top five . . . birds & batteries
Rocky Mountain News
Published July 10, 2008 at 7 p.m.
San Francisco's Birds & Batteries weds synthesizer lines to pedal steel guitar.
When a band claims both Neil Young and Daft Punk as primary influences, it's a strong sign something unusual might be afoot. Such is the case with Birds & Batteries, a four- piece act from San Francisco that weds synth lines to pedal steel guitar to make a country dance party like nothing you ever heard on Hee-Haw.
Considering the disparate nature of the music, you might have a hard time imagining how this shotgun marriage actually works. But guitarist Mike Sempert is here to clarify, using the examples of a giant in each genre. Here are his Top 5 Reasons Gary Numan and Merle Haggard should coexist:
1 Diplomacy. When the Great War of Disparate Music Genres ended, the world was a giant heap of burning stuff. From the ashes and desolation was born the closest thing to a compromise the diplomats could come up with. When the only alternative is annihilation, it's pretty much like, OK, sign me up for coexistence. Of course, if it were up to Merle Haggard they'd still be fighting, 'cause he's really not to be trifled with. Then again, he doesn't have the sci-fi synth missiles. A stalemate ensued. I mean coexistence.
2 Cars. Who doesn't love cars and everything they do? That's one thing these guys totally agree on.
3 Love It or Leave It (Die Numan!) Merle Haggard is still (angry, but a better word) about this whole thing. When the British glam-rock new-waver first showed up wearing eye shadow and a Bowie-esque kimono, the average American dude was like, "Right on, I could get into this."
It was the whole postmodern lyricism and minimalist synth arrangements that tipped everything over the edge. That was when the great war started. Now I'm not sure this whole coexistence thing is going to work out.
4 Robots. Merle Haggard writes songs from the heart about his experiences as a hard traveler and fighting Indians. Gary Numan finds human emotion "interesting." See what I mean?
5 Buttons. These guys both need buttons. Mostly for the sake of keeping their clothes on, but for other stuff, too, and for pushing. It's actually pretty amazing how much they have in common.
Birds & Batteries will play the Lions Lair (2022 E. Colfax Ave.) at 9 p.m. Thursday, with Josephine & the Mousepeople, Dormir! and Bellemah. The cover is $5; 21 and over only.
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