This is coming a few days late and will probably be a lot too short. But hey, take these pills of MP3 forgiveness and read on, intrepid music fan.
All photos: Beau Finley
Zulu Pearls - If It's All the Same
Double Dagger - Luxury Condos for the Poor
Double Dagger - Camera Chimera
This show had great potential. Musically, I thought for the most part the artists kept up their end of the bargain. Double Dagger and Imperial China killed it. Zulu Pearls, not so much, but they were earnest, I will give them that. But come on DC; you had 3 (4, but I missed B&W Jacksons) prime and distinct sounds to get down to and you mostly failed.
Imperial China, this being their CD release, did get the most people moving. But Double Dagger's performance was pure electricity. But let's start from the beginning (well, mine)...Zulu Pearls.
Mostly innocuous, described by one show-farer as an approximation of Interpol (an accurate picture live). But I'd wager without the charisma and ability to channel moods. I appreciate their energy, but for me the music was largely unremarkable and the showmanship a bit forced. There is potential, as evidenced from some solid recorded material, but a lot of refinement to go before it is realized live. The most distracting part of the performance was the lead singer, whose antics amounted to some inebriated stumbling around and emoting; it even seemed to irritate fellow band members, notably the guitarist who I thought was going to rip his jugular out with his teeth by set's end.
Double Dagger followed and represented Baltimore in perfect fashion. The effectiveness of the minimalist 3-part(bass, vocals, drums) approach to their music cannot be overemphasized. They generate a punk and post-hardcore firestorm truly living up to and expanding upon the legacy of the ever-present genre influence, Fugazi. Bruce's bass work was a frenzied, near-virtuosic technical display organically fusing the twitchy and up-tempo approach of punk with the more exploratory tendencies of any of the sub-sects of jazz. Unfortunately, Nolen's highly interactive, classic punk approach to showmanship was not well-received by many in the crowd. I can't count the number of people who commented they found it "creepy" or that he needed to back off.
I couldn't disagree more. I truly believe that if you insist on maintaining this fourth wall between performer and spectator, you are not experiencing the performance to its fullest. You should be welcoming this amount of interaction. And here lies the big difference between DC and Baltimore crowds. People wouldn't think twice about this in Baltimore, welcoming the chance to melt the experiences of performer and audience into one big, joyous mess; self-consciousness be damned. Fuck the person next to you, if you dig it, show some love and freak the fuck out. Thankfully the front few rows of the crowd seemed to be receptive, so my experience wasn't ruined. Standouts from the set were the obvious, perennial favorite "Luxury Condos" and "No Allies."
Imperial China bounded to the stage and immediately started pounding into the first track ("There is no translation") off their, frankly, fantastic EP Methods. This being a CD release show, I will be making their evaluation a combination of EP review and show review.
For such a young band, formed only in fall 2007, they have a mature and developed sound as well as phenomenal live presence that is polished yet infused with that about-to-careen-off-the-rails energy and spontaneity necessary for a killer live show. The speak-shout vocals are a great topping, but their songs would work perfectly as instrumentals. They channel tasteful and expansive prog in many instrumental sections of their songs. Here, they wring some truly spectacular sounds out of their poor, unsuspecting instruments.
Watching this process unfold is engrossing: bassist Brian Porter twitches and pulsates, possessed with intensity, funneling it all into his frantic bass and vocals, guitarist Matt Johnson calmly yet intently picking a fiery guitar riff and Patrick Gough flailing away at drums, it just swallows you whole. They exchange times, styles and techniques of post-rock, post-punk, experimental noise and electronic, math-rock and a dozen other genres as fluidly as a banker exchanges currencies.
For primary evidence, you need look no farther than their always enthralling performance of instrumental track "Radhus," where Porter and Johnson pull double-duty on keys/synths and drums, respectively; Johnson and Gough both madly going at it on the drums is an invigorating scene. The track is perfectly paced and layered with at least a dozen interesting musical voices and associated hooks. The establishment of the early drum cadence undergirded by a body-shaking low-range synth groove that belongs in some deep house or electro track, works you into a frenzy that is then carried by an extended passage of sharp and crunchy guitar work. The intensity then begins to break down as the guitar enters into a more sparse, post-punk punctuated style followed by the closing sequence of synth breakdown. As far as musical rollercoasters go, you can't ask for much more.
