When: 6/24
Where: 285 Kent
Although I've loved the Coathangers for a few years now and consider them top-notch badasses, they reached a new level of badassery and awesomeness during their opening slot for Bush Tetras on Friday. The Coathangers are four attractive but intimidating ladies from Georgia. They play strange, energetic, sarcastic punk music. Their vocal styles range from gender-bending growl to possessed muppet, at times warbling, at times screeching - but somehow, there are melodies.
The Coathangers haven't changed that much since I first saw them but they have gone in a new direction on one thing: their approach to the keyboard. Once upon a time, about 90% of their keyboard playing involved randomly banging clusters of keys, but now they've moved away from that technique towards actual melodic riffs (though they still do some random pounding as well). Honestly, it's not better or worse this way - on the one hand, the music is a little less ferociously wild than it once was, but on the other, the band's songs are more distinct and more tightly constructed.
And around those melodic riffs, the band still rages like always. Seriously, don't fuck with these girls. Todd P and his sound guy tried to fuck with them by cutting the band off during one of their instrument rotations. Because their set was a little (ok, a lot) long and there were two bands yet to go, Big Brother decided to pull the plug and start blasting the Beach Boys (or something similar) through the PA, signalling the end of the set. The Coathangers ignored it and kept playing. And won. The music was shut off and the mics were turned back on. Pausing for only about two or three seconds to shout "don't turn off our mics" they launched into another song.
Twice more, the bossman tried to drown them out with shite, but the band refused to leave the stage. During one last instrument switch, someone decided enough was enough and cut off the mics for good. But did that stop our feisty foursome? Ha! They played their last song OVER the between-sets mix that was blasting out of the PA. I don't know how they managed to stay together with a whole other song going at the same time, but they pulled it off and it was awesome. True, the vocals were inaudible and although the band did what they could to encourage a shout-along, not enough people knew the words to make that effective. But even if parts of the song were lost in the cacophony, the point still got across: the Coathangers are nobody's bitch. [video (not this show)]
Granted, the Coathangers are a hard act to follow, but upon seeing Friends, I could see why the much superior Coathangers felt inspired to run over their allotment into the next set. Friends weren't all bad. But the parts that were bad were pretty awful. The band is more post-disco than post-funk, but they were a logical opener for Bush Tetras, warm but white female vocals over angular post-punk dance grooves. They were tight and some of their b-lines were pretty outstanding. Their rhythm section over all was tight and they had some good ideas. Unfortunately, they chose to use two of the most piercing and annoying sounds possible on many of their songs: wood block and claves (those two wood sticks that you click together in Latin music).
The main thing that put me out wasn't the whacking of pieces of wood together, however. It was the oversung pop singing of the frontwoman that really grated my nerves after a while. There were moments when the set was enjoyable, more than I expected, but the overarching vocals sounded a little too much like a showcase of vocal ability and not quite enough like pop hooks or genuine expression.
The band was also a bit grating on a personal level. They were informed mid-way through their set that New York had legalized gay marriage. They made several well-intentioned attempts to express their agreement with the decision but the more they tried, the more awkward and offensive their comments got. As if the vocals hadn't made me cringe enough for one night! Still, their hearts were in the right place. [video (not this show)]
The Bush Tetras closed out the night with a set that was a little too long, given the heat of the room, but they did hit most of their best songs and well, they are too awesome for words. And what words I can use for them, I just used a few days ago. [video (not this show)]
Showing posts with label funk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label funk. Show all posts
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Live: Bush Tetras
When: 6/10
Where: Le Poisson Rouge
Another way overdue live review, but timely because the Bush Tetras are playing TONIGHT at 285 Kent and you should hear them.
For those who don't know who the Tetras are, here's a brief history: in New York City in the late 70's, a group of artists reacted to the commercialization of punk by making music that could never be co-opted by the record industry because it was pretty much unlistenable. That movement, dubbed "No Wave," included a broad variety of bands but all were noisy and eschewed conventional song structures and most were non-musicians. One of the main groups was the Contortions who had a guitarist named Pat Place. Once No Wavers had made their point, all the chaos started getting a little old, so they moved on to other things. Pat Place, along with a few other women from the scene, moved on to Bush Tetras, a group that took the dissonance and aggression of No Wave and channeled it into tight funk grooves that are jagged but actually danceable.
The Bush Tetras were a great band and an influential one, although they never reached massive commercial success (they weren't exactly aiming for the Top 40, obviously).
