The Wailing Wall rocks SLC, rises to celebrity, still manages to stay true to roots

by Sonnet Graham

Wednesday February 22, 2006

Did you know Ben Apatoff just got a cell phone? Yeah, I know you want the number. Is Sufjan Stevens hiding out on our campus? Yes, I saw him in the Health Food Bar eating oranges. You think that’s hot? Wait ‘til I tell you what Michelle Yu sings in the shower.
By now, you must know how all these people are connected (I mean, I would hope you read the headline): they’re all members of Jesse Rifkin & the Wailing Wall. Obviously, the above are the wailing portion.

Young Jesse Rifkin, an aspiring artist whose peach tea I often steal, is the founder of this "delightful love-child of Neutral Milk Hotel and Hank Williams" and is "clearly destined for comparison with such greats as John Lennon and Mandy Moore."* The Maryland-bred boy came straight from Annapolis to the musical Mecca known as Sarah Lawrence. Rifkin is known to be highly sarcastic, play a mean accordion and get up ridiculously early. That’s right, gym-goers—Jesse Rifkin, 7 a.m. Be there.

But this profile isn’t just about Jesse Rifkin; after all, I did shamelessly name drop Ben Apatoff as my hook. In the band Apatoff is joined by such musical geniuses as Kevin Buckelew, Jamie Cook, Emily Eder, Matt Elkin, Taylor Pavlik, Sufjan Stevens (currently going by Vincent Del Signore—way to choose a non-conspicuous alias, Sufjan), Neil Makhija, Michelle Yu and sort-of member (there’s always one) Giancarlo Sutton, beer-runner extraordinaire.

You might be wondering why there are so many members in a band that claims to be "folk/indie/experimental" (http://myspace.com/jesserifkinisanasshole). If you are, congratulations, you’re the only person on campus who knows less about music than I.

But should you stumble into the Slonim Six common room on any given night, you just might find Yu-Buckelew on tambo, Pavlik rocking out on the trumpet, Apatoff jumping around on bass and Catie Miller drinking tea. She’s not actually a member of the band, but she usually is there, drinking tea—"Lipton crap," says Yu. Anyway, the list goes on—and on—which is why if you really want to know what they all play, you can go on MySpace and look it up yourself. I can tell you that one of them plays the melodica because I can hear it while trying to do Spanish homework in my room. I think there may be chimes as well; it’s hard to tell, as the accordion is really the only thing that wakes me up from my naps.

This year, The Wailing Wall has played with both Jason Webley and A Hawk & A Hacksaw. They will also be touring the greater Boston area during the spring, but you can catch them on campus at the March 4 Castanets show, which they will be opening. I guarantee you that sexy poster girl Emily Eder will definitely be wearing a dress worth showing up for. If you stick around long enough, you might catch a glimpse of the steamy love affair Rifkin is having with Sufjan. I would go for that. (For photos, contact me, five bucks a pop.)

I suppose before I wrap this up, I should mention that these people actually do play music (well), and Rifkin’s 5 song EP is a delicious sample of what to expect from him in the future (yes, I really did purchase it). As for what Yu sings in the shower—8:30 a.m, Slonim Six, upstairs. Be there.

*All quotes from Jesse Rifkin, except where otherwise cited.