On The Download: Umphrey’s McGee

When Umphrey’s McGee, a band known primarily for their intricate and intense live performances, as well as their Ramones-esque touring schedule, announced that they would be releasing their latest album, the news was actually twofold.

“Mantis,” the band’s sixth studio release, would be comprised of material that had not yet been performed live and (in these days of the slow death of the record companies), Umphrey’s was going to make a deal with their incredibly devoted fan base: you buy the record (or mp3, or vinyl) and you will get a box set’s worth of bonus material and unprecedented access to the band’s achieves (and for the super fans, the first 1000 people to order the deluxe version get a vinyl copy of the album, the CD, the mp3 download of the album when it comes out at midnight on January 20, a poster, and band memorabilia; all in an autographed box).

The album pre-sales were tied to a tiered system of unlockable songs and previously unreleased material released online. As more people pre-ordered the album, more rare tracks would be released. And, as you read this, all nine levels of bonus material had already been unlocked, and will be released along with the album on Tuesday.

To sweeten the deal further, the band will be releasing more music online throughout 2009 via the PUSH technology embedded in the CD or in a digital copy of the album. But, for the incredibly loyal fans of the band, the arrival of “Mantis” also represents a new jumping off point for the “aggressive progressive” brand of rock Umphrey’s has been playing across the country and around the globe for over a decade.

Umphrey’s McGee began at Notre Dame in 1997 as a quartet; guitarist/vocalist Brendan Bayliss, bassist Ryan Stasik, keys and vocalist Joel Cummins, and Mike Mirro on drums made up the first incarnation of the band. Later they added percussionist Andy Farag and guitarist Jake Cinninger, as well as new drummer Kris Myers,who joined the band after Mirro left for medical school.

The “Midwestern monsters of improvised rock” now routinely gig over 100 shows a year, and that doesn’t count the various members side projects (including Bayliss and Stasik’s 80s cover /electronic jam dance band the Omega Moos).

Most recently, Umphrey’s played a three night New Year’s Eve run at Chicago’s historic Auditorium Theater, where they was joined on stage by, among others, Buddy Guy, Joshua Redman, Koko Taylor, and the Chicago Mass Choir. These shows ranked up with some of the most acclaimed of the band’s career.

“Mantis” evolved from hundreds of hours in the studio logged by the band, as well as the free form jam sessions Umphrey’s works into every show. Referred to as “Jimmy Stewarts” by the band (the first time they tried it was in the “Jimmy Stewart Ballroom” located in the hotel where a friend’s wedding was taking place), Umphrey’s takes these opportunities to explore various jams, most of which never get further than the stage that night. But, since the entire group borders on obsessive about cataloging their musical experiments both on stage and in the studio, that results in a huge catalogue of riffs and grooves to build songs around.

The title track, which is nearly twelve minutes long, features a guitar section that Cinninger had recorded three years ago and filed away for another time, before work on Mantis had even commenced. And of course Umphrey’s is going to continue to work out the music onstage as they prepare to tour extensively behind Mantis.

Umphrey’s spends most of the year touring, and from their home base in Chicago, the group has played shows ranging from South Bend, Indiana to the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. In 2008 alone, they logged 114 shows, which was actually down from their personal best record of 160 shows in 2002. But the sheer number of shows is less important than the care the band puts into their live performances.

The band members communicate through music cues, hand signals and head nods to execute precise musical maneuvers that recall late 70s-era prog rock, but with a heavy dash of Guns N Roses thrown in for good measure. And, all the while, they could drop a cover of Toto’s “Roseanna” or Wings’ “Band On The Run” into a set without missing a beat. Keeping their fans on their toes has led to one of the most dedicated fan bases in live music, a group whose devotion has drawn comparisons to fans of Phish and the Dead. But unlike those bands, who have each announced upcoming spring tours with fans wondering “Is this going to be it this time?”, Umphrey’s McGee has shown no sign of letting up anytime soon.

The “Mantis” tour kicks off Monday, January 19 at the Vic Theater in Chicago, IL.

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