When I saw them on June 10, they had some gray hairs, but they were still as great a band as ever. They played old "hits" as well as some "newer" songs. Although original bassist Laura Kennedy is not in the mix, but Julia Murphy still bangs out some of the best b-lines I've ever heard - funky grooves but with that special angularity that sets the Tetras apart. (In case you're wondering, Kennedy hasn't played with the band in ages because of serious health problems. In fact, that was one of the major reasons for the band's 2007 reunion - she needed a liver transplant and her old band reformed to raise funds. Yes, they were successful and last we heard, she's got a new liver and is slowly rebuilding her health.)
The two most important band members are still very much in top form. They don't shy away from looking middle-aged, especially vocalist Cynthia Sley, who looks pretty much like every other artsy 50-ish woman from the Village, you know the kind of old hippie lady with the long hair and the simple, flowy clothes. Pat Place has always stood in a bit of contrast to this, with cropped hair and a tough, androgynous look. She's definitely the punk nihilist to Sley's sage flowerchild.
But Sley's lyrics are not so flowery. The band closed on their most well-known song, "Too Many Creeps," but all of their songs have a similar sense of mixed paranoia and ennui. Place's searing, discordant guitar certainly adds to the sense of claustrophobia but the entire band and their entire oeuvre seems to say "We're so bored and we're so totally screwed, but let's have fun and get down." Of course, they have some less nihilistic political points but it's all coated in the crime of New York City (and in particular the shithole that was New York City in the late 70's).
Most reunited bands are lucky if they don't look ridiculous doing what they do (the same could be said of bands that just never break up, amiright Mr. Jagger?) but the Tetras are miles beyond that. Maybe because they're so sincere, maybe because they're having so much fun, maybe because they never had a whole lot of glory in the first place so they haven't got some youthful folly they're trying to reclaim, they are as cool as they ever were. Maybe even more so. Yeah, they are who they are - it's not perfect - but they play tighter and rock harder than most of the wussy youngsters making indie "rock" today. So kids, take notes - this is how it's done.
Where: Le Poisson Rouge
Another way overdue live review, but timely because the Bush Tetras are playing TONIGHT at 285 Kent and you should hear them.
For those who don't know who the Tetras are, here's a brief history: in New York City in the late 70's, a group of artists reacted to the commercialization of punk by making music that could never be co-opted by the record industry because it was pretty much unlistenable. That movement, dubbed "No Wave," included a broad variety of bands but all were noisy and eschewed conventional song structures and most were non-musicians. One of the main groups was the Contortions who had a guitarist named Pat Place. Once No Wavers had made their point, all the chaos started getting a little old, so they moved on to other things. Pat Place, along with a few other women from the scene, moved on to Bush Tetras, a group that took the dissonance and aggression of No Wave and channeled it into tight funk grooves that are jagged but actually danceable.
The Bush Tetras were a great band and an influential one, although they never reached massive commercial success (they weren't exactly aiming for the Top 40, obviously).
When I saw them on June 10, they had some gray hairs, but they were still as great a band as ever. They played old "hits" as well as some "newer" songs. Although original bassist Laura Kennedy is not in the mix, but Julia Murphy still bangs out some of the best b-lines I've ever heard - funky grooves but with that special angularity that sets the Tetras apart. (In case you're wondering, Kennedy hasn't played with the band in ages because of serious health problems. In fact, that was one of the major reasons for the band's 2007 reunion - she needed a liver transplant and her old band reformed to raise funds. Yes, they were successful and last we heard, she's got a new liver and is slowly rebuilding her health.)
The two most important band members are still very much in top form. They don't shy away from looking middle-aged, especially vocalist Cynthia Sley, who looks pretty much like every other artsy 50-ish woman from the Village, you know the kind of old hippie lady with the long hair and the simple, flowy clothes. Pat Place has always stood in a bit of contrast to this, with cropped hair and a tough, androgynous look. She's definitely the punk nihilist to Sley's sage flowerchild.
But Sley's lyrics are not so flowery. The band closed on their most well-known song, "Too Many Creeps," but all of their songs have a similar sense of mixed paranoia and ennui. Place's searing, discordant guitar certainly adds to the sense of claustrophobia but the entire band and their entire oeuvre seems to say "We're so bored and we're so totally screwed, but let's have fun and get down." Of course, they have some less nihilistic political points but it's all coated in the crime of New York City (and in particular the shithole that was New York City in the late 70's).