The head-to-head of Double Dagger followed by Imperial China was one of the best-paired match-ups I've seen in recent memory. They are of a similar temperament, both musically and in performance approach, delivering captivating, rapid-fire sets with little breathing room and showing a truck-load of musical chops. DD may be a bit more intense and interactive, but they've been around the block a few times. I predict Imperial China will be there soon enough, completely demolishing the energy-sapping fourth wall right beside Nolen and the rest of DD; hell, they are halfway there on music alone.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Imperial China, Double Dagger, Zulu Pearls @ RnR Hotel
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Review - Fuck Buttons @ Rock and Roll Hotel, DC
Monday, March 24, 2008
Review - Imperial China, Caverns @ Lo-Fi Social Club
DC sent some of its premier music-makers to Baltimore this past Saturday. Imperial China specialize in a decaying, spaced and fuzzed out, tribal brand of post-punk. Some apt comparisons have been thrown about to Battles. I would challenge that they are a sight more intense. They played a ferocious set that was highly percussive. At times having 2 members on drums, their lines created a sense of anticipation and foreboding. Both front-men doubled duty on guitar and bass, switching frequently. This fed into the chaotic feel of the music and was topped by the twitchy guitar and bass work, post-punk flavored and coming down like sheets of rain. The entire set was utterly haunting and senses-smashing. They have some great musical ideas and it will be exciting to see where they take things.
And now, onto Caverns.
What can I say. These guys are 2 for 2 in my book. They absolutely destroyed. Their songwriting possesses perfect control of pacing and packs a lot of guitar, drum and keyboard depth into digestible and cohesive tracks. Guitarist Kevin's energy was through the roof, frequently thundering down off the stage to romp around the floor amidst the audience mid-song, ax flailing and wailing. He even chased off a pre-set heckler within the first minute of the first song. But when appropriate he pulled back in a stunning showcase of his ability to not only shred but inject serenity and nuance into his playing. "The family that slays together stays together" is probably the best example of this.
Patrick's keyboard work was lush and immersive, but almost overpowering. In fact, the whole sound was pretty damned deafening (as has been commented on before by Jeff the Taper). But the songs even held up in the din of induced tinnitis. I would have liked more clarity from the guitar in the mix, but nothing could be done on Caverns' end of this. It was hard to pick out the drums most of the time, but when they came through they seemed on point. The thing I really appreciated this go-around that I overlooked last time with Say Hi was the electronics by Ira. Asking to have all the lights cut out, I realized they lug around their own lighting. And it does a spectacular job of accenting the music and setting the mood, simply with the colors amber and white.
Spectacular set, personal highlight being "This are Syntax". It was also nice to hear the title track off their newest album, "Silk Scorpion." Talking to Kevin after the set, he said that Caverns will be in the studio and pre-production for the album for the next month or so, emerging to play again with Imperial China at Velvet Lounge at the beginning of May.
Thanks to both groups for coming up. Good luck to Caverns in the studio. We can't wait to hear some new material.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Pietasters skankalicious Saturday Sonar Show
DC/Baltimore-metropolitan area ska legends the Pietasters were the first less-than-national band I had ever saw live at the old Black Cat in DC when I was but a pup in the mid-90s with the Pilfers (side project of Coolie Ranx from the Toasters) opening up in the hey-day of third-wave. And though the third wave has long past ebbed, they still rank among my personal top 10 artists for quality, consistency and just plain fun.
Lead singer Steve Jackson and crew are renowned for their ability to play alcohol-fueled and inhumanly long, ferocious sets of diverse music romping around the realms of ska, dub, reggae, world and rock music to get the entire club skanking and bopping into a huge, frenzied mass of Brownian motion.
