studio entirely on analog tape, the entire set has an early-'70s feel, as well as a glow to the sound that reflects Mike Terry's expert engineering and production. The album divides rather nicely into two halves, just like a vinyl set, with the first half a bit brighter with pop undertones, the second more shadowed and pushing into jam and prog rock territory. "Trees" is buffeted by a breeze blowing out of the South, "Into Your Soft Heart" is tinged with British Invasion R&B and a whip of Who-esque power chords, a styling taken to its logical upbeat conclusion on the wildly infectious "Reloader." In contrast are downtempo numbers like "Rebels in the Roses" and "Black Covers," the former folk-tinged, the latter lusher in sound. Each one has its own many distinctive charms, but it's the gorgeous, introspective "Only in Your Mind" that is the centerpiece of this half of the set.

BUZZCATCHER
Meet Everest -- Neil Young's Hand-Picked Opening Band
Find out why the rock legend tapped this Los Angeles, CA, act to open his North American tour.
BY WILLIAM GOODMAN 10.15.08 2:11 PM

EVEREST
Rock icon Neil Young's North American tour kicked off Tuesday night in St. Paul, MN. Opening the show? Everest, a SoCal rock outfit known for churning out fuzz-caked Americana riffs and rollicking acoustics that Young personally tapped for the job.
The quintet of Los Angeles vets -- fronted by Russell Pollard, who has played with Sebadoh, the Folk Implosion, and the Watson Twins, among others -- made their live debut in 2007 and then recorded their first record, Ghost Notes, for Neil Young's Vapor Records in Elliott Smith's former digs, New Monkey Studio.

Everest- Mercury Lounge, June 4
Tripwire, by Miguel Banuelos

IT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT
Neil Young Kicks Off North American Tour
The master rocks the classics in St. Paul, with his disciples Death Cab for Cutie and Everest opening the show.
BY JEN PAULSON 10.15.08 4:20 PM

Last night at St. Paul, MN's Xcel Energy Center, Neil Young kicked off his North American tour with a solid opening lineup that demonstrated the contemporary influence of his storied catalogue -- and breathed new vitality into songs more than three decades old.

First up was SoCal five-piece Everest, who held their own with a dynamic sound rich in countrified guitars that supplemented their effortless harmonies. The outfit's relatively short performance set a tone that could have segued seamlessly into Young's performance.

It’s not hard to see why Neil Young would want this new L.A. group for his Vapor capers. This is the sort of mostly mid-tempo, rustic-hued, Americana-tinged organic/edgy guitar rock he and older L.A. mates perfected 35-40 years ago—brought back with patient riffing majesty, timeless soul, and importantly, inspired singing. That last bit comes courtesy of smoldering-looking/sounding Russell Pollard, late of Louisville, KY, well-recalled in this mag as the final drummer for Sebadoh when last we interviewed them circa 1999’s swansong The Sebadoh, as well as helping Lou Barlow’s side-project Folk Implosion, Earlimart, Alaska!, and The Watson Twins (he’s married to Chandra Watson, lucky bugger). His combo contains similar salient sidemen, veterans who know enough to record analog (hurrah!) using vintage gear in Pollard’s late friend Elliott Smith’s old haunt in the Valley, New Monkey Studio.

Everest - Ghost Notes
4 Stars, By Giov

Piccoli pezzi di sodio, come teste di spilli, brillano e cadono dal soffitto. Ho qualche melodia in testa ma niente di definito: sotto la luce del neon siamo scoperti e indifesi. Mi ritrovo a respirare piano e ad osservare la mia pelle verde perdere consistenza sotto i colpi del sonno. Il cervello non pompa più oggi e di bruciare ancora olio per dormire non ne ho voglia e credo di essere diventato immune anche ai suoi effetti spaziali. E allora ecco le radiazioni dello schermo. Sposto lo sguardo di qualche centimetro verso il tavolo, ma non muovo la testa: un pacchetto FedEx. Wow…stiamo diventando professionali, cazzo. Lo apro: dentro, un altro pacchetto giallo…wow…stiamo diventando anche paranoici al massimo in America eh… .

The first track on Everest’s debut release Ghost Notes is damn near perfect. If I listened to FM radio anymore, this is a song I’d expect to hear and actually enjoy. The band is comprised of seasoned musicians out of the Los Angeles scene who’ve spent time performing in acts such as Sebadoh, the Folk Implosion, Earlimart, Mike Stinson, Slydell, eels, John Vanderslice, and the Watson Twins. Not only do they have pedigree, but they have the chops to live up to it.

Ghost Notes is a great listen from start to finish. The album kicks off with “Rebels in the Roses,” a highly addictive tune that would fit nicely in Ryan Adams’ song catalog. The band is made up of a group of good pals that love music and that’s what the album sounds like. It’s effortless. And as the album winds down with the subtly stunning “Stumble Waltz” and the slow burn of “Standing By,” I remind myself that this is Everest’s first effort. This group that started as a few friends playing together just because it felt good, may end up being named in the same breath as bands like The Jayhawks, Whiskeytown, and Wilco.