Most reunited bands are lucky if they don't look ridiculous doing what they do (the same could be said of bands that just never break up, amiright Mr. Jagger?) but the Tetras are miles beyond that. Maybe because they're so sincere, maybe because they're having so much fun, maybe because they never had a whole lot of glory in the first place so they haven't got some youthful folly they're trying to reclaim, they are as cool as they ever were. Maybe even more so. Yeah, they are who they are - it's not perfect - but they play tighter and rock harder than most of the wussy youngsters making indie "rock" today. So kids, take notes - this is how it's done.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Album: Dinowalrus - %
Album: %
Kanine, 2009
Rating: ******** (8/10)
When I first heard Dinowalrus recorded, I wasn't taken with the music. I didn't understand it and I couldn't digest it. However, after seeing them live, I began to grasp what they're all about. And I decided with their album release this week, it was time for me to give their recordings another go.
From a relatively young band with a name like Dinowalrus, you'd certainly be justified not expecting a particularly mature album. But for a very indie Brooklyn band, Dinowalrus proves with % that they are as grown up as anyone. The record is sophisticated and polished and is certainly a serious and substantial undertaking. This isn't scene, it isn't attitude, it's music. And maybe that sounds obvious in a music review, but it's really not - most bands are at least partially about something other than the music - and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. But if Dinowalrus has another motive, it doesn't show here.
Peter Feigenbaum, Dinowalrus's frontman, told me he doesn't listen a whole lot of to contemporary music, partly "in order to maintain aesthetic sovereignty." And that clearly works for Dinowalrus, because % sounds like no one else. It's dense, spacey psychedelia with deep grooves, raging guitar riffs and a million noises you can't quite identify. The songs are epic and multidimensional but rock hard. Sounds here are clearly a medium, the album a collection of art pieces, but that makes this sound pretentious and burdensome. Instead, it's fun and beautiful and badass, all at the same time.
My main criticism of Dinowalrus in the past has come from a certain amorphousness and I still see that here to some extent. It's not defining of the entire album, but there are certain places where I wonder if a particular chorus or verse might work just as well in a different song. The large components of each song aren't always glued together as well as I'd like.
But on a smaller scale, it would be impossible to fault the band for their arrangements. Each song is a complex mesh of sounds, painstakingly engineered and carefully, dynamically mixed. The songs are at once wild and disciplined, improvisational and meticulously planned.
Though the band's sonic palate is uniquely their own, it sometimes seems to want for breadth - every song is slathered in a similar dark, reverbed haze. However, there is always a trade-off between cohesion and variety and % manages a better balance than most. From the tightly-wound half-kraut, half-punk "Electric Car, Gas Guitar" to the bluesy riff of "Cage Those Pythons" to the warm, dreamy "Haze on the Mobius Strip," the songs create their own rich space for the listener to crawl inside.
It's hard to pick highlights from the album. "BEAD" may be the big hit song (err...) but its psych-funk groove (think ESG, Liquid Liquid or Konk on acid) is matched by the monumental krautrock-influenced anthem "I Hate Numbers." "Nuke Duke 'Em" burns like a fuse to a block of TNT, twisting and turning as it consumes itself.
% is original to its core. Though you can spot plenty of reference points in it, you won't see anything resembling imitation. There is simply no substitute. If you like this, you better get your hands on it because it's one of a kind.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Upcoming Shows: MDC, Mecca Normal + more
This is the most old school week ever, especially for punk rockers. (And if that's your thing, also check out Dead Milkmen and Meatmen tour schedules this week.)
TOMORROW, Tuesday, April 14
Wye Oak @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $12
Wye Oak are a really amazing noise-folk band from Baltimore who alternately make nice sweet songs and a really lot of noise. And sometimes they do both at the same time. Consisting of two amazingly gifted musicians, Wye Oak was rightfully the buzz of last year's CMJ Music Marathon. Check out my last live review of them for more information. [Website] [MySpace]
Wednesday, April 15
Nada Surf @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $15
Bell House has it going on this week! Nada Surf have been around forever. I know this, because many years ago, my very first band did a cover of their classic song "Popular." (However, we hesitated to perform it live since our vocalist would kind of go nuts and start screaming names of specific people we went to school with. But I digress.) With their slightly punky indie rock, Nada Surf have only improved since their initial hit (yup, "Popular"), with their quality steadily on the rise for at least 15 years now. [Website] [MySpace]
Thursday, April 16
Throbbing Gristle @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple | Fort Greene, Brooklyn | $35 (Sold Out??)
