Posts tagged bass drum of death
Despite living so close to Austin since 2002, I’m ashamed to admit that this was my first South by Southwest. But now that I’m here, I had no excuse. So I forked over the cash for a wristband, which came in handy, but is by no means necessary – there’s plenty of free/unofficial stuff to keep you busy all weekend. I also learned that your bike is your best friend, you should plan ahead but be flexible, and when you have to decide between the Counting Crows show that all your peeps are going to versus flying solo to see a band none of your friends have heard of, always go with the latter. That’s what I did, and here’s why it was awesome.
Sunday March 11 – The Precursor
10pm: Delta Spirit
Nevermind that this show was officially part of the SXSW’s Interactive Week. A buddy of mine has been raving about Delta Spirit for a while now, and after hearing frontman Matt Vasquez’s soulful contribution to the Middle Brother album, I was definitely intrigued. The band put on an energetic show at Maggie Mae’s, mixing the folk rock of past albums with the indie rock of their new self-titled release. Now I can’t wait to go back through their catalog to hear the studio version of “People C’mon” and others.
Thursday, March 14 – A Slow (in a good way) Start
11:15pm: Sheepdogs
Travelling for work put a bit of a damper in my schedule, but I made it back in time kickoff Music Week late Thursday night. Not wanting to fight the downtown crowds just yet, I opted for the eastside (Kenny Dorham’s Backyard Park) to see these guys on a whim after watching a SXSW video of “Laid Back.” They’ve got a great sound that bridges contemporary rock with classic rock, all the while maintaining a chill vibe. Their vocal harmonies and guitar chops prove that Canada does have something to offer besides universal healthcare and winter.
Friday, March 15 – Blues, Rock, Celebrity Bull and Young Promise
5pm: Gary Clark Jr.
I clocked out a tad early to walk on over to Waterloo Records to begin the weekend revelry with some good ole Texas blues. In an age of tightly constructed 3-minute songs, it’s refreshing to watch a band that can fill a 45-minute set with just 5 tracks. Gary Clark Jr. and company did just that, giving each song the full band jam treatment. As always, Gary shredded it on guitar. At one point he did an amazing effect that made me look for a DJ hiding somewhere on stage scratching vinyls. Get ready, kids – this dude is about to blow up.
7pm: Bass Drum of Death
After catching only 5 minutes of Alabama Shakes – who looked like they’d put on a killer show – I hauled ass via bike over to try to make it to Bass Drum of Death at Peckerheads. I got there just in time to catch their 30-minute set, which was exactly the adrenaline-fueled, head-banging, sweat-inducing garage/doowop I was expecting. Even though frontman John Barrett sings with his hair in his face the whole time, their music is so damn engaging that you don’t even care.
Bass Drum of Death performing “Leaves” — You can’t see me, but I was there!
I then headed to the Stage at Sixth to see PUJOL play, but got turned away because they had reached capacity and were only allowing badgeholders in. WTF, I thought. No way this is happening for PUJOL. Then I peaked inside and saw John C. Reilly on stage. Now, I’m all for actors cross over into music, but I was pretty pissed that Dewey Cox got in between me and my PUJOL. (The last part of that sentence sounds terrible when read aloud.) I know the dude has a voice, but shouldn’t you have to record an album before people start lining up in droves to see you, or are we so celebrity-obsessed that we draw a crowd just to hear a famous face sing? I digress.
1am: Howler
Leery of not getting into the next show, I showed up an hour and a half early to Latitude 30 got to catch the tail end of Kindness, a nice funky dance band, and Big Deal, a guy/girl duo that’s so chill they almost put me to sleep. Finally, Howler took the stage. Frontman/boy Jordan Gatesmith began by nervously telling the audience how terrified he was of SXSW. Then, to my surprise, the band played one of the tightest sets I’ve ever seen. Drummer Brent Mayes pounded away on the drums with impressive skill, and the rest of Howler kept up in supreme fashion. Glad to see these kids had lived up to all the hype, I biked home and called it a night.
Saturday, March 16: All-Out Rock-Out
2pm: J Roddy Walston and the Business
If there’s one band I recommend seeing, it’s these dudes. They don’t have an off switch – or even a low switch – so they just bring full-on rock’n’roll with no holds barred. I was ecstatic that even though it was just 2 in the afternoon, they still went balls to the wall. J Roddy bounced all over his piano bench in his signature style, and the rest of the band brought it hard to Hotel Vegas with scorching guitars and pulsing drums. The band even previewed a handful of new tracks from their upcoming album, which sounds like it will trump the sophomore slump. Their live show aside, J Roddy Walston & the Business are hands-down the best straight-up rock’n’roll band out there today.
