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at a glance...
Hometown: New York
Year Formed: circa 1993
Personnel:
Simone Pace -drums, keyboards
Amedeo Pace -guitar, vocals
Kazu Makino -guitar, vocals
(plus a guest vocal by Guy Picciotto from Fugazi on "Futurism vs. Passeism Part 2")
Related Bands:
The Lapse, Unwound, Fugazi, Sonic Youth
Notes:
Formed by Italian twins Amadeo and Simone and two Japanese art students after a chance meeting in a New York restaurant. Their performances attracted the attention of Sonic Youth's drummer Steve Shelley, who produced and released their eponymous debut on his own label, Smells Like, in 1994. Maki departed shortly after its release, and the band continued on as a trio for 1995's La Mia Vita Violenta, 1997's Fake Can Be Just As Good, 1998's In An Expression Of The Inexpressible, and 2000's Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons. Guy Picciotto of Fugazi has been acquired as producer, and Vern of Unwound has helped out with bass duties.
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Blonde Redhead
In An Expression Of The Inexpressible
Touch and Go, Released 1998
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Listening to the new Blonde Redhead record is a lot like watching French New Wave film - sometimes disorienting and chaotic, at other times inspiring and poignant, but always testing the boundaries of what film, or in this case rock records, can do as an art. In An Expression of the Inexpressible is a rock album made by musicians who also care about exploring artistic boundaries. So, not only do Blonde Redhead use their No-Wave influences to create a great rock record, but they use the musical content, cover art, and title to explore artistic and personal subject matter.
The cool thing about Blonde Redhead is that no matter how influenced their music is by American rock, they maintain an originality that keeps their records sounding fresh. Pained melodies and high-pitched, rythmic guitar lines are contrasted with tasteful electronic loops and rock solid, grooving drum beats. Amedeo Pace and Kazu Makino sing emotionally and are not afraid to use their voices as instruments. The lyrics are sometimes abstract and sung in heavily accented English. Lines like, "I made up my mind and changed my mind, i've made up my mind and changed it," reflect the mood of this record.
At times emotional, and at other times more cool and intellectual, Blonde Redhead create a musical universe perfect for relaying the frustration, confusion and happiness of their personal relationships - relationships that not only include each other, (the band is comprised of a couple, Kazu and Amedeo, and twin brothers), but their relationships with their music as well. The environment created by these relationships serves as Blonde Redhead's core artistic influence, and is the main reason for their emotional music coming across as true and unique as it does.
If you like Blonde Redhead, check out:
Blonde Redhead Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead Melody Of Certian Damaged Lemons
Sonic Youth EVOL
Unwound Repetition
Solex Solex vs. The Hitmeister
Polvo Shapes
-- Jason Dearen
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