Everest scales the heights; melancholic indie rockers opening for Neil Young
Hans Ongsansoy, canada.com
Published: Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Everest open for Neil Young on his North American tour. The band's Russell Pollard says their current record, Ghost Notes, is lyrically "a series of letters to people who have passed away or who have moved away or who I've lost contact with for whatever reason."

Why name a band Everest?
Frontman Russell Pollard explains it was a fun nod to the past and a heightened sense of the present that combined to give his L.A. group its moniker. "J. Soda, who plays guitar, and I have a recording space and we named it Everest Recorders," explains Pollard. "It's a Beatles reference. They were going to call Abbey Road Everest. Well, that's the rumour. We also really liked the name, so we kept it for ourselves. In a sense this is our resting place, for all of the guys in the band. This is what we always wanted to do. I think the name fits now. It's, like, the peak of our musical endeavours."

Making music for themselves
Everest bucks the odds at Spaceland

By Bliss 06/12/2008

Timing is everything. So is chemistry. Just ask the guys in Everest.

A year ago the Eastside-based indie-rockers hadn’t yet recorded their debut full-length, “Ghost Notes.” In fact, they were barely even a band yet. They were a bunch of seasoned players who were also friends, bonded by a shared appreciation of classic pop, 1960s and ’70s California rock, and Silver Lake chic.

Now, thanks to a confluence of experience, events and savvy management, they’re basking in warm reviews for “Ghost Notes,” released last month on Neil Young’s Vapor Records, and gearing up for a European tour with My Morning Jacket. Not too shabby.

Featured Artist Interview: Everest

Between releasing the alternately rollicking and haunted collection of Californicated Americana via their debut LP, Ghost Notes, and going on tour with such acts as Neil Young, Wilco, My Morning Jacket and Death Cab for Cutie, 2008 certainly hasn’t been boring for Los Angeles quintet Everest. A genre-spanning band—featuring former members of Sebadoh, Earlimart, Alaska!, the Folk Implosion, the Watson Twins and Stanford Prison Experiment—just as comfortable spinning a sepia-burnished haze of ‘70s country-rock as they are burning through wild and windmilled rock ‘n roll, you can catch them this Tuesday at the Echoplex with the Henry Clay People, Nico Stai and Dazzler for the second installment of Indie 103.1’s Check One Twosdays.

Web in Front recently caught up with frontman Russell Pollard (vocals, guitar) to discuss the recording of Ghost Notes, maintaining a postivie outlook in the face of music industry wackiness, and the possibility of GPS navigation being the savior of rock ‘n roll touring.

The Interview

Web in Front: First off, how’s the tour been thus far?

by Amanda Hanson

"I'm lost, lost" sings Everest frontman Russell Pollard on "Rebels in the Roses," the opening track of the band's tender debut album, Ghost Notes. It's a fitting declaration and the perfect tone-setter for the reflective and often cathartic songs that lie ahead. Pollard, like so many of his indie/alt-country singer-songwriting peers-Ryan Adams, Jeff Buckley, Jeff Tweedy-seems to be at war with himself and through music, draws upon his pain and missteps in hopes of generating some sort of sonic release.

Though certain songs touch upon universal themes and concerns such as the passing of time ("Stumble Waltz") and getting outside of one's own head and way ("Only In Your Mind"); the majority of the album speaks to matters of the heart and the conflict that arises when two souls collide. Fighting for love, fighting personal demons, fighting the one we love, fighting not to lose that love even after admittedly making enough mistakes to warrant the loss. Love, after all, is not for the faint of heart. With Ghost Notes, it's quite apparent that Pollard has gone to battle and not come out the victor.

Words & Images by: Scott Galbraith
Everest :: 10.25.08 :: Hotel Utah Saloon :: San Francisco, CA

Everest is a band poised to make it big. They are in the middle of the first leg of a national tour, playing to thousands of screaming fans every night. Okay, so the fans are actually screaming for the headliners of the show, Neil Young and Death Cab for Cutie, but Everest is opening for them, which is still a huge milestone for any band to reach shortly after releasing their debut album.
So, as a band what do you do when you achieve one of your dreams, i.e. being invited to open for a musical icon on a national tour? Imagine playing stadiums and arenas, gaining thousands of fans a night across the country. Would playing a small bar in a big city seem like the next logical step to acquire a fan base? For most bands it would seem like a huge step backwards, but for Everest it was just another chance to do what they love most – play live music.

