New indie BOX episodes: Joseph Arthur and The Parson Red Heads

© Wasted Talent Media

Written by Priscilla Tasker

indie BOX Episode 11 features Akron native Joseph Arthur, whose musical career was launched at the hands of Harvey Schartz and Peter Gabriel when he signed on as Real World Records' first American artist in 1996. A dark, tangled image of phantasmic human beings reaching in lax desperation toward three crosses on a hill is a penitent backdrop to his nearly 22-minute set at Musica in Akron. With his back to the audience, Arthur shades the spaces around the forlorn faces black and grey, and recites the dusky, confessional verse of "I Miss The Zoo" before turning to face the crowd again. He follows with "I Donated Myself to the Mexican Army" at his mother's request.

Watch Arthur's full performance here. Get to know this Ohio-born artist in this Arts Quest interview.

indie BOX Episode 12 stars Portland, Oregon-based The Parson Red Heads, a wistful band whose sound wafts like the redolence of the Love Generation. Four-part vocal harmonies emulate the air of West Coast freedom as the band interweaves simple chord progressions and light percussion into danceable, insouciant songs.

Watch The Parson Red Head's full performance here. Read what Wasted Talent Media's Todd Volkmer had to say about the band's Musica performance on the Arts Quest blog.