Monday, February 20, 2006

No Hits 2.20.06

Dead Edge of Town - Blood On The Wall

Blood On The Wall may be the most derivative band I've heard since The Soundtrack of Our Lives (and at least TSOOL had the decency to cop to its thievery up front). But you give them a pass because there aren't too many new ideas in rock, and hey, they're pretty good at what they do. Still, I find parts of Awesomer (US, UK) hard to swallow. Specifically, "Mary Susan," a mannered tune you can't believe isn't a Jack White composition as interpreted by The Pixies.

BOTW is best when they forget about the hero-worshipping tributes, let loose and rock out. "Dead Edge of Town" is a rabid animal, a sleazy bottom-dweller possessed by a frenzied but tight bass n' drums combo and cacophonous feedback (the guitar parts lifted, it needs to be said, from Psychocandy). Courtney Shanks is a good vocalist. Not perhaps as cool as Kim Gordon or as feral as PJ Harvey, but edgy and menacing all the same. You wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley, but it might be fun to see her on stage.

Awesomer

BOTW calls The Social Registry--one of the more interesting independent labels--home. In fact, the band is probably the "safest" act on a roster that includes freak-folkers Gang Gang Dance and freak-funkers Artanker Convoy. One of the best up-and-coming bands on Social Registry is Psychic Ills, who paint vast entrancing dronescapes.

4 AM - Psychic Ills

Psychic Ills are currently touring with Arial Pink and play Toronto tonight if you live there and don't already have plans. Blood On The Wall open for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on Friday in New York (but the show is sold out).

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

after hearing that, i'd like to meet courtney in a dark alley.

nice two song mixtape.

1:17 PM  
Blogger Eric said...

BOTW is a fun band. As derivative as Awesomer is I find parts of it really enjoyable. Oh, and since you mentioned them, Gang Gang Dance's latest "God's Money" is simply awesome(r).

9:35 PM  

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