The soothing feeling of cleaning and dressing a fresh wound. That’s what watching Russian Circles Tuesday night at the Doug Fir concert felt like. After the heavy sonic (and visual) assault of both openers, Young Widows and Daughters, Russian Circles began the healing process, though every now and then they were sure to remind us that torn flesh remained just under the surface.
The night’s first act, Young Widows (from Louisville, KY), primed the evening with their power trio lineup of drums, bass, guitar. Though not quite yet breaking the skin, these three pummeled their way through the set. Swapping vocals, Nick Thieneman (bass) and Evan Patterson (guitar) fit well together, though the drumming was somewhat inadequate to properly carry the music. The resulting sound remained primal, almost stunted, throughout.
Though I didn’t yet know it, when Daughters (from Providence, RI) took the stage, they were about to push me from a fast-moving vehicle, making sure that my skin connected roughly with the asphalt. The five-piece (drums, two guitars, bass and vocals) utilized tight, precise wire-brush-on-weasels guitar work over drool-inducing drums that never ceased to impress. Oscillating wildly over, under and through all this were vocalist Alexis Marshall’s verbal outbursts. More attention-grabbing than his vocals, however, were his Ian Curtis meets Iggy Pop stage antics. Sweaty and dripping with the water he kept spitting all over himself, Marshall’s own performance culminated in the removal of all his clothes except for an extremely small pair of shorts - fun for everyone.
From the first few notes that Russian Circles (from Chicago, IL) played, it was clear that something different was going to happen. Quiet guitar notes soothed the room’s collective eardrum, though this wouldn’t last long. Throughout the trio’s set, they often utilized dynamics for a full-spectrum experience - something the two openers clung to just one end of. Each with an army of pedals, Brian Cook (bass) and Mike Sullivan (guitar) went for maximum effect with minimal fuss with each song seemed to want to outdo the last. The drumming (Dave Turncrantz) kept everything moving along, staying within the dynamic muscle the group showed, but lacked creativity - which flowed endlessly from the rest of the stage.
Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
By the way, I really liked the mp3 posted. Thanks.
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “Picture yourself coasting your bike past space funk palm trees, homeless harpists, vintage video arcades, electronic drum circles, and 60s psychedelic singers who’re waiting for the bus. Cosmogramma is kinda like that if someone suddenly tripped you just as you’re starting to enjoy the ride. But in a good way.””
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
