Music

Up & Coming

RICHARD DEVINE
(Baltic Room) See preview in Speaker Freak, page 54.

STAGGER LEE, SWARMING HORDES
(Liquid Lounge) Fuck EMP, the Space Needle, and the wonky Wild Ginger: Seattle's primary tourist attraction, a.k.a. the Seventh Wonder of the World, is a local metal band called Swarming Hordes. That's right, SWARMING HORDES: Remember it, because after their show, they're going to etch it onto your gravestone. With mind-busting precision and speed that actually hurts, this trio plays light-speed instru-metal in the vein of old Metallica--only updated to now. And better. And faster. In fact, merely watching them will exhaust you; the Swarming Hordes could be held in high regard for sheer athletic endurance, especially the drummer. But mostly you should see them because their insanely melodic, overdriven delivery rolls right over any and all other instru-metal bands and turns them into pulp. JULIANNE SHEPHERD

DAVE PIRNER
(Crocodile) Jesus did I used to love me some Dave Pirner. He's skinny, sarcastic, cute as that button nose of his, and no rock singer has ever had such a sexy shimmy. Then Winona came along and took the glorious piss and vinegar out of him, transformed him into a folk singer, and all that Twin/Tone urgency of the early Soul Asylum we all knew and loved was long gone. And gone forever, it seems, because his new solo album, recorded after he spent some time hanging out in New Orleans, is such a slap in the face to any longtime fan that I actually flung it out my office window when I finished listening to it. I can't even tell you what it was titled, so rapid was its flight from CD player to sidewalk. However, I'll probably go to this show just out of respect and the hope of hearing some old favorites mixed in with the new. KATHLEEN WILSON

HATE MAIL EXPRESS, THE DUTCH FLAT, YEEK YAK AIRFORCE, ANA OXYGEN
(Graceland) In my instant, first-listen opinion, Yeek Yak Airforce is a melodic godheadSilo, a slightly less-impassioned Karp, and a fine example that time changes and musical twists need not always be something with which to beat one over the head. You needn't put a dunce cap on half the audience to get the point across that your creativity is mathematically fortified and heavily charged with energy. Phil Ek produced the band's new album (see review, page 57), and he excels at this kind of stuff. Check it out. KATHLEEN WILSON

NEB, ME INFECTO, ANDREA MAXAND, ROXY & CLARK
(Sit & Spin) The other day, I tore my office apart looking for a CD--only to find it a couple hours later under the stack of papers right next to my computer. I feel that same kind of "Doh!" sensation (excitement that I found something coupled with embarrassment that it was sitting right under my nose all along) listening to Andrea Maxand's excellent new EP. Although Maxand already has an album and plenty of shows under her belt, it's likely that the Chris Walla-produced Paper Cut is going to be eliciting a good response. By turns urgent and intimate, it eclipses much of the Oly-influenced indie-chick set by proving that real emotion doesn't have to equal a lack of technical, vocal, or songwriting proficiency. Definitely someone to look out for. BARBARA MITCHELL

THE BRIEFS, THE STITCHES, THE HOLLOW POINTS, DEAD MOON, THE SPITS, THE POPULAR SHAPES
(Graceland) See Stranger Suggests page 27.

LUTHER WRIGHT & THE WRONGS, DEER WHISTLE, PURTY MOUTH
(Crocodile) It was probably only a matter of time before someone threw together a gay country outfit (as in band, not wardrobe ensemble...), but thankfully that task has fallen into more than capable hands. Enter Purty Mouth--the brainchild of Kurt B. Reighley and It's Mark Mitchell--which the duo bills as "Seattle's Premiere Almost All-Gay Country Band." (Have fun guessing who's the straight one in the bunch.) Though tonight's only the second time this combo has taken to the stage, they're already hard at work on original material to supplement the hand-picked selection of contemporary and classic songs--which run the gamut from Dolly Parton to Robbie Fulks. While the genre's inherent camp value could be milked to death (particularly in this context), the genius behind Purty Mouth is the band's respect for the music and the theatrical opportunities afforded by love songs that tell stories--not to mention the interplay between Reighley's Tammy Wynette and Mitchell's George Jones. BARBARA MITCHELL

