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PATTON & KAADA - Romances
By Emilie - 11/30/2004
Romances is one of many collaborative albums by Mike Patton. I know that not many Patton fans at CJLO liked his collaboration with Björk on her most recent album Medulla, but please try and check out this CD anyway. The collaboration is with John Kaada, a Norwegian musician who has been very prolific in the movie soundtrack world. This gives the album a very dark cinematic mood, perfect for lazy depressing evenings. The album really manages to immerse you within a world, with a mix of old-fashioned and haunting sounds. This immersion is also mostly achieved thanks to the different musical themes that come and go throughout the album. This makes for an excellent continuous listen, rather than just simply a gathering of good songs. The themes are also tremendously melodic, staying in your head hours at a time, as you hum it to yourself all day.
There is one stand-out track, “Seule” (yes, all the songs have French titles), which has an emotional heaviness that makes you want to slash your wrists. “I’m asleep… goodnight world…” This song, even though depressive and dark like the others, stands out due to more lyrics and a more standard type of song structure. Indeed, one of the strengths of the album, like many works by Mike Patton, is that the voice is more of an instrument rather than a tool for the delivery of lyrics. These “mmmmms” and “aaaaaahs” work even better in the more atmospheric parts of the album. He does not get into crazy “pootakata ka taka takatak”’s à la Mr.Bungle, but still comes up with interesting and original wordless melodies.
The album also manages to effectively use xylophone solos in quiet parts in an eerie and creepy way, instead of making it cheesy or over the top. The album might seem to go on forever in some atmospheric movements, especially the 11-minute song “Aubade”, but I personally think that those little touches like xylophone riffs or vocal solos manage to pick it up and keep the interest going where others might fail completely. Also, the album is not a COMPLETE depressive anthem from start to finish. There are some strategically positioned happier harmonica and vocals spread throughout the album, mostly in “Viens, les gazons sont verts”, a breather before “Seule”. Even though it has similar creepy sounds to the other songs, the melodies are brighter and a bit more energetic, but don’t worry, it is still *a little* depressive.
Romances, with its dark atmospheric screams combined with its “twee” indie-rock melodic xylophone, could be of interest to both metal heads and indie-rock lovers. Pop it in late in the evening and you just might be converted.
TASTE OF CHAOS: The Used + My Chemical Romance @ Stade Uniprix
By Nikkie - More Rock Than A Crackhouse - 03/03/2005
Take the essence of the Warped Tour (angry mallrats, merch and overpriced food), add to this too many scenesters and bad hairdos and a stage sponsored by myspace.com and what you get is the Warped Tour’s new sibling, the Taste Of Chaos Tour. Don’t get me wrong, the idea behind Taste Of Chaos was pure genius: a harder, louder, smaller version of the Warped Tour featuring the hottest screamo bands of the moment. The results however… not so hot.
First, on the smaller acoustic myspace.com stage, were a few lesser-known groups, such as as local band Florence. Sadly, these bands played very early on before anyone started on the main stage, which made a lot of people including myself miss these performances. One thing that was lacking from this first edition of ToC tour was organization; everything was everywhere, the coat check was ridiculous (especially considering that it was rather cold in there) and security was more than pesky when I went to interview Mike D. from Killswitch Engage.
The first band to play on the main stage was UnderOATH. They did give an ok performance, but it seemed like they forgot that they have more than one album and appeared very reluctant to play older stuff, which is always a disappointment. Then after a short pause, Killswitch Engage were on. Although I personally find that they seemed a bit out of place in this screamo fest, they were perhaps one of the good performances of the night. Hard and loud, just like it should be. After this, there was Senses Fail performing, which was very ordinary. However, I cannot comment much on their performance since I missed part of it, because I was interviewing the bassist for KsE.
Finally, the band I was looking forward the most, My Chemical Romance, came on at 8:55pm. They started off their set with a lot of profanity and their latest hit “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” off their album Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge. They played an equal amount of old and new songs, which made it very entertaining, perhaps as much as the singer’s “weird” stage presence. To finish off our first edition of Taste of Chaos was the headlining band, The Used. They gave an alright performance, considering that most of their songs consist of whining and annoyingly catchy chord combinations.
