Being a weeklie podcaste from Madison, Wisconsin featuring several remarkable curiosities therein occurring being a compendium of live music from divers artistes
Blag'ard – Bobcat
March 28th, 2009
The novelty of a band employing only guitar and drums wore off a long time ago and so such a minimalist configuration will rise or fall on its own merits. While Bobcat isn’t going to win a Grammy Award for its production but this decidedly lo-fi affair from North Carolina duo Blag’ard, it does showcase the talents of its members Joe Taylor and Adam Brinson.
Since drummers get so little respect, let me start with Brinson. On Bobcat’s cover, he is shown with a rather basic kit and, after listening to the album, I wanted to send a donation so he could buy a Neil Peart-sized kit. The guy is all over the place. He may not have a lot of drums but he uses everything he’s got.
Joe Taylor is no less impressive. He eschews chunky riffs in favor of a more quirky, nimble style of playing. There’s even some tremelo work that is reminiscent of Adrian Belew.
With two talented musicians both of whom have styles that I really enjoy, it’s a they came up with such a clunky album. Both Taylor and Brinson sing here but neither are particularly good at it. They’d do some wonderful harmonies behind a more talented singer but, out front, they tend to drag the material down. “Devilish Key” is a good example. Taylor scratches out this pointed riff while Stinson goes berserk. The vocals just can’t do justice to the song’s wonderfully orchestrated chaos.
“REM Show” has a great helter skelter beat but just get in the way. “Glad You Can Laugh” features its title sung so repeatedly so as to make it sound needlessly anthemic. They should have played to their strengths and let the instruments do the talking.
Bobcat does have some high points, however. The maniacal, Belew-like guitar on “Shame” isn’t dulled by the singing. Oddly enough, the harmony vocals on “Live It Up” work to great effect. And “Sure I’m Sure” closes out the album with some catch, straightforward rock.
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