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ofh»nt, goorglo
WEDNESDAY; APRIL 27
RUNWAY for RUNAWAYS
model contest and benefit
8pm ages 18 and up
6pm ages 13*17
$5 donation per entry
All proceeds benefit “Stand Up for Kids"
a national organization that finds and
stabilizes homeless street kids
Q
THURSDAY. APRIL 2B
COSMIC CHARLIE
SATURDAY. APRIL 30
ENRUMBA PRESENTS
SPRING LATIN BASH 2005
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BLUESlbLYMPICS
6 POOL TABLES • 2 DART BOARDS • 10 TV'S
4 VIDEO GAMES - PGA & GOLDEN TEE • LIVE MUSIC
BIG CITY SUVU8E
Daybreak
Lucky Turtle
Not so much a newgrass affair, as
one might assume, as an ambitious
plundering ol fie rock encyclopedia
with an acoustic emplBsis. Big City
Sunrise* debut record otters a bit ol
everything and tries to have tun with it
ail. But it* really not much fun at all.
Among the many styles—jazz, funk,
folk, bluegrass—Big City Sunrise
embraces. ‘Clarice’ perhaps touches on
the most at once. Starting as a blues
instrumental, and segueing briefly into a
Camper Van Beethoven-esque fiddle
solo, the song goes Widespread, replete
with bongos, blustering vocals and
tongue-in-cheek lyrics protesting the
song* namesake joining the Ku Klux
Klan They even find time to work in the
theme from "The Jeffersons.' which in
the context of the lyrics is a cute, if mis
guided, idea.
Then the most unfortunate: an
acoustic cover medley of Nine Inch
Nails* ‘Closer* meshed with Bob .
Mar ley* ‘No Woman No Cry.’ The
singer takes on ‘Closer’ like an
‘American Idol’ contestant right down
to wussing out on the key expletive.
And then they phone In “No Woman No
Cry.* managing to rob Trent Reznor*
song of its danger and Bob Mariey* of
its soul.
In one of my favorite ‘Seinfeld’
episodes, Jerry gets dumped because
‘Marlene* has seen his comedy rou
tine—and doesnl (fig it 1* just sc
much lluft,’she laments in a sexy
Southern drawf. That* how Big City
Sunrise* debut comes off—probably
tun live, lor both audience and artist but
trifling otherwise.
TomBavis
Big City Sunrise is performing at
the Georgia Theatre on Thursday, Apr.
28.
THE DECBWB8USTS
Picaresque
Kill Rock Stars
It I were Evan Qando. I would write
an album called /ft a Shame About He
Decemberists and it would be 12 songs
doing what they're trying to do. except
without sucking so hard. Because really,
it is too bad about those kids. Literate
lyrics coupled with layered, melodic
Instrumentation—well. hell, that
describes many of my favorite bands,
from Frog Eyes to the Danieteen Famite.
But the Decemberists muck it all up by
being so painfully boring.
Picaresque is the firs! extended
Decemberists experience I've had.
because, from the limited exposure pre
vious to this. I had a feeling I d hale
them. For instance, from the reviews I'd
read. I realized that people forge! that
something can be both (iterate and bad;
Ferlinghetti, lor instance, is undeniably
literary, but is also wretched. But I gave
it a fair shot and some of it was okay.
*The Infanta' sounded pretty good; ‘On
the Bus Mall’ was really good il you
didn't listen to it too closely or note the
total tack of insight the lyrics offer, and
‘16 Military Wives’ is genuinely, unre
servedly okay, well-balanced and
tuneful.
But in the end it broke me, and I
shed a tear of melancholy and put on
Brocke Valentine to cheer myself up.
The Decemberists'music was just too
acoustic-seeming and bland, the lyrics
too shallow and obvious, the whole
experience loo mediocre. The
Decemberists are mainly just a joke
about the Decemberists. and they're too
sell-important to faugh.
Michael Barthel
OF MONTREAL
The Suntandic Twins
Polyvinyl
When most people say they’re
inspired by Infinite Jest, they mean the
novel itself. David Foster Wallace*
complex and sad meditation on
escapism and entofafnmenL When
Kevin Barnes says it he means the thing
that gives the book its title, a video that
makes the viewer lose ail desire to do
anything but watch it and eventually die.
tt* not supposed to be a good thing in
Wallace* world, serving as a stand-in
lor everything we regard as addictive,
often because those things are pleasur
able. But Barnes clearly isn't worrying
about that
A man with a sense ol pop this
finely tuned couldnl be so puritanical
and. besides, isn't the goal of an artist to
captivate his or her audience com
pletely? The Suntandic Twins hasn't
incapacitated anyone yet but it does
compel one to keep it spinning; walking
down the street of fate. I’ve found myself
moving to the beat of songs tha! aren’t
actually present more often than not Is
it too catchy and sweef and fabulous? It
does poke the pleasure parts of the
brain enough to make one nof want to
listen to other albums. Presumably, this
will wear oft at some point, but right
now, I want everyone to be Of Montreal.