Overall, Taste Of Chaos was definitely not worth wasting a Thursday night over. Nothing out of the ordinary, very short and almost boring sets from most of the bands. For a very average concert, I give a very average 6/10.
[More Rock Than A Crackhouse is currently on hiatus. Keep track of her on her Live Journal page.]
THE MUSIC + Kasabian @ Cabaret La Tulipe
By Jordan-na - Canadian Invasion - 02/24/2005
There was something in the smoky air of La Tulipe that Thursday night. Something special was about to happen. It was a night of firsts: first time seeing a live show at La Tulipe, first time hearing The Music and Kasabian, and first time being completely blown away by the opening act. Minutes before Kasabian took the stage, I leaned over to my friend and said ‘This is gonna be good.” I could not have been more right.
Kasabian is an electro-rock group from Leicester who challenge the definition of rock by mixing it up with funk and dance, creating a psychedelic listening experience. Currently they are touring with The Music to promote their self-titled debut. If anything, their Montreal show proved that they are more than ready to headline. They perform like seasoned veterans and their four-piece band fills the stage with a solid, confident presence.
Kasabian’s set was the perfect fusion of show and song. Their light show is worthy of a big stadium concert, and to see it in a small venue brings the audience that much more into it. When you're that close, it is a visual musical trip, akin to being in the Beatles' Yellow Submarine. The colourful lights blinked, flowed and glared along to the music, changing colours and changing moods. One minute you were under the sea, the next you were on LSD. But instead of overwhelming the band in this spectacular show, it complemented their equally spectacular performance.
Lead singer Tom Meghan and singer/guitarist Sergio Pizzorno are the frontmen of the band, tall and assured, the two solid pillars of the group. Meghan danced around the stage like the frontman of a screamo band, but with more finesse and ease, moving to the beat while delivering the echo-like vocals. Pizzorno harmonizes well with Meghan, matching him in height and presence without having to move as much. They played off of each other so instinctively well, you would think they were brothers. Guitarist/keyboardist Christopher Karloff and bassist Chris Edwards completed the tight foursome and complemented the two frontmen with excellent musicianship. They gave a pleasing, full sound with their danceable beats and heavy guitar, bringing the audience on a sonic journey through a pleasing palate of smooth, lush tunes (“I.D.”) and funky uptempo songs (“Reason Is Treason”).
Kasabian’s music is a great blend of casually funky beats and rocking riffs. Their lyrics come across like catchy anthems you cannot help but sing along to. The audience, a surprisingly older crowd, was entranced from beginning to end. It is usually difficult for a new band to do an opening set when the audience may not be familiar with their repertoire. As a general rule, people like to hear what is familiar and are often apprehensive of new sounds, which makes it difficult for new bands opening for known groups. Kasabian easily overcame that obstacle. The crowd in front of the stage grew song by song. By the end of their set, they had won the room over, and promptly left the stage like a smart lover who leaves you wanting more.
After Kasabian’s set ended, the older crowd parted, making way for the younger fans of the headlining band. The Music soon came on. No amount of crotch rocking from lead singer Robert Harvey could distract me from Kasabian. It was easily the most perfect live set I have seen to date, a music experience that touched every one of my senses.
[Tune in to Canadian Invasion every Friday from 4pm to 6pm]
SHIVAREE + Shoot The Moon @ Main Hall
By Jordan-na - Canadian Invasion - 02/14/2005
On Monday February 14th, love was in the air. California band Shivaree crept into Montreal and stole the hearts of those attending their show at the Main Hall with an inviting evening of warm music on a cold night.
Shoot The Moon kicked off this Valentine’s Day show and managed to garner some admiration from the audience. They are a Montreal-based art-rock collective akin to a curious circus of musicians. Behold the lead singer, intoxicated with the power of her own vocals. Marvel at the stiff keyboard. Hear the two guitarist swinging towards each other with their heads cocked. See the violinist in the dark corner, just her and her instrument. Shoot The Moon’s music fits with their morose presence as it has a sad, comically nightmarish quality to it, like a Tim Burton film. They create a dark, eerie atmosphere in which to play their art-rock blues. The more they played, the better they got, becoming comfortable with themselves and the crowd. Their delivery was sometimes sloppy, as they missed cues, and they weren’t always on the same page. Yet for the most part, Shoot The Moon delivered a decent opening set and I developed a slight crush on them, but nothing long term.
