Splattered, Inc. Music Review

Joal Rush, Music Farm, 08.21.09

2009-08-23T17:30:00.000-04:00

Chaos in Gotham, Music Farm, 08.21.09

2009-08-23T15:59:00.000-04:00

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, 4/6/09

2009-05-06T14:14:00.005-04:00

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*****Thanks to Splattered Inc. correspondent Joel for the following review*****

For the unacquainted, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, particularly in its live incarnation, can be a bit overwhelming. To be sure, watching five adults
adorned in homemade costumes and corpse makeup performing dense avant-rock on junkyard instruments sounds like an exercise in masochism, particularly for those who prefer more subtle, electronic, or melodic fare. But almost everyone at Sudworks was cheering for an encore when this quintet left the stage Sunday night. How does one bring such an aesthetic--equal parts Dada theatre, twentieth century classical music, black metal, obscure naturalist ramblings, and carnival show--to a crowded bar and get anyone's attention, much less have that crowd begging for more?

Maybe the answer lies in the music itself. Every member of the group is a virtuoso and accomplished composer in his or her own regard, and the unit is so well rehearsed that the complex song structures and awkward time signatures seem effortless. The homemade instruments, such as a ten-foot log with bass piano strings and a warped bicycle-wheel, conjure obscure sounds which somehow fit perfectly within each song's context. Then there's more accessible fare, such as detuned, distorted guitars, the guttural roar of lead singer/guitarist Nils Frykdahl, violinist Carla Kihlstedt's beautiful textures and Eastern-influenced solos, and Matthias Bossi's steady and explosive drumming.

"And yet one gets the feeling while watching the performance unravel that, despite their complete commitment to the concepts, the band is ultimately just trying their best to put on a good show.”

But there's much more to this band's performance ethic. The live show is a visual spectacle as well, with carefully choreographed lighting and dress which recalls a sort of live-action, full-sized puppet show. And with music this dense and ambitious, it's easy to take yourself too seriously. Yet one of the most appealing aspects of SGM is their wit. Frykdahl has quite a stage presence, a unique ability to perform songs about salamanders and plants without being silly or jocular, or to skillfully handle audience members yelling "Git'R Dun!" (yes, they were there) without being equally lowbrow.

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And yet another aspect of SGM which warrants our curiosity is the legend it has created for itself. The lyrics often read like pseudoscientific naturalist manifestos of the early twentieth century and address issues such as The Last Human Being (quite a funky march, with some dense vocal harmonies), The Donkey Headed Adversary of Humanity (a blistering epic in 5/8 time), and The Helpless Corpses Enactment (which draws its lyrical content from James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake). Other times, as in some neo-dada experiment, the words direct the situation and destroy that respected boundary between song and audience--such as in The Companions, when Nils sings, "There here now, lock the door, turn the lights down, put the lights out, close the bar," and all lights in the house go out, save a single spotlight. Of course, no bars close down. Even the name of the band derives from the Sleepytime Gorilla Press, which purportedly published futurist tracts in the early 1900's. But who can really tell--as with anything SGM does, this claim might be fabricated or genuinely obscure, but it's the level of commitment to the idea itself which separates the troupe from so many of its contemporaries.

And yet one gets the feeling while watching the performance unravel that, despite their complete commitment to the concepts, the band is ultimately just trying their best to put on a good show. That is why SGM has garnered such a following; that is the incentive for audiences to endure the dissonance and obtuse subject matter; that is the reason nearly everyone wanted an encore. How appropriate, then, that the final songs of the night are "1997 (Tonight We’re Gonna Party Like It's)" and an upbeat, sing-along rendition of "Bring Back The Apocalypse”, a not-so-gentle reminder that, given the tenuous position of humanity anyway, we might as well enjoy the spectacle while we can.

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For More Info, visit: myspace.com/sleepytimegorillamuseum

Leslie, 4.14.09

2009-04-20T17:49:00.007-04:00

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Shows in 2008: 250
Miles on the van: 350,000
Sets at South by Southwest: 3
Having Leslie play in your town: Priceless!

Come to a Leslie show and you will swear to God you are watching Lynyrd Skynyrd circa 1971. Ok, Leslie is a trio and Skynyrd had like 17 members, but the point is you are seeing a southern rock band in their prime. Forget about the fact that these guys weren’t even born when Skynyrd was shaking the south. They are serious about this music, and damn good at it – oh yeah, and they have the hair to prove it.

"Leslie pays homage to its southern roots without selling out to, or making fun of them.”

Despite their striking looks (hey – you don’t see early 20’s guys with waist-length hair, tight jeans and cowboy boots much anymore), Leslie is more than just an image. They play authentic, honest southern rock. What do I mean by authentic? It’s southern without being corny! Leslie pays homage to its southern roots without selling out to, or making fun of them. (Leslie has sold out its roots in one respect. Upon hearing they were from Charleston, the chick next to me goes “Do they sound like Grateful Dead?” “No,” I say. “But I thought they were from Charleston!” she says. Haha…yes, Charleston does have a few groups that aren’t jam bands.)

While Leslie does have some pretty good instrumental chops, the group is definitely not a jam band. The closest they came was an extended guitar solo on the set’s first tune, followed by an instrumental song that featured bass and drum solos. But the solos were kept short and even at their most virtuosic, you got the feeling that each note had been calculated to a point. (The band confirmed this in a post-show interview. The songs vary some from night to night depending on the vibe they get from the crowd, but for the most part there is a method behind the madness.)

