Posted by Billy McManus
D.Black, People Eating People & Blood Red Dancers @ The Sunset | 02/06 | 8:30PM | $7 In Advance, $8 At The Door
There is so much good hip hop here in Seattle that it can be hard to stand out in the crowd. For me, what sets one artist apart from another is the message. D. Black is a very conscious rapper, whose lyrics never fall far from real life. His mind is on the struggles of the people, and the mind set you have to have to overcome them. The track “Keep On Going” is a personal and political commentary on the features of the system that keep the powerful in power and what happens to the rest of us because of them. His hooks are gonna stick with you. Whether they come from the beat or the inspiring back-up vocals on tracks like “Touch The Stars,” they will linger long after the music stops. Make sure you’re okay with that before you check out this video.
There really is something that can be said for really good, female-fronted, piano-based rock music. When it comes to People Eating People there is a lot to say. The first thing that stands out is the power and passion of Nouela Johnston’s voice. Johnston has one of those voices that can be soft and beautiful as on the track “Evil,” or wildly driven as she proves on “I Hate All My Friends.” The piano is a mix of styles that range from ballad type progressions, to manic arpeggios, to straight up ivory pounding aggression. The overall arrangement is pretty simple, mostly drums and light guitar tracks, leaving plenty of space to focus on the voice and lyrics of Johnston.
It seems that the psychedelic, politically critical rock of the 60′s is making a comeback these days. The Blood Red Dancers say that one of their main influences is Elvis. Whether that is sincere or satire, it is blatantly obvious that Jim Morrison is clearly being channeled in their music. Although the vocal styling and music are more modern and aggressive at times than your average Doors tune, the overall feeling is there. With that said, it is really well done, and very listenable. The keys and vocals are definitely the focus here, but the drums and bass won’t leave you wanting either. The whole project is really solid. It should be another great night of music for KEXP’s Audioasis program. This month the event will benefit the Central District Forum For Arts And Ideas.
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