The Kris Myers Appreciation Thread

Umphrey's Discussion
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no.

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edit: link was fux’d

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Good man

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<3333

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Does Kris have/share writing credit on anything UM? I posed in the New Songs thread about finding the below version of “Unsung Hero” on his soundcloud and was curious if it’s an original.

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Myers is definitely the best musician in UM and absolutely integral to their sound

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Backbone of the band. Not only technically speaking but uncanny ability to really alter his time feel and authentically play a lot of genres.

I love Jake UM would not be UM without him but he plays with a certain reckless abandon lol. A lot of his shredding is just tremolo picking nonsense and when he’s doing those joe pass chord stabs he is using the jazz shapes but it’s like totally atonal and random. Just throwing shit at a wall and seeing what sticks. And I love him for it. So much personality in his songs like yeah he’s not Bob Dylan but he understands song craft and Has a distinct way of writing.

But Kris is fucking precise. If we are speaking purely technically he is definitely the best in the band. He can authentically play Jazz, Metal, really anything. I watched that stream he did with Robben Ford and Coffin that was killer.

Not to mention he has an awesome vocal range!

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We get it, he FUX.

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Am I the only one who doesn’t think Kris, or really anyone in the band for that matter, has all that good of a voice? I mean it is fine for a jam band, and Brendan’s voice has really grown on me over the years, but I have never subcribed to this notion that Kris is some incredible vocalist.

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I don’t think he’s Aretha Franklin or anything but his ability to play and sing at the same time seems pretty damn impressive at times.

IE: Hot for Teacher

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Basically this IMO he is the best singer in the band

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That is true, it is definitely impressive watching him sing and play at the same time.

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I’m always amazed when they play 46 & 2. Even just sounding composed and natural while also playing that beat is impressive as hell.

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absolutely. not many folks could pull that off. love when 46 & 2 shows up in the setlist

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Definitely the one with the best range in the band and also while playing drums too is a lot on one plate. Dude fucks in a lot of ways.

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i mean, it’s safe to assume he has 5-way independence so…

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Even the opening of Synchronicity is crazy to be able to sing that high and drumming that hard

I think Jake is underrated as a vocalist. He has a thing and does it well. There is a sense of humor to his vocals and he has a low voice and pays homage to the baritones of rock. Definitely paying homage to Phil Lynott, David Bowie, Roger Waters, Zappa Etc…
Love when he steps it up and does Plush. He crushed Crazy Fingers and I think that was pushing it for his range …

Jake also writes really well for his own voice. Could you imagine anyone else singing Mulche’s or Mail Package?

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I equally love and hate pretty much everything about Jake these days

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