BRAZILIAN GIRLS: Wed.Oct.11th: PJC

[kc]

PJC presents

Verve Recording artists:

BRAZILIAN GIRLS

Wednesday, Oct. 11 2006

@ Pepper Jack's

www.pepperjackcafe.com

Advance Tickets: $15

Doors open at 9pm.

http://www.braziliangirls.info/

http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist.aspx?ob=art&src=bs&aid=6401

http://www.myspace.com/braziliangirls

"Brazilian Girls have taken the elegant seduction and gentle mystery

of a Film Noir nightclub act, and infused it with the force and

vivacity of the dance beat."

.. Jane Ratcliffe (Interview, Vogue, VH1)

Late last fall, the band entered Jimi Hendrix's famed Electric Lady Studios in New York City where they were inspired by their

surroundings and quickly began composing material. With the resulting

12 new tracks, they push their mix of electro, dub, pop, punk and

dance music to more elaborate and edgy arrangements in Talk To La

Bomb, which "droped" on September 12, 2006.

Is Talk To La Bomb, the second album from New York quartet Brazilian

Girls, the soundtrack to the end of the world, or the record that will

ignite the planet's salvation? A polyglot of rhythms, sounds, and

languages, their sophomore set throbs with the energy of a teeming

mob. Those crowds might be the bejeweled revelers of carnival in Rio

or frightened citizens filling Tokyo streets as Godzilla approaches.

No matter. Talk To La Bomb distills that surging energy—of all those

cultures, those moods—into a single, dynamic album.

These 12 new tracks bristle with immediacy, packing a sonic wallop

that contrasts vividly with the group's sinewy, sexy 2005 self-titled

debut. "We became a band by playing music in a lounge in New York,"

notes keyboard player Didi Gutman, "and that environment influenced

the music on the first album." But as the accolades accrued

internationally for Brazilian Girls, those impromptu Sunday night

sessions at the intimate Nublu on Avenue C were replaced by extended

tours, and the band found itself playing increasingly larger venues.

"Playing so many shows in front of different audiences definitely

influenced the new material," admits singer Sabina Sciubba. "The music

started to become more fierce. The approach was more aggressive. As a

singer and a songwriter, I have always been mellow. Now, there was

this unspoken feeling that we all wanted to push things further." To

put it more succinctly, says Didi, "We wanted to rock the crowd."

From the fat, pulsating keyboards of the opener, "Jique," that shift

in attitude is evident; Sabina spews a stream of consciousness lyric

that incorporates English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish…often

in the same sentence. "It's this crazy mix of language, kind of how my

brain functions," admits Sabina. "It's very me." "Never Met A German"

starts with spiky, two-note riffs, then builds to a furious martial

maelstrom, with Sabina writhing like a butterfly on a pin, sputtering

"I feel like I'm on fire." Even quieter numbers, like the seduction

number "Rules of the Game," boast unexpected twists, like bassist

Jesse Murphy and drummer Aaron Johnston's eerie, over-the-transom

vocals at the opening of the cut. The skittish "Sexy Asshole"

juxtaposes a surprisingly romantic lyric (albeit one rendered auf

Deutsch) with a vulgar title, itself a Dada riff on a compliment from

deejay Nic Harcourt that Brazilian Girls' music is "sexy as all hell."

In light of its wealth of ideas, Talk To La Bomb becomes even more

impressive when one discovers that the bulk of the material was

composed as the band was recording. A feat of daring, perhaps, but one

that suits the four disparate, energetic personalities that make up

the band. "I'd much rather knock out an album like that, quickly, than

over-think everything too much," concedes Aaron.

"A lot of the songs come out of an improvisatory, spontaneous mind

set," concurs Jesse. "Making music without it having to be one

specific, certain thing." The title cut, "Talk To The Bomb," is

essentially a first take, with Jesse and Aaron laying down a slippery

foundation of cymbal hits, snare rolls, and bass fillips, while Sabina

affects a formal, stiff-upper-lip delivery atop their animated groove.