When Shivaree came on, my momentary infatuation with Shoot The Moon was forgotten. Shivaree invited their audience into an intimate, casual laid-back evening on that snowy night. Lead singer Ambrosia Paisley took the stage, greeted the audience with a “bonsoir” in perfect European French and the crowd was instantly smitten. Then the band heated up the stage with their sexy lounge music, dashed with a hint of mystery, evoking images of a sweaty Mediterranean night.
Shivaree may be a band, but the main attraction is Paisley. She played the parts of the gracious crooner woman and the cute kid, crinkling her nose while wishing the audience a happy Valentine’s Day, suggesting we celebrate with champagne. Her voice is girly yet soured by life experience, like a Gwen Stefani who has smoked too many cigarettes and knows better. She is charming, charismatic and unassumingly commanded the attention of the room. She told stories and sang songs to warm our souls.
Meanwhile Paisley’s band shined as they provided a wonderful, smooth base on which Paisley could play and place her vocals. They are fine, seasoned musicians who play for love of what they do, eliciting cheers of admiration from the crowd for their fine musical craftmanship.
As a collective group, Shivaree created a soothing, relaxing atmosphere, like a long, comforting embrace, or a flannel blanket on a bitter cold night. Their music is like sweet lullabies that entrance you into a state of lucidity. They ably blend jazz, blues, lounge and pop into a smooth, pleasing mix. Shivaree’s repertoire comes across better live than recorded as they played this combo with the right amount of uptempo songs and down home tunes, within the intimate evening created by Paisley’s admirable stage banter. Their presence was enhanced by softly coloured lights that speckled the room and graced the back of the stage.
Shivaree played a long set, and capped the evening off with a three-song encore. After their show, they sold their own CDs at the Main Hall’s bar. Montreal could not have asked for a more gracious or talented object of affection to host their Valentine evening.
[Tune in to Canadian Invasion every Friday from 4pm to 6pm]
NEKO CASE + the Sadies + Visqueen @ Club Soda
By Lisa F. - Nostalgia for the Present - 02/11/2005
February 11th was to be the third time I have had the opportunity to experience a Neko Case performance. The first time I saw her, she played an intimate show at a small venue in Arizona; the second time she played for thousands from the central stage of the Sasquatch Music Festival in George, Washington. During each of these performances, she seemed to have a mesmerizing power over her audiences. Even at the Sasquatch Music Festival, I recall her voice carrying over to the second stage where Pedro the Lion had just finished playing prompting a massive migration of teenagers to the center of the venue as they murmured in wonder amongst themselves: “who’s that?”.
February 11th failed to disappoint and proved to present quite a different show than I had expected. Admittedly, after listening to her most recent record The Tigers Have Spoken, a compilation of live performances from shows in Toronto and Chicago, I was hopefully foreshadowing a bit more rock n' roll than I’d seen before. For if listening to Neko Case jamming with the Sadies on my walkman while waiting on the Guy-Concordia metro platform with some half-crazed man lying on the floor doing sit-ups as a team of police questioned his motives can keep my toes tapping and a smile on my face, I figured that I should probably wear my dancing shoes to the Friday night show and refrain from hovering around the sit-down folks at Club Soda.
Dancing shoes definitely proved to be the way to go.
Visqueen, a Seattle indie-rock band, opened the evening. Unfortunately, on account of unprecedented problems with a certain smoke alarm that likes to go off at the most inconvenient times in my apartment, my friends and I arrived at the end of the band’s set, only catching the last two songs Visqueen performed. I wasn’t overly impressed with the music I heard (I mean everyone was waiting for Neko Case), but I certainly wouldn’t ignore their potential. Their music was catchy and they held an appropriate confidence, the kind that lacks arrogance.
I guess it would have been pretty difficult to appear arrogant when you’ve got a band like The Sadies performing after yours. This was the first time I’d seen The Sadies and let’s just say that my predilection for Neko Case was slightly threatened. As I’m sure nearly everyone who was at the concert would agree, The Sadies stole the night. The energy that swept through the air as they began their set was uncompromising. It was true rock n' roll accented with that perfect touch of distinctive surf country sound, the kind of music that makes you forget there’s snow and prostitution just outside the front doors of Club Soda.
