Tunes Consumed: the Poutine Silver Platter

It’s a comforting thought, that in a world where every third artist name-drops Spector as their influence, limiting themselves to some sort of space-age echo-sonic thump sound, that an artist’s self-description can be so simply put as “angular” and “jittery”, and carry through on that promise like hungry wolves. We’ve been over this before, for entirely different reasons, but integrity still comes into the picture. That question still looms: how can technical virtuosity co-exist with that digital, sonic monster that is Echo? The answer is simple: unless you’re Battles, recognizing it as a happy accident is probably an impossible task. And really, who really needs to feed that beast when you’ve got your own poly-percussive wolf on the sticks?

Thank You’s World City carries its listener along a series of railed, experimental tracks, beginning with an oompa-oompa guitar that quickly progresses into a frenetic drum session whose player, like a loving mother, pays heed to every piece of the set; yes, cowbell included. That vibe continues throughout, with the guitars more or less feeding off the all-encompassing polyrhythms, as though it were a back-and-forth communique.

On the half-mark the strongest number Help God manages a layer of crescendos that I’d have a hard time separating from any number on the aforementioned Battles’ latest if it wasn’t for the ethnic drum breaks (and lack of heavy-modded vocal tracks). It’s that very parallel which stirs so much inside me. No doubt the world would literally topple over if somehow Thank You’s drummer met up with John Stanier in a show-down that would put this show to millenial shame. Can you imagine?

Glancing around on the web, there’s really very little info to be found on this trio. They belong to the same Wham City party scene as the beloved Dan Deacon; in keeping with his legendary performances, it’s no surprise then that their MySpace sound is charted as religiously Zouk-infused. I’d bet even their live shows, like Mr. Deacon’s, are a mess of free-wheeling, sweaty dancing Baltimore hipsters, but that’s love.

If you’re wanting to purchase the disc, or anything for that matter I’m afraid we can’t be of any help, it would appear there’s nowhere to get this thing than live & in person. Wildfire Wildfire is so brand-spankin’ new that they’re still working on the storefront aspect of being a label. If you’re around the area, seriously go to one of these shows, and get some video footage, will ya?

In the meantime dig it (mp3):
Thank You - Help God
Thank You - No Hole