Lyrics are muddldd enough at times
to lead one into giggles, but it* much
more about the sound than the
meaning. Or rather, the sound is the
meaning. ‘Requiem for 0.M.M2’ is
gentle and jangfy, with kicked-up guitars
in the chorus 1 Was Never Young’
combines meandering with a stuttering
dance beat and sunshiny vocal har
monies. “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and
Other Games* has an unwieldy title but
a hip-moving, sexy bassline. And so it
continues, song after song, with the lite-
funk disco of *So Begins Our Alabee.*
the singable synths of “The Party*
Crashing Us.’ the insectoid weirdness
ol ‘Oslo in the Summertime.’ Buy the
album and leave me alone I have lis
tening to do.
Hillary Brown
ARTS AND SCEttES
The Hopeful Monsters
Daemon
This guy I know recently bought a
new car. White I knew nof to expect a
Porsche. I was surprised to see him pull
upinaburgundy Hyundai coupe Idonl
know much about Hyundais other than
the perception that they're neither fan
tastic nor disastrous cars. They’re
lust... cars. (I drive a 1994 Accord, so I
lose to a 2005 anything) My point is
this: What do you say about a Hyundai?
A couple of weeks later. I'm lis
tening to The Hopeful Monsters, the
debut full-length from Atlanta quartet
Arts and Sciences. The first thing I
thought after digesting the record was.
what to say about this? This isa very
solid indie-pop album with consistently
adequate songwriting. but it absolutely
bores me. I could root around and find
something that stands out (which I did),
but that* kind of defeating the purpose.
Music either grabs you immediately or
slowly unfolds, but if il does neither,
most ol us quickly forget what we’re
hearing and move on.
Arts and Sciences work with the
same gentle metodc framework as
Death Cab lor Cube, but the album defi
nitely carries an Atlanta sound. Closer
‘The Monster at the End of This Book’
not only is a great title (at least for
Grover fans), but also a pretty decent
acoustic ballad. *Dark Double Bed* is
also a strong track, but all in all The
Hopeful Monsters is neither good nor
bad. Ir. a very traffic-jammed genre, it*
just idling there.
Michael Wehunt
Arts and Sciences is performing at
the 40 Watt Club on Thursday, Apr. 28
RADAR BROS.
The Fallen Leaf Pages
Merge •
San Francisco* Radar Bros, might
be the most fascinating boring band in
America. Nothing in the band* toolkit
predates Pink Floyd* “Wish You Were
Here,’ which was itself a bit of a high-
tech throwback. The lyrics sketch
scenes but don’t nil in. The music, with
its slow-thaw hooks and oft-kitter
whistling, surveys the ghosts of dead
emotions. When the Radars strike gold,
they're a reminder of why ‘cool’ caught
on in the first place. What* fascinating
about them? They communicate the full
arc of human emotion without cracking
a smite or a frown. They're Zen. babe.
They're fucking consistent, coming and
going Their albums I loaf with all the
grace of a dark blue helium balloon
approaching the ozone layer, ft popular
reaction is to be trusted, they bear about
the same import.
More* the pity. In their calm
detachment, the Radars pour a soothing
antidote, mixed with full comprehension
of the disease. There* sadness here, but
it* behind the wallpaper. The Fallen Leaf
Rages settles comfortably into the
band* canon, delivering no surprises,
no gimmicks, no gags, no quirks and
no affectations Frontman Jim Putnam,
by his accounL writes these songs sur
rounded by the band, which explains
the consistency. ‘Papillon’ hints at
anthemic sweep, then undercuts itself
with that w*ird whistling, tt* the only
standout—the rest bleed together
Which is how it should be, where Radar
Bros, are concerned
Emerson Dameron
JAMES EVANS
Need
Community B
James Evans reaches tor greatness
and very nearly reaches it with his new
album Need. Ultimately, though the
Athens musician fails in finding pur
pose. Constructing soulful, haunting
music out ol the barest elements, this
album delivers a pleasing punch in a
surprising package. (Although, that
cover photo: rowr rowr! Maybe not so
surprising?) Evans’ songs are wintry, or
at least auhcmaJ. often focusing on—
as in the bridge of “Cheering For
Judas’—distant, heavily reverted elec
tric guitar accompanied by plaintive
falsetto vocals, and to chilling effect tt*
this particular mood of mystery and
regret that proves to be so winning.
Things get oft to a rousing start with
“Friendly Thorn.’ a swirling rocker with
a minor-key. Middle Eastern vibe with
the repeated incantation That* nof
love!’ Or that* our love.’ or Tat* cat
rubs!’ or something, it* all distant and
reverby, like I said. Anyway, there are
also some strong ballads here, like
“Forbidden,* which involves keyboards
and twmkly guitar. Then there* Needs
title track, which is a little bit distorty
and rocks out in a controlled fashion
But then: I kind of stopped listening
alter this, because the dude even has a
boring name, so I can’t tell you how the
rest of the CD is. I’m sure, however, that
it continues to be fine, and you’ll like it it
you like this sort of crap. What kind of
crap? Uh. I donl know, mid-tempo,
sleep-inducing rock crap. There are
people who like that, right? Anyway, it*
very well made, and all involved should
be very proud ol themselves. For
serious.
Michael Barthel
38 FLAGPOLE.COM • APRIL 27, 2005