Thursday, Jan. 10
SYNTH PUNK unicorn basement
Just when I think I know everything about music, I get thrown for a loop. Part New Wave, part punk and part noise rock, Unicorn Basement is an experimental synth duet who are as quirky as Zappa, but their low-fi synthetic sound is more accessible than the king of proto-punk.
Having studied both ancient pagan folklore and non-Euclidean geometry, the Minnesota-based pair of MX and DNA have been birthing creative babies and performing in various manifestations since 2005. The group completed its evolution when ex-guitarist Jon Lindsley relocated to the Middle East. He has since been replaced by smaller and more mathematically accurate synthesizers.
With influences as vast as Stereolab to Bowie, they are well versed in the art of musical experimentation. Yet, akin to the Velvet Underground, the music is not complex. But rather they rely on simplicity versus intricacy, which makes them a fun listen. Vocally, Unicorn is slightly robotic, which fits in with the early 1980s-sounding synthesizers they operate. Lyrically, they can be as campy as the Lords of Acid, but not quite as explicit. The idiosyncratic unit has released one album, Greater Than Sex, on the Seattle-based indie label Unnecessary Friction Records. — TE
[Le Voyeur, 10 p.m., no cover, 404 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.5710]
Thursday, Jan. 10
ROCK your drugs my money
Thursday, Jan. 10, the very day this issue of the Weekly Volcano hits the streets, Your Drugs My Money will play Le Voyeur in Olympia. Besides having one of the best band names around, Your Drugs My Money have a lot going for them.
Based out of LA, but no strangers to Portland and thus the entire Pacific Northwest, Your Drugs My Money is a mess — in a good way. Experimental doesn’t really capture this band’s chaos. Your Drugs My Money has more delay pedals than Guitar Center and more tape loops than Dark Side of the Moon — exponentially.
While I’m not a fan of songs that never end, something tells me Your Drugs My Money at Le Voyeur will be epic. If you don’t mind dirtying your clothes with a deluge of noise, this show’s for you. — Matt Driscoll
[Le Voyeur, with Unicorn Basement, 10 p.m., no cover, 404 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.5710]
Saturday, Jan. 12
EXPERIMENTAL dead air fresheners
One of the great things about the Dead Air Fresheners is the band’s anonymity. Though many know and love the experimental band of Northwest musicians as a whole, the individual parts that make up the Dead Air Fresheners have always been masked in secrecy. The Dead Air Fresheners generally claim to include members of Karp, And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, Noggin and Nice Nice, but identifying the exact members of The Dead Air Fresheners is made difficult by the band, and if you happen to be in the know, generally frowned upon.
Though I’m not in the know, I respect the band’s game. I support the idea of “no I in team,” or band for that matter.
However, it’s been reported that Olympia Experimental Music Festival founder Jim McAdams is one of the group’s stalwarts. The lineup of the Dead Air Fresheners, thanks to their anonymity, fluctuates with ease. McAdams is one of the constants.
I have no guilt for discussing McAdams’ role within the Dead Air Fresheners, specifically because of an e-mail I received through the grapevine that originated on his computer.
“Anonymity be damned for a moment ... Below are the details on my 41st birthday party/show Saturday, January 12th at Bob’s Java Jive. It will be the last Dead Air Fresheners show for some months as my wife will be giving birth to a baby boy a couple very short months later,” writes McAdams.
Anonymity be damned, indeed. If McAdams doesn’t mind revealing his identity for the sake of show publicity, neither do I. The Dead Air Fresheners will play Bob’s Java Jive Saturday, along with Your Drugs My Money, LA Lungs, and Mattress. It may be the best show of the week. — Matt Driscoll
[Bob’s Java Jive, 9 p.m., $2, 2102 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.475.9843]
Sunday, Jan. 13
JUMP BLUES 7 on 7
Ever since seeing the 1996 film “Swingers,” I have been a huge fan of jump blues and bands like the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. The Olympia-based 7 on 7 is just as lively as the Daddies or the Zippers as they play in the fashion of Louis Prima or Big Jay McNeely. With a fat horn section, killer rhythm section and a smoking guitarist, 7 on 7 has the ability to experiment with many genres, including blues, jazz and funk. The seven piece band (get it?) are highly experienced musicians but are equally dedicated to having fun. Performing classic tunes such as “I Love the Life I Live” and “Jump Jive and Wail,” this is one band that dares you stay seated. Their one and only disc, Essentially Live, was released in 2006 and is a nice representation of what a live 7 on 7 experience is; hotter than an August night in Vegas. They’re money baby, money. — TE
[The Spar, 7 p.m., no cover, 2121 N. 30th St., Tacoma, 253.627.8215]