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The set featured eight songs total, showcasing material from the new Rebel Souls EP. The band told me they were pleased with the crowd’s reaction to the new material and said that it has gone over particularly well in Midwest touring dates like Minneapolis. They also threw in a cover of the old Memphis soul tune “Hold On I’m Comin”, which was nicely done. My favorite song was the next-to-last one (sorry, didn’t catch the name). The track was an epic that combined a Middle-Eastern, modal guitar motif with passages of straight rock and roll. Singer Sadler stepped on one of his 38 effects pedals to create the Middle Eastern effect.

Bottom line: Leslie plays legit southern rock even though they look like they’re 20 years old. They’ve got the instrumental chops, songwriting ability, and hell-raising attitude to be really good at it. And give them a chance even if you usually find southern rock corny – these guys are serious about what they do, they’re nice as hell, and they just may be the next band to blow up on the southern rock scene if local press, word of mouth and three dates at SXSW have anything to say about it.

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For More Info, visit: http://www.myspace.com/leslierock

The Predecessor, 4.14.09

2009-04-14T23:27:00.000-04:00

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Srsly? Records debut, 3.19.09

2009-03-22T13:30:00.019-04:00

"In a scene too often dominated by oldsters ... Columbia has an up-and-coming group of talent that deserves your attention.”

*myspace.com/srslyrecords*

Columbia has some exciting young bands emerging in the local scene. Seriously? Yes. Srsly.

Local music pimp Bakari Lebby has put together a stable of talent under the moniker of Srsly? Records, and believe me, his pimp hand is strong. Said strength was showcased last Thursday at New Brookland Tavern as Srsly? made its official debut.

The Artichokes
On seeing The Artichokes, questions abound: Who is the better singer? Who has the cooler guitar? Who has the sweetest belt buckle? Here are my expert opinions:

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1. Emrys does most of the singing, and he has the voice for it. His voice is clear, smooth, and doesn’t strain when he goes for higher notes. He can jump up into a falsetto range pretty effortlessly. However, keyboardist Jay handles vocal duties on a few songs, and he actually has better charisma/stage presence. His voice is not as good, but the audience responds better to his delivery. I’ll call this one a draw.

"Jay makes things a lot more interesting with a tabletop full of electronic equipment.”

2. Another tough question. Emrys played a baby blue guitar with an oddball shape. Second guitarist Daniel strummed a Fender-inspired axe with a sweet Japanese flag design. Daniel gets the nod here. Rising sun > baby blue. Check the pics and post your opinion.

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3. Jay had a chromed-out Batman buckle. Emrys sported a blue buckle with a Thundercats insignia. Clearly, the Thundercats take this one. Batman is badass as the only superhero not to rely on supernatural powers, but Lion-O easily takes him one on one with the sword of Thundara. That’s not even mentioning if Panthro gets involved.

Now that the big questions have been answered, a little about the rest of the show. The Artichokes play catchy indie-pop with an electro-edge. The lyrics are witty, a la Weezer. The guitar tones are clean and jangly, and the songs are well-written. The main focus is on Emrys strumming and singing, but Jay makes things a lot more interesting with a tabletop full of electronic equipment. With two synths and a laptop, dude looked like he was writing the whole thing down in Java script.

Sweet Vans

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Sweet Vans completely stole this show. Srsly? President/CEO/H.N.I.C. Bakari Lebby (MC B-Money) and his partner MC Ginger Snap showed off lyrical skillz, sick beats and fly outfits as the NBT crowd danced and laughed along to Columbia’s most outrageous hip-hop group.

Backed by nothing but a laptop, Sweet Vans delivered a mashup of familiar beats with hilarious rhymes. Their neckties and sunglasses recalled the Blues Brothers, but their deadpan delivery brought the wit of Flight of the Conchords. And their schtick is straight Steven Colbert. (Sweet Vans, and Republicans, don’t read this part.) You know how Steven Colbert acts so conservative that in reality he shows how absurd it is? MCs B-Money and Ginger Snap are so “gangsta” that they show how ridiculous modern radio-rap can be.

"Sweet Vans has changed this song around to give shoutouts to Columbia institutions like Five Points and USC, and the result is funnier and more creative than the original.”

But even the staunchest hip-hop head will crack a smile when they hear Sweet Vans rhyming about “purple drank”, money and Dr. Dre. The group imitated a familiar hip-hop convention of busting on the audience in the song “Goofin on It.” (B-Money to guy in the front row: “Dude, didn’t you know visors went out in 1987?”) Not even pseudo-rap styles were safe as Sweet Vans roasted Reggaeton with fake Spanish accents and ridiculously rolled Rrrrrrrrrrrs. (Street cred was bolstered on this one by the guest appearance of true South American superstar and local DJ Alejandro, who lent some legit Spanish rhymes to the track.)

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The set was a nice mix of the familiar and the original. I am no hip-hop expert, but I caught samples and lyrics from MGMT, Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z throughout the set. And I recognized the beat to new party anthem “I Love College” by Asher Roth. Sweet Vans has changed this song around to give shoutouts to Columbia institutions like Five Points and USC, and the result is funnier and more creative than the original. The audience happily sang the words “We Love College” as the MC’s jumped off the stage into the crowd for a huge dance circle.

Go see these guys; you will be entertained. Srsly.

