So much for seeing the highly-anticipated CSS/Bonde Do Role/Diplo beat fest, since it was canceled due to stupidity on Live Nation's part. They will have to wait until tomorrow. Tonight, I was invited to see the Austin, TX five-piece gloom rock outfit, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, turning down an invite to see The Feeling, a British band so pansy-like that they make Snow Patrol look like Metallica.
With a name like I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, they could easily be a bunch of overly tattooed sell-out emo punk kids complaining about why nobody loves them. Instead Chosen Darkness is a smart, emotive band who have all the markings of a post-punk, Joy Division-style band. You have echoing rhythm guitars, a thick bass line, rollicking drums heavy on the high-hat, staccato guitar licks and songs about how love stinks. They just don't look or act like another one of "those" bands. They look like any other indie rock band hailing from Austin (jeans, t-shirt, dressed-down look), so it's rather shocking hearing them shoot-off expertly crafted new wavish sounds that you'd expect from our friends across the pond.
It was much easier to get into the music once you realize that they don't have the look of another Interpol/Killers clone -- no mascara, ties or shiny shoes, just jeans and some black shirts. They also go light on the synths, instead relying on some great bass lines to get the groove going. It's not an all-out dance fest because the songs are all about dark themes. It's like "I'm so sad, I can dance a little."
It was a good call to check out their rather short set. I found it more interesting than thrilling. Not that they were bad, in fact, I think they'll find a good audience and make more ambitious material to come.
The setlist:
- Lights
- According to Plan
- When You Go Out
- The Ghost
- Fear Is On Our Sides
- I Want to Die in the Hot Summer
- At Last Is All
- Last Ride Together
- If It Was Me
The Big Sleep were in the middle. I had seen them already when they opened up for Editors @ Webster Hall. I was unimpressed then, and I still feel that way now about their 60s psychedelic rock jam band sound. It feels like the drummer and keyboardist/bassists just bide their time while the guitarist masturbates with his guitar.
Thankfully, Asobi Seksu turned in another rousing performance. You see, I made up for the fact that I skipped out on their last Mercury Lounge show. The band could be part of a Top 5 local, under-the-radar bands you must check out. Although they never met a My Bloody Valentine melody they didn't like, their music feels like an energetic night-time drive though a big, well-lit city like New York or Tokyo. They just produce massive layers of dissonant guitars, electronics and perfect harmonies. They concluded their opening slot with all out freak-out swelling of noise that led into a cover of The Crystal's "Then He Kissed Me." I saw them last year and they've certainly expanded their sonic pallet with more swirling keyboards since then.
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