CD Review: Las Kellies - Total Exposure

Slumgullion will be late this week. Here’s a  review that originally ran in the Illinois Entertainer.

There’s a free fall mentality running through Total Exposure, the fourth release from Las Kellies, as if the Argentine trio is doing whatever it wants with little concern for commercial success. It’s evident that guitarist-vocalist Ceci, bassist-vocalist Betty, and drummer-vocalist Sil hooked up with Iván Diaz Mathé (Ivy Lee), one of their country’s top reggae-dub producers on a number of these tracks. But there are also forays into hip-hop, new wave, and funk, along with the occasional male guest vocalist.

Reggae star Dennis Bovell drives “Don’t Look Suspicious,” a stinging but fun satire on immigration, and singer Ian Svenonius makes for a funny Lothario on “Two Types.” A pair of instrumentals add to the party ambience, but Las Kellies are definitely the most enjoyable when they’re singing. “King Lion” mixes ethereal voices with a driving beat, the nocturnal “Melting Ice” grooves to a series of rhyming come-ons, and “Illa San Simon” features talky, seductive vocals.

It’s Not Over!!!

By now, it’s become a horror movie cliche that just when you think the monster or whatever evil force that has been running amuck is finally dead, it springs up and attacks again.

A more fun version of that can be found in the way we celebrate Halloween. Since most of the parties or bar festivities took place over last weekend, it seems like the holiday has already returned to its crypt for another year. Kids still have trick or treating to look forward to, but is there anything left for adults?

BEHOLD:

There’s another cover band event taking place at Martyrs’ Pub on Lincoln Avenue tonight. It’s titled Halloween Flashback Party, and features The Lincoln Squares performing Nirvana’s groundbreaking Nevermind CD; and Diana And The Dishes performing Michael Jackson’s Thriller. In addition, Terrible Spaceship will be performing their Invaders 1938 CD, which was inspired by the War Of The Worlds broadcast by Orson Welles and is described as “a terrifying story you can dance to.” Terrible Spaceship will also perform its second CD, Zontar, the Thing from Venus. Guests are invited to come in costumes.

They’ll be celebrating Halloween Madness tonight with a tribute band showcase at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine. The lineup is Farraday as Blink 182; Belmont Cross as Paramore, American Autumn as Fall Out Boy; and Another Black Hour as Metallica. $10 admission, $7 if in costume.

Soundtrack Serenade will be performing the soundtrack from Saturday Night Fever at Reggie’s Music Joint on State Street tonight. The musicians involved include Neal Alger, Charlie Short, Phil Angotti, Holly Senchak, Dan Ingenthron, Aaron McEvers, Ben Bell Bern, and Chris Anderson. Keep in mind wearing a white leisure suit would be scarier than any costume. The show starts at 9:00PM. Also at Reggie’s tonight, Select Zombie Musicians will be performing Michael Jackson’s Thriller album.

You Be Me For A While - 2013

Photo Of Metropollly as Liz Phair By Alex Bruscino.

“The Wilburys are here in their astral bodies,” one of The Shams quipped shortly after the band had started its tribute to The Traveling Wilburys at Martyrs’ Pub last Friday night. In costumes to look like George Harrison, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, etc, the band members were part of the annual Halloweekend Tribute Band event. It was disappointing to find that for some reason, Halloweekend was cut down to one night this year, but at least the truncated lineup was an imaginative one. In addition, to The Shams, who opened with a spirited take on “Heading For The Light,” Halloweekend offered Will Phalen and The Stereo Addicts as Beck; Rm:509 as PJ Harvey; Phil Angotti as The Doors; Metropolly as Liz Phair; and The Dirty Pigeons as Ozzie Osbourne.

I hadn’t seen Will Phalen and The Stereo Addicts before, but their short set of Beck material was impressive enough to put this band on any rock fan’s radar. As Phalen rapped through “Loser,” The Stereo Addicts created a tight groove behind him. “Where It’s At,” with Phalen manning the megaphone, was another highlight.

