Sunday, November 16, 2014

Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World


            For almost ten years now, the music of Death From Above 1979 has captivated me. Both their debut EP and first full-length, albums which have provided me both with some of my favorite bass riffs as well as an inspiration for my style of playing, remain in heavy rotation in my car’s CD player. Their signature brand of dirty, bass-driven dance-punk had me hooked from the get-go, and so when The Physical World, their first new release in almost a decade, dropped in September, I scrambled to get my hands on a copy. My longstanding addiction to all things DFA left me with high expectations for this new record, but as usual, the vivid and authentic thumping of this band is more than enough to give me my fix.
            Though The Physical World and its predecessor You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine may be separated by years marked by animosity and stylistic exploration, that gap has only served to add a distinctive maturity to this duo’s already incredible sound. Jesse Keeler and Sebastien Grainger smash against each other with the same vigor they had in their 20s, making two instruments sound like a thousand and kicking crowds into a frenzy. Songs like “Government Trash” and “Always On” are tumultuous with slash-beats and tremolo picking for the lover of punk, while “Cheap Talk” and “Trainwreck 1979” spin out dance grooves catchy enough to make TV commercials and mainstream radio. Most importantly, though, The Physical World lacks none of the original sincerity and insanity with which I became obsessed—every note and scream is honest and hectic, pure and purposeful.


            The sound captured on The Physical World is ridiculously diverse, ranging from punk madness to dance pop and touching every point between those two poles, making it harder than ever to pin any genre label on this band. In an interview with HungerTV, Jesse remarked that “in its essence we are a punk band….but we know that what we do is not rock ‘n’ roll, it’s not pop, it’s not R‘n’B. Maybe it’s easier to identify what we’re not than what we are.”[1] As The Physical World shows, whatever genre they’re exploring, DFA dominates it. Their sound is so resonant and full, it is remarkable they are only using three instruments to make it. As Jesse puts it, “There are two things that play notes in our band and that is the bass and Sebastien’s voice. Then there is a drum kit where the drum sounds come from. We have to get our creativity across and make a song with these few pieces.”[2] No matter what sonic direction these two decide to follow, it is distinctly and unquestionably Death From Above 1979.
            Pivotal to this band’s crunchy sound is unique bass work Jesse F. Keeler’s. Keeler takes on the monumental task of covering rhythm, lead, and harmony with one instrument, yet there is no sonic void left by his playing. His riffs are driving and inventive, far surpassing the routine approach to the bass: his compositions explore the entire length of the fretboard, his fingers running through complex sequences and riffs with ease, intermingling occasional chords in songs like “White is Red” or that miraculous screeching feedback in the intro of “Gemini.” Jesse’s fluency in his instrument is remarkable, so much so that producer Dave Sardy had to ask him to “play…without sounding like [he’s] showing off.”[3]  Despite his outrageous skills and approach, he maintains the tone and feel of a bass guitar, so that even his highest highs have the resonance of the low register. Despite encompassing the sonic responsibilities of at least three people, Jesse always finds a way to make the bass the most interesting instrument you’ve ever heard, and his playing on The Physical World is no exception.


            The music on The Physical World is largely bass-driven, but it is the tight drumming and elaborate vocal work of Sebastien Grainger that molds these pieces into cohesive and vivacious songs. Grainger abuses his drum kit, bashing cymbals and skins alike in beats that are technically challenging without being noisy—even his thunderous double bass in the album’s title track fits easily against the rest of the composition. His vocalizations, ranging from sweetly sung melodies to throaty screams, add yet another level of intensity and intricacy to the tunes. Both his drumming and his singing feel heartfelt and headstrong, and it is simply fascinating that Sebastien is able to breeze through both parts simultaneously.
            The vivacity in Sebastien’s vocals extends into his lyrics as well. Ten years after the last DFA release, Sebastien has a new and mature perspective on the world; his 20’s are over, and so much of the writing on The Physical World reacts to this change. In songs like “Virgins,” he takes a wistful look over his shoulder at the insane and inane times of his youth, while in “Government Trash” he acknowledges that “Nobody knows anything at twenty-one.”[4] Sebastien’s musings extend even into the philosophical as well. In “Right on Frankenstein,” he playfully ruminates on the ideas of life and death, and how they are not entirely exclusive statuses. His closing statement of “lightning strikes the body / and that is life to most,”[5] a call to embrace every moment, is as much for himself as his listeners, because he understands that a life half-lived is equal to death.


            In an interview with Exclaim, Sebastian asserted that “If you want to be in a band, you have to believe in yourself completely….You must tell the world you are The. Best. Band. You cannot survive otherwise.”[6] Despite a decade away, Death From Above 1979 proves their hiatus has no hold on them, stomping their way back into the world and brandishing a new record that is, to the say the least, explosive. The Physical World booms with the integrity and energy that only these two could create, and that alone is well worth your attention.

Tunes to Check Out:
1) Right On, Frankenstein!
2) White is Red
3) Cheap Talk


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