BLONDE REDHEAD
Cosmo
9,768 Posts
I DJed for Blonde Redhead yesterday at McCarren Pool Party. I didn't know they were that big of a deal, but literally thousands of people packed the pool to come see the show. I heard their name in passing before but I never actually heard their music. I was floored, they were fucking amazing. The guitar work by the one dude was sick. Only in America will I open for a huge band that I have no idea who they are! So, I dug the shit out of them It was crazy to see so much sound (really a HUGE) sound come from only 3 people. They even brought their own analog mixing board that they swapped the huge digital console out for, and they travel with their own soundman (baller.)So I know they have a new album out, but also, what's the DEFINITIVE shit to get into them? Like I checked and they have a lot of albums, but where should I start? I'll get the new one off of G.P. though.
Comments
I discovered them in a similar fashion as you...(not that I dj'ed for them.)
But, a friend told me I should go to this show, and I knew the bouncer at the club, so he just let me go in. I had zero knowledge of them, and zero expectations...
And, it was without a doubt, the most powerful live music performance I'd ever seen. Granted, that hyperbole was heightened by the distance with which they exceeded my zero expectations, but as you put it, it was just such a unique experience: so loud, precise, sexy, and the fucking drums were UNREAL.
Those three are incredible. Their older stuff is harder, their newer stuff a lot more ethereal (haven't heard the new record...) but, Melody is the perfect mix of both for me.
And yo...
no fucking DOUBT. Dude was killing it, such a heavy sound, he also had an MPC back there and honesty the loudest/most clean - PERFECT 808 kicks I have heard in a live setting in my life.
Makes you think about bands/musicians that still actually care about "SOUND."
But for my money, the previous album to the current one is their best: MISERY IS A BUTTERFLY. It's sweeping, dramatic, orchestral, emotional, and heartwrenching. And produced by Guy Picciotto from Fugazi (!).
I've been into these guys since their first album and I've been really impressed how they've gone from being a decent Sonic Youth ripoff to a really original and moving musical group.
BTW congrats on the DJ gig - that's amazing!
Their sound is so precise and (the word I used when they first melted my face off) virtuosic. They have CLEARLY mastered their instruments, and they have such a great chemisty.
That isn't to say that it is cold or soulless...they most definitely have soul. But, they have a rare combination of soul and technical ability that makes them an incredible live band.
cosmo - you guys were getting a lot of compliments out in the audience yesterday. fun times indeed.
I also cosign the Melody.... recommendation.
OZZY!!!!!
I discovered Blonde Redhead after they got a mention a few years ago right on this very forum, Dled a few of their albums and got hooked.
The new album is OK, I love the title track but the album as a whole hasn???t hit me as hard as the earlier releases.
Like most people I look at ???melody of certain damaged lemons??? as their best work but its all worth checking in my opinion . ???Fake as can be as just as good??? is an amazing album.
I must have watched these videos a hundred times, Kazu is so enchanting.
Like others said, this is a great one to start with. Their earlier albums are more on the harder rock/punk type stuff, but "Melody..." has a great sound and it seemed like they were trying to explore different types of sounds. there are some amazing piano based songs on there.
well said! This is the one for me!
anyone going?
i'm flying out there tonight
one of my favorites from '07
Woah, was that really so long ago? I was thinking it was circa '95 or so that they were seemingly the opening or middle band at like every show at DC's black cat... given what you're saying, it was probably a few years earlier. they were a quartet at the time and very good altho still hadn't quite found their niche yet (kinda sounded like a very good sonic youth knock-off to me at the time).
They're not exactly my cup of tea either -- never bought a record of their or went to a show they placed because of them -- but I've still ended up hearing them a lot both live and on record and generally enjoy them. I also DJ'd a show they played circa 2001 or so in Bmore... if I remember correctly it was them, Ink (ex-Candy Machine, current members of Lo Moda) and the almighty Ex. They were nice and put on a good show.
I still like them, just think they're getting worse and worse.
Finally got a chance to see them perform and it was them playing over samples of them playing karaoke style (except for the drums). I understand they're trying to get the radiohead-ish status, but really I wish they would just stick to songs without a sequencer. When they finally got into Melody of Certain Three without the sequencer I finally remembered why I was there.
This is my favorite blonde redhead song:
- spidey