Friday, March 20, 2009
Pygmy Lush on Spring Break
Posted by Alex Woodward on Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Comedian Patton Oswalt often jokes about growing up in Sterling, Va. Sure, for him, growing up in a backwoods suburb of Washington D.C. in the early ’80s meant missing out on D.C. punk legends like Bad Brains, Fugazi, Minor Threat, et al. (His excuse for owning Phil Collins’ “No Jacket Required” as an adolescent: “He’s totally punk rock! He’s got on sneakers with a suit!”)
But for Pygmy Lush (also from Sterling), their adolescence wandered in the other direction. The ’90s in D.C. and surrounding areas gave birth to a collective resurgence of punk rock that became decidedly more heavy, lengthy and loud. With punk beacons sounding off nationwide, New Orleans followed suit. (Hit the jump for more music).
Bryan Funck (New Orleans DIY torchbearer, Thou vocalist and meticulous New Orleans punk archiver) compiled what may be the best testament to and biography (relative to geography) of these bands — by the late-’90s, those leading the procession included D.C.-area natives pg. 99, City of Caterpillar, Malady, Mannequin, Hissing Choir, Majority Rule and a slew of others (whose members consisted mostly of those in the aforementioned bands). Their link to New Orleans is as essential to their makeup as their D.C. forbearers.
Fast-forwarding through years of sweaty, cathartic, sonic brutality, we get to Pygmy Lush. From the ashes of the previously mentioned punk footnotes, the current phoenix resembles a solemn, Southern gothic, alt-country outfit. Quite a turnaround.
And a good one, at that. So good that their 2008 release, Mount Hope (Lovvit), lifted the band from fringe obscurity to blogstardom. With comparisons to Iron & Wine and Six Organs of Admittance, critics read the band as a far cry from their punk background. But they remain steeped in a fiercely DIY community, and, as evidenced Saturday, March 14, during one of many March tour stops in Louisiana, they proved they can still get loud. Very loud.
Here are the band’s remaining dates in New Orleans (for softer ears, that is):
- 2 p.m., Sunday, March 22 at the Dragon’s Den, with Des Ark, Turboslut, Stupid Party, Prizzy Prizzy Please, Why Are We Buyilding Such a Big Ship? and Pumpkin
- 7 p.m., Monday, March 23 at 2608 Magazine St., with Turboslut and This Frontier Needs Heroes
- 10 p.m., Tuesday, March 24 at Saturn Bar with Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire, Mars and Lovey Doveys
Comments (2)
Showing 1-2 of 2
Finally you have something to talk about. That took long enough. All of the other stuff you have brought up in the past was just Gossip and partisan innuendo. This is an actual issue although you never held Blanco to it or anyone else. Still we need to get rid of this system. This would make us truly different from every state and is a worthy goal. Maybe we will have actual levee inspections and other vital services. I don't think you could site one other state that doesn't allow any people that gave money to the governor to be excluded from appointments. Do you think anyone that Obama appoints will be a contributor? He just appointed the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers to be the ambassador to Ireland. Even though he is a Republican he endorsed Obama so I am assuming he gave him some money too. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pittsburghlive.com%2Fx%2Fpittsburghtrib%2Fsports%2Fsteelers%2Fs_562310.html&ei=d2LESfj3ONfHtgeqmdnHCg&usg=AFQjCNFfX943QmiZSzMBwFDSgF_WKA6dBg&sig2=ay7K6J5q71G40dhXI6uWEw So that would be good if you can get that type of political influence out of the Louisiana system and we could call everyone else out nationally. I would most likely make a lot of fundamental changes system wide. So now I want to see if you will follow though on this or if this will just be another one of your weak attempts to convince everyone that Jindal is a crook. I mean that is what you are getting at. I wish you wouldn't hide behind your true intentions and feelings. I say this because even though what you are saying is very true you have never brought this up with any other Governor before and I have been reading your paper for years and you have not said anything about all of the appointments that the current president is making or any former president I can remember. So please follow though and then we can say you did something that was very important. Putting dead heads and hunting buddies in appointed positions had a lot to do with the way the levees were maintained and with the planning before the Katrina storm and had a lot to do with the state response to it. It's time for us to admit that. I know it is a lot more fun to blame the feds and taking responsibility for our own fate doesn't make a very good plot line for a Spike Lee movie but this stuff with appointments and outcomes is all connected.
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I agree with Resista: "That took long enough." Long enough, that is, for someone else to speak the praise of this amazing, amazing band. Pygmy Lush, in my humble opinion, is the best thing in music right. now. Their 2 sided coin of loud/quiet music is equally amazing live or recorded, and lucky us-- they seem hellbent on returning to New Orleans again and again. I wish nothing but the best for my brothers from Virginia. Thanks for writing this piece!
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