Dave Chamberlain

If you're interested in checking out the Polyphonic Spree, don't wait for next time the band comes to town; any band that requires a dozen buses to tour won't likely become road warriors any time soon.

Composed of twenty-three (yes, 23) members, which includes a ten-person choir, various psychedelic instruments (theremin, plus one member devoted to electronic effects) and even some brass, the Polyphonic Spree's South by Southwest performance drew substantial critical praise. And for good reason--with such a plethora of members, PS is able to completely recreate the soaring sonics and grandiose, nearly gospel-like sweep of its debut record, "The Beginning Stages Of..." (679 Recordings). The easiest comparison lies with the Flaming Lips (or more accurately, the Flaming Lips since 1998), but whereas the members of the Flaming Lips rely on a hefty amount of gadgetry to achieve their windswept sound, Polyphonic Spree's bulky membership allows them to do the same thing, but with entirely organic results. The Polyphonic Spree plays twice this week: how they'll fit into the Empty Bottle on April 10 is anyone's guess, since the band may even have trouble fitting onto the more spacious Metro stage, where it plays April 11.

Log jam:

In no way does a Bob Log III record do the man justice--you've got to see him live. In case you've not heard, Bob is yet another one-man band, but he's got a great on-stage gimmick. Performing with a slide guitar and a kick drum, Bob puts a microphone inside of a motorcycle helmet and proceeds to crank out heavy, jagged blues-punk; during at least one song in every set, he invites young ladies to come sit on his lap while he plays. Unfortunately, none of this translates well to CD. His latest, "Log Bomb" (Fat Possum), which features cover art depicting Bob's penchant for his ladies-on-the-lap fetish, is easily written off as a Jon Spencer side project; the blues riffs lack his live energy, which makes for a too long and repetitious exercise in the dull. (Once upon a time Bob did capture his live energy, on his second full-length, "Trike," from 1999. It hasn't happened since.) That said, he's the type of live performer who, even if the room seems disinterested when he begins a set, can force a crowd out of its spleen and pull everyone to the front of the stage. Bob plays his guaranteed-five-alarm barn-burner April 11 at the Subterranean. Soul survivor:

I've said this before, and I'm not backing down: last year's Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings show at the Double Door ranked among the top five or so I saw, out of a year-long total of 200. Led by the fortysomething Jones and backed by an eight-person band (which includes brass, a couple guitars, bass, drums), the ensemble puts on a soul revue that harkens back to James Brown, Stax and any other hard-hitting soul power you can think of from the sixties. The band's sole record, "Dap Dappin' with the Dap-Kings" (Dap-Tone Records), hardly breaks any new ground in the old soul movement, and the too-cool-for-school out there might suggest the record to be nothing more than a swing-replacing fad movement. However, the brass-and-sweat soul was made to be seen and heard, and in that respect Jones doesn't disappoint. If this week's show (April 11 at the Empty Bottle) resembles the last time they were in town, Jones will play until she's about to drop, move like there's no tomorrow and get everyone in the house inspired to do the same. Whereas last month's Sugarman 3 show (another Dap-Tone Records band) played more to the funk side of things, Jones and Co. are straight-up soul, the kind that's so close to rock that the uninformed might mistake the two, and the kind that's absolutely saturated by the spirit of an 18-year-old James Brown. My highest recommendation.

Under review:

To quote myself from Raw Material, March 27, regarding the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players: "With Jason playing silly little pop ditties with titles like 'Eggs' or 'Fondue Friends in Switzerland,' Tina doing visuals and Rachel's able handling on the drums, it's almost too strange to believe unless you see it." Well, I agree with myself on the last part--it is almost too strange to believe unless you see it. And, after two songs, you've seen it. Really, you've seen it. During the band's sold-out performance at Schubas on April 7, the Trachtenburg's did their repertoire to the delight of the audience, helped along by Jason's witty, goofball editorial between songs and, of course, the visuals. However, to see the Trachetenburg's twice? Then you're just forcing it. Jason's songs sound like a 16-year-old's first effort to mimic the Beatles, Rachel's drumming sounds like, well, a 9-year-old drumming, and one in six of the slides fly by before the eyes can even focus. It's a good idea, but unless the songs grow along with Rachel, the gimmick will fast get tired.

(2003-04-09)

Also by Dave Chamberlain

Russian revolutionary
Although Americans often tend to ignore music that's made on the other side of either ocean, Vadim stands as a testament to the ripple effects started by American hip-hop
(2003-04-02)

Raw Material
Citing a capacity that's too small, Derron Swan, owner of House Call Entertainment and the man who put the Beat Kitchen on the rock 'n' roll map, has decided to move on to a bigger venue.
(2003-04-02)

Tip of the Week
Band for band, pound for pound, tonight's concert marks one of the best gritty rock `n' roll shows of the young year.
(2003-03-26)

Raw Material
If you think the Danielson Famile's religious thing is a snort of over-the-top strange, than you've absolutely got to see the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
(2003-03-26)

Better than fiction
(2003-03-26)

Music Tip of the Week
(2003-03-19)

Raw Material
(2003-03-19)

Tip of the Week
(2003-03-12)

Raw Material
(2003-03-12)

Music Tip of the Week
(2003-03-05)

Raw Material
(2003-03-05)

Music 45 2003
(2003-02-26)

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