Hello Tomorrow
Disclaimer: I didn’t get to see most of these guys’ set. From what I did see, these indie-rockers are reminiscent of Heist and the Accomplice’s first record (thanks to P. Wall for the comparison.) They are more upbeat than a lot of indie rockers -- drummer Nate Puza drives the sound with frenetic drumming, and bassist CJ Rhodes underpins the tunes with active, walking basslines. (Puza might be a little TOO frenetic -- check the ripped head on the front of that bass drum!)

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In the few songs that I caught, I saw a guest appearance by a female vocalist that stepped out of the front row and onto the stage. Singer Justin Hallas sang backup with her and their voices sounded great harmonizing together. Another nice touch was in the last song, when Puza tapped on a xylophone before picking up his drum sticks.

Toro y Moi
I had heard a lot about Toro y Moi prior to this show, so I was really anxious to check them (him? it?) out. I must say that it was not what I was expecting. I had heard the terms “dance” and “electro-pop” thrown out a lot, but that is not how I would describe Toro y Moi.

"To me, Toro y Moi frontman Chaz Bundrick is like a modern-day John Lennon.”

To me, Toro y Moi frontman Chaz Bundrick is like a modern-day John Lennon. He takes the stage quietly and seats himself behind the keyboard. Thick glasses frame his serious face. His manner when addressing the audience between songs is subdued, and his lyrics are sincere and earnest. He tackles subjects like his hometown (“Some people say Columbia sucks, but that doesn’t mean you should want to leave -- you should want to make it better”) and religion (a song about your mom and dad telling you to go to church but you don’t want to).

For a one-man band, Toro y Moi has a lot going on. Bundrick began the set playing keyboard over basic, sampled drumbeats. He used his left hand to play electric bass notes and used organ or synth sounds to form chords with his right. His vocals were heavily processed with reverb and delay through an effects box he had on stage. For the second half of the set, he ditched the keyboard for a nylon-string acoustic guitar.

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Though different from what I was expecting, Toro y Moi was still quite impressive. Bundrick’s songwriting is thoughtful and his artistic vision is exciting with the culmination of so many musical aspects from one guy. I think the set was hurt a bit by being at the end of the night -- after three loud and rocking bands, the intimate arrangements of Toro y Moi came off a little flat. Still, the audience showed Bundrick the respect he has earned in Columbia’s scene by standing right in front and listening attentively to his tunes.

In Summary…
Srsly? Records is bringing some exciting music to Columbia, and the best part is they are all young! In a scene too often dominated by oldsters, Bakari Lebby and his USC undergrad cohorts are proving that Columbia has an up-and-coming group of talent that deserves your attention.

For more info, visit: myspace.com/srslyrecords

Shallow Palace, 3.14.09

2009-03-14T01:03:00.002-04:00

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This Machine is Me, 02.28.2009

2009-03-01T18:50:00.008-05:00

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Before I start gushing, let me throw out a little disclaimer: I am a sucker for synthesizers. Kraftwerk, Daft Punk, The Killers, Shiny Toy Guns…love it. So needless to say, local synth-rockers This Machine is Me are right up my alley.

They brought their guitars, drums and Alesis synthesizer to Art Bar Saturday night for a headlining set. They kicked things off with drummer Ross Bolton and singer Jayna Doyle offstage. Guitarist Blake Arambula dialed up a sampled dance beat and laid synth lines over it as smoke from a fog machine glittered off the disco ball hanging over the stage. The audience clapped along in rhythm as Bolton and Doyle joined the band on stage and kicked things into high gear.

The music hung around pop with occasional forays into harder-edged rock. Arambula alternated between playing guitar and synth. Guitarist Scott Long played subtle, understated parts and bassist Jamie Beavers thumped out some big, fuzzed-out bass lines. Bolton played with reckless abandon, infecting the audience with an insistent need to nod heads and shake asses. He got a little too reckless at a few points, getting kinda sloppy and throwing the music off beat. He was solid overall however, as evidenced by his ability to play in perfect coordination with the sampled drum tracks.

"I caught it ['Models and Bottles'] on the radio one afternoon and was instantly hooked -- and pleasantly surprised when I heard the DJ say they were from Columbia.”

Besides awesome synth leads, the main story behind This Machine is Me is rock diva Jayna Doyle. Her alto voice sounds full and rich in lower registers and thins out into a rock and roll rasp on higher notes. She commanded the stage visually, dressed in a black dress and heels with curly red hair framing her impassioned face. Her facial expressions are compelling as she alternates between batting her eyes playfully and contorting her features in desperate longing. However, she needs a little work as the band’s “frontman” -- she doesn’t do a great job of chatting up the audience in between songs. A lot of her remarks were kinda rambling and she told a joke about drummer Ross Bolton that came off kinda awkward.

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The band added a few covers to their mostly original set: “What’s Going On” by Four Non Blondes and “Everlong” by Foo Fighters. “What’s Going On” was done as a duet with guitar and vocals. It was a pretty simple version but did a good job engaging the crowd in a mass sing along. (Seth, vocalist from local band Cats and Cobras, was standing in the front row and Doyle held out the mic for him to belt out one of the choruses.) “Everlong” was reimagined with two guitars over a sampled dance beat. It came off pretty limp and anticlimactic. Their best use of cover material was when Arambula played the famous stadium-rock strains of Zombie Nation’s “Kernkraft 400” on his synth, which was then seamlessly morphed into one of the band’s original song.

The band closed with “Models and Bottles”, which I knew they would do. This well-crafted dance-rock anthem is a hit waiting to happen. I caught it on the radio one afternoon and was instantly hooked -- and pleasantly surprised when I heard the DJ say they were from Columbia. The live version wasn’t quite as slick as the recorded one, but it still made a great climax to the show. Doyle draped the microphone cord over her shoulders and sank to her knees as she belted out the final chorus.

