tangelO

Concert Forecast: Saturday, 6/7 - Pela, Static of the Gods, The Motion Sick, Shawn Fogel

I’ve been waiting on this show for a long time, because it puts a lot of bands in one place and makes them a little easier to keep track of, at least for one night. Hopefully this won’t run too long, but I would like to give my full attention to the last three bands, which I haven’t written about before. Following: upsides, downsides, past concert reviews!

Static of the Gods
I originally wrote about Static of the Gods in reference to their first full-length CD Cycles Follow Signs, which I was initially unimpressed with. Talent and songwriting aside, the album just didn’t do it for me. Several months later I was able to see them in concert, and was given their newly-released EP to check out. Vast improvements in sound and production propelled Static of the Gods from a formerly written-off state into a new band-to-watch category. Tarnished Cities is a good example of where the band is headed - hard, driving beat, almost syth-like bass (it’s actually a guitar on an octave pedal), and firm vocals. I’ve grown to like the band’s sound and uniqueness among emo-metal, and the Peluche EP provided the hooks that were lacking on Cycles Follow Signs. I hope they keep on this road for a while.

Static of the Gods - Tarnished Cities Peluche EP

The Motion Sick
I originally heard about The Motion Sick from a friend that worked at the AI: International in Boston. She heard the CD right after it was recorded, and immediately alerted me. They definitely stand apart from the other bands in this lineup, and adhere to a more “post new-wave” sound (”new-new-wave,” “post-second-wave?” It’s not really post-punk…) than the other bands. Their sound isn’t full and continuous - it’s broken up, with the empty space invoking the Talking Heads and other new-wave and second-wave bands.

They will be celebrating their 100th show on Saturday.

The Motion Sick - 30 Lives

The Motion Sick - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)

Shawn Fogel
Shawn Fogel is a folk-rock musician who provides all the extra instrumentalization and vocals on his CD One Day In the Desert. The feel is that of summertime rock, festivals, and tubing down the Apple River - upbeat, happy, uplifting. Although the concept is similar to that of other artists - self produced lo-fi, with hi-fi equipment - the outcome falls more in the upbeat mainstream college rock category than similar artists.

Shawn Fogel - Dead Petals