Rock Iowa

Vaudeville Mews
Aug. 27th, 2008

It’s starting to feel like the fall as the night was getting tired faster, the shadows were increasing, eerie lights peered behind pillars of the Vaudeville Mews entrance. It didn’t seem that dark walking into the Mews that night. Maybe it was my smile that was brightening the place up. First I knew The Autumn Project (TAP) was playing. I take pride in loving TAP. Most friends that I’ve invited to a TAP show have politely nodded through my spiel about the beauty of instrumental post-rock. And such was the end of their TAP experience. And let’s be honest, TAP has found an audience world-wide, and yet sometimes its hard to find a decent crowd, in the Mews no less, that feels full. But tonight, there was a good crowd. A crowd that was into it.

The other reason I was beaming is that if TAP is playing then they are booked with some good bands. And as I saw the fliers around town promoting bands from Iceland and Australia, I knew if for nothing else, the cultural exchange of the language of music was enough. Beaten by Them, from Australia, are “fronted” by cellist Boima, who is more popular for his classical and dub than post-rock. Boima wields his bow playfully as he pours out beautifully sad overtures with plenty of dissonant tricks. Guitars trickle in, a booming radio voice comes on spooting something I never could understand, the bass stays subtle but jazzy, and as the mix moves to an epic guitar-driven rock, Boima lets the band take over. Only hinting at the emotional tinged breakdown to come. And then the hardest cello/bass solo you’ve ever heard. Their new album, Signs of Life, is a quiet winner and deserves your ears attention.

Next Parachutes, whom a lot of people there seemed to know, was septet of scrawny icelandic kids (though the merch guy informed me a few were born stateside, lived in Iceland for a few years, and now were back) playing a mix of (ironic?) Sigur Ros and Anathallo. Dreamy crescendoing pop, slow cooked with violin, xylophone, chimes, and other fun toys. Stirred with sleepy vocals, the sound will have you dreaming of your own personal Teletubby wonderland. Good Stuff. Check it out.

I’ll stop here and say that Stephen Ites was rocking the harmonica when I walked in and wish I had more time to listen to the blues and not unpack for a rockiowa shoot. Props to him for cracking the corporate facade I had on all day.

I guess TAP was the headliner. You see seven cool kids start packing from a satisfying set and three dingy (no offense) late-twenties guy in mostly black setup, you know the dream pop is over, but what’s next? If you’ve checked their myspace, you might think a more progressive version of the previous bands. The recordings don’t do justice to the TAP sound, especially at the Mews. Its more wind and thunder bumping chesting after beating lighting at a vicious game of the original Goldeneye. The wall of sound hits your ears firmly and doesn’t let up. The sound envelopes you and at times takes over for having nerves, pounding their anthems through your spine. Sounds agressive but its actually rather soothing. Mike, the drummer pounds out almost robotic drums at breakneck speed. The brothers Huss layer over each other progressive guitar, baritone guitar and bass parts. And where alot of bands would breakdown to a silky melody and sparse guitar, The Autumn Project kick it to the next level, drums are doubletime and guitar turn extra doomy. Mike seems to be cracking his snare head with every hit. Twelve minutes later and song one is done. Two more to go.

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