Overall, I feel that This Machine is Me is poised to make a big splash in the local and regional music scene. The charisma of Jayna Doyle is infectious, and the songwriting is well-thought out and subtle. Hooks and melodies lurk at every turn, and just enough is left to the imagination to make you want to hear the song again instantly. The band needs to get a little tighter and work on their audience interactions between songs, but the concept they have going is delicious and a welcome addition to Columbia’s music scene.

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For More Info, visit: myspace.com/thismachineisme

The Reason Your Listening, 02.20.09

2009-02-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

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For More Info, visit: myspace.com/thereasonyourlistening

Joe Tucker & The Class of 99 1/2, 02.20.09

2009-02-21T13:20:00.003-05:00

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For More Info, visit: wmyspace.com/joetuckermusic

American Gun, 2.14.09

2009-02-16T17:47:00.005-05:00

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As American Gun led the “Heartbreak Valentine’s” party at Art Bar, images from the classic film Casablanca played on a bank of TV screens behind the band. In a way, the movie provides a good parallel for the band’s sound: classic, but perhaps a little overplayed.

Said classic sound falls somewhere between The Rolling Stones and 90s alt-rock. There’s also a Lynryd Skynyrd element present in having three southern guys playing guitar on stage.

The first half of the set showcased new material for the American Gun fans in attendance, of which there were quite a few. The songs brought a wide variety of atmospheres and textures to the table, using tambourine, slide guitar, tremolo effects, and steel-string acoustics to form a jangly wall of Southern sound. To me, the most valuable player in this area is Mr. Long-Haired Guitarist, who used finger-picking and volume knob swells to craft his subtle guitar parts.

"After his guest appearance, Arleigh rejoined the crowd of revelers in front of the stage and sprayed the band with a mouthful of swilled beer.”

I made up a name for Mr. Long-Hair because American Gun uses joke names on their Myspace. They also use a lot of jokes on stage, which go over to varying degrees with the crowd. Singer Beard-No Glasses cracked quite a few which barely brought chuckles, but did manage to win the audience over with “Drunk Girls.” This little acoustic ditty combined the undeniable allure of inebriated females with “joke’s on you” crowd participation to crack up the anti-Valentine audience.

The second half of the set picked up speed with guest appearances from Arleigh of the Defilers and Jeff, a former member of American Gun. Jeff added some keyboard parts but really shined in guest appearances on guitar. Jeff, a really short dude, was amazing with a Fender Stratocaster in his hands, wrenching out howling notes and looking damn cool while doing it.

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After his guest appearance, Arleigh rejoined the crowd of revelers in front of the stage and sprayed the band with a mouthful of swilled beer. Mr. Glasses-Singer later returned the favor by spraying a girl in the front row with his own beverage. (Maybe he should have paid more attention to MTV back in the day?)

So what began as an evening of basic American rock devolved into debauchery as band and audience alike downed beer and bourbon. American Gun may have a sound that’s been done to death, but like Casablanca they are entertaining to their viewers. “Here’s lookin at you kid.”

For More Info, visit: myspace.com/americangun

The Defilers, 2.14.09

2009-02-16T17:15:00.006-05:00

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The Defilers play punktry. Never heard of it? Well, first you add “punk” to “country.” Then you get an acoustic guitar and play it through a big, distorted amplifier. Then you get some tight Wrangler blue jeans and wear them with a studded belt. Top it off with a cowboy hat and some tattoos and you’ve got the basic idea.

Hailing from Charleston, SC, the Defilers were making a return trip to Columbia and bringing along a new drummer. I didn’t catch his name, but he sounded great on the fast, rave-up numbers.

The first few songs were pretty formulaic country numbers with tempos fast enough for some barroom dancing. Singer Arleigh blew a little blues harp on a few tunes, and the band threw in some well-known covers: Willie Nelson’s “Whiskey River”, Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” and Hank Williams’ “I Saw the Light.”

The second half of the set moved away from country and towards rockabilly, which I thought was the band’s stronger suit. There were also some spaghetti-western instrumental stylings, which helped to spice up the otherwise blasé mix.

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As far apart as the two fanbases are, the sounds of country and punk rock apparently aren’t all that incompatible. And apparently, a three-chord country progression is just as boring with distortion and barroom energy. The punk-country style, as exotic as it sounds, was just a little too bland for me.

For More Info, visit: myspace.com/thedefilers

Rob Lindsey, 2.14.09

2009-02-16T16:50:00.004-05:00

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Rob Lindsey – is it a guy’s name, or an exhortation to steal things from women? Alas, this mystery will probably never be solved. But Art Bar got a few clues Saturday night when the big, bearded songwriter brought his acoustic tunes to the stage.

Currently between projects (read: has no band), Rob Lindsey performed a short set in support of headliner American Gun. His manner and subject matter kept with the holiday evening’s “Valentine’s Heartbreak” theme as he reeled off images of melancholy love stories.
Between songs, Lindsey murmured a few words to the crowd. His speaking manner was witty and self-deprecating, which followed the tone of his songs. (Example: “Yeah, so here I am solo at Art Bar. Story of my life…”)

Each tune seemed intensely personal to him, almost like he was singing pages from a lover’s journal. A particularly strong example was the American love odyssey “I Miss Nashville”, which recalled the epic sweep of Jack Kerouac as Lindsey carried his listeners from the southeast all the way to San Francisco.

