Moritat

  I'm trying to have written posts about the bands I intend to see. Moritat will play Empty Bottle Tuesday 2 December. Aside from saying when I've seen them, its always hard for me to describe them, well...... at least when you are trying you are also thinking about them.  I've seen them a lot....that presumes that I know how to describe them.....Hmmm, like Panda Riot. And as many times as they orbit locally, they only shared a stage once. Anyway, Moritat....They are from Chicago. They are Venus on keyboard, Corey on drums, and Kon on bass. And they all sing. None of the usual tags work....none. Shoegaze....the only way I can stick that here is to say that it does not belong in a description of this band. I don't even pick that crayon up. Goth....hmmm, it has its dark moments yeah but that's another crayon I don't really use here. Dark, yeah, goth no. I don't really think punk when thinking of them. There is a neatness to them,  a sophistication....no, not punk. I've heard Avant rock applied to them....it kind of works. There is a tension, a muscle car drive, and that clean sophistication, and still sharp and cool. What makes all this more clear because they have a bass guitar, but often no lead....and that means more space for the other instruments to find expression. 
  Wheelin' from Clill Blanzin' comes mind. They can be spacey and introspective even as they can make you move and turn from that. Thats Kon's bass that does that. Noise has me leaning trip hop again. Has steps of tension, build-up and crashes, and that has you listening well into their jam session segments. When they play live their songs seem to go into this jam session is as good as I can describe it. Those are really cool moments to witness because I already know they are coming and the rest of the audience is caught off guard with this bend in the coolness. I Forgot To Kiss Her has this steady march in the middle before one last verse. Money comes out of nowhere sounding like PJ Harvey.  An accordion would be helpful in describing them but they don't use one either. Its not any of these yet if you are attracted to any of these .....leanings, I think I can sell you on Moritat. My very first take on seeing them play Yellow House way in 2009 was to call them trip hop.....hmmm. That term is already a hot mess that includes jazz, house and electronic music. I suppose what got me there was Venus and how she plays her keyboard. Oh, and Corey in the drums. Yeah.... and Kon plays bass. So its rock that almost without intention evades description. Its easier to say about hanging with Kon at Empty Bottle to see some bands on a Free Monday. His spanish is great, he can have entire conversations. He has a separate project, Rows Of Arrows.  I look forward to that since I already like his voice. Its fascinating to listen to what a musician thinks of other bands, it helps me in finding my own expression. I feel real at ease around these guys. I often run into them for other shows. Its them that introduced me to Julie Meckler. Kon. ....  There was something about Moritat that struck me as understated and still cool. Like something that is cool enough to not really need your recognition of it. They got new work coming out. I'm happy about that, and I'll be listening.
Zig.