Chessie (band) explained

Chessie is an American experimental music group consisting of Stephen Gardner and Ben Bailes.

Gardner started Chessie in 1994, while he was a member of the Washington, D.C. post-rock band Lorelei. His first full-length as Chessie, Signal Series, was issued in 1998 and was named Best Dance and DJ Album that year by Amazon.com.^[1] In 2000 Gardner was joined by Bailes and they have since worked as a duo.^[2] While Overnight received critical acclaim^[3] and a spot on a New York Times music critic's best-of-2001 list,^[4] a follow-up record did not materialize until 2008, when the group released Manifest on Plug Research. The repetitive nature of their music is inspired by trains and railroads.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]}

In 2022, Gardner became president and CEO of Amtrak.^[9]

Musical style

Reviewing Signal Series, M. Tye Comer of CMJ New Music Monthly considered Chessie a product of the closing gap between post-rock and experimental electronica in the late 1990s. He noted that the album was a sound collage with raw loops and influences from dub music and drum and bass.^[10]

Discography

Albums

• Signal Series (Drop Beat Records, 1998)
• Meet (Drop Beat, 1999)
• Overnight (Plug Research, 2001)
• Manifest (Plug Research, 2008)

EPs and collaborations

• Approach Limited 7", 1996
• Lost, Not Found 10", 2000
• Alpha-Arvonia DVD&CD (with Colby Caldwell), 2004
• Suburban Shore (as Camping, with Henning Fritzenwalder), 2004
• Dual Mode EP, 2006

External links

• Chessie

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chessie: Overnight. Paul. Cooper. Pitchfork. January 14, 2002 . June 6, 2023 .
2. Web site: Chessie. Epitonic. https://web.archive.org/web/20120108015047/http://www.epitonic.com/artists/chessie/. January 8, 2012.
3. Web site: Chessie Biography. Mike. DaRonco. AllMusic. June 6, 2023.
4. News: Best of the Obscure Among 2001's Albums. Pareles. Jon. The New York Times. January 3, 2002. E1. June 6, 2023.
5. Web site: Chessie. Mark. Jenkins. Washington City Paper. July 21, 2001 . June 6, 2023.
6. Web site: The Railroad Underground. Mark. Jenkins. Washington City Paper. November 12, 2001 . June 6, 2023.
7. Web site: Chessie: Manifest. Alan. Ranta. PopMatters. February 19, 2008 . June 6, 2023.
8. Web site: Chessie: Plugged-In Tracks Plus Some Surprising Fare. Mark. Jenkins. Washington Post. January 21, 2002 . C8. June 6, 2023.
9. Amtrak Announces Bill Flynn to Retire and Names Stephen Gardner as New President and CEO. Amtrak. December 15, 2021 . June 6, 2023.
10. Comer . M. Tye . Reviews . . October 17, 1998 . June 6, 2023.