Do yourself a favor and unwind at Sonar in a sweaty mass Saturday night with myself and a packed house full of Baltimore and DC area ska lovers. Pietasters headline with Jah Works, Lionize and Dub Trio opening.
After the jump, there are some skankalicious tracks to whet your appetite. And to delve deeper, check out this interview I had with Steve Jackson about everything ska and good in the world.
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The Pietasters - "Out All Night"
The Pietasters - "Tell You Why/Maggie Mae"
The Pietasters - "Biblical Sense"
Jah Works - "King of Kings"
Pilfers - "Lay"
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Album Review: Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
OK kids, get your giggles out. Yes, this duo from the UK, comprised of one Andrew Hung and one Benjamin John Power, is called Fuck Buttons (Wiki). Ludicrous name. But to the matter at hand. This week, a copy of their debut full-length called "Street Horrrsing" dropped in my mailbox and I popped it in for a listen.
If you aren't ready to be immersed and engulfed by sound, or despise repetition and noise, please turn this review off now.
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For those of you who stuck around, Fuck Buttons' debut album is 50 minutes of experimental aural immersion. It's like watching the sunrise at the end of the world perched on a precipice in some exotic mountain-range...or just running around the city on little-to-no sleep.
Their music combines abrasive and aggressive elements (muted-screech-and-scream vocals, driving tribal percussion) with the mesmerizing and soothing elements of looped synths or fuzzed-out static noise and drone. Often the effect is an odd, serene beauty laden with tension and dark undertones, as if a steady dirge in anticipation of the death of some unknown aspect of humanity.
Described as electro-psych-drone, Fuck Buttons deliver tracks that are well-metered and absolutely mesmerizing. But this is not music for the impatient. There are only 6 tracks on the album, with 5 clocking in at-or-above 8 minutes in length. Not so easily digested, the tracks individually don't necessarily blow you away. But when you sit and listen to the album in its entirety, the effect is profound.
The twinkling keys that begin the album on lead track "Sweet Love for Planet Earth" are a gentle, innocent introduction into Fuck Buttons' dystopic album and world. Their patent drone enters aligned with the keys, but eventually taking it over as the lead musical voice (one of their most effective techniques, blending drone). Wailing vocals lend a sense of turmoil beneath the swirling mix of drone and keys.
The simplest, shortest track "Ribs Out" is one of the most haunting I've heard in ages. It recalls some demonic ritual in the depths of an unknown rainforest with reverbing primal yelps and screams set upon a tribal beat that sounds like chattering bones are being used for drum sticks.
The much previewed and lauded first single "Bright Tomorrow" presents probably the most uplifting moments thanks to the bright keyboard line and major key drone that enters near the 3 minute mark. But eventually the track turns to a darker, more crushing drone that provides a perfect leads into the final track, "Colours Move." My personal favorite, this final track absolutely soars and destroys. The couplet of the last two tracks reminds me very much of Danny Boyle's 2007 film Sunshine, where a group of astronauts 50 years in the future attempts to re-ignite our dying sun.
And I couldn't think of a more appropriate parallel; Fuck Buttons very well may reignite the power of experimental and noise music for many and stand as a shining example of its versatility and viability. Fuck Buttons open for fellow noise-nik Caribou (Wiki) on March 21st when they hit Rock and Roll Hotel in DC. Their debut LP, Street Horrrsing drops in the States on March 18th.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Caverns Interview (w/ Kevin Hilliard)
Guitarist Kevin Hilliard, one-third of DC's hard-rocking instrumentalists Caverns took some time out to chat about their music and other miscellaneous topics like the role of vocals in metal. And check out our previous coverage of Caverns here.
Below are a smattering of streamed tracks for you to enjoy while reading the interview after the jump. Don't forget to catch them when they lay down the gauntlet with fellow DC-kids Imperial China, next to Baltimore's own Moscow Telephone and UK crunchy-pop-punk from Buck Brothers on March 21st at Lo-Fi.
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Aural States: So give me a little background, where you guys are from, how you guys formed.
