From the Apr 28 – May 4, 2005 issue

Music

Up & Coming

THURSDAY 4/28


LYRICS BORN, SIRENS ECHO, LIBRETTO
(Chop Suey) See preview, page 39.

THE LIGHTS
(War Room) Ex-New Mexicans Creighton Barrett and Rob Hampton have formed a Thursday-night weekly with DJ Cherry Canoe called, well, "Rock Night." Tired of four- and five-band bills? Rock Night slims the lineup down to one, with a rotating cast of DJs filling up the speakers for the remainder of the night. Tonight features a set by Stranger favorites the Lights, who are busy working on new post-rock goodness for their next record--and, word has it, might even feature some of it live. JENNIFER MAERZ

BLANK ITS, THE HOT ROLLERS, THE EMERGENCY
(Fun House) Taken by much of the Motor City past and present, garage rockers the Emergency bring a little Detroit grit and a lot of talent to the local scene. The band possess the classic confidence the Go used to exude, except they temper the testosterone-packed heft of their distortion-heavy sound and solos with a sultry-voiced female frontwoman--Dita Vox. Vox's bedroom vocals waver between come hither and go to hell, and there's great strength in her delivery when she decides it's time to bellow out something a little more on the fierce side. JENNIFER MAERZ

EUPHONDISSON, SEAN
(Rendezvous) Euphondisson claim they "like to improvise around a loosely structured mass of misused electricity." True. These Seattleites churn out sulfuric bursts of steel-wool noise that move like free-floating clouds of toxic gas. This music builds incredible tension and pressure, but doesn't provide catharsis. It recalls some of the spacier moments of '80s-era Butthole Surfers and Hovercraft and the head-wreckin' tribal grind of Savage Republic. Keyboards/drums duo Sean rose from the ashes of grindcore trio Tion and are reputed to be as heavy and metallic as a new skyscraper. This is a Wall of Sound-curated gig, so quality control is assured. DAVE SEGAL

FRIDAY 4/29


MOMMY AND DADDY, BLACK HORSE, HUNK PARADE
(Vera Project) See Live Wire, page 47.

SCHOOLYARD HEROES, ADAINE, THE INSURGENCE, GUESTS
(Paradox) See All Ages Action, page 57.

OCTAVE ONE, RANDOM NOISE GENERATION, DLYTE, BLISS, KRIS MOON
(CHAC Lower Level) The Burden brothers--Lennie, Lawrence, and Lorne--trek all the way from Detroit to school your neophyte asses on the whys and wherefores of Motor City techno (pronounced "teshno," greenhorn). As Octave One and Random Noise Generation (and proprietors of the important 430 West label), these bros bring it hard, dark, funky, and minimal--essential nutrients for all adventurous heads. Seattle producer Kris Moon's been woodshedding for months in order to concoct future classics in many styles. What a philanthropist. Tonight he promises to bang out some tough teshno to maintain the Detroit vibe. DAVE SEGAL

CODEBASE, MISS SOLAR SYSTEM, SOLOVOX
(Nectar Lounge) Two years ago, Codebase (Seattle producer Tom Butcher) issued Style Encoding, a slab of sleek yet edgy Detroit-ian techno and chunky-trunked electro for Germany's esteemed (and defunct) Force Inc. We hope in the meantime he's hatched some more variations on these timeless themes, because we've worn out our copy of Style Encoding. And kudos to Codebase for getting his track "Seek and Destroy" on Danny Howells' Global Underground: Miami mix disc. Seattle trio Miss Solar System are versatile electronicists who channel song structure and Miranda Rose's dramatic diva vocals through drum 'n' bass, funky-breaks, and downtempo frameworks. The members' associations with hard-gigging favorites KJ Sawka, Fading Collection, and Beehive shine vividly and their chops are accordingly well-honed. DAVE SEGAL

