Local Indie Rock band view-finder is set to release its self-titled, debut full-length on Friday at the Southgate House. The band has lined up an impressive support bill featuring The Wolverton Brothers, Chalk, Caterpillar Tracks and Hilltop Distillery.
Formed in early 2003, the band is fronted by singer/guitarist/electronicist Sammy McKee (also known for his work as fotos and with former local label, The Unlike). McKee and guitarist Brian Hoffman added ex-Readymaid/current Caterpillar Tracks drummer Joe Suer and, most recently, former Readymaider Gregg Wilson on bass and Carrie Reynard (slide guitarist for Campfire Crush) on keys to help solidify a revolving lineup. The disc is an impressive display of vintage Indie Rock, with hints of legends like Built to Spill, Brainiac and Dirty-era Sonic Youth. Built on the auspicious dual guitar swirl of McKee and Hoffman, the songs on view-finder are loaded with dynamics that go beyond the usual loud-soft tricks, swelling into that proverbial “Wall of Sound” and twisting with engagingly quirky rhythmic shifts, but also showcasing their ability to capably slip into a more reserved mode when the song calls for it. The songs are memorable, showing McKee’s knack for melody amid the music’s sometimes frazzled idiosyncrasies. Highlights on the nine-song disc include the slanted “Forestry,” which sounds like a lost early ’80s Art Punk gem, the radiant, bell-toned “Sky,” the sinuous, blissfully spastic “Sex” (which sounds a bit like Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo at his most melodic) and the excellent set closer “Excite Bike,” a melancholic, relatively gentle meditation complete with a string part and noisy, song-closing “rock out.” (view-finder.com)
Local News and Notes
· It’s too late to register to vote, but that isn’t stopping the steady stream of politically-minded concerts leading up to election day. Local Step Out Productions (stepoutproductions.com) was chosen by MTV’s Rock the Vote campaign to book an RTV concert on Saturday outside of the Main Public Library, Downtown at Ninth and Walnut streets.
The 6 p.m. event (which will move to alchemize, the new club formerly known as The Cavern, if it rains) features locals like Animal Crackers, The Walker Project, NSPCrew and Marvin and the Experience, plus Portland-based singer/songwriter Brenda Weiler. An after-party takes place at 9 p.m. at Neon’s and will feature music from Buckra, The Gregory Morris Group, Derrick Sanderson’s Soul Expression and Chicago’s Katie Todd Band. Several other Rock the Vote happenings will be going on at various locations throughout the day Saturday. Check rockthevote.com for details.
· On Wednesday, a benefit for the Butler County Democratic Party takes place at Hamilton’s Little Chicago Blues Company. The 7 p.m. “Jam For Democracy” show features musical performances from Rob Ervin and the High Strung Lifters, Millville Road, The New Being Human, Greg Irwin and others. Advance tickets are available at the Butler Co. Democratic Headquarters (222 High St., Hamilton; 513-896-5201).
· Local Punk band Haircuts Than Hurt are packing up and relocating to Seattle. Before they depart, the band — described as a mix between The Dwarves, Cheap Trick, Screeching Weasel and early AC/DC — plays one final local show as a Cincinnati band this Sunday at Top Cat’s. Cincy’s Jackass open the 9:30 p.m. show.
· Locally based Midwest Battle Entertainment hosts its fourth annual “Battle for Midwest Supremacy” on Saturday at the Madison Theater in Covington. The event showcases Hip Hop MCs and DJs from Cincinnati, Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles, all battling for top honors. For more info, check out midwestbattle.com.
· The “Metal Attack” radio program (airing every Friday at 3 p.m. on WAIF, 88.3 FM) presents a benefit for their host station on Friday at Sudsy Malone’s. Locals Retribution and Pain Link are joined by out-of-towners Fleshtized, Envain and Darkness Undying for the show.
· “Tribal, primal, spirit-filled world fusion” quartet The Totems host a CD release party for their third album, Full Moon/White Lotus, on Saturday at the Pleasant Perk Coffeehouse. The rhythmically-driven unit mixes Dub bass, World Beat drumming and a variety of woodwind instruments.
· Fans of solid Electronic Pop and Rock won’t want to miss this Saturday’s show at Radio Down. Locals Hungry Lucy (tkak.hungrylucy.com) will have copies of their gorgeous, enigmatic new full-length disc, To Kill a King, available (the “Trip Pop” disc is released officially on Nov. 2). The bill is rounded out by local ElectroRock newcomers Diet Audio, Cleveland’s spellbinding Infinite Number of Sounds and Nashville’s The Whole Fantastic World.
This article appears in Oct 13-19, 2004.