REVIEW: Vedette, We Yes You No, Bag of Toys and KB & Carmen Tango!

REVIEW: Vedette, We Yes You No, Bag of Toys and KB & Carmen Tango!

From the laid back surfer to the unnerving experimentalist with a bit of tango thrown in for good measure…

Well, as MySpace is currently letting me on and actually letting the music sites play, I’ll get in some reviews while I can. I suppose when a site like MySpace suddenly ends up with over 134 million friend sites, things can get complicated, and downtimes and other errors are inevitable.

So today’s review is going to be a mishmash of things. It’s time to mellow out a bit with some surfer music but as a counterpoint to that, we’ll also look at some experimental stuff. I think we’ll start with the experimental, just because it’s probably the more difficult to judge.

With experimental, itself an open invitation to do whatever the hell you want (kind of like how ‘Alternative’ has become) you never know what you will get. Likely though, it won’t be something easy listening or danceable. It’s an important outlet though, for in experimental music, you will often see the new trends emerge. I don’t mean that experimental itself will go mainstream or skyrocket in popularity. Rather, it will influence other musicians in other genres and bits and pieces of it will inspire them to try new things—sometimes similar to the experimental roots and sometimes, as Monty Python fans know, ‘something completely different.’

So while I don’t necessarily listen to a lot of experimental, I try to appreciate the efforts these folks make and I definitely applaud them for their effects on the music scene in general.

Vedette is rather like that—not necessarily to my taste but interesting, very experimental and well…kind of unnerving, the more you listen to it. I like their song, An Orange Timepiece, the best, but I’m hard pressed to tell you why. The lyrics are hard to understand (on all the selections) but that isn’t it-and that could simply be the connection or the download. The music is complex, disjointed, moody, creepy, and just plain full of an odd cacophony of competing and blending rhythms and notes and sounds. It doesn’t seem to go anywhere and yet you’re aware of some sort of story being played out all the same. Chessmaniaque is also quite complex and while I felt totally creeped out listening to it, I still found myself listening. It’s almost as if my mind wouldn’t give up trying to find a meaning within the madness. I think I may have found the perfect music to play when reading A Clockwork Orange.

On the other hand, if you want a bit more structure to hang onto, but still stay within the wild and creepy ride of experimental, then give We Yes You No a listen. This group is out of the United Kingdom and consider themselves a blend of experimental, psychedelic and rock—meaning, again, we see an odd mix of sounds, blending and clashing, but on a subtler and much more traditionally controlled level and with pleasant vocals—British accents seem to have an edge sometimes. The lyrics are understandable and don’t make you question your sanity, but rather your philosophy instead, if you are so inclined, as with True False or Just Give it a Task. There is definitely a seventies psychedelic vibe to the music but with a driving rock beat that holds the musical variety and complexity together. Not quite as surrealistic as A Clockwork Orange read, more like The Man Who Fell To Earth (the movie with David Bowie.) Meaning—a bit easier on the nerves. Even so, I’m still not sure whether I Must Destroy is a love song or a cry for psychiatric help. Maybe it’s better if I don’t know. Definitely, it’s a bit of fun trying to figure it all out with this group.

But what if you aren’t into experimental? Or, you gave it a listen and now you’re afraid to leave the house and are pretty sure there’s something scary in the closet and it’s calling your name? Time to chill out with a margarita glass full of acoustic, surf music with just a splash of reggae. That’s Bag of Toys in a metaphorical nutshell. But before you think they are just a pale imitation of ‘you know who,’ cut them a little slack and realize that they have a sense of humor as well, inter-spliced among the drum beats, acoustic guitars and bouncy lyrics. California is such an example-that little, childlike twist near the end of “my state’s better than your state” just makes you smile indulgently. The musicality of Surf Song is just as complex (but still melodious) as the lyrics and the vocal delivery—meaning, all of it is clever, thoughtful, and filled with humor –about what? Surfing, what else? If you live in Northern California, take a look at their site for performance dates near you.

Want something more dramatic, you say? Try checking out KB and Carmen’s Tango site if you’ve got the bandwidth. Yes, they are tango dancers and teachers out of Cleveland, Ohio. Their site is filled with images of tango, slideshows and at least one YouTube video at last check—of them doing the tango, of course. The video isn’t optimum, but it does show the often deceptive yet intricate moves of the tango—beautiful to watch when done well. So if you just can’t get enough tango in your life, or just want to watch some cool dance for a few minutes, promenade your way over and give them a look—and if you're local to Cleveland, take a look at KB’s blog. Apparently, they give a free Holiday dance performance/show every year as well. Might be a fun adventure if you haven’t watched a dance performance before—or just fun in general if you have.

KB and Carmen Tango is at www.myspace.com/kbandcarmentango
Bag of Toys is at www.myspace.com/bagoftoysmusic
We Yes You No is at www.myspace.com/weyesyouno
Vedette is at www.myspace.com/vedettemusic

Take a look. Some you may like, some you may not, but it should definitely be an interesting experience and isn’t that what makes life fun?

Next week, a special review—an interview with CJ Tyson about dance/culture/lifestyle/fashion “new kid on the block” magazine, Movmnt.

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CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, technology and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!
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