Sunday Music Spotlight – Julian Koster and His Singing Saw

Ask Julian Koster how long he’s been playing the singing saw and he’ll gently correct you. He doesn’t play the saw at all, he says. He only coaxes it to sing. His saw, Badger, does all the work. You may or may not agree with him, but I’m sure you’ll agree that the singing saw adds a distinctive, taciturn touch to whatever songs it sings. Koster has been making saws sing for years, first as a member of legendary indie band Neutral Milk Hotel, then with his current band Music Tapes. Now he’s released an entire album of Christmas music entitled simply The Singing Saw at Christmastime.

If you’re not familiar with the singing saw, you’ll probably recognize it as a common tool, played with a violin bow. The concept of playing a tool as a musical instrument is a little bizarre (probably best expressed by a YouTube commenter: “I can’t help but think there’s someone out there trying to cut a log in half with a cello.”). But the effect is haunting. The unique tone and timbre sound like a cross between a theremin and a woman’s singing voice, with the full range of expression expected from both. In a skilled set of hands the saw seems to literally sing. My first real exposure to the saw was in the soundtrack to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, where it sets the tone for the whole film. So I was surprised, and a bit frightened, when I saw a Christmas album featuring the “instrument”. That is until I listened to it.

The result of Koster’s collaboration with the saws is a mesmerizing. Songs that you’ve heard thousands of times sound completely different, more melancholy, more expressive. In a time when trite and tepid renditions of classic Christmas times are literally forced into our aural cavities constantly, The Singing Saw at Christmastime is a welcome dose of originality.

“The First Noel”

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You’ve never heard “The First Noel” until you’ve heard it performed by a singing saw duet.

“Silent Night”

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Listen to the first four notes, played by solo saw. Listen to the richness and density of the overtones, lush sonic qualities. It’s really amazing that you can get that out of something that you can pick up at Sears for $10.

Videos
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

“O Tannenbaum”

Links
Buy The Singing Saw At Christmastime
Julian Koster at Merge Records

(image by Flickr user ZiarciRose, licensed under Creative Commons)