These Are Powers: A Meta-Review

So, I’ve never heard of this trio hailing from the cool part of New York City. They apparently have made a name for themselves in a scene dense with clap trap as well as worthwhile bands. And even beyond that, they’ve landed a record deal with Dead Oceans.

That being said they’ve also set up a pretty extensive tour through the US. With SXSW ever approaching, These Are Powers have a few dates there intended to spread their weird gospel of electronica and poor singing.

Thus far in their career, the most notable thing about them is that they’ve set up a show with another overrated 2009 oddity – WAVVES. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really make their music any better.

“Cockles” – on the perennial MySpace page – while showing promise in its introductory drone of what seems like guitar and singing, quickly de-volves into some silly dance influenced drumming. And if that weren’t enough, the sheer audacity of “Little Sisters of Beijing,” which kinda recalls monkeys fucking, is pretty astounding. So, unless the band wants to illicit a negative response from music geeks – remember punk did that thirty some years ago – this is pretty confounding stuff.

It is difficult to figure what parts of this band’s sound are organic and which are squeezed from lifeless computers. Again though, if that’s the best thing about your band, you might not be around in a few years. But for the few that These Are Powers manage to hang around for, they’ll probably have fun. Their chance at pseudo-stardom, though, points to how difficult bands outside of major urban hubs have it. If these folks hailed from Dayton no one would have ever heard of them.

These Are Powers have achieved something tantamount to success. Regardless of the media coverage that these folks are slated to receive, their mere existence might repel me from using a computer for a while just to get away from the ridiculous glut of music acts out there in the internet world.

Probably, These Are Powers are all nice people and don’t deserve such harsh words. But these words were needed. And if not for These Are Powers, they might have been reserved for your band.

TOUR DATES:
Feb 25 - The Marvelous Music - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 26 - Lava Lounge - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Feb 27 - The Hideout - Chicago, Illinois
Feb 28 - Grinnell College - Grinnell, Iowa
Mar 1 - Triple Rock Social Club - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mar 2 - Box Awesome - Lincoln, Nebraska
Mar 3 – Rhinoceropolis - Denver, Colorado
Mar 4 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, Utah
Mar 6 - Vera Project - Seattle, Washington
Mar 7 - The Northern - Olympia, Washington
Mar 8 – Backspace - Portland, Oregon
Mar 11– Tion - Chico, California
Mar 12 - Crepe Place - Santa Cruz, California
Mar 13 - Totally Intense Fractal Mindgaze - Oakland, California
Mar 14 - Hemlock Tavern - San Francisco, California
Mar 15 - The Echo - L.A., California
Mar 16 - Phix Gallery - Phoenix, Arizona
Mar 17 – TBD - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Mar 19 – SXSW - Austin, Texas
Mar 20 – SXSW - Austin, Texas
Mar 23 - 121 Milsaps - Jackson, Mississippi
Mar 24 - Eyedrum Gallery - Atlanta, Georgia
Mar 25 - Caledonia Lounge - Athens, Georgia
Mar 26 - Nightlight - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Mar 27 - TBA - Richmond, Virginia