5pm: Bass Drum of Death – Again
Sorry; I can’t get enough of these guys. This time around I got much closer to the stage, where I was thankful to find a handful of kids rocking out. At a too-cool-for-school place like SXSW where some people show little-to-zero enthusiasm at shows, it was nice to see these fools not giving a s***. (After all, when you’re at a concert, aren’t you supposed to dance like no one is watching? Yes, yes you are.) Bass Drum of Death put on another fiery set that was so great the audience at Beerland demanded an encore. The band obliged, but the sound guy had already cut John Barrett’s microphone, so without missing a beat and in true the-show-must-go-on style, they jammed through the entire last song with no vocals. F****** rock’n’roll!
Sidenote: Next, I was hoping to see Andrew W.K. play I Get Wet in its entirety at Emo’s East, but his start time got pushed so late that I had to cut his show from my schedule or else I wouldn’t make it to Sleigh Bells. Bummer.
9pm: Sleigh Bells
After hearing reports that this pair had struggled with replicating their sound on the road – which is no surprise considering the complexity and volume of their albums – I kept my expectations to a very low minimum, only to be completely blown away. Derek Miller and another fellow shredder each had 6 giant Marshall amps, creating a wall of ear-piercing electric guitar behind them. Vocalist Alexis Krauss brought plenty of rock’n’roll energy to Moody Theater, sending the audience into a frenzy right from the start. They played all the classics from Treats and the new hits from Reign of Terror before Alexis ended the show in grand style, crowdsurfing atop the audience for most of their last song.
All in all, it was an freakin’ awesome first SXSW experience. I got to see some of my favorite bands, and I got introduced to a few new ones by chance and word of mouth. The weather was perfect, the food was free, and the beer was freer. I can’t wait for next year, when hopefully each of these bands has a new album out that we’ve reviewed for your reading pleasure.
Hot on the heels of the dirty, sweaty rock band Derek reviewed last week comes a related ruckus in Bass Drum of Death on their debut album, GB City. They’re a little more punk and a lot less polished, but just like The Kills, they’re a band of two who can bring the noise despite their numbers. John Barrett riffs on guitar and rants on the microphone, while Colin Sneed roughs up the drum kit – and yes, with plenty of bass drum. John wrote and recorded the entire album himself with real instruments and a computer, so he sounds like quite the creative force.
Sounds Like:
The Black Keys got into a bar brawl with the Ramones over The Chiffons
In addition to guitar, drums and voice, Bass Drum of Death layers on plenty of fuzz and static. Lots of power chords, simple guitar lines, crashing cymbals, nagging vocals and falsetto back-ups. The duo delivers their sound with the unwavering fuck-it-all/know-it-all attitude of a twenty-something who’s old enough to know better but still too young to care. They change it up enough to keep things interesting, but their sound wades into a sea of sameness at times.
Key Tracks:
Nerve Jamming, Get Found, Young Pros
Still, they’ve got a handful of standout tracks. “Nerve Jamming” comes pounding in on drums as the album opener, quickly followed nervous chord crunches and stuttering-over-themselves vocals. Jon’s screeching voice is backed by a nice touch of falsetto back-ups and a simple waning guitar riff. Soon thereafter comes “Get Found,” the clear single on GB City. Plenty of bass drum and a killer guitar lick keeps this one chugging along full-speed. It’s got enough stiff-upper-lip ‘tude to go around, and ends with a combo of cymbals, chants and shrieks that’s sure to get your blood boiling. “Young Pros” shows up to the party a little later. It’s a bouncy, ruckus affair that showcases Bass Drum of Death’s penchant for mullet-esque metal – poppy, doo-wop in the front, filthy garage rock in the back. The bonus track cover of “He’s So Fine” by the Chiffons reveals where the pair gets their penchant for 50s style pop.
Best Lyric:
I talk to Elvis in my sleep / He says I’m cracked out / But at least I got nowhere to be – “Velvet Itch”
What’s lacking most consistently is depth and exploration within each song. These guys are so straightforward that they seem to keep a lot of the tracks at a simple, superficial level. At times it works, and at other times it leaves me wanting more. Perhaps they’d benefit from adding a bassist and/or second guitarist, or at least recording a little more of each. Clearly, they’re insisting on a bare-bones approach; I’m just not sure they have the composition to pull it off. Wouldn’t it be ironic if their guitar-and-drums-approach ultimately pounded the bass drum of death for Bass Drum of Death? Not that it will, of course.
Bass Drum of Death performing “Young Pros”
GB City is a strong first effort for Bass Drum of Death. Despite their reliance on effects and fuzz, they’ve definitely got a subtle doo-woppy approach to garage punk that makes their sound unique. Put a talented producer behind them that can optimize their style, and this duo will rock my socks off with their next album.
Overall Rating:
