| CD REVIEW A Place To Bury Strangers |
 |
|
Band : A Place To Bury Strangers Is there a Shoegaze revival goin’ on? I don’t know! Do I care? Of course I care, because I happen to be particularly fond of that kind of music…but then I’m fond of a lot of other music genres and sub-genres! Hahah…all kiddin’ aside, as long as there’s bands producing the quality music such as this Brooklyn, New York City based trio (composed of singer/ guitarist Oliver Ackermann, bassist Jono Mofo, and drummer Jay Space, the latter two both formerly of NYC based Mofo), there will always be a Shoegazer in me! The band formed in 2003 when Ackermann offered to be the drummer in Tim Gregorio’s band. He switched to guitar and vocals after the first rehearsal, Justin Avery from Virginia based act Cobraspa taking over his duties. APTBS played their first gig soon after, that same year. When both Gregorio and Avery left the band, the current line-up came into shape. In 2006 the band released 3 untitled EPs with different color schemes, which later made ‘em known as the Red, Blue, and Green EPs. That same year, they attained gained aclaim supporting Brian Jonestown Massacre at Webster Hall, leading to the band returning there to support The Jesus And Mary Chain (one of their major influences) in 2007. Throughout those formative years, the band’s gigs grew increasingly more chaotic which gained APTBS a reputation as NYC’s “loudest band”. In the Washington Post they were deescribed as “…the most ear-shatteringly loud garage/ shoegaze band you’ll ever hear…”, and The New York Times went on to applaud their revival of “…the ominous, feedback-drenched drones of the 1980s…” (source: Wikipedia). It remains an historical fact that Killer Pimp Records label owner Jon Whitney wrote out the contract for the band’s self-titled September 2007 released debut album (actually a compilation of 10 older songs recorded between then and the band’s beginning days) on a napkin…and after a positive review by Pitchfork in August of that year, the band suddenly got national attention. Soon after, they joined Black Rebel Motorcyclle Club on their Holy Fuck Tour. What also followed, was a steady stream of 7-inch singles and EPs (some with remix versions of already existing songs, some with previously unreleased tracks, some with both…and therefore highly sought-after got-to-have collectables). During 2008, APTBS joined Nine Inch Nails on a couple of its dates during the US tour. In May 2008 the band made its British debut on a small tour. From the very beginning strongly supported by the likes of NME and Kerrang!, the band gained major media attention, and in November 2008 the band returned to the UK and Europe as support of MGMT’s tour, the occasion coinciding with the release of the band’s album, which made a major stir in British media! Late 2008 also saw the release of a self-titled CD through Japanese label Fiveman Army, a compilation of 8 songs previously released on the aforementioned 7-inches and EP’s. APTBS signed to Mute in early 2009, the first result of which came on August 24 in the form of cd-single In Your Heart (the title track off the upcoming album, b-side “Strictly Looks” momentarily an exclusive track to that single). The second result is the band’s sophomore album, best described as a wall of sound…a melodic wall of sound, that is a perfect blending of Shoegaze, Space Rock and Psychedelica. Fuzzy feedback, huge sounds, and a very dynamic drummer to boot…with the singer’s signature voice being the very type of “Shoegaze” vocals, sedate and humbled! You can check out no less than 5 of this album’s tracks (alongside with some older material), at myspace.com/aplacetoburystrangers. Next up? A December 14 UK release of new single Keep Slipping Away, with the non-album “Hit the Ground” as b-side…as well as 4 remixes of the title track. The band closes off this year’s run of gigs on December 15 at London’s Barfly (yeah…they were over in Europe again), and will be starting off 2010 with a couple of early February gigs in Australia. These guys are apparently out to conquer the world…well, they hàve my support, whole-heartedly! Check this one out for support: another addition to my personal 2009 year-lists! 98/100 Tony. |