Sunday, March 16, 2008

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.

1 comment:

Lawson said...

LOL at Handsome Furs, tres true.