For More Info, visit: myspace.com/roblindsey

Shallow Palace @ Music Farm, 2/11/09

2009-02-12T19:28:00.000-05:00

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For More Info, visit: myspace.com/shallowpalace

The Baldness, 1.30.09

2009-02-01T13:59:00.007-05:00

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As the night went on, the clothes decreased and the dancing increased. “The Baldness” himself treated the Hunter-Gatherer crowd to his particular brand of garage country -- and a look at his hairy white torso.

The Baldness is actually a four-piece band that claims Greenwood, SC as its hometown, but it doesn’t take much to infer that the name comes from the appearance of the band’s fearless leader, Bob. His bald white head and big bushy beard dominate the stage show, just as his singing and guitar playing monopolize the band’s sound. The Baldness is Bob exploring his twanged-out rock ‘n roll roots with three of his friends onstage for the ride.

The band played a 16-song set that was by turns alt-country, vintage rock, and downright country. Even at its “countriest”, however, the band avoided the country clichés that turn off many listeners. Bob never once sang through his nose, even while crooning out lyrics about corn liquor and old-time religion.

"The dancers at one point spilled over onto the stage, where they were welcomed by the fun-loving band.”

The set took a turn for the strange when Bob paused between songs to remark how hot it was, reciting a quote from the sage wisdom of David Lee Roth (“Yeah we’re running a little bit hot tonight…”) He then proceeded to remove his shirt and do his best Petey Pablo impression as he helicoptered it above his head, to the shock and delight of the audience.

While the spotlight shone clearly on Bob throughout the set, the other musicians (Jessie -- backup vocals; Byron -- bass; Logan -- drums) made their mark as well. Byron remained stoic throughout most of the set, but cracked a smile when the Friday night crowd busted out an impromptu revival of “The Twist.” Logan didn’t appear to be really into the music, and at times during the set he played with only one stick (which he was damn good at by the way -- eat your heart out Def Leppard.) I found out after the show that he was recovering from an arm injury, so that could explain his lack of enthusiasm. Jessie mostly sang backup and tapped a tambourine, but took over lead vocals on “Train from Kansas City.”

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Jessie’s best moment came during a cover of the song “Then He Kissed Me” by The Crystals, which was done as a duet with Bob. The interplay as they crooned and looked longingly into each other’s eyes was part charming, part hilarious.

Speaking of interplay, the band’s interaction with the audience was particularly strong. The Hunter-Gatherer is usually a “sit at your table sip your beer” kind of place, but The Baldness had patrons upstairs and down dancing the night away. The dancers at one point spilled over onto the stage, where they were welcomed by the fun-loving band. One even stuck around to shake a tambourine on the next song.

During one of his guitar solos, the shirtless Bob approached a table of women and propped his foot up on an empty chair, wailing on his Piggly Wiggly Strat. I thought his leads were a little sloppy (great vibrato in his hands though), but the screaming young ladies did not seem to notice.

When it comes to music, The Baldness has a ways to go, in my opinion. Bob has written some good songs, but the problem is it’s all Bob. The band must become more cohesive before it is a serious musical force. But when it comes to entertainment, The Baldness is already there. Any band that can feature a shirtless hairy dude and obnoxiously boast about drinking corn liquor and cough syrup, and still electrify the Hunter-Gatherer, is obviously onto something.

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For More Info, visit: myspace.com/thebaldnessband

Zack Seibert and the Red Wagon, 1.30.09

2009-01-31T14:25:00.001-05:00

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Zach Seibert and the Red Wagon played a quick opening set for The Baldness Friday night at Hunter-Gatherer, treating the audience to six of their harmonica-infused, Neil Young-influenced songs.

Seibert himself warmed up the crowd with a few solo acoustic tunes. The intimate arrangements showcased his husky tenor, which reminded me of Bob Dylan’s son Jakob of erstwhile Wallflowers fame. (I listened to some of Seibert’s recorded music, however, and thought he sounded a good bit different. But he sounds like Dylan when he plays live.)

The short set featured Seibert’s electric roots music backed by minimalist drums and walking bass. Ubiquitous local player Jay Matheson peppered the arrangements with short, basic guitar leads. The band took timeout from original music to cover Warren Zevon’s “Splendid Isolation.”

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Seibert started off playing a beautiful gold top Gibson SG, but switched after two songs to the Piggly Wiggly Stratocaster that Bob from The Baldness would later play. The silver-flaked drum kit was also used by The Baldness in their follow-up set.

Overall, the audience seemed to enjoy ZS and the RW. Hunter-Gatherer boasts a particularly eclectic clientele (young and old, preppy and hippie), and the band had something to offer them all.

For More Info, visit: myspace.com/zachandtheredwagon

The Unawares, 1.24.09

2009-01-25T16:03:00.009-05:00

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The Unawares celebrated the release of their new album “Pinkie Greene” Saturday night with a set at The Whig. Everybody got a free copy with admission, and the band broke it in right by performing it live for the packed bar room.

There was never a dull moment in the 13-song set, which seemed to fly by. The Unawares make it impossible to get bored with two-minute songs that are blasts of raucous, quirky alt-rock. My immediate comparison was to Pixies (singer John Watkins even looks a bit like Black Francis), but with shorter songs and more accessible lyrics.

"He even created distortion the old fashioned way, cranking the gain to just the point where the tone starts to break up.”

