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SeepeopleS
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Northeast Performer Magazine, March 2007 Live ReviewSeepeopleS / A.K.A.C.O.D. / This Car Up The Middle East Upstairs Cambridge, MA March 7, 2007 According to SeepeopleS’ website, this show was one of three CD release parties for the Asheville, North Carolina group’s new LP, Apocalypse Cow, Vol. 1, officially released March 17. It wouldn’t be surprising if the other two release parties (April 6 in Chicago and April 7 in St. Louis) contained a bit more pomp and circumstance, as Seepeoples were more or less taciturn regarding their new release this first go-round. But monologues and shameless plugs weren’t necessary, as SeepeopleS’ performance — one that stood up to the creative and aesthetic standards set by the two opening acts, This Car Up and A.K.A.C.O.D. — provided sufficient hype for the new record. This Car Up, a Boston indie rock five-piece, looked rather harmless, if not timid, when they took the stage. Their first song, which began with gossamer guitar strums overshadowed by Paul Sentz and Eric Glassman’s soft vocals, belied the band’s brimming energy that lay hidden beneath the façade of immediate impressions. After the prelude, though, the band literally exploded, projecting a wall of edgy pop/rock. Barry Marino’s ornate drumming and Kevin MacDonald’s volumetrically-empowered bass kept the rhythm, while Sentz and Glassman switched between playing competent guitar lines and devious rock solos. In fact, the deviousness of the latter’s solo in the final song manifested itself as Glassman leapt from the stage and fell to the floor to complete the solo, whereupon he smashed his guitar on the club’s floor — and before 10 p.m. no less! Evidently, one can’t judge This Car Up on appearance alone. The second act, Cambridge’s A.K.A.C.O.D., seemed a rather stark change from This Car Up’s pop tendencies. Still, there was no reason for complaint as the band displayed truly masterful musicianship and sonic richness. A.K.A.C.O.D.’s nucleus is comprised of bassist/vocalist Monique Ortiz and ex-Morphine baritone saxophonist Dana Colley. Drummer Larry Dersch, with whom the two are currently recording, sat in on drums for the performance. A.K.A.C.O.D.’s most impressive aspects, however, were Colley’s saxophone and Ortiz’s voice. Colley manipulates his sax with not only adroit finger work, but also distortion and wah, effectively transforming the instrument into a stand-in for the lead instrument in this guitarless outfit. Ortiz, along with her impeccable skills as a bassist, proffered her potently melodious and throaty voice as well. Both Colley’s sax and Ortiz’s voice shared the spotlight, alternating as the guiding forces in the band and embellishing upon A.K.A.C.O.D.’s otherwise still meritorious, ethereally dour psyche-rock. SeepeopleS’ music is a collage of styles. At times they play math rock, and at others they launch into synth-heavy jams. Drummer Tim Haney offered an impressive, fast-tempo break beat in “Butchers,” reminiscent of a drum ‘n’ bass track. Besides an array of different musical styles, SeepeopleS also brought an assortment of media, in the form of video and light set-ups, with which to entertain. The video, a montage that began with seemingly random clips, became overtly political in nature, projecting the images of, among other things, a video game soldier shooting his enemies, footage of a building being attacked with a missile, a cartoon depiction of an aircraft carrier, and a man in a Guy Fawkes mask and hoodie smoking a cigarette. The footage supplemented SeepeopleS’ politically-charged and anti-establishment lyrics in songs like “Apocalypse Cow.” The title track narrates the story of a man who “Took it upon himself to make the tough decisions for everybody else / He knew deep in his heart that the soldiers he led would never know better” — an apparent allegory on the Iraq War. The fact that the band members (none of whom are soldiers) were wearing army helmets while vocalist/guitarist Will Bradford belted out these lyrics made the metaphor fairly blatant. Also, the perpetual light show, reggae interlude of “Dead Soul Freak,” and long psychedelic jams contributed to the band’s political expression via the evocation of the ‘70s-anti-war-days milieu. Unconcealed political affiliations aside, the performance was well received. By Martin Sattell |
Apocalypse Cow Vol. I