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World History began in the winter of 2006, as a collection of songs written and recorded aboard several boats in Seattle, Washington. The project has since evolved into a laughing, stomping, yelping collaboration between Neil Campau and Jamie Menzel. They most often write songs about historical characters and events that are rarely talked about in compulsory school textbooks, and their lyrics provide hints of their anarchist anti-politics. Campau provides the majority of the vocals, alternately strumming his rusty autoharp and breaking guitar strings, while Menzel lends her soft vocals and intricate flute melodies, and from time to time, breaks something in a percussive fervor. Whether performing a raucous, triumphant historical retelling or a foot-stomping sing-along, World History continues to captivate audiences from living room to back porch.
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Here’s some PRESS CLIPPINGS:
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Three Imaginary Girls (Seattle WA) I haven’t quite been able to pinpoint exactly what it is about You Can’t Stop Trying that charms my socks off. It could be the Neutral Milk Hotel croning up and over vocals on songs like “It’s Okay to be Alive” and “Ricardo, You Run Free” or the alt-Americana mountaineer singalong march of “Take Our Your Swords.” My favorite point in the album is near the end when they veer into upbeat lo-fi sweetness of boy/girl harmonies on “Shine.” The album is flush with restrained instrumentation with a strong focus on autoharp, guitar, drum with flute and melodica thrown in for a touch of a suavity. Add in a couple guest star friends like Adam Oelsner (LAKE, Kickball) and Zach Burba (iji, Sundance Kids, Megabog) and you’ve got a notable debut album.… IMAGINARY LIZ ——————– BackForty Presents (Boulder CO) … In this sea-faring, folk pop duo, Neil Campau rocks the guitar and autoharp with strong vocal work. Jamie Menzel completes the duo with flute, melodica, drums and vocals. Neil’s voice possesses a warm and uncanny feeling of recognition but remains new and unique. Powerful and explosive at certain points, he has the ability to comfort and urgently bolt what he needs to say.… JA ——————– Sound Magazine (Seattle WA) Neil Thomas Campau and Jamie Elizabeth Menzel are World History, a band that is hard to peg but harder to ignore. Campau’s voice is reminiscent of Neil Young and his lyrics often tell of the past, though its constant shifting from linear story telling to non-linear associations, leave one imagining a time both real and imagined. JA ——————– Setlist Radio (Seattle WA) a podcast by The Stranger They sing songs about historical figures and it’s super cute and I think they’re great. MEGAN SELING ——————– The Stranger (Seattle WA) Band of the Week …While BlöödHag perform thrashing death-metal songs about sci-fi writers, World History play sleepy, bedroom pop songs about historical figures like Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and Francesca —Seattle’s a smart, smart city. MEGAN SELING
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The Portland Mercury (Portland OR) …Neil Campau’s “art project,” World History, lives up to its name by writing songs about explorers and proclaiming a love for history’s losers. The fact that he sings like Silkworm’s Tim Midgett means that even repeating the line “thank god for 1841″ over and over doesn’t feel like a misstep. JIM WITHINGTON —————— FensePost (Seattle WA) …As World History hits the road, let’s hope Campau and company keep pumping out creative lo-fi masterpieces. FENSE
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Sonar Map (Seattle WA) …The insouciant feel behind each recording, coupled with Neil’s distinct warble and his penchants for random yelps, reedy glissandos and disembodied harmonies, gives Nautical References a bucolic disposition that’s proletarian enough to rock the socks off communists worldwide, but also witty enough to entertain at fine dinner parties. “GENERAL” SAWADA |
Lost Sound Tapes (Seattle WA) Neil and Jamie have so much charm its ridiculous… Wonderfully orchestrated songs with beautiful group sing alongs all brimming with hope. JON MANNING ——————– Passion of the Weiss (Los Angeles CA) …In terms of post-Mangum acts, World History sits neatly between the full-on Neutral Non-Fat Milk Hotel pastiche of Rock Plaza Central and the maniacal carnival-folk of They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, neither as confrontationally jarring as the latter nor as suspiciously reverent as the former… DOUGLAS MARTIN ——————– The AS Review (WWU, Bellingham WA) …Campau provides the majority of the vocals for World History, complemented by delicate guitar picking so isolated that you can feel every twang and squeal of the strings. His voice is instantly recognizable and hard to describe at the same time. At times you may be reminded of Andrew Bird, Charlie Fink of Noah and the Whale (in “The Exile of Dick and Minna”), Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Magnum (in “Mustafa Kemal Ataturk”) and Jens Lekman (in “Maria Francesca [in mono]“). That’s not to say that Campau or World History as a whole aren’t unique. They are quite good and Campau’s voice is incredibly likeable and comforting while at the same time powerful, almost as if it is ready to burst open at any moment. Menzel provides a well-orchestrated backing to the songs, while also lending her voice in a few of them… MATT CROWLEY ——————– Seattle D.I.Y. (Seattle WA) World History is one of my favorite bands. It’s sort of like Neutral Milk Hotel but better. ZACH BURBA (iji) ——————– Simple Folk Radio (Brighton UK) Were bands actually children, then while Neutral Milk Hotel was studying at the school of hard knocks, stealing from his father’s liquor cabinet, before trying to “lay and learn” with the girl next door, his quieter, more studious twin brother World History, was sat at the front of the class, asking the teachers questions for which they had no answers. Questions about those forgotten heroes, and long lost losers who have faded from the pages of our history books, who’s stories go untold, their songs unsung. SIMPLE FOLK ——————– Off Tempo (Seattle WA) …Three acts had already played, everyone was chatty, I had already stopped a conversation minutes ago, and as Neil’s deep voice began to howl, the commotion softened and my spine was tingling. Weird. FIELD RECORDER
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Trpped in Epidamia (Seattle WA)
… Neil T Campau and Jamie E Menzel have a great take on ‘lover’s in arms’ minimal indie sound-scape while Neil plays and sing his songs and Jamie wailes on the chair legs and any guitar case in her reach. … 2XA
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teamAWESOME! Blog (CA)
… he has an incredible voice! and incredible ideas… i definitely have a major crush on this band! …
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Beat City Radio (KISU Pocatello ID) … It was a foot-stomping, instrument-destroying, good time. He’s worth seeing live if the opportunity abounds. LEVI MONTANA KELLER |