The sound is built around Watkins’ big guitar tone and the impeccable bass playing of James Wallace. Most bass players are there to keep the rhythm and stay in the background, but Wallace’s lines are constantly moving, building an intricate framework for Watkins to lay his quirky chord voicings over. Wallace alone is a good reason to see these guys live -- hearing him on a recording does not capture the feeling of sitting in front of his cabinet as low notes vibrate the beer bottle in your hand. One thing I gotta ask though -- who wears their own band’s t-shirt on stage? I’ll give Wallace a pass though since it was a CD release party. Maybe the shirts just came out as well.

The band looks great on stage. Before they start playing, they appear to be mild-mannered middle-aged dudes. When they pick up instruments, you can tell they are long-time players that really enjoy what they do. Watkins had a music stand with a light set up in front of him, with a stack of papers that were presumably the lyrics to the songs. However, he kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut the whole time he was singing -- so what’s the music stand for?

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From a guitar standpoint, The Unawares were a big departure from opening act Bambara. John Watkins eschewed all effects pedals and plugged his guitar straight into an old Fender amp. He even created distortion the old fashioned way, cranking the gain to just the point where the tone starts to break up. His playing presents an interesting dichotomy compared to his songwriting: he writes the simplest two-minute songs that he can and matches them with the most complex chord-oriented guitar parts that he can. Wallace does the same thing on bass, using ever-shifting lines that could be songs in themselves.

The band tried to walk off stage after album finale “Is Everybody Goin Crazy?”, but the crowd would have none of it. Chants of “Howie Long! Howie Long!” filled the air as the crowd begged for the quirky tune about a football announcer that is unfamiliar with the concept of subtlety.

So basically, The Unawares make music that is short and catchy enough to hook any listener, but is complexly crafted enough to win over even the most jaded indie rock fan. To put it as Howie Long would: “These guys are good. If they sell at least a million records I predict they will go platinum. They will be the best band in America if they make better music than all the other bands.”

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For more info, visit: myspace.com/theunawares

Bambara, 1.25.09

2009-01-25T15:25:00.014-05:00

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Here’s Bambara in a nutshell: frenetic drums, fuzzy bass and screeching guitar form a wall of sound. Singer Reid B. paints punkish vocal graffiti on the wall. The wall is illuminated at various times by a naked light bulb placed behind the drum kit, which is switched on at key moments of each song. It shines through the clear drum kit and makes for a sweet visual effect to match each song’s punked-out psychedelia.

Let’s talk about those frenetic drums first, because they are the first thing you will notice about Bambara. Drummer Blaze absolutely beats the shit out of his kit, which is clear and looks like it’s made out of plastic or something. Somewhere, John Bonham is smiling when he sees how hard this kid hits the drums. Bass player William actually had to help Blaze keep control of his kit, as the bass drum was moving under the force of punishing kicks. The drums provide the energy to balance the band’s otherwise psychedelic edge.

"... he struggled to get rid of horrible amp noise, which sounded approximately like putting your ear to a conch shell and hearing kittens being fed into a jet engine.”

William’s bass sound is heavily influenced by his “Big Muff Pi", the famous fuzz pedal from the 1970s. He keeps it right next to the footswitch that controls the lights, and generally stomps on both at the most intense section of each song.

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As a guitarist, Reid is definitely from the Kurt Cobain school of tone. He favors harsh distortion and oddball, pawnshop effects pedals. Unfortunately, equipment difficulties finally forced him to abandon the pedals and plug straight into the amp, abandoning the effects which make up a big part of Bambara’s psychedelic punk sound. I felt bad for Reid as he struggled to get rid of horrible amp noise, which sounded approximately like putting your ear to a conch shell and hearing kittens being fed into a jet engine.

As a singer, and Reid would probably kill me for saying this, but I would compare him to Jared Leto -- not on “My So Called Life”, but on his musical project 30 Seconds to Mars.

Despite their equipment struggles, Bambara finished the night strong with a crowd-pleasing cover of “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads. William thumped appropriately on the iconic bass line as the crowd sang along with this in-your-face version. When it comes to intensity, Bambara was clearly “fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-far better” than the original.

For more info, visit: myspace.com/bambaraband

Cats and Cobras, NBT 1.15.09

2009-01-16T18:29:00.029-05:00

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Cats and Cobras was setting up, and I didn’t know what to think. As guitars were tuned and amps were warmed, a Taylor Swift t-shirt was ritually draped across the wedge monitor at center stage. Perhaps a tribute to the teen queen of the country scene? Hardly. The shirt, and any reference to tween-pop, disappeared shortly after the music began. Seth (vocalist) bid it farewell with middle finger raised. This is Cats and Cobras.

"But just when you thought New Wave was back, he was back on the guitar, with a tone so harsh it sounded like it was coming through cheap AM radio speakers.”

This dude flips everyone off. He flipped his fans off. He shot the bird to Splattered Inc’s photographer. He even kept a middle finger raised as he held the microphone, keeping a cigarette pinched between his fingers. And yet for some reason it was endearing. A smile never crossed his face, but somehow Seth was amusing, even charismatic. By the way, is there some kind of love/hate relationship with this band and their "fans?" At one point I saw someone throw a drink or something on stage while the guys were playing. I don't think they even noticed though, which was pretty funny.

I would compare this band most closely to The Killers, without the glam makeup, doing a remake of Nirvana’s “In Utero.” Dancey, melodic songs interspersed with bouts of raucous, abrasive screaming. A good example was “That’s What She Said”, the set’s penultimate track. One guitar player grabbed a keyboard and dialed up a synth sound for a short introduction, then carried on a melody as the band kicked in a danceable backbeat. But just when you thought New Wave was back, he was back on the guitar, with a tone so harsh it sounded like it was coming through cheap AM radio speakers.