I would be remiss not to tell you that classic industrial band Throbbing Gristle is doing their first East Coast show in ages this Thursday at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple. An offshoot of Krautrock and its unhuman electronic beats, industrial music was largely defined by Throbbing Gristle in the mid-70's. Without them, you'd have no Big Black, no Nine Inch Nails, probably even no Depeche Mode. And they have a reputation as an amazing live act, far exceeding their recorded material. Still, thirty-five bucks ain't cheap. [Website] [MySpace]
?? Rumanian Buck @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $8 ??
I can't figure out whether or not this show has been cancelled. I think it has, but it's worth looking into further, because Rumanian Buck features members of Big Sleep and the late Beat the Devil, two of NYC's best edgy, hard-rockin' bands.
Friday, April 17
Of Montreal, Janelle Monae, The Ladybug Transistor @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | SOLD OUT
Wow, this is a monster of a line-up. Honestly, I stopped liking Of Montreal when they stopped being a creepy little twee band, but they do know how to incorporate a trumpet into a pop song, so they're clearly doing something right. The worst thing about them nowadays is that their stage performance is super gimmicky and lame - but they've kind of made up for that this time around by inviting two killer openers. Janelle Monae is a richly-talented singer who I've been rooting for way back before any of y'all knew her name. Her southern roots mixed with funk mixed with indie rock sensibility make her sound pretty hard to describe but pretty awesome to listen to. And the Ladybug Transistor, well, they're NYC's quintessential indie pop band and nothing short of irresistible. Together, the three acts have a lot of variety but a lot of great pop moments that make surfing craigslist for a ticket worth your while. [OM Website] [OM MySpace] || [Monae Website] [Monae MySpace] || [Ladybug Website] [Ladybug MySpace]
Saturday, April 18
MDC (unplugged) @ ABC No Rio | LES, Manhattan | $7 | 3 PM
MDC @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $10 | 8 PM
MDC are one of the great classics of American punk, a West Coast hardcore outfit who were contemporaries and equals of fellow San Franciscans the Dead Kennedys. You have two chances to see them Saturday, both in intimate environments. True to hardcore tradition, both shows are ALL AGES. [MySpace]
Asa Ransom @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $?
It's been a long time since I last checked in with my pals Asa Ransom, whose keyboard-driven, aggressive, experimental punk is comparable to Pere Ubu in no small way. Their live show is outstanding and their music is cutting edge. [Website] [MySpace]
Monday, April 20
Mecca Normal (K Records) @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $8
Mecca Normal is a classic K Records band, and while K Records is most famous for its wussy twee pop, Mecca Normal are far more badass than their label would imply. Though formed in 1981, the band didn't hit their stride until the late 80's and early 90's, when they combined the sounds of their scene - indie pop and early riot grrrl - with the more experimental sounds of noise rock, post punk and no wave. Check it. [MySpace]
The Bronx @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15
The Bronx are the leading hardcore band of the moment, so if the K Records crowd is too pansy for you, stop by here instead. [Website] [MySpace]
TOMORROW, Tuesday, April 14
Wye Oak @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $12
Wye Oak are a really amazing noise-folk band from Baltimore who alternately make nice sweet songs and a really lot of noise. And sometimes they do both at the same time. Consisting of two amazingly gifted musicians, Wye Oak was rightfully the buzz of last year's CMJ Music Marathon. Check out my last live review of them for more information. [Website] [MySpace]
Wednesday, April 15
Nada Surf @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $15
Bell House has it going on this week! Nada Surf have been around forever. I know this, because many years ago, my very first band did a cover of their classic song "Popular." (However, we hesitated to perform it live since our vocalist would kind of go nuts and start screaming names of specific people we went to school with. But I digress.) With their slightly punky indie rock, Nada Surf have only improved since their initial hit (yup, "Popular"), with their quality steadily on the rise for at least 15 years now. [Website] [MySpace]
Thursday, April 16
Throbbing Gristle @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple | Fort Greene, Brooklyn | $35 (Sold Out??)
I would be remiss not to tell you that classic industrial band Throbbing Gristle is doing their first East Coast show in ages this Thursday at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple. An offshoot of Krautrock and its unhuman electronic beats, industrial music was largely defined by Throbbing Gristle in the mid-70's. Without them, you'd have no Big Black, no Nine Inch Nails, probably even no Depeche Mode. And they have a reputation as an amazing live act, far exceeding their recorded material. Still, thirty-five bucks ain't cheap. [Website] [MySpace]
?? Rumanian Buck @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $8 ??
