The Knock Ups – “Splitting Hairs”
I’ll let you in on a little secret.
Slimedog is a life long “professional” musician. Meaning, I play to get paid, not so much for fun.
I’m not ashamed of this.
Though, I do love music and are quite aware of what they call those who make love for money- I’m fine with being compared to that. As, I’m fine with those who are sex workers.
I’ll let you in on another little secret.
I went to Berklee School Of Music in 1988. And I know at least two musicians who play in local punk bands that went there as well. It was a great experience for me, if not so for some of my teachers. I was, inadvertently, a punk at Berklee. I don’t think the teachers missed me when I left.
And I mention this because, Gretchen Shae, the lead singer/guitarist and songwriter, now teaches the later at that school.
And I mention this to point out how concise and complete her writing is in each of the songs on this EP. Writing songs is much like writing poetry, one wrong word and the whole apple cart is overturned. No shame in this- I’ve written hundreds of poems and all fail somewhat. If I write a thousand more, I’m expecting the same results.
But with her songs you can see how she whittles it down, much like a sculptor, she gets to the core of what she’s trying to express. It’s an art, as well as a craft.
The song’s are great, the rhythm section is imperfectly perfect- perhaps it’s sexist to point out that it’s an all female band? But I point it out to exemplify, how women musicians are better than men. (See my Joan Jett item, this week, where I explain why I think this is).
This bands’ style encompasses punk, pop, garage, new wave, rock’n’roll and an ample dose of Riot Grrl. The last ingredient being my favorite.
Let’s sample The Knock Ups’ recipe:
“Black n Blue” is a straight up country song but one, more so played by a psycho-billy band like The Cramps. “All I wanna do, is have a little fun. You keep hollering, you keep shouting. My work is never done…So I had a drink, I might of had one of two. Still I come home every night, it ain’t enough for you. Darlin’ you got me black’n’blue.” I’ve had a drink or five or six and like Sheryl Crow, “All I Wanna Do” is have some fun. And I don’t care if I have to take a few lumps, this song is so great, I’m willing to take it.
“Don’t go lookin’ for cheap thrills. Don’t go lookin’ for love. Don’t go lookin’ for heartache. What you do to yourself.” So begins “Fakebook” that moves at a moderate pace but hits hard as a classic Lou Reed song. “All the pills you can swallow. All the smoke you can take. All the posts you can follow. All the love you can fake.” This is melodic/punk at its’ best with a riot grrl bite. This is a simple song that’s simply perfect.
I grew up in the early punk scene where beards or mustaches were strictly forbidden as they suggested the enemy- the hippies. I know lots of young, punk or hardcore musicians now have them, but you won’t catch me wearing one! “The Anti-Beard Song” is a slammin’ three chord punk/garage/riot grrl bash that is sung by Cat, one of my favorite bassist on the scene. “I don’t like your facial hair.” Hey, we expect women to shave their legs, armpits- even eyelashes! We should shave our face- it’s the least we can do fellars, especially for comfort when our faces travel down below. This is the most punk, the most riot grrl song on this EP and I love it!
“Black Rose” starts with a mellow, stark mood reminding me a bit of Siouxsie Sue & The Banshees. By the chorus it moves into a rhythm which, I believe, is a waltz played against a four/four beat. (Sorry, I think I’m back a Berklee!) “She tries to freeze time, but it’s so cold. She brings the sunshine, but it won’t hold. She spins a great lie, no one else knows. In the daylight, she’s a black rose.” This song ambles along nicely with a vibe that is both poignant and somber. There’s an abrasiveness that plays against the melodic smoothness that is like an equal sharing of the dark and the light. “Who’s gonna love you, black rose?” Not sure about the black rose but I do love this song.
Splitting hairs means “making unnecessary distinctions between things when the differences between them are so small they are not important.”
Seems also, like maybe the definition of what I do here at Thrash N Bang every week- nitpicking about styles.
Maybe you think of this band as pop/rock, maybe even indi- though, I would never insult anyone that way! Garage/punk? Riot grrl? Glam/punk?
I will now attempt to be complete and concise.
These are great songs played by wonderful musicians that one can categorize as they like, but doesn’t detract, from the fact, that they make wonderful music.
As they do here on this great EP.
And I’m not trying to split hairs, but I am splitting out of here.
(Slimedog)
