I had no idea that all I needed in my life was to hear a post punk perversion of “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone,” until about 11 o’clock last night. (I almost typed that as, “Ain’t No Sunshine ‘Til She’s Gone.” What is wrong with me?)
It came courtesy of Dallas band The Blurries, who naturally focused mostly on their freshly pressed album, entitled Paper Cuts. This was in front of a typically polite and receptive audience at Dan’s Silver Leaf. The group evolved out of The Slider Pines, and yet seem to be considerably more sophisticated than that act, though they share multiple members.
(Warning: A direct comparison is about to be made between multiple bands.) The group gives little sonic clues hinting at late-period Byrds, a comparison that was first shared with me by local musician Aaron White. White suggested the show, and though he also performed, his selling point was The Blurries and their new record. White plays in the excellent Old Snack, a band name that is hilariously offensive to some, and we’ll have more on their upcoming album soon.
Full disclosure: I was let into this show for free. A rarity for me, and the only time being on the guest list at Dan’s has ever been pulled off successfully. I am still looking for a catchy name for my “Universal Database for all Guest-lists at Every Club on Earth” iPhone App. I am also looking into having it made in the first place.
The group’s sound gives some obvious clues that also stem from the aforementioned Byrds: A musical admission implying sonic solidarity with that group’s evolutionary lineage. Or specifically the nervous jangle of early 80’s acts like The Feelies and The DB’s. So therefore, a million other bands that are more inclined to concentrate on the intricacies of all six (or twelve!) strings, as opposed to thrashing them all-at-once come showtime.
But back to the cover of the Bill Withers’ classic: As solidly constructed as Paper Cuts is from start-to-finish, as with all bands there is an unadorned truth that lies in the live show alone. The Blurries approach to the song sums up everything about them, even where their record cannot, and that’s a compliment. There’s a boldness that lies in their collective seduction by subtlety. It’s often easier to just rage through a standard, the same way in which so many awful bands have to older, more well-known material from grander artists. But they play it low-key mostly throughout. Not as sleepy and sad as Withers, but not dumbing it down for the rock audience either.
So the climax of “Ain’t No Sunshine,” of course, comes lyrically, in the seemingly absurd yet soulful repetition of “I know/I know/I know.” Withers’ iconic vocal on the original seems a natural extension of the strategic repetitiveness of a Grant Green jazz guitar solo, long before repeating yourself became the norm by way of pop music. The Blurries take this sacred section and blast off with it, the backing music comes crashing in, and all of a sudden they tear the set apart in a way that they seemed to promised they never would upon commencing. And for once in life, that broken promise is a welcome one.
The Weekender:
FRIDAY
Nite Shadez/Midnite Society/Dharma/Pop Martyrs (Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios): A complete show featuring Denton’s brightest and best, largely since these are acts that are never merely concerned with “just the music.” Always be suspicious of any artist that claims as such. In fact, multimedia project Night Shadez has offered that their show will be “MORE OF AN INSTALLATION THAN A NORMAL SET, FOR THIS SHOW.” Their caps, not mine. Remember what I was saying earlier about “seduction by subtlety?” Stand back.
Stoogeaphilia/The Dangits/Dixie Witch (The Basement Bar): I want to reiterate, since I’ve personally made this mistake before, that Stoogeaphilia is not a Stooges cover band. Via their Facebook description:
We’re not a cover band, we’re a repertory band, specializing in proto-punk/early punk covers. We used to draw the line at 1980, but now it’s kind of an open field. Sweat, feedback, and partial nudity our specialties.
The group features Ken Shimamoto, a rock scholar that is quietly one of the best writers in DFW. It also features Jon Teague of Pinkish Black on drums, so you can count on some solid backing. Considering that Dixie Witch’s Trinidad Leal is also one of the most intimidatingly loud stick-men that this state has ever produced, I would say this show is an open invite for most other drummers to come and feel humbled. It’s good for you, trust me.
Wanda Jackson/Kristy Kruger (The Kessler): One of the best examples of ACL’s runoff actually providing a benefit to our local show culture. 9 times out of ten it’s much more akin to the sad but familiar days when all the major CD stores were shutting down. Mostly what was left was a wake of “maxi singles” by the twenty most popular artists. Dallas should feel lucky to have two opportunities in the same year to see this mostly unheralded queen of rock music.
SATURDAY
The Blurries (Good Records): Free in-store performance. Starts at 3 p.m. The group performs at Double Wide later in the evening.
Okkervil River/Wye Oak (The Granada): Hard to imagine Wye Oak at The Granada (that’s been happening a lot lately), as I recall seeing them at The Chat Room in Fort Worth years ago. The duo put on an excellent set, free of gimmick or the feigned rusticity that is sometimes associated with the folk rock genre. And speaking of covers, they even pull off this wonderful track by The Kinks.
Bad Times/The Hack & Slashers/Commie Hilfiger (Pastime Tavern)
Laptop Deathmatch (Bryan Street Tavern): Wanz Dover’s notorious geek-off makes a welcome return with a suitable venue to match. The original Deathmatch scene yielded names like Cygnus who have gone on to be known talents, so who knows what might come of this.
For more events, go here.
Image: Detail from The Blurries’ new album, entitled Paper Cuts.
