Even if the stage was familiar, something felt very different when Off In The Woods entered the Polson High School auditorium a few weeks back, bass player Sean Burress said. A lot has happened since they last played on the old wood stage.
In the three or four years since Burress, Jon Schumaker, Layne McKay and Nathan Nobel graduated from Polson, their high school band has played numerous shows and festivals around western Montana and the Northwest, recorded in Seattle and released an album this fall, “Smoke Signals,” which is now available online. Their success is impressive when you consider they’ve barely practiced together in recent years, with members of the band strewn about from Kalispell to Missoula. Burress said it’s just the chemistry they still have.
“The comment we get a lot is how tight we are. We can almost read each other’s minds,” Burress said. “We all play (separately) and do our own thing, so when we do play together we all impress each other.”
Off In The Woods first formed in the summer of 2010, but its roots go back farther. In high school the four musicians played in the school band and would perform in talent shows. It was during that time they developed a unique sound and style, Schumaker said.
“We’ve all kind of come to the conclusion that it’s Montana soul, because there are so many styles presented: old rock, reggae and even some Indian influences,” he said.
After high school, the four friends went their own ways – some went off to college, some stayed closer to home – but surprisingly the band never faltered and in the time since has only grown stronger. Slowly, the four members are making their way home and Schumaker said their new album reflects that pilgrimage back.
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Off In The Woods band members Nathan Noble, Jon Schumaker, Sean Burress and Layne McKay, left to right.- Courtesy photo |
The band’s nine-track album was recorded in Seattle and released this fall. It is true to their style, mixes various types of music and even features instrumental tracks, and tells the story of how each member left and then returned to where they are from. So far it has been well received, especially back home in Polson, where about 100 friends, family and locals filled the school auditorium. Both Schumaker and Burress said it was great to play for a crowd that wasn’t focused on their drinks, a problem with playing in bars. It also gave them hope that maybe, just maybe, their band could see wider success in the future: “It’s definitely something that could take off,” Schumaker said.
“None of us are opposed to paying the bills with music,” Burress said.
For now though, Burress’ bills are being paid by his job as a baker. Schumaker was taking time off from his regular job last week to fly to Los Angeles to attend an online music conference and brought with him a stack of CDs. He hoped to get his band’s music out to a larger audience and make some connections. Schumaker will be back this week though when Off In The Woods plays the Boiler Room on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
For more information about the band and to hear some of their music visit www.facebook.com/offinthewoods.