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BOY IN STATIC, "NEWBORN"
Towards the end of last year, Boston-area singer/songwriter andmulti-instrumentalist Alex Chen released his impressive debut disc, Newborn,under the guise of Boy In Static. An interesting note on this disc isthat Germany's Notwist had decided to release it on their fairly newAlien Transistor label, essentially getting Boy in Static in on itsground floor. From strummed and plucked guitar progressions and voice,Chen magnifies the depth of his songs by saddling them up withlaptop-inspired clicks and wave/signal manipulation, bass, cello andtasteful keyboard melodies, blurring the lines between pop andelectronic-based music.
Alien Transistor
Most notable in this assembly are his breathyvocals, delicate and ethereal, at times reminiscent of the late JeffBuckley's quieter moments in performance. With heartfelt lyrics basedon cornerstones such as time, hope, friendship and love, Chen touchesupon moments and senses that we can all easily identify with."Bellyfull" [sic] lifts the lid off the disc for beautifully melodicand poetic lyrics such as "An age of silence, dribble on chin / Thefate of the universe, a bellyfull end" to permeate throughout theseemingly complex arrangement of acoustic guitar and drawn outprogressions from what sounds to be a harmonium. This particularinstrument appears again amidst the heavier strumming of "Stay Awake"to carry a simple yet pleasant counter-melody that weaves against thevocal line and occasionally leads the tune's progression. The rockin'"Epilogue" gives the disc a swift kick in the arse with driving, snappyJungle-inspired beats and fuzzy low end from guests Craig Mod and MattRào on drums and bass respectively, while the Boy bangs out the dirtytones and ringing power chords on the electric guitar while inquiringwith "I hope they're satisfied." Having expanded this project with afull band, as seen a couple of weeks back on The Eye, Chen'sBoy In Static, though a complex concept on paper, appears to have beeneasily adapted for live performance. Perhaps the Notwist or one oftheir member's other projects would consider taking Chen and company onthe road so that those of us outside of the Boston area can experienceBoy In Static first-hand.
Alien Transistor
Most notable in this assembly are his breathyvocals, delicate and ethereal, at times reminiscent of the late JeffBuckley's quieter moments in performance. With heartfelt lyrics basedon cornerstones such as time, hope, friendship and love, Chen touchesupon moments and senses that we can all easily identify with."Bellyfull" [sic] lifts the lid off the disc for beautifully melodicand poetic lyrics such as "An age of silence, dribble on chin / Thefate of the universe, a bellyfull end" to permeate throughout theseemingly complex arrangement of acoustic guitar and drawn outprogressions from what sounds to be a harmonium. This particularinstrument appears again amidst the heavier strumming of "Stay Awake"to carry a simple yet pleasant counter-melody that weaves against thevocal line and occasionally leads the tune's progression. The rockin'"Epilogue" gives the disc a swift kick in the arse with driving, snappyJungle-inspired beats and fuzzy low end from guests Craig Mod and MattRào on drums and bass respectively, while the Boy bangs out the dirtytones and ringing power chords on the electric guitar while inquiringwith "I hope they're satisfied." Having expanded this project with afull band, as seen a couple of weeks back on The Eye, Chen'sBoy In Static, though a complex concept on paper, appears to have beeneasily adapted for live performance. Perhaps the Notwist or one oftheir member's other projects would consider taking Chen and company onthe road so that those of us outside of the Boston area can experienceBoy In Static first-hand.
samples:
Pit er Pat
Starting in 2004, the trio of Pit er Pat—Rob Doran, Fay Davis-Jeffers and Butchy Fuego—have been releasing music on a number of different labels, including their latest full-length on Chicago's Thrill Jockey. Their brand of music has drawn comparisons to Blonde Redhead, Soft Machine and Slapp Happy, among others.