NORAH JONES
(Moore) Norah Jones is the sort of success story that usually pisses me off. Blessed with modelesque looks, a famous dad (Ravi Shankar), and a sweet, slightly husky voice, Jones scored a deal with Blue Note while playing coffeehouses in Greenwich, then worked with a pack of fine jazz musicians (Tony Scherr, Bill Frisell, etc.) on a record with accessible pop and NPR appeal. Of course the goddamn thing is a huge hit. Still, I can't seem to muster the usual outrage and start howling about all the talented but luckless and not-so-pretty musicians who would eat their children for a taste of Jones' good fortune. It's just not possible, if, like me, you have a weakness for classy girls with pretty voices and undeniable musical talent. For us, there will be a pleasant narcotic effect on Friday night, when delicate, low-key covers of Hoagy Carmichael and Hank Williams float around the room--superceding righteous indignation. MATTHEW COOKE

CAPTURED! BY ROBOTS, PLEASEEASAUR
(Sit & Spin) With Captured! By Robots, man has once again been replaced by machine. This time, though, man is not a cog in the production line, but rather the guitarist, drummer, and cymbal-crasher for a metal band, and his presence has been overtaken by a motley bunch of proficient rock robots. These 'bots and their human frontman, JBOT, intersperse crude metal songs with plenty of human-bashing, thanks to the spitefulness of JBOT's mechanical bandmates. JENNIFER MAERZ

HOPE SANDOVAL, SOLEDAD BROTHERS
(Crocodile) See preview page 47.

CARISSA'S WIERD (CD RELEASE), THE SIX PARTS SEVEN, TERROR SHEETS
(Graceland) The Six Parts Seven are the aural equivalent of driving down a lonely, panoramic stretch of highway somewhere in, say, Montana, around dusk--hypnotic, moody, and comforting to the extent where you could either achieve some sort of transcendental revelation or nod off and crash into a tree. The Ohio-bred instrumental sextet--who favor meandering, three-guitar-spawned melodies and drones that mingle with grand piano and lap-steel-generated atmospherics--offer a variety of post-rock that's vaguely reminiscent of Tortoise (though more algebra than calculus on the Pretentious Math Rock Scale) or Mogwai's more serene moments. Since they lack the turn-on-a-dime explosiveness of the latter band, you may find yourself frustrated by 6P7's restraint--their songs tend to sway and drift into the ether rather than burst into a huge, cathartic release. But if you're one to appreciate nuance and what some like to call "the space between the music," then you'll enjoy this trip. MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG

MASSIVE DAMAGE TOUR FEATURING REBELZ OF RHYTHM, HITTAS ON THA PAYROLL, X-KID, NEEMA, LIVIO, IE. MORTEL, MISTA OCKTOBER, OXYGEN, MISTY FINE, AND OTHERS
(I-Spy) If anything else, the Massive Damage Tour is interesting. It's made up of a variety of West Coast hiphop acts from Seattle to Northern California. The local acts include Livio, DJ FunkDaddy, DJ Scene, and X-Kid, and the regional acts include Portland's Blak Scienz Tribe and Sacramento's Rebelz of Rhythm. Blak Scienz Tribe is an eight-piece band with two MCs, a saxophonist, a pianist, a bassist, a guitarist, a beatboxer, and a DJ; Rebelz of Rhythm are primarily two rappers, one of whom, Kgee, has an extraordinary rapping voice. Descending from Roxanne Shanté (whose real name is Lolita Shante Gooden) and Ladybug of the Digable Planets, Kgee has a voice that is beautifully broken, like a boy whose voice is cracking. As for her band's CD, Homeless Superstar, all I can say is the beats are really weird. CHARLES MUDEDE

ALICIA KEYS, DONELL JONES
(KeyArena) I don't want to spread rumors, but soul diva Alicia Keys--whose CD Songs in A Minor has sold more copies than there are people in Seattle, if not the whole state of Washington--has a serious attitude. This is what an employee of a local fancy restaurant told me: "I asked Alicia for an autograph and she told me no. I gave her a look and walked away. A week later, she called my boss from an L.A. hotel and told him she would not eat at the restaurant again if he did not fire me. I didn't get fired, but can you imagine that! She thought about me--me!--for two whole weeks. You'd think she'd have a million other things to do, being a famous diva and all." But then again, there is no such thing as a nice diva--by definition, a diva must be super-mean and trivial. CHARLES MUDEDE

REMEDY FEATURING SANDRA COLLINS
(Showbox) A bona fide trance superstar gifted with a notoriously high substance tolerance, Sandra Collins excels with both turntables and a well-stocked bar. Hard-livin', hard-drinkin', and loaded with choice vinyl, she spins the place until sweat drips off the mutherfuckin' roof, takes a smoke/drink/smoke/drink break at 4 am, then rolls until dawn, night after night, city after city, continent after continent. None of that would be revolutionary or even particularly interesting, but considering the fact that she's a she and most DJs are a he, it adds a certain defiant edge. Plus, the fact is, her particular shit fucking kicks. Her mixes aren't going for some limp, "transcendent" ambience. Her feel is up, fun, and sexy like good house, but layered with chic attitude and a resourceful ear. The only appropriate response to such a vibe is to drink lots of water the night before, then get loaded and dance yourself numb. MATTHEW COOKE

It's a sad, sad day.

