Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream » Battles

Concert Review: Battles, Deerhunter, Singer @ The Ottobar, 7.21.07

Patrick — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 04:59:00 +0000

Despite the above picture being the best shot I was able to get from the Battles’ set Saturday night in Baltimore, they really were all there and even played a pretty fantastic set.

the show: I wasn’t able to catch either of the opening acts since I initially had planned to see Jesse Malin, who ended up canceling (which, in the end, was probably for the best). Battles finished up a 6-week US tour last night, including a set at Pitchfork, and are now heading overseas to continue promoting their most recent math-rock gem, Mirrored.
the pros: Just the right combination of avantgarde looping, electronics, and frenzied grooves. The set was well-paced, held together by Dave Konopka, bassist / guitarist, who ended up doing a lot behind the scenes work, and drummer John Stainer, whose cranked snare drum sounded like a unison hit by the Cavlier’s snare line. Braxton and Ian Williams added fire too, whether playing unison guitar licks or dueling between a pair of keyboards and imacs.
the cons: Not too many complaints here; a technical glitch or two, some brief time phasing, and an encore that left a bit to be desired (if I have to play the card of bitter music critic for a few sentences). I would have enjoyed a bit more Tyondai Braxton’s “evil elf” vocals, which are hauntingly beautiful live.
the verdict: See Battles live. Buy Mirrored.
at a glance:
the setlist: B+
the instruments: A+
the vocals: A
the band: A
the crowd: A
final grade: A

I picked up the two ep’s at the show. Have a listen to “Dance” (4.65/5)

Battles

Patrick — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:33:00 +0000

I hadn’t heard of math-rock supergroup, Battles, until I was getting the Pitchfork rundown from various people. When a good friend of mine, who I never agree with on music, said Battles played an “okay” set I knew I had to check them out. I picked up Mirrored, the band’s first full length album with Warp Records (Aphex Twin, !!!, Squarepusher, Grizzly Bear) the next day and haven’t stopped listening to it since. Former Helmet drummer John Stainer delivers heavy hitting rock fusion grooves which lay under guitar riffs that, as NME says, “twist like acupuncture needles jabbed right into your pleasure receptors.” Mirrored doesn’t rest on any one musical idea long enough for you to get bored, offering everything from gradually layered funk riffs that sit comfortably in the pocket, to quick-moving guitar licks that escape via musical Tourette’s (see “Race:out”). Battles are extremely talented and, more importantly, are in tune to each other, always focusing on the complete track rather than trying to highlight individual talents while the rest of the band does very little (which is what plagues many other progressive rock and jam-oriented bands).

If you’re in the D.C. / Baltimore area, you’re in luck: Battles are playing with Deerhunter and Singer this Saturday at the Ottobar.

Check out their myspace for more tour dates, including lots overseas. Watch their single, “Atlas”

Listen to “Race: in” and “Race: out” (4.98/5)
You can also watch an entire concert recorded at the Empty Bottle in Chicago (Courtesy of rainbovideo)