Discography
Cognitive Dissonance
Framework is a jazz trio comprised of Chris Olson on guitar, Jay Epstein on drums, and Chris Bates on bass. Formed in 1997 and remaining sporadically active for the last 23 years, Framework released their first album in 2009. During the late months of 2019 the band agreed to start rehearsing in earnest, with an eye towards creating a new album. Having built up a nice library of relatively new material, Framework was showing signs of renewed activity but, just like everyone else, our plans came to a screeching halt in March 2020. Along with the isolation brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, we watched our home town of Minneapolis transform into a global epicenter for change after the tragic murder of George Floyd, and subsequent protests, set off a renewed spark for racial justice and police accountability. As the summer months passed an opportunity arose to work in privacy and safety at a small studio in St. Paul with Chris’ brother, drummer JT Bates engineering, with help from our friends Alex Proctor and Robbie Barr. The result of these efforts you now hold in your hands, or they are tickling your ears digitally. Framework’s new release “Cognitive Dissonance” offers a unique view of a band embracing the compositional vision of one member and creating a collective album of musical adventures.
Every song on this album was written and arranged by guitarist Chris Olson and shows how lyrical, thoughtful, sarcastic and bombastic his writing style can be. Chris elucidates. “The melodies and chord progressions on this album were not written during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the titles that inspired those notes took on an even stronger meaning, or a new meaning entirely in the months leading up to recording them in August and September of 2020, and may have become more poignant, biting, satirical, cynical, and angry in the year following the studio date. I should point out that I write music for musical reasons, not to evoke any of the images and emotions described in these notes. Only the titles have a pointed message. I write and play using my brain and my ears, not my heart. That said, the following notes sure sound plausible, so maybe I used more than the left side of my brain creating the lead sheets and performances.”
“Their “Cognitive Dissonance” is based on a “Pre-Conceived Notion” of reality, causing them to have “Tortured Thoughts” about the so-called “Changes We Can Believe In,” causing society to “Relapse” to a reactionary time, before “Dawkins” and “Hitchens” showed some of us the path to enlightenment; a time when writing a loving “Valentune” wasn’t followed an ignorant reaction, causing three times the sadness; a “Bluetrois,” you might say.
“Anyway…,” I think it’s time for a “New Anthem.”
No matter where your viewpoints lie we can all agree that there are deep divides in this country. While Framework certainly holds no grand illusions that our music is the answer to these problems, we do know that music is a unifying and healing force; a vibration of human spirit and ingenuity that can soothe a troubled mind or inspire others to look into themselves and see one another from a different perspective. Framework sincerely hopes that this music offers you beauty, hope, distractions, insights, balms, and above all joy. It was made with care, love and respect for anyone who is listening.
Framework “Cognitive Dissonance” releases Friday August 27th, 2021 on Shifting Paradigm Records. Available in limited hard copy CD and on all streaming platforms.
Every song on this album was written and arranged by guitarist Chris Olson and shows how lyrical, thoughtful, sarcastic and bombastic his writing style can be. Chris elucidates. “The melodies and chord progressions on this album were not written during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the titles that inspired those notes took on an even stronger meaning, or a new meaning entirely in the months leading up to recording them in August and September of 2020, and may have become more poignant, biting, satirical, cynical, and angry in the year following the studio date. I should point out that I write music for musical reasons, not to evoke any of the images and emotions described in these notes. Only the titles have a pointed message. I write and play using my brain and my ears, not my heart. That said, the following notes sure sound plausible, so maybe I used more than the left side of my brain creating the lead sheets and performances.”
“Their “Cognitive Dissonance” is based on a “Pre-Conceived Notion” of reality, causing them to have “Tortured Thoughts” about the so-called “Changes We Can Believe In,” causing society to “Relapse” to a reactionary time, before “Dawkins” and “Hitchens” showed some of us the path to enlightenment; a time when writing a loving “Valentune” wasn’t followed an ignorant reaction, causing three times the sadness; a “Bluetrois,” you might say.
“Anyway…,” I think it’s time for a “New Anthem.”
No matter where your viewpoints lie we can all agree that there are deep divides in this country. While Framework certainly holds no grand illusions that our music is the answer to these problems, we do know that music is a unifying and healing force; a vibration of human spirit and ingenuity that can soothe a troubled mind or inspire others to look into themselves and see one another from a different perspective. Framework sincerely hopes that this music offers you beauty, hope, distractions, insights, balms, and above all joy. It was made with care, love and respect for anyone who is listening.
Framework “Cognitive Dissonance” releases Friday August 27th, 2021 on Shifting Paradigm Records. Available in limited hard copy CD and on all streaming platforms.