Rm:509 fielded some familiar players in its tribute to PJ Harvey. I’ve only seen Ripley Cain in singer-songwriter mode, but she adapted well to her role as this band’s front woman. She wasn’t the only one singing lead though. Vocalist-guitarist Yvonne Doll, who also fronts The Locals, and drummer Joanna Vassilatos also took turns; and all three had strong voices. Christy Nunes, another member of The Locals, played bass in her patented head-bobbing style. Rm:509’s hard-charging performance on songs like “Down By The Water” and “Rid Of Me” was markedly different from the more subtle way Tuffy UK interpreted the eccentric English singer at last year’s Halloweekend, but both approaches were valid.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti’s between-song patter as Jim Morrison seemed a bit cartoonish during his set as The Doors, but that could have been what he wanted for a Halloween gig. Vocally, he was on the mark, and the musicians he chose to back him were first rate. They played an extended version of “Light My Fire,” plus “Roadhouse Blues,” “L.A. Woman,” “Love Me Two Times,” and “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”.

It wasn’t until Metropolly opened its set as Liz Phair with the ribald “Flower,” that I realized what a challenge lead vocalist-guitarist Holly Senchak took on this year. Although Phair is a ground-breaking, critically acclaimed artist, she has never been known for dynamic live performances. On “Flower,” it looked like Senchak was singing along with her own pre-recorded vocals, which worked, but might have confused some audience members unfamiliar with the song. She was triumphant throughout the rest of the set, rocking through a history of Phair’s best songs, including “Never Said,” “Supernova,” “Polyester Bride,” and “Fuck And Run.” 

The Dirty Pigeons were on hand to bring the event to a head-banging finish as Ozzie Osbourne, but time and travel restraints kept me from staying for them. All in all, this was another entertaining edition of the annual fest, but here’s hoping Halloweekend reverts back to its customary two-day format in 2014.

By the way, if any of the participants are wondering who to cover next year, they can check out my October 2nd post for some suggestions. Ms. Senchak was kind enough to comment favorably on my idea that she join forces with The Webstirs to cover The Bangles.

Tomorrow: It’s not too late to catch more Halloween Tribute Band shows.

Halloween Song: Phil Angotti - “I See Spaceships”

“Some day, this will be on a Phil Angotti CD!” Orson Welles performing War Of The Worlds.

Following a tradition that began on Broken Hearted Toy in October of 2009, here’s a profile of a song that’s well-suited for the Halloween season. For more Halloween songs, check the month of October for each year in the BHT archives. 

“I See Spaceships” might be the only rock song that simultaneously evokes The Byrds and The Who while spinning a tale of intergalactic visitors who love to party. Amazingly, this whirlwind of vintage rock from Phil Angotti’s recent Life And Rhymes CD was conjured by just three musicians: Angotti on guitars; Casey McDonough on bass; and Brad Elvis on drums. If you’re looking to create a Halloween playlist, you might want to sandwich this Roger McGuinn/Keith Moon homage between the lighthearted “Mr. Spaceman” by The Byrds and the more ominous “They Are Among Us” by The Redwalls.

“I’ll tell you my story but you won’t believe me,” Angotti predicts as the song kicks off. He goes on to describe how the little green men who crash-landed their saucer in his garden are now driving his car, and staying up late to party. Angotti, a 1960s fanatic, specifies that these Martians are listening to LPs (as opposed to iPods) and watching movies. They’re also often intoxicated, which might explain why their calls for help to their planet have gone unanswered. Maybe they keep dialing the wrong number. With all the rowdy behavior going on, it’s tempting to think Angotti’s homeowner is near-sighted and is really watching the neighborhood teenagers.

Whoever they are, this guy isn’t about to do a Clint Eastwood and tell them to get off his lawn. “I hope that they stay here, at least until Sunday,” Angotti sings. “I See Spaceships” has a rousing instrumental coda featuring Angotti, McDonough, and Brad Elvis, with a snippet of Orson Welles from his notorious War Of The Worlds radio broadcast layered on top.

Imitation Is The Sincerest Way To Rock Out - Extended Version In Blue Ink!

I’ve written a lot about International Pop Overthrow - Chicago in the past few years, but my expertise with this annual festival is a drop in the bucket compared to what Mike Cohen and Jeff Janulis know about it. As the founding members of The Abbeys, they’ve performed at every IPO - Chicago festival since it started in 2001.

