Music Reviews – Local: April 2009
The Gar by The Gar (嘎调)
To listen, click here
“Gar” is a term that originally refers to a singing technique in Peking Opera in which certain notes are punctuated with extra volume – quite fitting for the name of this Maybe Mars trio. Having established their on-stage reputation as somewhere between burn-it-all grunge and a band with a gradual intensity, this debut from Zhan Pan (vocals and guitar), Wu Wenjie (bass) and Wang Xu (drums) doesn’t disappoint.
The simplistic lyrics offer an innocence to contrast against the music, which – particularly through Zhan Pan’s helpless screams – meshes a Brit-pop mentality with a grunge frame of mind. All the while, the storm-like guitar creates a sound that urges to be heard. One can sense The Gar paying heavy homage to early Radiohead, or an even more recent Muse; still, they are also one of very few bands in Beijing that actually sing in Chinese. The end result is both an entertaining live show and a satisfying headphone listen. WG
Blue Daydreaming 白日梦 by Hedgehog (刺猬)
To listen, click here
At first glance, Hedgehog gives the impression of your average indie rock band. Two boys and a girl? Check. Hipster garb? Check. Awkward jumbling of Chinese and English? Double check. Despite all of the above, there is something about them that remains unique. Perhaps it’s the way guitarist Zo manages to create melodies that sound both familiar and refreshing. Perhaps it’s how the fiery little Atom booms and caks to the beat of her own drum. Or perhaps it’s how Box subtly carries them both on bass. However they do it, they do it well.
It seems the past five years together has allowed for steady progression. The band’s initial rawness is now more refined, all the while, they maintain a sense of youth and originality. Though Blue Daydreaming (their third studio album and second with Modern Sky) doesn’t quite capture Hedgehog’s on-stage spunk, the mastering does creates room to appreciate their evolving craftsmanship. LL
Waiting by RandomK(e)
Listen to a few tracks off the album at their MySpace page
It’s been a long time coming for the debut album of RandomK(e), who’ve been on the Beijing scene since 2004. Their sound is a mix of rock, progressive and experimental, tinted with metal of the ’80s and early ’90s – note the heavy influence of Pearl Jam, Tool and other bands of rock’s heydays. Vocalist Richard Todd’s voice, too, sounds alarmingly akin to that of Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave). The combination is enough to make anyone nostalgic for the era of good rock. The two most interesting and original tracks of the album are “Speed Devil” and “Of Our Own Device,” and though the lyrics in general are a bit wanting in depth and storyline, Waiting nonetheless succeeds in what it sets out to do: make us reminisce the years we spent with rock as the chosen soundtrack of our lives. RC
Disclaimer: Adam Pillsbury, who plays bass for RandomK(e), is the managing editor of Immersion Guides, the book publishing arm of True Run Media, tbj’s parent company.
