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Archive for the ‘post-punk’ Category

Mushroom with Eddie Gale, Mist and Mast, Straggler, Astral, and Rachel Efron

Reviews originally published in the East Bay Express on 10/10/07.

Mushroom with Eddie Gale Joint Happening (Hyena). Mushroom is an experimental, heavily psychedelic, anything-goes outfit pushing ten years in the Bay Area. Eddie Gale is an avant-garde and free-jazz trumpeter who made his mark blowing minds in Brooklyn during the late ’60s. Together, they’re downright dirty.

Mist and Mast Mist and Mast (self-released). Anyone familiar with Oakland indie-Americana group the Red Thread probably wishes it hadn’t disbanded this summer. Frontman Jason Lakis’ ensuing solo effort roams the same clouded realm, though less effectively.

Straggler Bow Down Lions (Happy Retard Records). “Real rock ‘n’ roll” is always a mixed blessing. On one hand, you’ve got loud, straightforward, no-frills hard rock; on the other, obnoxious, derivative, dumbed-down bar fodder. Straggler straddles the line as well as any local group, with an extra dash of soul.

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MySpace (listen to “Static,” “A Different Weapon”)

IMEEM site

Hometown: Berkeley

Next local show: 3/2, Oakland Metro

Recent release: The Get Down, 2006

Believe us, we’d be the first to say we’re done with the whole dance-punk thing. On principle alone, we’re just tired of it. Because face it, most of the bands suck. We get it: You discovered Gang of Four. You have a stylish haircut. You think it’s cute to coerce indie rockers to dance. Done yet? Tempo No Tempo don’t escape the latter trap, needlessly bragging on their MySpace page that they sound like “the first time you danced in public and felt okay about it.” But what makes Tempo No Tempo different from the Rapture et al is that TNT are from Berkeley and obviously not interested in assimilating into the dying dance-punk masses.

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