Kevin Hilliard: We all grew up in Montgomery County, we’re all from the Bethesda/Rockville area. We went to high school together. I played in the jazz band together with Pat who’s the piano player in high school. When we got back from college I wanted to play with him in something different. He was more on the classical/jazz side whereas I grew up listening to and playing rock and roll. I wanted to see how the two things sounded together.
We started jamming in 2004, but we didn’t really do anything serious until the drummer Ross moved back to DC. After he graduated college, he lived a couple other places before he came back. He was looking to play with some people so we just came together, a little over 2 years ago.
AS- Just out of curiousity, as a fellow Maryland native, where’d you guys goto high school?
KH- Georgetown Prep.
AS- You said initially you were interested in just seeing how the sounds meshed together. How did things go, how did things sound at first?
KH- Well it started…Pat had a lot of experience working and doing producing work for hip-hop groups. He was also doing remixes. He had a lot of experience with music editing programs like Pro Tools. I always envisioned this band as having crazy guitar offset with more straight-forward and melodic piano, but also, I was at one time a little more interested in doing something along the lines of Mogwai (Wiki). You know how Mogwai will incorporate a lot of electronic elements into their sound like backing loops and sort of play along with it. The initial concept was more like that.
But we decided computers were more problematic than it was worth. We had the worst luck with every computer configuration. And with only the two of us, it just didn’t work. Some bands can do it and it’s awesome, but for us it was such a headache. It just so happened Ross was moving back to town around that time.
When he joined the band, I think that amped us up a little bit more, took us to another level of intensity. When he plays drums, he can be sort of aggressive and loud. We just kind of became what we were. We just started messing around. I would bring in ideas for songs, Pat and me would sort of develop them and they became just a lot heavier than I thought it was going to be. But we were all into it because we thought it wasn’t like anything we’d heard before.
None of us could sing, but we didn’t necessarily set out to be an instrumental band. None of us really wanted to sing. And really, I felt like the piano started acting like a vocalist in a way. So we just decided to develop it that way. Because a lot of the music we listened to and still listen to now, is more instrumental driven where the vocals are either buried, lower in the mix or kind of atmospheric rather than on the top.
I think that was just something we were more interested in exploring. We had all done stuff before that was more traditional. The crux was almost always finding a good vocalist or dealing with that aspect. And we just figured, none of us is a vocalist so let’s just be what we are.
AS- So you never dabbled with vocalists at all?
KH- Nah, after we’d developed enough songs to play a set live, we were comfortable and confident enough in them working as instrumentals. We got really psyched about presenting it as this full musical, almost like classical, vibe. Especially since the piano, the way Pat plays it in the context of our songs, has a very classical sound to it. I was really excited about it being this weird, sort of hyper-aggressive classical music. I don’t know if that’s what it really ended up being but…the idea was attractive.
AS- The piano definitely lends your music a symphonic or classical feel like you said. The closest sound I can even think of is symphonic metal without the ridiculous vocals of a hoarse screamer or some wailing 80s-hair metal vocalist.
KH- Yeah, like I read your review and I really respect like Dream Theater (Wiki), for example. I think John Petrucci (Wiki) is one of the greatest guitarists who’s ever picked it up. But there’s a certain element that always has alienated me from it. There’s this sort of drama club element to it. It’s a sort of overwrought-ness to it that, no matter how technical we get in this music, I always want it to be completely immediate. Not have a theatrical thing going on.
It has that classical element but it’s very much in your face like Converge (Wiki) and Dillinger Escape Plan (Wiki). And I agree, so many times, the worst part about a heavy band whether it’s total cooke-monster shit or super-theatrical like the band Nevermore (Wiki)…insanely good musicians but the second the guy opens his mouth you just laugh. It sounds so dated and preposterous.
AS- The other thing that you seem to excel at is keeping things in balance. Not letting any one member just go off and destroy the flow of a song. So many bands like that can just go off on tangents that wreck a song.