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The band had a somewhat muted stage presence throughout most of the set, but kicked the energy up a notch for the finisher, "Strip Pole." Guitarist Chase actually got a little too energetic earlier in the set. He jumped on top of a box during "X Ray" and thrashed wildly on his Telecaster, alas breaking a string after a few seconds. He wasn't too concerned when I asked him about it after the show though: "Aw that's nothing," he said. "My fingers used to bleed from playing so hard. At least I've built up calluses now." The drummer (sorry, didn't get everyone's name) remained pretty animated throughout the set, and exhibited what I always consider the mark of a good drummer -- he made it look effortless, bobbing up and down with the music and singing along on choruses.

What else do I need to add about this band? Guitarist Brad looks like Cameron from Ferris Bueller's day off. I think these guys should work up the dance-punk version of "Twist and Shout" and we could all skip school to go to their show.

*Cameron from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'*

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Setlist:
Let’s Go
Joey Boy
X Ray
Muse
Snow
Elephant
20 Something
That’s What She Said
Strip Pole

For More Info, visit: myspace.com/catsandcobras

Shallow Palace, NBT 1.15.09

2009-01-16T16:52:00.020-05:00

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I've heard a lot of people complain that Columbia's music scene is only three genres: emo, hardcore, and indie rock. They wonder what happened to bands that just make good old-fashioned rock and roll. However, Shallow Palace makes at least one band that does fit this bill: guys playing songs that are as much about attitude and having fun as they are about pretentious lyrical odysseys or carefully-chosen costumes.

"It's hard not to get taken in with Spawn on the skins and the other guys tossing their retro-length hair along with the music.”

Shallow Palace enjoys another distinction among Columbia bands: these guys are one of the most democratic groups out there today. Greg Slattery is the group's frontman, if they have one, but he shared lead vocal duties with George Fish on at least one song. Microphones were placed across the stage so that all five guys could sing along with the group's rave-up anthems and participate in drunken banter with the crowd. The group subverts its individual talents to the vision of the song as a whole, which is often not the case with people as skilled as these guys are. Josh Bumgarner is a bonafide bad-ass on electric guitar, but he was content to trade licks with Fish (also a skilled lead player) on short solo sections.

*Animal, 'The Muppet Show'*

As well as this band plays as a whole, I gotta give you the dirt on the real force behind Shallow Palace: drummer Mike Spawn. Kid is a fucking animal! He looks like he's possessed by some kind of drum demon, and it's infectious. It's hard not to get taken in with Spawn on the skins and the other guys tossing their retro-length hair along with the music.

This show marked the band's first back in South Carolina after their recent mini-tour in New England. The band's gear was a little worse for the wear, as George struggled all night with hum and static from his amp. I know it was bugging him up there on stage, but honestly it almost fit with the music. They have three guitars, so often they are just taking a riff in layers and whipping your ass with it. The amp noise just added a little lo-fi dimension that fit with the garage rock sound.

Some of my favorites from this set: the opener, "Jesus Christ", is a straight ahead rock song that you will swear you've heard before. I was trying to figure out who they were covering, but David assured me that it was an original song. It's just one of those that's so catchy it seems like you've always known it. "Mad World" is a great song, but I was a bit confused by the treatment SP gave to it. I am most familiar with the R.E.M. version, which is melancholy and brooding, but these guys turned it into an uptempo, fan-favorite singalong. It must be the Shallow Palace spirit -- songs can't sit around and be sad when they meet these guys.

The band played their last song and went to switch off their amps, but the crowd was having none of it. They begged for an encore, which the band agreed to -- on one condition. Josh used the microphone to his advantage and bypassed the line at the bar, ordering shots for the band. After Josh downed his shot (and George's), the guys finished with "BBBSA", which featured a particularly strong vocal performance from Greg: lyrical, quiet, intense.

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Setlist:
Jesus Christ
Around the World
Morte De Mond
Understand
Mad World (Tears for Fears cover)
Turkey
Too Hot
AFUEGO
Charlie, No!
Y.T.1.2.B
BBBSA

For More Info, visit: myspace.com/shallowpalace

The Fossil Record -- NBT, 1-15-09

2009-01-16T16:47:00.031-05:00

*The Fossil Record*

The Fossil Record kicked the evening off with a jammy, alt-country sound. Think southern rock without the rednecks. The band members danced a little as singer Chris Compton sang the words to “Crooked Creek”, veins standing out in his neck. It sounds intense, but it really didn’t clash with the jangle-twang of the guitars or with keyboardist Ashleigh Moore’s honky-tonk affectations. The first half of the set proceeded in similar fashion, with a little bottleneck slide flavoring from guitarist James Beresford. I loved the energy and enthusiasm of bassist Casey Hammett, who appeared to be having the time of his life – even though, as he told the audience, he’d been playing shows at the Tavern “for at least a dozen years.” Casey took over the lead vocals to sing “Alone”, a song he penned.

"I would almost say the band should be a trio based on those songs, but then came the swinging, Wild-West 'Wallpaper Flowers.'”

The driving feel and guitar effects of “Alone” marked a transition for the second half of the set, which took on a moodier, alternative rock flavor with “100 Atmospheres” and “Born This Way.” The latter ended with a foot-stomping, uptempo coda that reminded me of Weird Al’s “Alternative Polka.” It definitely got some toes tapping among the early evening Tavern crowd, which was surprisingly large.