Working at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York, the band

was joined once more by producer Mark Plati (David Bowie, The Cure,

Deee-Lite). Although Plati also participated in making Brazilian

Girls, this time his role was much larger. "This time, we brought him

in from the very beginning. He was already involved as we were writing

songs and doing pre-production," says Didi. "He helped us regulate

decisions, just by being a fifth element, and providing an outside

perspective."

The band also worked with Ric Ocasek of The Cars, who produced "Last

Call," a dreamy number that winds enticingly through nighttime side

streets. "Working with Ric was very cool," Jesse says excitedly. "It

was good for the whole band to just let go of the reins for a second,

and let somebody else do their thing. And his approach was very

subtle. He didn't try to dominate us. He didn't have to: He's Ric

Ocasek."

Talk To La Bomb is co-produced by the band and Plati and Ocasek. It

was mixed by Tchad Blake, Rich Costey, and Frederick Rubens primarily

at Peter Gabriel's bucolic Real World Studios in England. Brazilian

Girls are joined on the album by Clark Gayton (trombone, baritone,

saxophone), Peck Almond (woodwinds), Ric Ocasek (guitar), Jorge

Continentino (flutes, saxophone), James Zollar (flugelhorn, trumpet)

and Mauro Refosco (percussion).

Those are the facts. So what's the verdict? Is Talk To La Bomb the

beat that will make people dance to the end of the universe, or

kick-start the revolution? Will we be crushed by fire-breathing

lizards, or swept along by effervescent celebrants? Sabina, for one,

is guardedly optimistic. "The future of this planet as we know it, the

human and animal kingdom, and the plants, depends solely on this

record," she concludes. Thank you, Brazilian Girls. "You're welcome."

[kc]

Briguy, you know what I need...;

[skelter]

it's not listed on their site or their myspace ... any idea if there's more Canadian shows?

Would've fuckin LOVED to book them in Kingston ...

who's the promoter contact for this?

What a great goddamn band ...

[briguy]

Backline, poster, tickets, handbills

Done

Fuck I can't wait!

[AD]

yeah any word on more canadian dates? be sweet if that tour came through ottawa. just not on the thanksgiving weekend...

[Sarahbelle]

hey wicked!!! Hopefully I'll make it

[kc]

I'm not sure where else they are playing.

Toronto and/or Montreal and Ottawa I think.

Sorry, can't give out contacts on a message board.

[kc]

Anyone, see them on Letterman last night?

[kc]

Nevermind.

[briguy]

no

[briguy]

but I did watch it on youtube

[PimpDaddySweetPants]

Bazillian Girls! No shit! Yeah baby.....

One time I hads me this fine stable of Brazillian girls all slitherin up tha street and snaggin all kinds of fools fo' dey loot.

Damn! Thoswas the days all exotic like.

Man I love me some Brazillian.....Oh wait this is band??!!

Ooops my bad!

[kc]

BG's live in NYC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOfdIaVF1OY

[briguy]

Full story here

[briguy]

I truly believe this will be one the best shows in 2006 at PJC. Definitely one of the top five.

Oh and Jesse Murphy from Scofield's uberjam is still in the band and one the best bass players you'll ever see at Pepper Jack's. He's very exciting to watch and if you know the album i'm sure you're aware of the grooves he's capable of playing.

Cheers

BC

[kc]

If that doesn't convince people...

I see pulse but the vital signs are extremely low.

[bradm]

There's a review of their new album in this week's Ottawa XPress.

Aloha,

Brad

[briguy]

I truly believe this will be one the best shows in 2006 at PJC. Definitely one of the top five.

Wow ... it was.

I always find it amazing when three musicians can sound like a ten piece band, with horns. I wish I could write a proper review but I suck at reviews. I've learned a lot about music watching these guys.

Edited October 13, 2006 by Guest