Desparingly Romantic: Milkman’s Union

Milkman’s Union, a Portland based band, will be playing their first show in Montreal tomorrow night at Le Divan Orange. The  musical collective brings a settle mix of folk and country to your ears in an almost romantic way.   Their music pleasantly matches rainy days, full of fog and hope, with a linger air of despair – and you’ll only ever admit it to yourself.

From what I know Milkman’s Union have become an intellectual hit, grabbing fans from universities such as: Dartmouth, Wesleyan, Trinity, and Middlebury. On an intellectual front their song, Rehearse A Scene, develops a poster image in my head of some mid-twenties male walking down a cobble stone street, collar flipped, smoke in mouth and mysterious grin. Imaginations rule (oh yes, I know you too imagine movie-like scene whens you listen to certain songs!).

While their music may remind you of the true mellow-yellow meaning (or some cute British boy deeply trying to find himself… whoa, I’m a nut), from experience this type of sound live always turns out to be wonderfully better (and more lively) than how their produced sound streams into your ears from your earphones. Hmph! Guess you’re just gonna have to come and see. In the meantime here’s what Milkman’s Union has to say…

1. Milkman’s Union can be best described as…
An enigmatic indie-folk trio from Portland, Maine.

2.Best show vs. worst show? Oh, shit…tell us the details.
There have been too many good ones; it’s impossible to pick. Some highlights would be opening for Deerhunter in fall ’09, playing with Lady Lamb the Beekeeper at Wellesley College this past fall and rocking a packed Bruar Falls in Brooklyn on a Tuesday night in March.

The worst? That’s easy. We played at a bowling alley. And they docked our pay because we were late.

3. Who on the music scene right now (national and international) do you feel has impacted Milkman’s Union in a positive way and how?
Deerhoof, all day, every day. Dirty Projectors. Grizzly Bear. Laura Marling. DM Stith. To name a few… They’ve all shone a light on the contours of musical creation.

4.After Montreal, where are you headed?
Burlington, Vermont
Portland, Maine
Boston, Mass.
Augusta, Maine

Then we rest. Well, for a few days.

5.Three goats and one farmer come to your show, what song would you play for them and why?
Our former lead guitar player wrote a song about yogurt farming featuring impeccable four-part vocal harmonies. We played it live a couple times to rave reviews. We’d probably have to bring that back.

6.Drink of Choice (and you can’t say lemonade)?
Tang. Special grape is a pretty good flavor. Diet orange ain’t bad either.

7.At what point did Milkman’s Union decide to tour and why?
January 2010 was our first adventure on the road. We managed to wrangle together a schedule of 13 shows in 14 nights in 7 different states. It was exciting and exhausting. We’ve been playing away from home as much as possible ever since.

8.Let’s say David Bowie and Elton John enter a room, who do you avoid?
If it’s Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie, then Bowie. In all other cases, definitely Sir Elton.