FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1997. All Rights Reserved.
Translating a sonic boom
The New 1-2 give the indie rock pulse a cardiac arrest
By Aubrey McInnisThe New 1-2 with guests
Friday, September 5
Night GalleryP5, the lead singer of The New 1-2, slides an Oxford dictionary in front of me pointing to a word. For definition purposes, in case I wanted to know what kind of music they play on their new self-titled album, he points to the word "quixotic": extravagantly and romantically chivalrous; regardless of material interests in comparison with honor or devotion; visionary; pursuing lofty but unattainable ideals.
"(The album is) exactly what I wanted. Some of these songs, a good three-quarters of them were written pre-Primrods," the vocalist also known as Paul says referring to the local band he was a part of before The New 1-2. "Me and the bass player, Neil (Casual Tea), put a lot of them together and then we rearranged them, but it took the whole band to translate it in the context that you hear."
The New 1-2 album (a Melodiya / Sonic Unyon joint release) is a 33-minute voyage of whirling intensity that doesn't cool off until the final five minutes. Call it art rock, prog rock - just call it. Songs build in crescendos, with jagged lyrics and sharp instrumentation that, when combined, gives the middle finger to traditional rock format constraints. To conclude what Paul terms a "summer swelter" is a mellow dub track remixed by the Boy in the Bubble (local turntable/smartypants/DJ Taro).
The whole album could be described as a soundtrack of translation. The listener interprets the quartet's interpretation of each other's ideas. The band collectively shaped music and lyrics from the ideas Paul and Neil were tossing about. And, yes, trepidation was a factor when the other members curiously joined.
"I remember going up to the house and the door was locked, so I couldn't actually get their attention. So I sat by the basement window and just listened to what was going on and I was like, 'Oh, my God. I don't know if I can go play this.'" laughs Toby (Bea Fraid). Forget running, she picked up her drumsticks and found the spine in the meaty guitarwork, instead.
"It's about getting bloody," Paul continues. "It's about getting your hands on, hands in the air, that's what this band is about, for me, this is the band. This is the vehicle of ultimate expression."
"It kinda comes off as our own personal art project" explains Craig (Tear E. Newone), the guitarist. "Whatever we want to put into it, or whatever we get out of it, it's just that, it's all individual.
"When I hooked up with you guys," he says, looking honestly at Paul and Toby, "I didn't know really where I could fit into it, either. So I just threw in my own classic rock riff and it seemed to work and give it at least an anchor," he smiles. "All this weird stuff is going on, but then it's got this big, stupid rock hook that I really like."
Paul insists that it is all about presentation.
"It's about words, where they land and how they roll off of each other as an articulate thing. They mean something to me and very remotely have stories and relate to different things, for sure, but it's mostly about how words sound sung in a song to make a song. For me it's not about message.
"They're sensational," Paul beams of the songs, "They're like 'boom boom boom bang crash.' I think that's the rock 'n' roll rule, it's all in the delivery."
"Make it heard, not just implied." says Toby, summing up the powerhouse philosophy of The New 1-2.
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