“The audiences are always SO receptive to our music,” Cohen stated in a recent email, when asked why The Abbeys keep going back. “A short showcase allows us to put together a great set, no filler...occasionally throw in a favorite cover, but concentrate on our core material.”

The Abbeys have created a four-act line-up called Chicago Pop Revue for this Saturday night that borrows a page from International Pop Overthrow CEO/Founder David Bash’s playbook. And like recent IPO - Chicago gigs, it will be held at the Red Line Tap.

“Brettly K, the manager gets it,” Cohen notes. “Plus the Ike Taylor drink (oof!). They’re a friendly bunch. It’s a nice, intimate place to play.”

Also like International Pop Overthrow (which Bash brings to various cities in the U.S., Canada, and England), The Abbeys have branched out a bit from their power pop base in choosing participants. Amber Stereo leans more toward punk, and claims Lucky Boys Confusion and Streetlight Manifesto as influences. Judging from their Facebook page, these guys approach rock with a sense of humor. The Logan Squares played their first IPO - Chicago gig this past April. Their guitar-driven set recalled R.E.M, and The Logan Squares broke free with frequent spirited instrumental passages, while never coming across as a self-indulgent. 

“Logan Squares are new friends from [this] past IPO.” Cohen noted. 

The Webstirs have mastered the art of eccentric pop music (not many bands have songs like “Maurice Klybatzia” in their repertoire) and are IPO - Chicago veterans. Band members Preston Pisellini and Mark Winkler will be performing an acoustic set as part of Chicago Pop Revue tomorrow night that will hopefully include catchy and clever songs from CDs like Smirk. This will be the first time in a few years, that I won’t be seeing The Webstirs doing a Halloween tribute band show, but maybe Pisellini and Winkler can do a few copy tunes. 

“Preston, Mark and I go back...way back...pre-Webstirs when we played in Thrugmullions,” Cohen recalled. “And debuted ‘Little Submarine’. I’ve been playing that song since the late 80s!”

The Abbeys are a highly polished and fun band. They’ll be selling copies of their new Please File Under: Twang CD (see September 23rd in Archives for review) for $10, or two for $15. If this initial Chicago Pop Revue goes over well, the question arises as to whether The Abbeys would consider this an ongoing venture.

“I’d love to do a caravan of shows with like-minded artist/friends,” Cohen acknowledged. “It allows all to put out their best material. I am hoping we get a nice little crowd tonight!”

Despite Chicago Pop Revue being held on the last Saturday in October, it’s not a Halloween-themed event as far as I know. But if you listen carefully, you’ll detect the spirit of David Bash.

Note: International Pop Overthrow has three more stops on its 2013 tour: New York (November 13-17); Boston (November 20-23); and Toronto (November 27-30).

Slumgullion

I haven’t been able to find anything recently online about this, but according to a post a while back on the Chicago Cultural Center website, there’s an official Opening Reception there tonight for Shutter To Think: The Rock And Roll Lens Of Paul Natkin from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Admission is free and open to the public. It might be worth dropping by if you’re in the downtown area in case it’s still on.

It looks like tonight and tomorrow night will be when the bulk of this year’s Halloween celebrating will be taking place. Here a few options:

Foundlings Theatre Company is presenting a Psycho Halloween Party tonight to help raise funds for its upcoming production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. There will be a keg, jello shots, and  a costume party. Admission is $5.

There’s just a single night for this year’s installment of the Halloweekend tribute band celebration, and it will be this evening at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue. The scheduled acts are Will Phalen and The Stereo Addicts as Beck; Rm:509 as PJ Harvey; Phil Angotti as The Doors; Metropolly as Liz Phair; The Shams as The Traveling Wilburys; and The Dirty Pigeons as Ozzie Osbourne. The show starts at 8:40 PM; admission is $10 in advance; $12 at the door.

Phathom, a creative group with a mission is to feature “artists, writers, and film makers that take us beyond” is sponsoring a Zombeing Fallout Shelter tomorrow night at 4170 Madison Street in Hillside. The promo postcard hails this “as part film, part immersive theatre, part haunted house, part online entertainment.” 

