by Michael Todd
This story begins with a tree and a little blood.
One night in 2007, Logan Young and Karma Doescher were playing capture the flag at a birthday party for Ciara Searight. Doescher stopped playing capture the flag when she ran into a tree. In the hours that followed, Young convinced Doescher, whom he had heard sing earlier that night, to record two songs’ worth of vocals while she held a towel to her bleeding head.
One night in August this year, I came across the album that developed from those two songs on Bandcamp. The band: The Karma Logs. The album title: Ran Into a Tree. Less time on the names means more time on the music apparently. It was a surprisingly full sound with electronic elements serving as the bedrock to prominent bass and more practical rhythmic guitar. On top of it all is Doescher's voice. I'll leave it up to you to listen for which two are the head-splitting songs.
Via that discovery, I found Logjam Records, the label under which Young has operated as producer for five projects: The Karma Logs, Van Fantom, Bunny Spleens, Glo Worm, and his solo effort, Log Rhythm. Today, Young is premiering the self-titled album he told himself he had to release in 2012 at some point:
When setting his mind on releasing an album in 2012, Young’s problem wasn’t writing, recording or producing. It was releasing. He began making music in high school after UUVVWWZ’s Jim Schroeder showed him the program FruityLoops. Since then, Young has produced about 10 years worth of material he has never formally released but plans to, eventually. That makes six albums on which he’s organized about 12 songs each.
For Joe Younglove and his Life in Prism act, this unreleased catalog of songs serves as a backdrop for some of his music. Younglove says it has a good sense of atmosphere, melody and texture, with ample space for vocals.
Log Rhythm - Touché (Official Music Video) from log young on Vimeo.
Young agrees, referencing Doescher, when he says, “I have a lot of songs that could use a voice.” While life has happened for Doescher and Young, and The Karma Logs aren’t an active project, they both hope to work together again. Until then, Young will keep producing music and videos mostly for himself, and maybe by coincidence, a few more listeners will happen upon them. Not that Young minds either way.
Log Rhythm - Move Juice (Official Music Video) from log young on Vimeo.
Michael Todd is Hear Nebraska's managing editor. He's on the lookout for the next Nebraska band he knows nothing about. Reach him at michaeltodd@hearnebraska.org.
