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Show Thursday, September 20, 2007 Makena Walsh REDUX WRITER Dropkick Murphys The Meanest of Times Born & Bred Records Three out of five stars The appeal of real punk rock has always been its anger and honesty. No trendy hairstyles, no fashionable wardrobes, no producer-penned singles—just a couple power chords and a lot of distortion. Few would argue the legitimacy of the near-legendary Dropkick Murphys' brand of real punk rock, and the band's sixth full-length, The Meanest of Times, testifies to this reputation. "Loyal to No One" and "(F)Lanigan's Ball" (featuring Ronnie Drew from the Dubliners and Spider Stacy from the Pogues) keep the Murphys' September 20 Irish roots alive with striking bagpipes and jig-inducing rhythms, while tracks like "Fairmount Hill" reveal the band's consummate knack for paying homage to traditional Irish balladry. The Meanest of Times hits hardest in traditional Boston punk anthems "Vices and Virtues" as no punches are pulled in honesty or anger. Born in sleepy Lisa Papineau Rhode Island, Kilby Court Lisa Papineau (741 S. 330 has had an obWest) scure yet illus8 p.m. trious career. CostTBA Some will remember Papineau from her collaboration with Rage Against the Machine bassist Tinim Commerford on the legendary soundtrack to "The Crow." Papineau's candid Regina Spektoresque singing vis-a-vis electronic artifice eventually garnered her the attention of Tori Amos, who signed her to Atlantic Record's vanity subsidiary, Igloo, Nintendo score meets grimy synthesizer in Papineau's latest minimalist solo experiment, Night Moves. A more daring version of Imogen Heap, Papineau pierces with French vocal stylings over a variety of electronically modified instruments and drum machines. F TIMES THE M£AN1 ropi NiGHIMIKE Nightmare of You Bang The Bevonshire Label Three out of five stars Millions have tried and millions have failed to emulate the croon of enigmatic Smiths' band-leader Steven Patrick Morrissey. Thankfully the failures of others did not deter Nightmare of You's Brandon Reilly. Employing Morrissey's tongue-in-cheek word choice, jilted phrasing and soothing moan, Reilly laces the Nightmare's American pop take on British post-punk with a voice that does justice to the idol while maintaining respectful distance. Bang reveals this most exquisitely as acoustic guitars battle subtle keyboards beneath Reilly lulling, "You don't have to tell me I was a terrible man," on the song of the same name. Title track "Bang" carries an Oingo Boingo bounce into a collage of Cure-ish aesthetics that's sure to sucker the new wave of Ferdinand/Killers/Bravery new wave fans. Nightmare of You manages to champion something these acts just can't seem to: a sound that respects instead of ransacks its forefathers. Compiled by Dan Fletcher Lisa Papineau September 21 Stars In Our Bedroom After the War Arts & Crafts Four out of five stars each diverse influence with the striking male and female storytelling of front-people Torquil Campbell and Amy ••••* Milan. "The Night Starts Here" Stars' multiple multi-instrumentalists and collage of introduces the album as the lounge-jazz sex appeal, indie two trade blows above a humility and post-punk chic synth-based electro-pop balmay sound like the makings lad that'd play well in dance of complete sonic confusion. clubs and coffee shops alike. But somehow, the eclectic, Milan's smoky chords take Montreal-based buzz band's center stage in lounge pop third record, In Our Bedroom tune "My Favourite Book" as After the War, galvanizes it flirts with both Fiona Apple mystery and Nelly Furtado soul tastes. Campbell excels in up-tempo indie rockers "Take Me to the Riot" and "The Ghost of Genova" that bridge gaps between the inviting plots of The Smiths and the simple melodies of the nouveau Canadian explosion, a la Jason Collett, Kevin Drew and the rest of the broken scene. In Our Bedroom possesses plot lines and pop tunes for any and all occasions. Soundtrack to the Apocalypse The F* * *ing Champs set to fire up the Urban Lounge Trevor Hale REDUX WRITER Singers are overrated. All they do is steal the spotlight, the glory and all the girls. Let's not forget the girls. The cutest ones always go for the singer. Go ahead and add bass players to the overrated list, too. Who needs 'em? Just ask The F***ing Champs. They don't