Almost all actors eventually “want to direct.” Similarly, many solo
electronic-music producers “want to form a band.” Two examples of the
latter phenomenon appear this week in Seattle: Jamie Lidell and
Matthew Dear. Some control freaks eventually tire of controlling
all of the frequencies.
In his one-bloke-band guise, Lidell put on some stunning live
performances in support of his 2005 album Multiply. Beginning
with his 2000 solo LP Muddlin Gear and two Super_Collider albums with Cristian Vogel, the British
knob-twiddler/vocalist/beatboxer blazed
a distinctive swath
through left-field dance music by infusing surprisingly soulful vocals
into oddly funky, abstract-electronic productions.
With his 2005 solo joint Multiply, Lidell reined in his
weirder instincts, retooling himself as a soul man more indebted to the
rough/smooth expressiveness of vocalists like Otis Redding and
Stevie Wonder. Lidell’s nods to Stax/Motown tradition combined
with charming banter, phenomenal beatboxing, and on-the-fly sample
manipulation made for winning live shows. He’d found a fascinating way
to meld old Mad-scientist soundboy with suave loverman, and a
new breed of consummate entertainer emerged.
Flash-forward to 2008. Lidell records his new album, Jim,
with a conventional band and backing vocalists. While Jim may
lure more conservative listeners to Lidell’s music, it lacks the daring
bite of his previous work. “Out of My System,” “Little Bit of Feel
Good,” and “Hurricane” are fine party jams, but the bulk of Jim boogies into trad-soul beigeness. Lidell used to be soul’d and
out; now he’s just sold out.
Matthew Dear surfaced in 1999 as a minimal-techno master with
a knack for hypnotic, quasi-African rhythms. He cranked out loads of
outstanding DJ-oriented 12-inches for myriad top labels before
releasing Leave Luck to Heaven (2003), featuring tracks with his
own lugubrious, Smog-like vocals. Standout single “Dog Days” proved
that Dear could insert pop sensibilities within a deep, danceable
context. DJs from Hawtin to Hot Chip were feeling it.
Subsequent Dear albums Backstroke (2004) and Asa Breed (2007) continued to throw understated hooks into cuts that
theoretically could work in clubs or for everyday listening. Dear’s
low, flat voice acts as a mellow bass tone, smoothing the transition
from DJ-friendly producer to songwriter. Dear uses his downer delivery
to drop wry observations about relationships, like Kevin Ayers with
higher BPM.
Dear’s Big Hands trio reflects his commitment to rockier songcraft.
Whatever his format, Dear has proved to be adept at generating alluring
melodies, eerie mood-setting, and wiggle-inducing beats. 
Jamie Lidell plays Fri Oct 3, Showbox at the Market, 8 pm, $18
adv/$22 DOS, all ages. With Janelle Monae.
Matthew Dear’s Big Hands play Wed Oct 8, Chop Suey, 8 pm, $12,
21+. With Telefon Tel Aviv, Library Science.