Zombies will also be on the menu (or will have people on their menu) when Elgin holds its annual Nightmare On Chicago Street  tomorrow night. Lots of Elgin’s citizens get involved with this Halloween celebration, including artist Dave Metzger, who made a few appearances in my Manchester Gallery series for the online show Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff. CWJ host/producer Jeff Kelley has filmed numerous bits for the Nightmare On Chicago Street project, and I’ve been honored to act in a few of them. 

And now onto non-Halloween events going on this weekend.

It’s not scary, but sad. Dot Dot Dot will perform its swan song tomorrow night at the H.O.M.E. Bar in Arlington Heights. Even though fans can’t talk the band out of quiting, at least there will be a consolation gift. Each person who buys a ticket to this final gig will receive a link to download Dot Dot Dot’s soon to be released five-song EP, Et Cetera. See the official Dot Dot Dot website for details. 

The Melismatics will headline a four-act showcase tomorrow night at Reggies. I just submitted my review of the band’s new Rising Tide CD to the Illinois Entertainer, so hopefully it will run in the November issue. Also on the bill at Reggie’s are The Handcuffs, The Rebel Sect, and Vanarays. Check out Reggie’s website, which has a profile on each band, along with audio clips.

Brendan Benson and several of his musical friends will be doing a benefit for The David Lynch Foundation and Lightning 100 on December 18th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Benson’s guests include Eric Burdon from The Animals, Jon Auer an Ken Stringfellow from The Posies, his band mate from The Raconteurs, Jack White, Adriel Denae, and Cory Chisel. The Howlin’ Brothers will also join in, after doing the opening set. Tickets for Brendan Benson And Friends  are $27 in advance, $30 at the door. Proceeds will go to veterans and at-risk children in the Nashville area.

Imitation Is The Sincerest Way To Rock

Poster (with some familiar copy) from The Abbeys Facebook page.

I’ve written a lot about International Pop Overthrow - Chicago in the past few years, but my expertise with this annual festival is a drop in the bucket compared to what Mike Cohen and Jeff Janulis know about it. As founding members of The Abbeys, they’ve performed at every IPO - Chicago since the festival started coming to Chicago in 2001. They’ve put together a four-act line-up called Chicago Pop Revue for The Red Line Tap this Saturday night that borrows a page from International Pop Overthrow CEO/Founder David Bash’s playbook.

Like International Pop Overthrow (which Bash brings to various cities in the U.S., Canada, and England), The Abbeys have branched out a bit from their power pop base in choosing participants. Amber Stereo leans more toward punk, and claims Lucky Boys Confusion and Streetlight Manifesto as influences. I haven’t seen Amber Stereo, but judging from their Facebook page, these guys approach rock with a sense of humor. The Logan Squares played their first IPO - Chicago gig this past April. Their guitar-driven set recalled R.E.M, and The Logan Squares broke free with frequent spirited instrumental passages, while never coming across as a self-indulgent. 

The Webstirs have mastered the art of eccentric pop music (not many bands have songs like “Maurice Klybatzia” in their repertoire) and are IPO - Chicago veterans. Band members Preston Pisellini and Mark Winkler will be performing an acoustic set as part of Chicago Pop Revue tomorrow night that will hopefully include catchy and clever songs from CDs like Smirk. This will be the first time in a few years, that I won't be seeing The Webstirs doing a Halloween tribute band show, but maybe Pisellini and Winkler can do a few copy tunes.

You can find my views on The Abbeys by clicking on the poster at the top of this blog (yes, Review should be Revue) and they are a highly polished and fun band. The Abbeys will be selling copies of their new Please File Under: Twang CD (see September 23rd in Archives for review) for $10, or two for $15. Despite Chicago Pop Revue being held on the last Saturday in October, it’s not a Halloween-themed event as far as I know. But if you listen carefully, you’ll detect the spirit of David Bash.

Note: International Pop Overthrow has three more stops on its 2013 tour: New York (November 13-17); Boston (November 20-23); and Toronto (November 27-30).