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Thursday, October 2, 2008

Tonight! Tonight in Music: Narwhal vs. Narwhal, and Tussle

Posted by Ezra Ace Caraeff on Thu, Oct 2, 2008 at 2:38 PM

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NARWHAL VS. NARWHAL, VANISHING KIDS, NICK DELFFS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Narwhal vs. Narwhal create music as unique as the creature-a sort of evolutionary-blessed whale with a sharpened horn of a unicorn-from which they get their name. And while Portland musical tides seem to be rolling towards more bearded dudes dropping genericana (it's the new emo!) folk music, Narwhal roll back the calendar to the mid-'90s with their genuine-and definitely not revisionist-alt rock sound. Imagine the best moments of Built to Spill (shorter songs, no Yngwie Malmsteen solos) alongside playful blasts of saxophone and lyrics that channel a giddy, childlike existence. Their latest, Wipe the Sweat From Your Words, impales listeners-like the pointy horn of the aquatic creature-with buoyant and inventive pop songs. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

LISTEN:







Narwhal vs. Narwhal - "Famous Friends"

- - - - -

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TUSSLE, WHITE RAINBOW, EXPLODE INTO COLORS, LEMONADE, DJ WYLD CHYLD
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Tussle, an instrumental four-piece hailing from San Francisco, have one thing as their modus operandi: To get your ass grooving. The band creates a modern amalgam of dub, bass-heavy post-punk, and krautrock, alongside perfect drumming and precision bass that back-ends the entire outfit. From there, songs build with fucked-up synths and a barrage of scratchy electronics, all while that rhythm section keeps the 4/4 time on lockdown, the groove embedded to keep the party moving. Admittedly, Tussle can be a bit abrasive-not always the right thing to get the kids dancing-but that doesn't mean tonight's show isn't going to be a sweaty mess of awesomeness. ROB SIMONSEN

LISTEN:







Tussle - "Night of the Hunter"

 

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