I decided this year I would spend a day in downtown Austin for South by Southwest (SXSW), something I've never done in the 20 years I've lived in Austin. During past SXSW conferences, I attended single events or avoided the downtown area altogether, being that the downtown grid turns into a huge clusterfuck of auto and foot traffic. But this year, I was going to be "sans kids" on the Saturday of SXSW. And since I work at the Texas Lottery, I can park in the parking lot on 6th and Red River whenever I want. So I parked at 2:00pm, my first beer already in my gut, a pack of smokes in my pocket, and my shades on. Ready, set, rock!
I soaked in the atmosphere on the street, feeling the enthusiasm of the music fans waiting in front of the various venues. I didn't have a wristband or badge but I knew there would be tons of free music at bars and clubs during the day. So I headed to a bar I'd never been in before: The Wave. The bottom of the floor only had about a dozen people perched at the bar. But I could feel the rumble of a band playing on the top floor. So I headed up there, bought a Dos XX, and waded to the front of the venue.
The band was called Starfucker. At first, their sound brought New Order to mind, or at least a little from the New Order playbook (guitar sounds, keyboard, etc). I hate making those kinds of comparisons between bands but that was what came to mind. And I was amazed at how much gear they had crammed onto such a tiny stage. The singer, bass player, and keyboard player had a massive array of instruments, keyboards, and drums that they switched through as the different songs called for different sounds and textures. And they were pretty enthusiastic for playing a gig at around 4:00 in the afternoon. Totally rocked the place. The singer would occasionally fall into this trance, dancing his ass off on that tiny stage.
After their show, I told the singer they were “fucking fantastic.” And I asked to buy a CD. He had to run to his van to get some CDs (all he had was vinyl). When he came back, I offered to buy the band a round of drinks, something I like to do when I see a band I enjoy. And they all turned me down. Weird. That’s never happened to me before. So I asked them where they were from (Portland) and wished them luck. But I don’t think they’ll need much luck. They’re pretty damn good.
Listening to the CD over the next few days, it seems my initial thought of similarities with early New Order tunes was spot-on. The first five songs, "Florida," "German Love," "Myke Ptyson," "Laadeedaa," and "Rawnald Gregory Erikson the Second" would make great companions to songs on New Order's Power Corruption & Lies; but only musically. Starfucker's melodies and harmonies are much sweeter and catchier than anything New Order did on that album. And with tunes like "Hard Smart Beta" and "Pop Song," I can hear some ELO influence. This interesting mix of styles leaves a lasting impression; you'll be humming these songs long after you've turned the music off and gone on with your day. I did.
I don’t know why they would choose a name like Starfucker. Seems like they are black-balling themselves from a lot of potential avenues for people to discover their music, like the radio. But I can also appreciate a band's confidence in calling themselves what they will and letting the music speak for itself. If you like a band like MGMT, then you will enjoy Starfucker. I’ve listened to their CD quite a bit since Saturday. And I have to say that I’m really enjoying it.
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