KH- Definitely, like I said, we want everything to be immediate. Bands I’ve seen like Mars Volta (Wiki), go into these long…impressive…but really long-winded instrumental, show-offy things…We’re not about that at all. We just want to get it done and present it. So many bands, instrumental bands, make this mistake…or maybe it’s not a mistake and we’re making a mistake I dunno…but do something in 5 minutes that they could have done in 30 seconds. It’s this weird sense that everything has to be developed to death, almost as an apology for the fact that there are no vocals. We never let ourselves feel that way.
AS- Is there anybody in charge of arranging your songs on the whole, keeping the balance and things like that? Or does everybody write and control their own stuff?
KH- As far as writing the overall structure, the framework of the song, I probably take the lead. But the good thing about working with Pat is that, even though we’ve known each other for a long time, we have almost no common musical interests or tastes. I could list 30 bands that people think Caverns sounds like and he might be able to name 2 of them. He has no history in this scene, he comes from a classical, jazz, R&B, hip-hop vibe. I feel like I present what I have to him and he gives me his thoughts and that does help shape the songs and we make some changes. Once that’s done, Ross will come in and apply a rhythm and make some changes. Especially with Pat’s left hand, which acts kind of like our bassist. But usually I come in with the basic structure, ideas and the general way the songs will go. Pat finishes it in a sense and Ross puts a rhythmic cherry on top I guess.
AS- Are most of your songs born as jams or do you bring concepts in more often than not?
KH- It depends on what we’re doing. The more aggressive, fast and heavy a song is, the more likely it was something I brought to the table. The more loose, mid-tempo and atmospheric songs, we play a longer slow jam in the middle of our sets, that is an example of a song we sat down and took more time together on, shaping as a band rather than me sitting down alone and workshopping prior to introducing it to the band. But they aren’t Caverns songs until the other two guys have had their say.
AS- Since you mentioned 30 or so bands people think Caverns sounds like, name some.
KH- Haha, well the sort of one-sentence, elevator pitch for what our band sounds like…I’d say it’s like Mogwai and Dillinger Escape Plan had a lovechild. We combine some of the harmonic vocabulary that Dillinger or Converge does, some diminished, some whole scale stuff, some super discordant half-step or seventh harmonies. But also looking from an instrumental perspective, using the piano and the way we develop some of our ideas is more inspired by a band like Mogwai or Dan Caballero.
Or even bands like Battles or Holy Fuck.
When I was really young, the first bands that really blew my mind were like Fugazi or Rage Against the Machine. Bands that in the early 90s were really revolutionary to me. Some of the first bass lines I learned were to Fugazi or RATM songs. That’s sort of where I got that punk flavor or element from.
Ornette Coleman you know, and the whole free jazz thing. That really changed my definition of music. It’s one of those things that walks the line between genius and crap the whole time. That’s the thing. Playing music like we play, that’s kinda wild and out there, the lesson that taught me is that you have to make up, in a way for it being some out of the ordinary by being a really good player. Really knowing what you’re doing even if it doesn’t sound like it. One person might go “oh it’s just noise” but another might dig deeper and go “oh this guy knows what he’s doing.”
AS- How do you approach live shows? It sounds that you are all very into and proud of being individual instrumentalists. Does it become just an open jam session or are things more organized?
KH- I don’t think so, each song sort of just exists. The only person who really improvs is probably Pat. The way the piano operates in our songs is that it is kind of above the other things, even though there is balance. But especially the melodic stuff, he has more room to improv.
But since I’m playing a weird dual-role of lead guitarist and also a weird mix between bassist and rhythm guitarist, I have to wear a lot of hats so I don’t have a lot of time or places to deviate too much. Which is why I try to really write runs that interest me. I think that’s part of this attitude that this is our moment, our half-hour or 45 minutes or whatever, to just go out there and kill it. Put every ounce of energy and passion into this.
I just want to go out there and have people remember us.
AS- With that in mind, what are your priorities right now?
KH- We just went through a first-run pressing of our first EP Sing Along that we recorded a little over a year ago with J Robbins in Baltimore. It was like a mission statement. A lot of songs on it were a little older, things we wanted to get out. We had a lot of ideas and those were the songs we had started playing. We're kind of at the end since we sold our last CD of that pressing at the Black Cat show.
