Five words guaranteed to break my heart: The Pittsburgh music scene sucks. Now, don’t get me wrong. Pittsburgh is no New York, Boston, or Los Angeles – there is not a constant stream of popular musicians catering to the musically savvy here — but by no means does that legitimize the devaluation of Pittsburgh and the eclectically talented musicians who have contributed so much to the cultural revival that has been occurring here. Remember that whole “Pittsburgh is the new Portland” thing? Thank the music scene for that — maybe not for the hipsters but for the opportunity to discover amazing live music that has yet to be cuckolded by Ticketmaster.
I wanted to write a sarcastic joke here about artists refusing to play in Pittsburgh but pretty much every artist I tried using has played here. Red Hot Chili Peppers is playing at the CONSOL Energy Center this summer. Weezer graced us with its presence at Stage AE last summer. And do I even need to mention Lady Gaga or Kanye West and Jay-Z? But let’s forget about them for a second. Let’s forget about the almost insulting ease by which we can hear about those musicians or the jaw-dropping price of their tickets.
What makes Pittsburgh so fantastic and so unique in a musical culture that is continuously torn between profit and art is the underground music scene. Venues like Belvedere’s, The Shop, the Thunderbird Cafe, Garfield Artworks, and Shadow Lounge all feature amazing musicians for relatively cheap prices. It is a bit more challenging to delve into the music scene here, but for any musical adventurer the reward is well worth it. Classical, noise, hip-hop, electronic, folk: There is almost no audience that Pittsburgh fails to cater to. Even the fact that you have to try in order to find music here is amazing. There is no feeling better than stumbling upon a band you’ve never heard of and coming away with a new love.
Pittsburgh is not New York, nor should it try to be. As someone who has loved music for most of his life, I came into Pittsburgh feeling cheated because I could not see M83 or Fleet Foxes live. A year and a half later I feel more strongly attached to the music here than I ever did back home. You can be happy here too, if you only shut up and listen.
Phutureprimitive (aka DJ Rain) has been a favorite of mine since his debut album “Sub Conscious” came out on Waveform Records in 2004. It features a dark psy-ambient dub style that invites the listener on a journey filled with reverb, echoes, and deep pulsing bass. It could be called electronic dub (as in the dub that comes from reggae), but it would be inaccurate to call it dubstep or even “bass music” (a more generic term for dubstep and similar styles). Compare his tune “Rites Of Passage” on that album with a dub remix of Grace Jones’ more recent offering “Corporate Cannibal”:
Phutureprimitive – Rites Of Passage
Grace Jones – Corporate Cannibal (Ivor Guest Dub)
Aside from differences in the actual bass instrument (electric bass vs. synthesizer), the two tracks have a similar feel in the bass, the drums, and the heavy reverb/delay (echo) on everything else.
Fast forward to 2011, when Phutureprimitive releases his second full-length album, Kinetic. In the seven intervening years, the world of electronic dance music has embraced dubstep and made it popular. DJ Rain has obviously been paying attention. Check out the difference in the way the bass moves and it’s more aggressive “acid” sound, and the “two-step” drum style (both key dubstep ingredients) in Kinetic’s title track, which still features the signature Phutureprimitive psy-ambient landscape:
I need to be honest with myself here. I knew I would be writing this review eventually. When people ask me the whole “If you could only take one album onto a desert island to listen to for the rest of forever, what would it be” question, I always respond with this: Motion City Soundtrack’s Commit This To Memory.
The album is a gem from start to finish, displaying well-structured songs that are made unique by a pop punk synth sound from keyboardist Jesse Johnson and drummer Tony Thaxton. Justin Pierre, the lead singer and rhythm guitarist, makes this album heartfelt and emotionally accessible. A recovering addict with low self-esteem, Pierre comes across as a real, genuine person with real problems.
The album starts out with the genius “Attractive Today,” a two-minute punch in the face (metaphorically) that lets the listener know that Pierre is “wrecked,” “overblown,” and “fed up with the fucking common cold.” Pierre just wants to feel attractive for once… and, really, don’t we all? There is then a smooth transition into the lead single, “Everything Is Alright.” The track has a wonderful hook and honest verses, and is brought home by some guest vocals by Patrick Stump in the bridge.
Other standouts on the album are… well, all of them. There is not a single track on this album that I can say is weak. “Resolution” is a personal favorite in which Pierre expresses his disdain for the New Years holiday and the arbitrary nature of New Years resolutions. “Time Turned Fragile” is a fast-paced track with a lot of back and forth in dynamics and rhythms. Not to mention a beastly drum part in the bridge that showcases Thaxton’s endless bank of creative rhythms.
The one potential negative I can say about this album is that it does not exactly have a lot of variety in the genre of the songs. Motion City Soundtrack does pop punk with synth thrown in very, very well. And I think they know that. So they stick to a singular sound and show all the different ways that you can display that you’ve mastered it. If you like either of the videos I embedded, I can guarantee you that you’ll love the rest of the album, too. And who knows? Maybe you’ll want it on a desert island someday, too.
