| · A theoretical approach to art-school synth-pop.
Experiment: Pony da Look.
Objective: To prove there is a place for keyboards in punk rock.
Hypothesis: A band can make synth-pop relevant by keeping the tongue-in-cheek kitsch to a minimum.
Tools and Apparatus: Four Girls. Four Keyboards. One Drum Kit.
Method: Include influences by ’80s heavy metal, new wave and pop-punk. Have singer Amy Bowles belt out-of-key, dramatically drenched vocals. Make sure synthesizer solos are reminiscent of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Ensure monotone harmonizing remains out of tune. Two songs stand out – "Suffocation" and "Dirty Nails," while the rest sound like downtempo versions of "A Clockwork Orange" soundtrack.
Results: Keyboards are not interesting enough to carry an entire record. They should be used as backup instrumentation or sound effects. Although the band is getting lots of attention down East, one should not find this surprising since critics in Toronto have always been known to support "the arts" when it comes to music (i.e. Moxy Fruvous, Hawksley Workman, Shuffle Demons).
Conclusion: When a band is described as angular it usually means out of tune. A brave attempt at an interesting concept but nonetheless a weak execution. If you're robotically inclined, Gian Ghomeshi or own a Korg, you might dig it, but I doubt it.
|
Copyright ©2004 FFWD. All rights reserved.