When Neko Case appeared, the audience seemed to be securely contented by The Sadies and it looked as if it would have been nearly impossible to interrupt the vibe. Neko Case did an excellent job performing her set, especially considering that she was battling a cold during the performance. The set was concise, but personally I didn’t mind. She played all of the songs from The Tigers Have Spoken and her collaborations with the Sadies brought a dimension to her performance that I had never encountered (besides through the speakers of my CD player). Fast trains, tigers, dresses in soulful shades of blue, wayfaring strangers, and Loretta... Neko Case has captured it all. (And to those people who were just standing still in the audience: I do not think you are human) Case’s voice radiated over the strings and drums of the songs. But this time, besides just mesmerizing, the music was intoxicating (and no, it wasn’t just the Southern Comfort). The performance reinforced the strength and variety of the singer. I only look forward to hearing more of her work with The Sadies in the years to come.
This was the kind of show that reminds you of how much you love music. By far, the best concert of the new year.
[Tune in to Nostalgia For The Present every Monday 3pm-5pm]
THE FUTUREHEADS + Shoutout Louds + High Speed Scene @ El Salon
By Alex - Losing My Edge - 02/26/2005
The current crop of post-punk revivalism, spearheaded by Franz Ferdinand and including Bloc Party, TV On The Radio and tonight’s hosts The Futureheads, promotes the artier and spazzier side of the much-copied genre. To their credit, they have stepped back from the mood music of predecessors like Interpol, realizing perhaps its limited shelf life, to bring more of a good times aspect which of course means backup shout vocals galore. What might bore some people is that these bands are so, well, straight down the middle. They hardly inspire as much hate from the cynics who like to rattle off the laundry list of influences (Gang Of Four, Talking Heads, Wire), because it’s hard to deny their effort and "taste" (it's much harder to hate someone who loved the same records that you did). Despite the copping, they seem sincere and earnest in their desire to make interesting music, doing what they can within the limits of their talent.
Making their first visit to Montreal, The Futureheads made their intentions clear by blasting off with "Le Garage", showcasing the vocal interplay between all four members. The energy was also palpable, with each instrument bouncing off each other in a jagged rhythm. They were in good spirits and they passed the crowd’s bullshit detector with that first song. Then came the next song. "The City Is Here For You To Use" is a good song, but the feeling of stagnation seeped in quickly. In fact, that was representative of the Futureheads in that they have great parts in their songs, but don’t seem to always be able to piece them together to have much sustaining impact. Nowhere is this better examplified than in their single "Meantime", which drags through a competently written song before belatedly delivering the goods in the last part of the song.
However, the frustration is easily offset by their seeming desire to entertain and put on a good show, emphasizing audience participation in a last-call-at-the-pub kinda way. They led the crowd in a split sing-along of the great Kate Bush cover, "Hounds Of Love". Perhaps though it is telling that the audience was all into the chants and the hand claps, but the dancing was barely registering when one would think that the music is conducive to such activity. Blame it on the cigarette smoke, blame it on the heat inside the glorified death trap that El Salon becomes when it sells out, or blame it on the lack of build-up versus delivery of most of their catalogue. The sameness in the music often threatened to suffocate the blistering moments that the Futureheads are occasionally capable of delivering.
It is an uphill battle to try to convince skeptics, because their influences came from (Ed’s note: romanticizing alert) a more embattled backdrop, a time where they were more likely to inspire and change the lives of a few. The Futureheads possess the explosiveness of The Jam, but lack the angst or ultimately, the purpose. To be fair, the Futureheads never claimed to be in the market to peddle scathing social commentaries through their music. The burden of their socially-conscious influences weighs heavier on them, whereas for example, the Exploding Hearts only had to live up to the heartbreak themes of The Undertones and The Buzzcocks (though they also arguably wrote better songs). One wonders if they can even do that, as their cover of Television Personalities' "A Picture Of Dorian Gray", kicking off the encore, lacked the vulnerability of the original. What they did manage to do was to deliver a good rock show for those interested. As evidenced by the sweaty and enthused crowd response and the visible high in the Futureheads’ demeanours, no one minded turning the rally into a party.