THE SET
(Patti Summers) Local indie-pop act the Set operate in something of a haze--light layers of guitar fuzz and electronic accents, whispered vocals--so that some of their songs feel as though they could disappear in a puff of sweet-scented smoke. Their recent Lo-Fi Mummy release is full of delicate numbers, but less in emotion and more in their graceful construction, adding angelic harmonies here and digging in their heels only slightly to aim more indie rock there. JENNIFER MAERZ

SATURDAY 4/30


THE CAPILLARIES, THE COPS, CARRIE AKRE, ROBB BENSON, GRAIG MARKEL
(Chop Suey) See Stranger Suggests, page 27.

UNSANE, PLASTER, SWARMING HORDES
(Sunset) See preview, page 37.

DAMON & NAOMI WITH KURIHARA, COLOSSAL YES, JOSHUA BECKMAN
(Tractor) See CD Reviews, page 43.

BOBBY BARE JR.'S YOUNG CRIMINALS' STARVATION LEAGUE, RICHMOND FONTAINE, CHUCKANUT DRIVE
(Crocodile) There are several hangover treatments that work for me; the three most efficient being pot, pork products, and orgasms. Failing those methods, my sure-fire cure-all is repeated spins of "I'll Be Around," the lead track on Bobby Bare Jr.'s 2002 album, Young Criminals' Starvation League, and arguably one of the best pop songs ever written. Sure, that's a dramatic statement, but I truly believe the track belongs in the same echelon as the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" or the Beatles' "A Little Help from My Friends." From the way Bare Jr.'s rich, expressive croon perfectly matches the lyrical description of enduring friendship in the face of adversity to the softly percolating horns on the simple, perfect chorus, it's unadulterated genius. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing Bobby live, the faultless beauty of that one song is worth the price of admission, but the kid also puts on a hell of live show. HANNAH LEVIN See also Border Radio, page 48.

THE HUNCHES, THE INTELLIGENCE, MEERCAZ
(Fun House) The Hunches treat garage rock with the same rancid sadism Pussy Galore did 20 years ago, but with even crappier fidelity. The Hunches can actually get away with titling a song "Explosion" and have it be accurate. Any encounter with these Portland treble-kickers will inevitably end in tinnitus and ears bruised to a deep purple--and possibly brain cancer. They're that good. The Intelligence are about to drop the follow-up to 2004's Boredom and Terror; a prospect that should fill you with pants-expanding excitement. Led by A Frames drummer Lars Finberg, the Intelligence transform that band's deadpan genius for memorably minimalist tuneage, beer-belly-tight structures, and ear-flambéing dynamics into even catchier specimens of songcraft. Right now the Intelligence are Seattle's finest rock band--you just haven't realized it yet. DAVE SEGAL

AQUEDUCT, KIND OF LIKE SPITTING, REVOLUTIONARY HYDRA, THIS BUSY MONSTER
(Vera Project) Everything is coming up Barsuk Records these days. Death Cab for Cutie (who were Barsuk superstars before signing with Atlantic last year) were just featured on The O.C. , and the good-times electronic-pop project Aqueduct has already been featured on Conan O'Brien's show. Our little local label is becoming a big national tastemaker, as the owners obviously know what good music is. Tonight's show, a label showcase, promises to be nothing but great as Aqueduct return home from their tour to take the stage with label mates Kind of Like Spitting, Revolutionary Hydra, and This Busy Monster--three more über-talented bands sure to get some future fame of their own. MEGAN SELING

SUNDAY 5/1


JOHN DOE
(Easy Street Records, Queen Anne) John Doe, the punk legend from the band X, has had a constantly evolving solo career, sometimes with the chameleon-like connotation of his name. He's a punk, an everyman, a country crooner, and on his latest solo venture, Forever Hasn't Happened Yet, a little bit of all these guises. It's a stripped-down affair, but the vibe is less folk than blues. The same trenchantly downhearted themes that he's explored for over two decades pop up throughout the album--love, loss, addiction--but the bare-bones context gives them renewed power. Forever Hasn't Happened Yet isn't strictly a solo album; it boasts an impressive set of talented guests--Dave Alvin, Neko Case, and Kristin Hersh all contribute. But live it will just be punk's Sam Shepard singing his battered heart out. NATE LIPPENS

MONDAY 5/2
Why don't you read a book or something.

