Some very dear friends of mine I believe went to see Nick Cave. I love Nick Cave. I always make references to him. I always mention the bands I write about as having "Nick Cave coolness". I'm happy that they got to see this great living icon of ours. Yet I do not envy them their experience, not in the least. My earliest impacting memories of Empty Bottle are when
Walking Bicycles played there. A lot of the right moments lined up like stars to allow me to see them live three times. Expressionist flashbulb memory eventually molds into one continuum with costume changes. Every song that I hear be it on ipod or driving naturally drifts to those visuals. You recall the efforts to get you there as blue prints for how to get away with seeing them. For me I liked their music for its casual Amelie-esque awareness of the dark. Defiant, post punk with perhaps incidental goth cred. In other words goth-leaning, unpasteurized post punk. The visuals in this episode's music describe a grey decaying urban landscape that is living its post-glory period only its Amelie living there. She sees things a certain way. Your gonna find the bright moments, and even before the moment reaches its end it is already missed. You know it has to end. Nostalgia hits early. Well, these are just some impressions I get from going over
Killing Time. A scene in a cold beach as lets say enjoyed by our French heroine finishing with the reassuring "
I'm still with you". Coolness with just a hint of sweet. Going from that reassurance their pendulum naturally swings to
Worthless....hmm. You know this is about me seeing the Bicycles last Monday 1 April and here I am taking the fucking scenic route. Sorry, I can't help but load up the moment.
Their old defiant streak is natural and expected. Then I saw and heard
So. Pow!!! Imagine compressing the Brad Pitt fight scenes from
Snatch into one track. This is the impression that was washing over me as I bounced away. Joselyn has the right voice for this, with a slight husk because she smokes.....you know I shouldn't just conclude like that. Anyway her voice carries a natural authority and it was a rare wonder to see this new song. It was cool, it was pissed, ready and fearless. They were my favorite band all over again. It was not the only song that had lasting impact. Its just the only one I can name at the moment.
Their music I have not stopped listening to, and they have three releases.
Disconnected and their self-titled debut are both now available on CD and vinyl.
Go, their most recent is on CD. Their first performance since December 2008 and they got new music to perform. Went ahead and trusted their new untested work on old fans. That was OK with me. In fact I find that immensely admirable. Those are balls, and who am I kidding I was sold before I left the house. Still you form expectations, invisible parameters. I was expecting fireworks they came with a cannon. The subtext being real suffering that brings you to such wisdom. They kind of were already there for me as most post-punk is. And then something happened. And they survived it. So heavily loaded is the Empty Bottle air before they even set up on stage, or ok, just in my head where expressionism grows wild. Members of the various bands that I've written about before are present, My Gold Mask, Panda Riot, and Lightfoils. All these bands that have new work coming out.......
Yes, Cory counts for two bands....and anyway we warmly greet. Then Joselyn and Julius. I feel most at ease around them. Then I saw TJ, him too a fellow south-sider. The Bicycles played to good Monday night audience. So there is a new big something to anticipate from 2013. Imagine adding to that on top of what's already out this year. This is crazy.
Zig
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