I can't figure out whether or not this show has been cancelled. I think it has, but it's worth looking into further, because Rumanian Buck features members of Big Sleep and the late Beat the Devil, two of NYC's best edgy, hard-rockin' bands.
Friday, April 17
Of Montreal, Janelle Monae, The Ladybug Transistor @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | SOLD OUT
Wow, this is a monster of a line-up. Honestly, I stopped liking Of Montreal when they stopped being a creepy little twee band, but they do know how to incorporate a trumpet into a pop song, so they're clearly doing something right. The worst thing about them nowadays is that their stage performance is super gimmicky and lame - but they've kind of made up for that this time around by inviting two killer openers. Janelle Monae is a richly-talented singer who I've been rooting for way back before any of y'all knew her name. Her southern roots mixed with funk mixed with indie rock sensibility make her sound pretty hard to describe but pretty awesome to listen to. And the Ladybug Transistor, well, they're NYC's quintessential indie pop band and nothing short of irresistible. Together, the three acts have a lot of variety but a lot of great pop moments that make surfing craigslist for a ticket worth your while. [OM Website] [OM MySpace] || [Monae Website] [Monae MySpace] || [Ladybug Website] [Ladybug MySpace]
Saturday, April 18
MDC (unplugged) @ ABC No Rio | LES, Manhattan | $7 | 3 PM
MDC @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $10 | 8 PM
MDC are one of the great classics of American punk, a West Coast hardcore outfit who were contemporaries and equals of fellow San Franciscans the Dead Kennedys. You have two chances to see them Saturday, both in intimate environments. True to hardcore tradition, both shows are ALL AGES. [MySpace]
Asa Ransom @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $?
It's been a long time since I last checked in with my pals Asa Ransom, whose keyboard-driven, aggressive, experimental punk is comparable to Pere Ubu in no small way. Their live show is outstanding and their music is cutting edge. [Website] [MySpace]
Monday, April 20
Mecca Normal (K Records) @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $8
Mecca Normal is a classic K Records band, and while K Records is most famous for its wussy twee pop, Mecca Normal are far more badass than their label would imply. Though formed in 1981, the band didn't hit their stride until the late 80's and early 90's, when they combined the sounds of their scene - indie pop and early riot grrrl - with the more experimental sounds of noise rock, post punk and no wave. Check it. [MySpace]
The Bronx @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15
The Bronx are the leading hardcore band of the moment, so if the K Records crowd is too pansy for you, stop by here instead. [Website] [MySpace]
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Upcoming Show: ESG - This Saturday!!!
OK, so yesterday, my friend was just telling me had to check out this band ESG who kind of ran with the No Wave crowd back in the early 80's. The four sisters from the South Bronx played a stripped-down, rhythm-focused funk that through odd twists of fate captured the attention first of the NYC No Wave scene and later of Factory Records in the UK.
ESG's innovative combination of rhythmic influences from the Rolling Stones to James Brown to Latin dance was profoundly influential in post punk, hip hop and club music. Sampling from ESG became a hip hop standard in the 90's, much to the group's frustration - they saw no money from the use of their work.
Over the last thirty years, ESG has flickered in and out of existence with slight line-up changes (most recently adding the daughters of founding member Renee). And apparently, I chose the perfect time to check them out, because when researching them last night, I was very surprised to stumble upon a current flier.
Show info:
ESG is playing Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker St.) this Saturday at 10 PM. Tickets are kind of expensive ($20 adv/$25 door) but considering the band's historical significance and the fact that they are completely amazing, you'd do well to scrape together enough for a ticket. There are a number of other acts on the bill as well including Salvatore Principato of Liquid Liquid. It's not to be missed.
ESG's innovative combination of rhythmic influences from the Rolling Stones to James Brown to Latin dance was profoundly influential in post punk, hip hop and club music. Sampling from ESG became a hip hop standard in the 90's, much to the group's frustration - they saw no money from the use of their work.
Over the last thirty years, ESG has flickered in and out of existence with slight line-up changes (most recently adding the daughters of founding member Renee). And apparently, I chose the perfect time to check them out, because when researching them last night, I was very surprised to stumble upon a current flier.
Show info:
ESG is playing Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker St.) this Saturday at 10 PM. Tickets are kind of expensive ($20 adv/$25 door) but considering the band's historical significance and the fact that they are completely amazing, you'd do well to scrape together enough for a ticket. There are a number of other acts on the bill as well including Salvatore Principato of Liquid Liquid. It's not to be missed.
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