So the other night I was listening to the new Her Space Holiday album, XOXO, Panda and the New Kid Revival, and it struck me funny. The prior work I’ve heard did not lead me to believe they would, er, take such heavy inspiration from Modest Mouse this time around. It’s not the first time I was genuinely surprised by a change of direction by a band, of course, but it does seem like one of the more obvious about-faces of recent years.
Still, an electronically identified act with rock leanings going more fully in that direction isn’t quite as big a surprise as another directional shift I witnessed eleven years ago. I was working the door at the 7th Street Entry, the smaller room off to the side of the Minneapolis club First Avenue; the Entry holds about 250. Working the cash register that night was Kate, one of the coolest people I worked with there. Kate was excited. Consolidated was one of her favorite bands. Since they had peaked years before, the crowd wasn’t huge: about 75 people, mostly the Twin Cities poli-punk faithful. Kate was not a demonstrative type, but she was getting visibly excited to see what they would do. Then the headliners’ appointed time arrived and I went into the booth; Kate ducked her head inside the curtain that covered the door to check them out.
And they sounded like Dashboard Confessional.
I am not making this up. (Well, I sort of am. They actually sounded more like a cross between the Dismemberment Plan and the Juliana Theory. But you understand.) Front-dude rocking the post-Piccioto belt-cum-caterwaul about his feelings. Guitar-bass-drums behind him played involuted riffs while shaking their heads slowly side to side and alternately looking at their instruments and the floor. No (or few, that I remember at least) electronics. I was bewildered. Kate was shook. Speechless. Beside herself. Dazed, she made her way into the booth.
After awhile, I said, “You know the world’s a fucked up place when Consolidated goes emo.”
Her eyes brightened. “YEAH!” she replied.
What are some of the most unexpected musical switcheroos you’ve seen/heard? Besides the above-named and the all-time champ, Scritti Politti, whose move from squat-dwelling art-punks to the shiny-smooth face of mainstream pop-R&B takes some doing to top. Your examples, as always, in the comments.
The Vandals putting out Slippery When Ill…although I’m putting myself in the shoes of a fan of theirs in 1989.Neil Young(Trans; Everybody’s Rockin)comes to mind too, but at least these artists tried to get back to their right minds eventually.
Underworld are an interesting case, from ’80s funk pop to ’90s (and beyond) techno overlords.
As a kid going from Depeche Mode’s “Violator” to “Songs Of Faith And Devotion” was pretty radical, but the one that will always stick in my head is Ministry and Al’s morph from 82/83 synthpop to… well industrial rock at one point to metal sludge…
The Notwist are pretty famous for it, though the vast majority of listeners wouldn’t have known them when they were actually in their “first stage”.
Goo Goo Dolls?
I still love Jewel’s one too-brief detour into Cole Porter electro. Less so, the transformation from Bis from abrasive punk-pop to so-so electronica. (Though I do love the new Manda Rin single…)
Whatever Talk Talk turned into ?
I forgot about Ministry…the rare breed that goes from chill synth-pop to dudes that sing out of skulls.
Level 42. From McLaughlin-esque jazz fusion to Top 40 synth-laden funk-pop.
I’m currently going through this very thing with Benji Hughes.
He was the lead singer of this completely underrated band Muscadine, playing big, fat, fuzzed-out singer-singwritery rock tunes; dark lyrics, slow tempos, and fantastic song structures. He then disappeared into the Charlotte underground scene, and eventually came back up for air in this band called The Goldenrods, a much more “country” sounding band. Still, slow, sad, soft, smart. Great songs.
And then he disappears again, and appears a few months ago with his first solo album. And it’s a double album full of electro-pop, dance floor bangers, and novelty pop tunes about mummies! Double you tee eff!? Where the hell did the melon-collie crooner go? The songs and melodies are still there, it’s just like he threw the digital kitchen sink over all of it. I’m still trying to come to grips.
Celtic Frost going from black metal to glam. It was funny, though.
Sparks have made a successful career out of doing this every few years.
Herbie Hancock - “Rock-It”
Panic! At the Disco (what the punctuation is) going from third-rate Fall Out Boy to second-rate Jellyfish.