Everest are exactly the type of band you should hate: a group of Los Angeles musicians, bit-part players in a number of bands and signed to a record label owned by a rock star. Listen to their debut album, Ghost Notes, however, and you'll see Everest in another light. The bands they've played with - Sebadoh, the Watson Twins, - are not your typically excessive LA rockers, while their label, Vapor, is owned by Neil Young and is also home to Tegan & Sara and Jonathan Richman. It's a wonderfully hazy, 1970s-influenced LP that, you imagine, The Eagles, Crosby, Stills, & Nash or The Byrds might have put together over a loose weekend - main man Russell Pollard's voice even has a touch of Gene Clarke's romantic melancholy. Thoughtful indie rock might have a new peak here. by Aaron Lavery

Formed by friends in Los Angeles, who were all established in the city's music community, Everest make rock music for grown-ups while avoiding the pitfalls that implies. Songs such as the gentle opener Rebels in The Roses suggest it could be their time in the spotlight. -by Nigel Thornton

Everest Gets A Lift From Neil Young and My Morning Jacket
Aidin Vaziri | 08.14.2008

WHO? Los Angeles quintet made up of a constellation of indie-rock musicians that have previously put in time with outfits such as Sebadoh, the Folk Implosion, Earlimart, Alaska!, Stanford Prison Experiment, John Vanderslice and the Watson Twins. Whew! The group recorded its debut, Ghost Notes, at Elliott Smith's old hangout, New Monkey Studios, and released it in August on Neil Young's Vapor Records. Everest has already spent time on the road supporting My Morning Jacket and Young. "The band started over tacos at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles," Pollard says." As friends and collaborators, we talked about focusing our energies from our various projects into one band."

PLAYERS: Russell Pollard (vocals, guitar, drums), J. Soda (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Rob Douglas (bass, vocals), Joel Graves (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Derek Brown (drums)

Buzz Bands: New heights for Everest
09:28 AM PT, Jun 20 2008

On “Black Covers,” one of the sylvan gems on L.A. quintet Everest’s debut album, “Ghost Notes,” frontman Russell Pollard sings, “Sometimes you’ve gotta step out of line to be seen.” Ain’t it the truth.

Pollard who’d played with the likes of Alaska!, Sebadoh and the Folk Implosion, never really envisioned himself leading a band — he just had some songs he’d been working on, and some friends he’d been hanging out with, when serendipity arrived in the form of advice from producer Mike Terry.

“Mike told us, ‘You guys need to pay attention to the signs in your life,’.” guitarist Joel Graves says.

So when Pollard, Graves, guitarist Jason Soda and bassist Rob Douglas connected the dots, Everest is what took shape. Abetted by Great Northern drummer Davey Latter (and now including Derek Brown on drums), the quintet last summer fleshed out Pollard’s compositions in Elliott Smith’s old digs, New Monkey Studios. Karma? Maybe. “It feels like home,” producer Terry says. “It’s a place you have to see and feel.”

Everest
Russell Pollard (guitar and sing)
Having rocked Hop Farm, we quizzed Everest:

Everest
Like the sonically similar Jayhawks, Wilco and Lampchop, there is something immensely likeable about Everest's sound. It combines Neil Young guitars (1971 vintage), laconic, soft and soulful harmonies and Paul McCartney bass lines. You can believe in Everest's songs - even Neil Young and Devendra Banhart have included them in their myspace top 10s.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/12/the_bands_of_2008.html

Everest's Ghost Notes | Making Hay While The Sun Shines

In music, a ghost note is a musical note that is purposely de-emphasized—sometimes to the extent of near-silence—in order to convey a subtle yet much more affecting piece altogether. Moreover, there is a lot more that can be said if the overall presentation is less forceful: Sometimes, less is more. And that is exactly what is underscored in Everest's forthcoming album Ghost Notes.

In a predominantly digital world, the notion of recording directly to analog tape could be interpreted as simply inane. Although the computer-less process may seem almost anachronistic, producer Mike Terry is masterful at exploiting it. The resulting disc exudes a pervasive warmth and, furthermore, harbors an unutterable quality unique to classic recordings.

Everest the mountain sure is a hard hill to climb. But Everest the band shouldn't be a hard band to enjoy, especially for fans of indie rock. Name an indie rock band that you like, and chances are that one of the guys in Everest has some connection to the group. Russ Pollard has played drums for Sebadoh, the Folk Implosion, and Earlimart, and is married to a Watson Twin. Here he handles main vocal and guitar duties. J. Soda has played with Jenny Lewis. And other Everest members can also be found in Biirdie, John Vanderslice's backing band, and other groups. Ghost Notes was recorded in the same Los Angeles studio that Elliott Smith used to make music in. Everest's music tends towards the tender and sublime; even a song with a name like "Angry Storm" is a piano-based beauty. - John Zeiss

Getting to Know: Everest
by Cameron Bird | 09.17.2008

Orphaned, creatively malnourished and looking for a place to stay, the five men of Everest recently gained entry into a very, very fine house. Inside, an adoptive father led them to the kitchen and offered them something far more caloric than bread and far sweeter than wine. This sagacious Daddy Warbucks, none other than rock patriarch Neil Young, reached from within and doled out a rare nugget of wisdom.

“Do what you want and if you persevere, then hopefully you’ll make a living,” said guitarist and keyboardist Jason Soda, paraphrasing Young’s admonition to the Los Angeles band. “You know, as opposed to, ‘In ten months, if you don’t do this or that, you’re on the fucking sidewalk.’”