he locals are getting restless. This winter,several Salt Lake City bands have undergone transformations, branching out and exploring vast creative territories normally restricted by their routine lineups. Some are starting from scratch, abandoning previous groups in favor of a fresh start. Others are attempting to juggle multiple musical projects—a feat not entirely uncommon amid this particular scene. However, these changes come on the heels of a relative calm, one in which bands had more or less settled down. Apparently, people have gone stir-crazy. Deliccato and Beard of Solitude are two of the most noteworthy acts to emerge from the madness.

The former started three years ago as a one-man project featuring singer-guitarist Camden Chamberlain, a talented musician whose singular efforts failed to produce desired results. He eventually abandoned the solo gig and recruited a friend, Redd Tape singer/guitarist Scott Fetzer, for help in advancing a new vision. Soon thereafter, bassist/singer Alex Pappas (who played with Chamberlain in Low Malanda) and drummer Aaron Nelson (from the now-defunct The Word Go) also joined, additions which helped solidify the project.

The band members agreed to sit down for a conversation before a their recent Kilby Court appearance. The four gentleman, along with latest recruit Lindsey Heath, convened at House of Coffee to discuss their evolution as the next big thing.

Although the group enjoyed somewhat of a whirlwind formation, it’s easy to understand how things came together in such swift fashion. One casual conversation with Deliccato is sufficient for uncovering the secrets within reconfigured artistry.

After seeing the band perform, several thoughts come to mind—what is Fetzer saying when his falsetto climbs the rafters, and why is David Cross singing back-up to his right? Perhaps the best way to a musician’s mind is through his stomach.

Less than two hours before the show, the quintet sat over plates of vegan barbecue chicken and cups of chai discussing everything from large fish to the unfortunate trend set by aging pop stars who have relinquished greatness in favor of Disney soundtracks and Starbucks compilations.

Heath was one of the more vocal participants in the heated discussion, suggesting that Sting and his ilk should just “settle down.” The dreadlocked blonde, who recently added her name to the Deliccato roster, originally wanted to play keytar, but settled on a more traditional electronic keyboard when her popular ’80s-era hybrid was quietly vetoed by the others. Once the initial disappointment subsided, Heath accepted her role with enthusiasm. “I’m just making it up as we go along,” she said. “Just playing it by ear—making sure it doesn’t crash with the guitars.”

An improvisational approach adheres perfectly to Deliccato’s jazz-based sound, which also boasts elements of acoustic, electronic pop. It is a genre that complements the group’s agenda—or rather nonagenda. Delicatto is not the result of any serious planning. The name itself originated over a bottle of wine that happened to be lying around while Chamberlain searched for a suitable moniker. “It’s a $4.95 bottle of merlot,” Fetzer said. “But it did get a 90 on an official rating guide.”
Fetzer also delivers off-the-cuff highlights with post-modern flair—lyrics that are basically pure nonsense. The concept might not be appealing to those looking for meaning. Of course inaudible nonsense seems to work for Thom Yorke…

“It makes sense to me in the moment,” Heath says, an opinion that aptly encapsulates the Deliccato experience. Live, the group is riveting and unexpected. Each set is testament to the musicians’ determination to innovate.

The band’s recorded material is even more bold. Its three-song demo featuring “Jesus in a Woman’s Hip,” “Inside the Hive,” and “Picture of a Plane,” all of which are available in Mp3 form at www.deliccato.com. Chamberlain, who has produced several live-jazz albums, engineered each track. The result is a hint of better things to come. Until a full-length album comes out, the group will keep tinkering with elements that will set them apart from all the rest.

Beard of Solitude, another group-in-transit, set its own distinct tone at Kilby. The duo—Dan Rose and Joe Guile—features transplants from The Chronies, a band with a darker sensibility that no longer satisfied its founders. They severed themselves to follow a path of old pop and soul. Of course, Beard is only lighter in theory. Guile, who could pass for Jack Black if Black were Benicio Del Toro, is a madman on the skins. A force to be reckoned with, the drummer recognizes when to shed a torrential downpour or trace a cautious line around Rose’s off-key vocals. The two create a sound larger than the sum of their parts.

Beard and Deliccato definitely have the potential to quit their day jobs. Pappas has slightly more modest aspirations: “I’d just like to see it go where people aren’t telling jokes on stage every time we play.“

Deliccato plays Jan. 22 at the Urban Lounge. Beard of Solitude will perform a special Valentine’s Day show with The Will Sartain Players at the Urban Lounge. See what you’ve been missing.
jamie@red-mag.com