Minus Story Daytrotter Session

Illustration by Johnnie Cluney

Last April, before he formed Hospital Ships, singer/songwriter Jordan Geiger recorded four songs at Futureappletree Studio 1 with his previous outfit Minus Story, and as of December 12th those songs can be downloaded from Daytrotter.com for free. Just another free music tip from your team here at The Rathaus.

Looking for even more free music? Checkout the Daytrotter site for an archive full of recordings by hundreds of other artists.

Daytrotter is the website for Futureappletree Studio 1, a recording studio in Rock Island, IL dedicated to capturing intimate performances by some of the top indie musicians working today.

posted by: Harold Johns III

Hospital Ships – Oh, Ramona

Jordan Geiger has a gift for writing endearing lo-fi pop songs. As lead vocalist in Minus Story, his off-kilter melodies were the foundation for the band’s eclectic sound. But at times their production method, known as the “wall of crap,” obscured the subtle beauty of Geiger’s vocal approach.

With the release of Oh, Ramona, his first album under the Hospital Ships moniker, Geiger has gone solo and in doing so has made his songwriting the primary focus. Although Geiger does not diverge too far from the musical course he set with Minus Story, (ie. Brian Wilson, The Zombies, Neutral Milk Hotel) the work on Oh, Ramona seems different, more intimate and easier to connect with than his previous efforts.

The layers of sound and noises that accompanied many of Minus Story’s songs have been stripped away in favor of a more basic approach to production. On songs like “Mockingbird,” only Geiger’s delicate voice and guitar playing are left to guide us through his quiet narrative. “The Shots I Drank” uses only bits of keyboard for a fuller sound that still avoids overwhelming the vocals. And “Bitter Radio Single” makes efficient use of Geiger’s fingerpicking, simple percussion and a clever arrangement to create an energetic opening track.

Overall, Oh, Ramona‘s balance between cynicism and innocence makes it a solid indie-pop record. Somewhat simple but nonetheless heartfelt and further proof that sometimes, less is more.

Learn more about Hospital Ships through Graveface Records.

by: Harold Johns III