the 21st century society is one driven by instant gratification and an "on-demand" mentality so pervasive, it engenders a mindset of valueless, disposable media. Once-viewed DVDs collect dust on living room shelves, music folders gorged on P2P networks expand as they fill hard drive space by the second, as do countless photo albums and videos from across the world.
the minimalist rock of Chase Middaugh and Ryan McMullen's
Novelist is anything but "on-demand". Riffs and song structures stick together like shitty Velcro, coming apart at the slightest touch. Like an ADD child, the music can be frustratingly difficult to track and therein lies the hook.
while most artists use volume or discord to create tension (see
the Pixies,
Sonic Youth), Novelist's music meanders blindly around each bend at breakneck speed to create an aura of unexpectedness that hooks in the listener. As guitarist Middaugh wraps dark hues around McMullen's scatter shot drumming, the music can become epic at times and eerie at others, always looming close to the edge of the cliff but never quite falling off.
according to Middaugh, the song writing process has even begun to take on a fast-paced improvisational style. "The process these days is quite similar- just with less 'points' on the map, certain times no map at all," says Middaugh via email interview.
the new Novelist record "DROSERA" will be available this winter, with
details on the release still to come. The recorded material tends to be on the more minimal side according to the band, with the live performances more frenetic and rock-friendly, baiting audiences with the hook that never comes.
another new band/ familiar face that had a strong showing was the minimal-industral one-man-punk band Mannequin Stupor. Not quite punk or garage, Eric G's latest project has influences that run deep into 80's post punk and noise. The set had it's high cerebral moments and low-blow potshots. Watching Mannequin Stupor play, one cannot help but feel transported to NYC art-school hangouts somewhere around 1985. However, a post-backbeat drum machine gave the songs a modern twist, a nod to the right-now post-electroclash NYC scene.
the 21st century society is one driven by instant gratification and an "on-demand" mentality so pervasive, it engenders a mindset of valueless, disposable media. Once-viewed DVDs collect dust on living room shelves, music folders gorged on P2P networks expand as they fill hard drive space by the second, as do countless photo albums and videos from across the world.