MÚM
(I-Spy) See preview page 45.

CANNED HAM, DJ FRANKI CHAN, RED LEATHER CHAPSTICK
(Graceland) A lot of what the common folks would call joke or novelty acts go out of their way to tell you their shtick is serious, and there's nothing silly about them. Not true for Canned Ham, a Vancouver band proud to put humor at the forefront of their performance. If you missed the band's performance with comedian Neil Hamburger a little while back, Li'l Hamm and Big Hamm are back to bring their karaoke-themed, Casio-friendly, burlesque-influenced gig to Seattle. If you head to the show, be prepared to get involved.... Word is, the band is big on audience participation. JENNIFER MAERZ

CD release for The Necessary Effect--Screamers Songs Interpreted w/ 8th Grade, Reckless Bastards, AAIIEE, Intelligence, A-Frames, Doosh! Teen Cthulhu, BlÖÖdHag, Point line Plane, the Cripples, Canned Hamm, Ursula Android & Jackie Hell, DJ Basin Jently
(Re-bar) See preview page 43.

J MAJIK
(Baltic Room) The eschatological mood that consumed the end of the '90s, and the century, was best captured by the dub-prose in Kodwo Eshun's book More Brilliant Than the Sun (1998), the "desert of the real" special effects in the Wachowski Brothers movie The Matrix (1999), and the darkling drum 'n' bass CDs produced by members of the Metalheadz crew--Metalheadz Presents Platinum Breakz (1996), and Platinum Breakz II (1997). Led by Goldie, the reputed king of jungle, the Metalheadz created hyper futures that were emptied of all biological life and dominated by either sinister or sensual animal-machines. Peshay's (the best junglist in the Metalheadz crew) animal-machines were sinister; J Majik's animal-machines were sensual, like Goldie's. Now that the end of the world is over, it's nice to see that J Majik is still active. His recent compilation, Drum 'n' Bass Mix, is worth checking out. CHARLES MUDEDE

SUPERDRAG, DEATHRAY DAVIES, THE LASHES
(Crocodile) I gave Knoxville, Tennessee's Superdrag a hard time in 1996 when their first album, Regretfully Yours, spawned the ubiquitous single "Sucked Out." I was quite a bit lippier in the pages of The Stranger in those days, but honest to God, I didn't like the record. I guess I pissed off the band so much that not only did they slam my name from the Crocodile's stage mid-set, they also demanded that if I was in the audience I should be escorted out of the venue. Of course, I was elsewhere that night, no doubt seeing a band I actually did like. I stand penitent, however, as the transformation the band has made over the years and albums has made me a bona fide fan, especially with the most recent release, Last Call for Vitriol. You like the '60s and early-'70s retro things going on now? You're going to love Superdrag's wholly fresh take on them. A friend even convinced me to go back and re-listen to "Sucked Out," and even that sounds better to me now. KATHLEEN WILSON

JAY BENNETT & EDWARD BURCH, WILL JOHNSON, AN AMERICAN STARLET
(Tractor) For about seven years, Jay Bennett was Wilco's multi-instrumentalist and studio wizard--sort of the Alan Parsons to frontman Jeff Tweedy's Gram Parsons, if you will. Though he jumped ship after the notorious struggle to make and release that band's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album, Bennett continues to craft roots-based music that's colored with eclectic, genre-defying textures and arrangements. Bennett's excellent solo debut, The Palace at 4 A.M., finds him teamed up with like-minded Chicago musician Edward Burch, with whom he'd been writing songs throughout his entire Wilco tenure. Realizing the folly of attempting to re-create the album's dense sonics (those orchestra bells just won't fit in the van), the pair has been playing as an acoustic duo for much of the year. But tonight you'll get the full-band treatment, as they'll be augmented by members of Texas twang-rockers Centro-Matic. MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG

Buy Tickets for Other Events