Basically, our record Silk Scorpion that we are going to record starting in May is already written. So we're kind of in pre-production for that now. We're on Lujo Records, based out of Louisiana. This is probably, not right now, like a full-time thing for us. But basically every second we're not working we're putting into this band so I feel like our commitment is pretty high. We're trying to do a tour at the end of the year. Our record is probably gonna come out in January.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Show Review: Say Hi/Caverns @ the Black Cat, DC
There isn't much more to be said about Say Hi. Eric Elbogen is an excellent songsmith. You will never find anything too technically complex or musically challenging to listen to. What you will find, is carefully crafted and enjoyable indie-pop.
The value of his live show, other than the promise of another live member or two to fill out the band, is that he adds another dimension to the music and provides a heightened sense of immediacy to every song. So much so that each song feels like a musical kamikaze-run that starts with often timid beginnings, crescendoing over the course of the song into near-explosive whirls of Eric's guitar hook of choice, loaded with tension. Highlights of the night included a soaring performance of "Snowcones and Puppies," "Toil and Trouble," and the endearing, set-closing rally-cry for the shy kid in all of us "Let's Talk About Spaceships."
But the best part of the night for me was the discovery of DC's Caverns. Now I must preface this with some disclosure: I have an affinity for progressive metal, post-hardcore, hardcore, metalcore, all those sub-genres with oft-screaming vocalists and blistering instrumental work. Damn if I don't love a good breakdown. Too bad that more often than not, talented and creative musicians are undercut by a vocalist with a cookie-monster scream/growl that just ruins everything.
Caverns seemed to read my mind on that point, forgoing vocals and just steaming straight ahead with instrumental breakdown tracks. Drummer, shred-and-chug math-guitarist, electronics guy and pianist. Guitar work trudges all around the hard rock gamut, at times having the chug of metalcore, then switching over to prog/math mode with runs that melt your face. Their balance places the piano to the fore giving their sound a more dramatic, operatic feel.
Most direct influences seem to be Converge (a few tracks probably could have fit right on a Converge album) and Dillinger Escape Plan, or basically any math-core band. I'm pretty sure I heard a re-tuned Deftones riff in there somewhere and I'd like to think King Diamond and Dream Theater informed their sound a bit too.
More to come on them in the future...they play Lo-Fi on March 21 with Imperial China. Not to be missed.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Fort Reno preps 2008 season
DC's favorite little outdoor-venue-that-could, Fort Reno, is a lovely spot for an afternoon/evening show in the summertime. Every year, a free concert series runs through the summer, typically every Monday and Thursday in the Tenleytown park of the same name.
With the backdrop being an old, castle-like fort and the dim, amber glow of neighborhood streetlights, the whole setup makes for some picturesque moments in the early hours of dusk.
Past year's have seen names like Ted Leo, Benjy Ferree, the Evens, Mary Timony, Max Levine Ensemble, Fugazi, Q and Not U, and Georgie James. A lot of the draw is thanks to the prominent involvement of Ian Mackaye's (Fugazi, the Evens, Dischord Records owner) kid sister Amanda as musical curator for the series.
I'd definitely like to see more Baltimore representation down there...Avec, Thrushes, Wzt Hearts, Death Set, I am looking in all your general directions...submissions of demos are being accepted until March 17.
Couple epic live vids after the jump...
Photo by Flickr user BillAdler
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Ted Leo Live @ Fort Reno 2004/5?
Fugazi - Song #1 Live @ Fort Reno, 2002 *last show
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Cassettes bring some needed wintry precip.
I love me some punk. Combine punk with some other fringe genre of music or performance art and you've got me sold. That's probably why I love Gogol Bordello so much and why everyone should check out DC's vaudevillian masters of punk, the Cassettes!
The kids over at DC-based blog BYT have the scoop with a twinkly new track from the crew that prominently features Arthur's homemade theremins. Get your fix of the new track, "Snö" right here.
The Cassettes - Sweet Virginia Live
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