These two songs provided an interesting shift in texture, but sadly keyboardist Moore seemed to disappear during these songs. Second guitarist Beresford was not as noticeable either. I would almost say the band should be a trio based on those songs, but then came the swinging, Wild-West “Wallpaper Flowers.” The audience clapped along in rhythm as the band brought the set to a close.

The Fossil Record is definitely in its element when it does alt-country. The alt-rock songs are nice, but they don’t play to all the band’s strengths. Compton’s passionate vocals and inventive melodies, along with Hammett’s energy, are definitely the band’s core. However, TFR is not reaching its full potential when Beresford and Moore are just standing by, listening to Compton croon. Either find roles for them in the moody stuff, or just go three-piece. (To be fair to TFR, I only saw them play six songs. Quite possibly, those six are not representative of their full artistic vision, which is so often the case with short setlists and crowded playbills.)

One more note: the band’s name confuses me a bit. “Fossil record” brings to my mind images of science, Darwinism, evolution. The band’s sound gives me images of Americana, dusty roads, southern roots. I couldn’t make out many of the lyrics (chalk that up to NBT acoustics), but something about the band’s name did not seem to match their sound/image.

Setlist:
Crooked Creek
Body Armor
Alone
100 Atmospheres
Born This Way
Wallpaper Flowers

For More Info, visit: myspace.com/thefossilrecords

The Reverie, NBT 1.15.09

2009-01-16T16:41:00.015-05:00

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Back when I was a player in Columbia's music scene, we played a show with The Reverie. (We also had to load in our gear in the snow, uphill both ways.) I had a vague memory of them as a dynamic band with a lot of soft-LOUD-soft songs with good melodies, kind of a throwback to a '90s alt-rock song. Either my memory is bad or these guys have progressed since then, because they were much more than a grunge rehash. This band is a collection of chefs that likes to cook with a full buffet of sonic ingredients.

Frontman Marshall Brown is hard to get a read on at first. My impression went something like this: my first comparison was to Jack Black as he stood there with his sport coat, ruffled shirt and velvet guitar strap, goofing around during soundcheck. After a short instrumental intro, I was comparing him to Warren Haynes as he wrenched out melancholy guitar licks on "Swollen Finger Blues." Then he started singing, and I was gonna call him Layne Staley til he jumped up into the falsetto stratosphere, at which point I was thinking Our Lady Peace. Put it this way: the guy is a formidable talent on a lot of levels.

"The guitar was blowing up under his fingers as he twisted notes for all they were worth, drops of pure soul being squished out of the sides.”

The guys backing him up ain't bad either. Drummer Mitch Malyerck keeps the groove in the pocket throughout the course of Marshall's meanderings, which is probably not an easy thing to do. Jon Crowder and Kyle Senn show off their versatility by rotating among guitar, bass, and keyboard, depending on what the song calls for. Senn mostly uses the keyboard for spacey sound effects, though he added melodic elements in a few places. My favorite moment from Jon Crowder came during "Dying Man" when he used Tom Morello's famous technique of flicking the guitar's pickup switch to generate sounds. (If you're not familiar with this technique, check out the iconic solo on "Bulls on Parade." The effect is similar to a DJ's killswitch.)

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For me, the high point of the set was "Maybe There's A Sign", a ballad that began with melodic vocal lines over clean guitars and sound effects from the keyboard. The song progressed slowly, when Brown all of a sudden stepped on a fuzz pedal that must have been set for "stun." The guitar was blowing up under his fingers as he twisted notes for all they were worth, drops of pure soul being squished out of the sides. Many times, guitar solos get a bit lost in shows like this -- the mix doesn't allow them to be heard, or they're just plain forgettable. Marshall Brown made sure you wouldn't forget this one with just the perfect combination of distortion, decibels, and determination. I had my eyes squeezed shut, listening to Marshall wear it out, when I started hearing all these ghostly, glitchy melody notes behind the solo. For a second I thought dude was playing multiple lines at once (like on the movie "Exorcism of Emily Rose" where the chick talks in two voices at once...creepy!) However, it was Kyle Senn playing lines on the keyboard behind the guitar solo, which I thought was a really nice touch.

This blog would get really long if I went into more details about these songs, because they really cover a lot of ground in a short time. The basic elements are melodic verses, distorted choruses, bluesy solos, and bipolar vocals. Brown uses a lot of dissonance in his songwriting, but in a really tasty, melodic way -- think "The Sweater Song" by Weezer. The songs aren't overly long, though there are some epic moments -- there was one effects-laden jam that reminded me of something by The Doors. Put it this way -- if this band was an artist, it would have a palette with more colors than the stompboxes on Jon Crowder's pedal board.

Oh, and I've gotta tell you about the set's finale. Brown asked the crowd what they wanted to hear and The Reverie's fans unanimously begged for a song called "Everybody's Crazy." The band obliged with a quirky anthem recalling something by Queen -- tuneful, unpredictable, and hard-to-forget.

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Setlist:
Death & Taxes (excerpt)
Swollen Finger Blues
Dying Man
Kaleidoscopia
Maybe There's A Sign
That Was Just My Dream
Dark Hole
Norwegian Wood
Sewing Circle
TV Queen
(Note: These were the songs on the setlist Marshall gave me. They might not have played all of them.)

For More Info, visit: myspace.com/fallintothereverie