Force Publique
Photos and story by Stephanie DeCamp [Note: To view full pictures with text, click on the article link to view it directly, instead of as part of your tumblr feed. Now here’s a band that surprised me, as I hadn’t heard anything quite like them on the local scene since the last time I saw FLASHLIGHTS (around two years ago). They are dark and sexy, and probably belong more to Brooklyn than Denver. But that’s what makes them so cool. Their ours.
If this band were an animal, they would be a panther. Keyboardist James Wayne described their sound with an alarming answer: one genre. If you’ve ever asked any band to describe their sound, then you know that this is rare — you’re almost always going to get a stoned mish-mash of genres coupled with a declaration of purpose behind the music. Which is great; I love complex answers. But simple ones are great too, especially since the genre expressed was one I was unfamiliar with: “Dark-wave,” said Wayne. “Dark-wave was a genre of music in the 80s; it was really popular in Europe, and was like, dark synth-pop. Which I didn’t know when we made our music. But now, I’ve realized that’s what we sound like.” But this alone does not describe the power and raw, synthetic appeal of what they produce. The feminine mystic of lead singer Cassie McNeil’s voice is a very sexy juxtaposition when heard over Wayne’s keys and Drummer Alex Anderson’s (also of local giants ManCub) percussion. More than that, they pull off something I had never considered before, outside of bands like Slipknot: prerecorded drum beats and a live drummer. While at first this may sound like an abrasive combination, it genuinely compliments the dramatic appeal of their live performance.
Her eyes may appear closed, but she is looking right into your dark little soul. And the audience was clearly taken in. “Last time [I heard them] I thought I’d heard Satan. Just Satan,” said one audience attendee. While this is a little over-the-top (they’re not that dark, we’re not dealing with Gothic face paint or growling here), the group gracefully leaves an impression of subtle sex and death, the two greatest inspirations for all art. In conclusion, I highly recommend you see these guys before they make it to next years SXSW festival, which in this writer’s opinion, they will definitely be invited to attend. Catch them with fellow (national) face-melters Battles on July 19 at the BlueBird Theater for $20. http://bluebirdtheater.net/eventdetail.php?id=31905
