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experimental, jetset. iffetchet.
an up4*te the pioneering
beai b*m4's new Ip
^ ^ I avant world rockers Macha have just finished their
t—vJL»Cl L first full-length album, to be relezsed early
November by JetSet Records. That same month, they will play the
CMJ Festival in New York City, with a 1999 tour in the works
alongside Scotland's progressive pop darlings (and fellow JetSet
artists) Mogwai.
Macha is also planning a six-song collaboration EP with
Bedhead for spring, as well as two other EPs. And just days after
completing the first album, the band is already conceptualizing a
second. When we spoke last week, Mischo McKay, Josh McKay, and
Kai Reidl were still working on the bonus CD of Indonesian record
ings that will be included with the first batch of CDs. Despite all
the chaos (reflected in the uisarray at Casa Macha itself), the
band seem fairly relaxed — despite the fact that this week *hey
will be playing together live for the first time in several months
(joined by local musician Kirk Pleasant).
Maybe it's just that this month feels much less harrowing than
the last. With only two weeks notice to go into the studio —
then two more weeks to finish a full-length album — the pressure
was on. "Tlie songs got changed a good bit, especially structural
ly, just before going in," says Josh. "There were also many unfin
ished, unresolved aspects of the songs that got explored in the
studio because the songs had to be
done."
Being in the
studio also presented a whole range of new
possibilities. "We could experiment with what kinds of dimensions
were possible between the different sounds and the instruments
and effects," Josh say^. "It's just not the same with a cassette
and a [Shure SM-] 58 microphone."
Unlike the previous recordings' rougher, lo-fi charr.i, the LP's
sound is bigoer, fuller and very clean. As a result, the foreign
instruments the band is best known for utilizing sound incredible.
And though the vocals and effects sometimes overpower the rich,
multi-cextured fabric of the music, the songs are fo: the most part
flat-out gorgeous.
Most of the album tends to be more song-oriented; there are
fewer fluid, meandering compositions. "Some of the songs are just
real balls of a bunch of sounds happening, some of them open
out a lot, slow and fast, loud and soft — the album's got a lot of
dynamics," says Josh.
The band says supporting the album in the Southeast (and
getting a van to do so) will be the main priority for the next cou
ple of months since they are virtually unknown outside of town.
That ignorance may not last long: nothing on the indie pop,
avant rock or world music radar sounds quite like Macha. The new
album is proof. Go see the show and wait for the sonic boom to
hit everywhere else.
Funke Sangodeyi
r
L
WHO: Mocha / Dirty Poodle
WHEN: Thursday, Sept 24
WHERE: 40 Watt Club
HOW MUCH: $5
J
with special guests: Burlap to Cashmere and Silage
Thusday • October 22,1998 • 7:30 P.M.
The Classic Center • Athens, GA
Ticket Prices: $20.00 • $15.00 (Reserved)
Group Tickets: $16.00 • $15.00 On Advance)
Tickets On Sale At The Classic Center Box Office
To Charge By Phone Call: (706) 357-4444 SQfclint
www chr«sli»nconc«rtt com and WWW goftshne* com TC.—
670 N. Miiledge Ave,
549-2894
2270 Barnett Shoals Rd.
549-5481
Downtown
549-1446
SKY’S
PLACE
CLASSIC INN • FINLEY STREET
PITCHERS
4s o
All Day*& Night
Open 3pm-2am
ATHENS’ OLDEST
FULL SERVICE BAR
Must Be 21 or Older
NOW BOOKING BANDS FOR FALL
Tfiefbofs
r
tfam'slije
Open Tues.-Fri. 11-5 and Sat. 1-4
290 Miiledge Ave. • 227-3080
September 25th & 26th at
the 40 Watt Club
FEATURING:
Trinket, Urban Grind,
Creekwater Sound,
Slackdaddy, Posh Toner,
Wunderkind, Pinetop 7,
The Drepung Monks, and
special surprise guests.
Advance tickets on sale at
Wuxtry and Big Shot
Advance $10/night,
$ 18/both nights $12 at the door
SPONSORED BY
f Lotus
Eaters
Journey
Dri punc.
Loseunc
Monastery
S' Print* t>e(<
Brought to you by
SEPTEMBER 23, 1998 FLAGPOLE B