[Tune in to Losing My Edge every Sunday noon-2pm and Tuesday 8pm-10pm]
Snowstorm Vol. I CD Release Party: Squalor + Pete Möss + Floating Widget + Medusa Head Trip + Absolu @ Foufounes Électriques
By Angelica - BVST - 02/16/2005
This was THE night for celebrating the best that the Montreal stoner rock scene has to offer. Tickets were cheap, beer was flowin' freely, and "paraphernalia" was handed out at the door, so the crowd was definitely ready to get down, and they weren't disappointed.
Absolu took the stage first. What a surprise. This band definitely delivered, all thick, grinding guitars and big, fat redneck riffs, perfect for pole dancing. The ass shakin' continued on a faithful, if slightly grungified French language cover of “She” by Kiss. Of course, at that point I was fully sold. Slow and greasy, this is rock'n'roll done right, and I look forward to seeing them again..
I've been enjoying High on Fire's latest Blessed Black Wings over the past couple of weeks, marveling at their no-bullshit steamroller approach to stoner rock. Medusa Head Trip are very much in this same vein: all dirty, freewheeling rock songs that thunder onward relentlessly. The heavy stoner riffs are there, but they're a little speedier, a little grittier. Plus, these guys are all about fast cars and faster women, so what is not to love?
Floating Widget are somewhat less accessible than the previous bands, with more complex song structures, and a more "traditional" stoner sound, but it was on their more "punk" (their word, not mine) inspired tracks that they truly dominated. Olivier Comtois' vocals were awesome that night, which is remarkable, seeing as I find that the singer is often the Achilles' heel of many great stoner bands. Of course, he could have cut down on the heavy breathing between songs, but now I'm just splitting hairs.
I've seen 2004 Montreal Emergenza winners Pete Möss before, and once again I was left... uninspired. This is more cock rock than stoner rock, and while I enjoy balls out rock'n'roll as much, if not more, than the next person, I find Pete Möss soulless. The riffs are heavy and the choruses are catchy, but like a Mickey D's cheeseburger, they're empty and unsatisfying and leave you hungering for something real. Pay some more dues before printing up all those boy-cut panties, boys.
Unfortunately, I didn't stick around for Squalor's set, despite the fact that they were the reason I decided to attend in the first place. However, because I have seen them on many different occasions, I can confidently say that they killed. These guys have been doing this forever, and their loaded, spacey instrumentals always satisfy, and I doubt that this night was any exception, unfortunately for me. Damn you, day job.
[Tune in to BVST every Thursday from 6pm to 8pm]
TO LIVE AND SHAVE IN L.A. + Monotract + Double Leopards @ Tonic
By Alex - Losing My Edge - 09/18/2004
This is not where it began, but we'll pick it up at the part where we were sitting down at a Mexican place in the Lower East Side on Saturday, taking refuge from the rain and deciding what to do with ourselves that night. One idea that was tossed around were the words To Live and Shave In L.A. and though it didn't immediately became the front-runner, it's the one that stuck for the next few hours until 9pm came around and we still haven't decided on anything. Seeing a show in New York wouldn't be the worst activity to partake in, but throw in suggestions of "experimental", "The Great Pumpkin Of Noise" (according to the little Village Voice preview) and of course "Andrew WK" and you get quite the molotov cocktail that could translate into either the best show ever, or possibly the worst.
So we made our way to Tonic, with my personal clincher being that Don Fleming (Velvet Monkeys, Gumball, produced Sonic Youth and Teenage Fanclub) was also going to be playing with them. As we entered the venue, one of the openers, Monotract, were ending their set and immediately, we got an instantaneous review from a loudmouth geezer asshole (wearing a shirt that read "What shitty band are you in?"). I'll skip ahead the rant about how the cigarette ban in bars is killing the spirit of this vital city and the other opener, Double Leopards, who played average ambient noise (personally, I need percussions in order to function properly).
Finally, To Live and Shave In L.A. were taking the stage as a real crowd starts to form inside Tonic. Among the new arrivals were Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, not surprising considering at least their connection with Don Fleming. For tonight, the band consisted of Fleming , Mark Morgan from Sightings, Andrew WK on drums and the original trio itself, Ben Wolcott, Tom Smith and holy fuck, there's loudmouth geezer asshole aka Rat Bastard. Immediately, you can sense Smith's presence. He is a big sweaty man with crazy eyes and a crazier smile. He starts whispering distortedly while pounding his chest and before you knew it, it all came crashing down. Usually, noise shows can overwhelm you with sheer intensity and volume, but this was just out of this world because each member, with lead singer Smith and guitarist Morgan in particular, just lost it. They were all individually and collectively as ferocious as they were demented.
What I felt (because this show was no longer about hearing and seeing) was that the traditional roles of the entertainer and the entertainee no longer applied here and consequently, the audience started to adjust accordingly after being frozen into a "holy shit" trance for the first few numbers. The best shows I've ever attended always transcended the usual formula and expectations (banter, encores, reaction to a recognizable riff, counting the songs until the end 'cause you should've fuckin' known better than to leave your house). Those peaks in my personal concert-going experiences were often defined by the lack of structure and clear markers, where a song ended and where another began. This was one moment broken into a million jagged pieces and reconstructed into one unsettling and ugly explosion.
Ultimately, I realized how fleething this moment was. Hell, I forgot about it (the feeling, not the memory) after exiting the venue. There was no "hey, what about that part where the guitarist played that solo" or "did you hear when the frontman made that funny comeback at that heckler" or "holy shit, they played that song off their first EP". Everything was gone, as fast and forceful as it came. Rock plays off nostalgia too often. There would be no buying a CD from the merch table tonight, in vain hopes of recapturing the impossible. The only thing that could be done was to shake Rat Bastard's hand and then go drink ourselves into the night.
[Tune in to Losing My Edge every Sunday from noon to 2pm and Tuesdays 8pm – 10pm]
TEGAN & SARA + Lindy @ Cabaret La Tulipe
By Mikey B - The Lonesome Stranger - 02/19/2005
After a few years of hearing just how good Tegan and Sara are, I finally got a chance to see for myself whether or not they were worth the hype. This happened on Saturday when I busted my ass to get to “La Tulipe”. Actually, I got a lift to the show, but I assure you that this place is still pretty out of the way. Luckily my friend Franck’s apartment is three blocks from the place, so he ended up being my date for the night. He and his ex Amelie are the ones that have been raving about T&S to me for years, so it was nice to go to the show with a big fan. Even though I’ve been to most every concert venue in Montreal, I did rather enjoy the coziness of La Tulipe. Small, intimate and as a walked in, I had just noticed the way the stage lights blended in perfectly with the second hand smoke. Very pretty.
Opening for the duo was a three-piece from Toronto named Lindy. Simply put, they were a breath of fresh air from the usual mediocre opening acts. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a sweet set of pipes, frontman Lindy Vopnfjord serenaded the crowd for a good 45 minutes of sweet organic folk rock. If Thom Yorke had a 7-foot tall Swedish cousin, it’d be this guy. Their voices and vocal ranges are very similar, but yeah, let’s not compare Lindy to Radiohead here. Anyways, for future reference, these guys are definitely worth checking out.
During the break, my friends and I basically just waited on the floor for Tegan and Sara to come out. These are the moments that seem to last forever, although this time it went by pretty quickly. Usually, clubs will play music during intermissions and most of the time it’s pretty lousy (although the Metropolis does play the Clash a lot). Anyways, I was able to listen to some great songs, most notably by the Flaming Lips, the Sounds and the Weakerthans. Finally, after a long wait, surrounded by short girls who wouldn’t find me attractive, those crazy Thompson Twins took to the stage. Hey, the real Thompson Twins weren’t even twins; they were three people who look creepy as all hell. Yes, I know, the Thompson Twins reference is completely unjustified, my bad.
Now, like most bands out promoting a new CD, Tegan & Sara’s setlist was comprised mostly of songs from their new highly acclaimed album So Jealous. Pity for me, and like many of the people there, So Jealous was the first album I’ve listened to in its entirety. I was pretty impressed; there’s a real vulnerability in their songs that’s just so sweet and encompassing. They mesh great love songs, with a sort of general insecurity about themselves, which is revealing and at the same time truly genuine. Seeing them up on stage, one gets the feeling of true authenticity with this band. They just seem like two real sisters that love to joke around and play music. There was a lot of great onstage banter between the sisters and the audience. Sara now lives in Montreal, and she had been telling us about her party that no one came to. The sisters were also busy pimping off other members of the band (Chris Carlson, Rob Chursinoff and Ted Gowans) and when they weren’t doing that, they were making fun of each other.
Before hearing their new record, I’d heard a couple of songs off their earlier records: “If It Was You” and “This Business Called Art”. They didn’t play too much from either album, but I wasn’t all that disappointed. If I were a longtime T&S fan, I think I might’ve been a little frustrated with the lack of oldies. My buddy Franck, who hadn’t listened to the new album, was a little downtrodden. I had asked him to help me out with the setlist since I didn’t know the band all that well. He was able to name 2 or 3 songs, and this guy has seen them at least 10 times over the last few years! Personal faves that were played were “I Bet It Stung”, “Where Does The Good Go” and “So Jealous”. The song “Monday, Monday, Monday” drew a pretty good response from the crowd, and well, it was one of the only earlier recordings I was able to decipher. During the encore, the sisters played an absolutely sparkling version of “Dancing In The Dark”, which capped off a terrific show.
[Mikey co-hosts The Lonesome Stranger on CJLO with Spanky G every Tuesday noon-2pm]
HIGH ON FIRE - Blessed Black Wings
By Robot - No Sleep Til Bedtime - 02/01/2005
I thought I’d better review this one before somebody else at CJLO does, ‘cause it’s looking like it’s gonna be the hottest record in the Metal department for at least a month, and I bet at least a few rock/punk/alt shows will be playing it (I can name names).
When promo copies began circulating, there was a lot of bitching (or cheering) about Mötörhead-isms and ‘progression’. The power-trio possibilities of High On Fire only dawned on me while watching them do a RIPPING cover of "Witching Hour" on the Contaminated DVD last year, and I was all set to embrace any old-school angle they might go for.
With the real thing in my hands and a LOT of plays under my belt (that’s right ladies!) I can say there is a definite nod to Lemmy (and Venom!), but also plenty of the broasted rock/doom of Surrounded By Thieves. And thanks to producer (ok, ENGINEER) Steve Albini, it sounds cleaner and leaner than ever, but with enough grit in all the right places.
Lead track "Devilution" (stuuuuupid title) is probably the main cause for the Lemmy-phobics to groan, but it’s just a THUNDERING rocker so heavy and rhythmically right-on that it prompted normally staid CJLO Jazzmaster Chris Bussmann to exclaim, awestruck, “Yeah!! Metal needs more 2/4 parts like this!!”. Whatever, Mr. Time Signature. "To Cross the Bridge", previewed live for years (and demo’ed on the High Volume comp) might be High On Fire’s greatest moment yet, with a sweet acoustic intro, the most bestial (yes, bestial) vocals Matt Pike ever laid to tape, some clever clean parts, and a great punked-out ending. Still, my favorite track is "Cometh Down Hessian", with nothing clever or experimental about it, just a willingness to pound down everything in its path.
This review is a little late coming because I went without a CD player for a few weeks, and, coming back to this record, even the songs I didn’t immediately love are starting to sink in. The spacey/strummy part at end of "The Face of Oblivion", and the riding-on-horseback-to-smite-thine-enemy vibe of "Sons of Thunder" took a bit of getting used to, but now I wouldn’t have them any other way. Track 3 ("Brother in the Wind", another stupid title) was a write-off for a while, until I came to accept that, hey, you can make a song work with just two riffs and a little heart. Just ask Omar, y’know, from Superheater.
If this all seems a little kiss-ass, it’s because something about this record makes me want to believe in METAL, even with its guitar wanking Viking wannabees. It’s like the E.T. of dumbasses.
P.S. Was anybody else expecting the bass to really stand out a little more? New bassist Joe Preston has played on records by Earth, the Melvins, and Sunn0))) for chrissakes! I wasn’t really expecting High On (fuckin’) Fire to start sounding like Preston’s solo abstract-nerd-glitch-sludge project Thrones, but at least gimme SOMETHING. Maybe next time.
Blessed Black Wings is out now on Relapse Records. Thrones have stuff coming out soon via Southern Lord.
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