artist_archeology.php
When Jason Davis and Daniel Walker met at an archaeological research site in Eastern Washington, little did they know how strikingly similar the paths that led to their convergence were.
Both endured childhoods spent confined to wooden pews as son’s of preacher men, suffering at the hands of what they describe as the “hypocrisy and malevolence” of the Christian church. Their anger towards the church, and its doctrine, prompted the pair to independently renounce the faith of their fathers and leave the church. All that time spent in choirs and thumbing through hymnals wasn’t a complete loss though, and while they left theology behind, Davis and Walker cultivated and retained a healthy passion for hymnal harmonies and musical exploration.
Archeology, as a science, involves the surveillance, excavation and extensive analysis of often buried (either literally or figuratively) relics; the process’ aim can, among other things, serve to reveal knowledge that aids humanity in learning from its past and current mistakes. It, as a discipline, uncovers our path. On Memorial, Archeology’s debut album, the band does just that. The songs (oh those songs!) that seek to illuminate the past and sing a different hymn, one in which lost faith isn’t a sin. (“History sings to me,” sings Davis and Walker in perfect harmony on "San Salvador".)
Barely over a year old, Archeology has released five EPs to much acclaim in their hometown of Portland, Oregon. If the EPs were an introduction to the band, Memorial, their debut album, is the back-story--the shared postulations culminated from all of the time they spent excavating their strikingly similar individual lives.
Sonically, the band churns out propulsive pop rife with inventive and often tricky harmonic crescendos, sweeping hooks, earth-warmed organic instrumentation and sky-crisp production. This record finds Archeology telling stories in a way that stories were told in the very civilizations whose remnants they excavate—with passion, in song, with wonder and analogies and analysis and honesty and curiosity. Lead single "By the By" observes an individual indulging in a once forbidden sin and then admitting that, due to his newfound lifestyle, the only way he’s getting to heaven is “on a wing and a prayer”. The joyous excitement--the freedom discovered upon breaking with dogma--shines through the celebratory melody even as the character’s verbiage is of the terrified, fingers-crossed variety. Memorial sounds like epiphany, light bulbs newly lit, the pure joy of giving oneself permission to listen to what’s really true outside of any surrounding constructs.
The band’s live shows are eclectic, emotional, lively and never alike. Davis and Walker are joined on stage by their close friends; Benjamin Haysom is on drums and Justin Rodriguez steps in on guitar and organs. Switching between instruments several times and with a penchant for creating elaborate stage decorations, the band comes off as forlorn, creepy and at once welcoming, inviting, mesmerizing.
Memorial is a beautiful introduction to Archeology--dig in.
The press is digging Archeology!
"Memorial is an engaging collection of decidedly secular songs that fall somewhere between twee indie sing-alongs, campfire hymnals, and slices of rustic Americana." Filter
"Bringing influences from all ends of the spectrum, Archeology blends and bends many genres, birthing catchy yet complex songs, supported by sincere and emotional lyrics. This raw passion is seen in its fullest when Archeology performs live, an experience that music lovers, young and old alike, can appreciate." the Examiner
"The brainchild of Oregonian musicians Jason Davis and Daniel Walker,Archeology crafts harmonic, lush pop with a sharp lyrical edge. " Leigh Belz, Teen Vogue
"There is no shortage of harmonies here, as songs like "By the By" and "Hunter" won't overwhelm you with their barren structure, but come together naturally thanks to the duo's intertwined voices."
Ezra Ave Caraeff, Portland Mercury
"The band shines when they... show their fun side, like in the drum-heavy "White Walls" and the catchy "New San Salvador"."
Deanna Uutela, the Deli Magazine
"Minimalist folk roots and vocal harmonies that rival Fleet Foxes permeate the record. The quality of the work grows more and more apparent the more times you listen to it, until songs like the triumphant "White Walls" become irresistible."
Peter Kearns, Snob's Music
"This road trip pop jingle rolls down the window and lets the open air engulf your senses and as you breathe in soft and rolling rhythms the guitar will keep you wondering if he is going to strum some chords or pick out specific notes."
Andrew Duncan, Zaptown on "By the By"
"Having been compared to Death Cab for Cutie, the band evokes the same spirit and feeling as Band of Horses intermixed with hints of the Shins. Their easygoing notes and smooth voices slowly crescendo to form a bold surge of emotion." Oregon Music News