TUESDAY 5/3


MERCURY REV
(Showbox) See preview, page 37.

PANDA & ANGEL, GREENWOOD
(Chop Suey) Have any of you gotten over Carissa's Wierd's breakup? That band hovers over my local-music soul like a dazzling, enigmatic ex. Perhaps that's why I take great comfort in the recent discovery of Panda & Angel (www.pandaandangel.com), a local band featuring Josh Wackerly of S, Carrie Murphy of Touchdown Eagle, and Sera Cahoone of Carissa's Wierd. Their combined sound is part Chan Marshall, part Jesse Sykes, and a smidge of Mary Hansen from Stereolab, with husky, provocative female vocals, haunting tremors in the lo-fi guitars, and the spacious joys of a pared-down rhythm section. Panda & Angel evoke a sense of timeless melancholy sorely missed since Carissa's Wierd's demise, and with Jenn Ghetto's Crictor also on the bill, this show is a no-miss for those of us who dearly miss the CW. DANA BOS

FROM ASHES RISE, PAINT IT BLACK, COLISEUM, NO SECRETS BETWEEN SAILORS, THE HELM
(El Corazòn) Portland's No Secrets Between Sailors put their own complex spin on D.C.'s '90s post-hardcore sound. But unlike so many other bands that try to emulate the same style, they take a chance with unobvious breakdowns and more complex song structure. As far as I know, they've yet to officially release anything (though there is a demo floating around), but there are a couple MP3s available at www.purevolume.com/ nosecretsbetweensailors. At the very least, check out "You Were Meant for Lights." It's blistering, it's melodic, it'll get stuck in your head for days. Paint It Black, who feature members of Lifetime (yay!) and Good Riddance, sound really pissed off. MEGAN SELING

WEDNESDAY 5/4


MOBY
(Paramount) See CD Reviews, page 43.

MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO., COURT & SPARK
(Crocodile) See CD Reviews, page 45.

SNOW PATROL, EMBRACE
(Moore) If it weren't for the band's hilarious and entertaining cover of Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love," I might have fallen asleep at the last Snow Patrol show, when they played to a full house at the Showbox last fall. While the Glasgow band have mastered the art of writing glistening indie pop full of hooks (readily available on just about every radio station in town), they sadly fail to deliver the goods live. Snow Patrol lacked the sparkle and depth heard on their latest release, Final Straw, and the vocals weren't nearly as impressive, sounding more like a mediocre indie-rock performance rather than evoking the romantic and soft melodies heard on record. The gig wasn't terrible; it was just very dull. Except, of course, for that aforementioned Beyoncé cover. That ruled. MEGAN SELING

THE LUCKSMITHS, TULLYCRAFT, MATH & PHYSICS CLUB
(Sunset) In a joy battle against the hairy authority of New York City rock types, international indie pop has had a bit of success in surviving the longtime onslaught of tunelessness, but it's an ongoing struggle. Take Australia's Lucksmiths, a comfortable enough bunch of slow, concerned songwriters of pastel arches, replacing the Stooges with the Smiths as their future-killing creative template. Or take Seattle's Tullycraft, who are different! In a way! Think Stars or Stephin Merritt, right, but shrill and fast and real snide. Wired like ADD. And good-natured, too--they're easy to like because they don't sound like they like everybody else, while they abrasively give homage to treble-drenched indie pop's typical preciousness with songs like "Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid to Know About." GUY FAWKES See also Stranger Suggests, page 27.

Buy Tickets for Other Events