need either one. The only thing this band needs is two guitars, a drum kit and a desire to rock like there's no tomorrow. And they've got that in spades. The F+*+ing Champs formed in San Francisco in the early '90s, combining its heavy metal roots with a knack for art school indie and prog-rock. The Champs' sound relies on constantly shifting time signatures and guitar techniques that only the most advanced musicians will truly appreciate or understand. While the Champs are somewhat of an esoteric band in that regard—hiding their technical talents beneath a solid wall of sound—that doesn't mean they don't bring the rock. All musicianship aside, the catchy riffs come in rapid succession, sometimes barely leaving enough room to catch your breath before they're off and running across the fretboard. Many times, ih*4 l f- IT 1 ER THE WAR Your Guide to Instrumental Bands: Pelican—Best described as sludgemetal, this Chicago band prides itself on long, drawn-out tracks that alternate between slow, quiet parts and incredibly heavy riffs. The members of Pelican have said that playing without a vocalist keeps them from being pigeonholed into a particular genre and gives them the freedom to explore its sound without limitations. As long as it stays heavy, I doubt anyone will complain. Mogwai—Want to impress all the indie kids you see wandering around? Drop this band in conversation to get the nods of approval you desire. This Scottish group has been around for more than a decade, churning out instrumental scores for the best films never made. And not surprisingly, Darren Aronofsky recently enlisted Mogwai to work on the score for his dream-like epic, The Fountain. The F*"ing Champs one expects a high-pitched wail referencing dragons or swords to cut through the music, but it never happens. It's not that vocals are needed—they aren't, not even a bit—it's just that years of riff-heavy radio hits have trained the masses that a vocalist is what makes the band. The F***ing Champs makes it absolutely clear that is not the case. Its newest album, VI (a nice middle finger to Led Zeppelin, who only made it to IV), isn't a departure from the sound the band has honed for the past 15 years, but rather a more focused version. The spaced out prog-rock moments still appear, but The Champs seems to have straightened out, now concentrating more on keeping those metal horns in the air. thale@ chronicle.utah.edu Taking its Two Gallants name from a Kilby Court short story by (741 S. 330 James Joyce, folk West) rock duo Two 8 p.m. Gallants started $8 playing around their native San Francisco in 2002—though the duo first joined forces at the age of 12. With roots in Delta blues tradition, Two Gallants' folk aesthetic found them a home on Omaha-based independent Saddle Creek Records (Bright Eyes, Cursive). These fine gentlemen casually carry on the Saddle Creek folk tradition on their latest release, What the Toll Tells, crafting Dylan-esque ballads— without the lilting whine. Explosions in the Sky—As the premiere artist of its genre, Explosions in the Sky scored the 2004 film "Friday Night Lights," giving the underground's instrumental scene the recognition it long deserved. It's the kind of stuff that could double as the soundtrack for a long car ride in the rain. Shortly after Sept. 11, the band's bassist was detained in an airport as a threat to national security because the' words "this plane will crash tomorrow"—a track title from the group's second album—were written on his guitar. Talented and dangerous. Apparently. Two Gallants September 22 The Body is The Body Salt Lake City's Urban Lounge premiere all(241 S. 500 star dub outfit. East) Its debut, Call 9 p.m. Off the Search, CostTBA featured emcees Lokal and Mimic of local hip-hop trio Deadbeats, and sent shock waves of funky reggae energy throughout the Wasatch front. Regularly playing throughout the Salt Lake City area, this show is of particular importance as it benefits the fire-stricken local pizzeria, Este. If you're already jonesing for an order of Este's garlic knots in light of their recent misfortune, you know this is a great show1 for a great cause. ; September 26 Reminiscent of a choir of American Indian madrigals, Canadian rock group Arcade Fire's "Wake Up" rings anthemic, See DROP Page 8 Arcade Fire Thanksgiving Point (3003 N. Thanksgiving Way, Lehi) 7 p.m. $36 |