Sunday, July 12, 2009

It’s not often I write about electronic music.  It’s not that the genre isn’t appealing, I’ve just always felt its had a time and a place in very functional situations (i.e. dancing situations).  Never did I find much joy in standardized beats while I was at home, doing laundry, staring at the wall, or any other situation that typical warrants musical accompaniment.  That being said, I went with some friends to the free Fader show in town on Friday (with, among others, A-Track, Matt & Kim, and Major Lazer) and it’s been non-stop electronic in the apartment ever since (with a little Phoenix mixed in).  The following post rides that high with two new bands from ex-Ghosthustler and new Austinite Alan Palomo: VEGA and Neon Indian.

(Full disclosure: I know the guy who manages VEGA/co-owns the label that VEGA currently calls home, and I’ve met Alan a couple times. He’s a pretty nice guy.)

Vega - Well Known Pleasures

"Oh ha VEGA," you say, "your debut EP’s pun on Joy Division’s debut is both ironic and hip in accordance with modern youth trends."  Or so that was my first impression.  But the irony is somewhat more deep-rooted and insightful than my initial impression suggested.  Where Unknown Pleasures was a clumsy and dark confrontation with serious emotions that made for as perfect an album as any band could ask for, VEGA’s  Well Known Pleasures is quite the opposite.  The tone of the few short songs is substantially more light-hearted, prompted primarily by a veritable infusion of saw waves and other non-real instruments.  Pitchfork picked up on that "crowd-pleasing" vibe in their review of the EP on Friday (and also dutifully noted every influence on not only VEGA, but electronic music since the dawn of the Moog).

From the perspective of a casual-listener/apathetic-bystander of electronic music (me), however, it’s that "crowd-pleasing" tone that makes VEGA so potentially successful.  Despite having connections with most everyone in the industry, nothing about their sound or image is pretentious (read: Crystal Castles-y), from the accessibility of the songs down to the playfully nostalgic game-system references.  Even Alan’s press-pic exhibits a legitimate love of making good music (I may be in the minority here, but if pictures of your band conspire to brand you as "We Don’t Give A Fuck," well ... quite frankly, neither do I.)

So is Well Known Pleasures as meaningful as its namesake?  Well, categorically no.  But while the two albums are almost comically opposites, they are both underlined by an insight that cuts through the otherwise miscreant short-sightedness of youth culture (I think I read that phrase in a marketing journal once). That insight is the ability to make smart, accessible music that still for the most part stays true to the themes of the genres it relates to.

...or at least that’s my convoluted explanation for suddenly liking it so much. Hell, maybe it’s just good music?

:Vega - No Reasons:


An Afterthought: Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms

My understanding is that Neon Indian (who just signed to Lefse Records) is considerably more popular in Europe, and unfortunately more like a VEGA afterthought to Americans who really follow Alan’s musical iterations.  When we posted Terminally Chill on Austin Sound a few days ago, we mentioned the noticeable psych influences, at least when compared to VEGA, but also the gracious presence of Alan’s fantastic beats.  The developing fingerprints of Alan are all over Neon Indian, but the trippy guitar and synth lines are a welcomed turn to more free-formed expression than booming quarter notes.  See for yourself with Terminally Chill, and check out Psychic Chasms in October.

:Neon Indian - Terminally Chill:

By the way,  VEGA is playing Club DeVille here in town next Friday (the 17^th). I suggest you put your jorts on and get there early.  Or else.

- John Michael Cassetta -



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