Bloodslide – “MVP”
One of the things that made the original post-punk bands so appealing was the fact that the scene included genuine stars who sincerely shied away from attention. They could have made punk records and jump on a bandwagon that had picked up steam. They could have made new-wave records and got on MTV (Some did!). Or, they could have just tried their hands at a more respectable form of art.
The irony is, of course, that the groups who have attempted to revive the sonic values of post-punk in recent years have been all about presenting themselves to as large of an audience as possible. Their videos are glossy, their hair is slick, their clothes are designer-made.
From that perspective, it is refreshing to hear a group of, what I presume to be, weirdos, making elaborate, soul-searching post-punk. Bloodslide’s MVP sounds like the work of a group that could easily accompany the Editors on their next tour were it not for their choice to embrace a strange, bewildering psychedelic direction instead. The video presentation may have you starring blankly into your computer screen, but it’s the singing that makes this song especially memorable.
LVXURI – Consulate Lust
It’s funny watching old punks or metalheads getting soft in their old age, and being shocked by the antics to which a newer generation is getting up to. The line one needs to tread over in order to surprise and distress a mainstream audience always gets moved forward.
The androgyny of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust scared the world. The nihilism of Bauhaus spooked them. The implied self-harm of some of the more modern emo-punk groups made the headlines. The line always gets moved, but all these things help to show that no matter the season, audiences are ready to react in consternation.
LVXURI’s slithering, alt-pop single Consulate Lust is the newest in a long tradition of songs meant to provoke. Its roots are in Bowie, Klaus Nomi, Diamanda Galas, and, even, Grimes. Yet, the tune manages to isolate and explore a sensual and worrisome place born solely out of the imagination of the young artist. It’s stylish, well constructed, and aching for attention. It’s what one should expect and, perhaps, demand from pop music.
