Four-word reviews from SXSW

I stole the idea from Coolfer, who used to do this regularly. Here are all the four-word reviews of bands I saw at SXSW, which have been posted on the Times’ ArtsBeat blog:

• Film School: Neon shades, dreampop noise.
• Bodies of Water: A starker Arcade Fire.
• A Place to Bury Strangers: Thank God for earplugs.
• Chromeo: Journey medley = girls grooving.
• The Night Marchers: The Flamin’ Groovies redux.
• Two Gallants: Singer fingerpicks, drummer sweats.
• 2 Live Crew: Raunchy oldies; ladies appreciate.
• Spank Rock: Raunch nouveau, spelled “B-O-O-T-A-Y.”
• Shining: Complex, serrated Norwegian jazzcore.
• Howlin Rain: Exorcism by Southern rock.
• White Shoes and the Couples Company: Winsome Indonesian retro pop.
• The Pillows: Unapologetic Japanese pop-punk.
• Virgins: Nostalgia overload, but nice.
• Wye Oak: Pensive, countryish. Drummer = keyboardist.
• Torche: Beefy metal, unironic mustache.
• Handsome Furs: Every song: hating home.
• Health: Dance, noise? Neither? Both?
• Born Ruffians: Hyperactive, not necessarily happy.
• Pissed Jeans: Menacing vaudeville. Current fave.
• Jay Reatard: Pretty standard garage-punk.
• Liam Finn: A one-man basher!
• Bon Iver: Mournful but gorgeous harmonies.
• Atlas Sound: Pleasant guitar noise-clouds.
• Le Loup: Tribal rhythms, postpunk angst.
• Pit er Pat: More tribal, less angst.
• Georgie James: Kinks aims, Petty results.
• The Stills: Saw one song. Pretty.
• Motörhead: Rock will never die.
• Tokyo Police Club: Complex record, straightforward live.
• Holy Fuck: Dance punk sex magik.
• My Morning Jacket: Perfect jam/pop balance.
• John Maus: Howling noisemaker, strangely handsome.
• No Age: Ph.D. punk. Rocks, though.