the physics of meaning

The Physics of Meaning is a chamber rock band from North Carolina, spearheaded by multi-instrumentalist songwriter Daniel Hart. Daniel is a member of St. Vincent and John Vanderslice's band, as well as a frequent contributor to The Polyphonic Spree.

Much in the same way that Daniel splits his time now between several different projects, Daniel split his time growing up between two passions. He started playing the violin when he was only three years old and continued to study classical music throughout his adolescence. The weeks were spent practicing Bach sonatas and partitas; Saturdays rehearsing "Peer Gynt" and "The Firebird Suite" in citywide youth orchestra.

But Daniel also loved theatre, taking up the role of Mercutio in a high school summer Shakespeare festival, reading the plays of modern greats like Sam Shepard and Samuel Beckett. At college, Daniel earned a degree in playwriting, examining human motivation as it translates from the written word to the stage, writing his own plays and performing them with his classmates.

So The Physics of Meaning is the culmination of these two influences: Daniel's love of classical violin and his love of dialogue-driven storytelling. Physics songs are narratives, character sketches, soliloquies, arguments, secret wishes, unsolved mysteries. The music evokes the sweet earnestness of John Vanderslice, the technical beauty of St. Vincent, and the charging energy of the Spree, while the effects of a youth spent listening to Led Zeppelin and Yes are also evident.

The Physics of Meaning just finished recording its fully-orchestrated second album, "Snake Charmer and Destiny at the Stroke of Midnight", which is slated for release in Spring 2008. For both the album and the live band, Daniel has recruited numerous friends, including Mark Paulson (The Rosebuds, Bowerbirds), Alex Lazara (The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers), guitarist Eric Haugen and labelmate David Karsten Daniels.