Odessa Stair: Beware of Flying Music Equipment

I finally got to see the famed Odessa Stair play live last night at the North Star Bar. I was pretty psyched to see them play considering that I have recently learned that Patrick Niederriter knows a hell of a lot about good music, I have heard Dan Higgins is a pretty tight musician all around, and I know Steve Maurer is a freaking crazy man. I was sure that I was going to get a great show.

I assure you that any set that ends with the guitarist ripping his guitar strap mid-jam, playing so hard that picks go flying and sending a microphone toppling to the ground as he flings himself around the stage in a passionate rock-out is worth seeing. Besides the excitement of the show, the actual sound was pretty cool as well. It was noise-punk, it was loud and rude and funny of course. What did surprise me was there was a lot of melody and precision in there as well, but the guys kept it well hidden.

You will definitely be seeing Odessa Stair around in the future. I look forward to following them as they grow, progress and refine as a band, plus its fun to watch them break shit.

Dead Man’s Bones Gives Me A Boner

I recently missed the Dead Man’s Bones show at the First Unitarian Church.  It was with great despair that I could not attend the show.  Due to the fact that it sold out faster than Tickle Me Elmo at Christmas time, and there were only about fifty tickets to begin with, I was forced to stay home and catch up on Desperate House Wives.  I blame all the teen-aged girls with their Uggs and ever-fading crushes.  Yes, Ryan Gosling happens to be half of the wonderful Dead Man’s Bones but this project proves to be way more than another pathetic attempt at celebrity re-stardom.  Unlike Heidi Montag, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Tyra Banks, or even 30 Seconds to Mars, Dead Man’s Bones self titled album has substance and talent.

Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields have created a surprisingly unique album.  Dead Man’s Bones has a strong ghostly presence consistently throughout.  With influences like zombies, ghosts and death, Gosling and Shields along with the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir emit waves of eerily, spooky lyrics and sounds.

The addition of the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir was a perfect fit for the sound Gosling and Shields were going for.  Their delicate, yet unpolished voices enhance the creepiness of each song.  In “My Body’s A Zombie For You”, a seemingly Elvis influenced ballad, the kids add a more contemporary feel to Gosling’s old soul voice.  However, there is one downside to having these kids on board.  I imagine it’s difficult to play bar venues at night with the youngsters.  It is worth seeing them play an early bird special and at a kid friendly venue because apparently they put on a terrific show.  I wouldn’t know, thanks a lot teeny-boppers!

With track titles like, “Dead Hearts,” ” Lose Your Soul”  and “Werewolf Heart” you know exactly what you’re going to get from this album: great eerie music, spooky vocals and somewhat disturbing lyrics.  Any band that can take a song like “Flowers Grow Our of My Grave” and make it into a love song have my respect!  Dead Man’s Bones is perfect for Halloween but is also an album that can be enjoyed the rest of the year.  I like to play this album in my car, while cleaning and especially when cursing those teenage girls who bought all the tickets to the Dead Man’s Bones show in Philly last weekend.  A little voodoo never hurt anyone.

DEAD MAN’S BONES - “NAME IN STONE” from biz3 publicity on Vimeo.