ORANGER/THE POSIES Bassist has fun with double duty

Matt Harris said one of the bands has changed stylistic directions.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Bassist Matt Harris is a moonlighter but he's unsure which band -- The Posies, an underrated power pop act from the '90s mostly known for college radio hit "Dream All Day," or indie rock act Oranger -- is his day job and which is, well, his part-time gig.
The Bay Area resident has band member status in both groups, which are touring together this fall, including a show Thursday at The Grog Shop. Performing double duty every night, Harris doesn't downplay his role.
"That's insanity, is what that's all about," Harris said, calling from somewhere in Texas. "I don't know why I agreed to do it. It's really fun. I love both bands and now that I've been with the Posies for almost five years, it's a bit easier for me to take on that challenge of doing double-duty because I kind of have a grasp of their catalog."
Before you chalk Harris up as another selfless musician doing it all for the music, there is a certain financial incentive that he didn't mention until prompted.
A new direction
With new drummer John Hofer in the fold, Oranger has entered a new stylistic direction. Harris said the group has actually stepped into more of an "open-space sound," which is a departure from its power pop-ish ways of the past. Known for its psychedelic vibe, the outfit took a different approach toward its recently released third album, "New Comes and Goes." There's even a dalliance into Southern rock with Oranger going Skynyrd on "Garden Party for the Murder Pride."
With a healthy vibe and touring schedule planned through 2006, Oranger could be a band on the rise. The Posies are also garnering more attention of late with its new disc, "Every Kind of Light."
Moving up?
This means one of Harris's bands could make it to the next level.
"It depends on what you think 'Make it' is," Harris said. "I think what we're doing is making it. It's fun and we're doing it because we love it. And we're sort of all cursed in that sense. It's the one thing we all want to do and can do. So, whether or not we sell a million records or not, that's a different level of making it. I'm extremely pleased at doing what I'm doing now, so I'm making it right now as far as that's concerned."
As to his own personal "Sophie's Choice" question (which band would he choose over the other?), Harris squirms.
"It's kind of like sitting on the fence," Harris said. "I'd rather burn the fence down than sit on the fence. And nobody wants to sit on a burning fence, anyway."