Some bands dare you to love them. Or at least like them, or vaguely approve with shrugged shoulders. From the band name to the album name to the cutesy hipster photos on the inside of the CD package to the song titles -- "Sophisticated Side Ponytail," "Holding Hands in the Shower" and others -- Natalie Portman's Shaved Head figure to sound like they'd be somewhere in between the people trying to get into a DFA dance party and their twee cousins wishing they could be like them. Though in the end the most accurate and inevitable comparison point are fellow Seattlites United States of Electronica -- there's the same air of exuberant "Party! A lot! Yeah!" feeling to them, though less Xanadu-style disco and more giddy synth pop/new wave sass, something that the arrangements and distorted bass and keyboard shimmers do nothing to counteract. With that as the baseline the quartet acquit themselves swimmingly; if they're not going to challenge the heights of Dare they're working nicely within that line of descent, and songs like "Me and Yr Daughter" aim for a knowingly snarky good time, with references to hitting the town, self-proclaimed "art fags" and goofy romantic situations shot through with melancholy abounding. The downside is that most of the songs follow the same general template -- good for unity of purpose, not so much for showing range within their style, though as a result, songs like the power pop kick of "Bedroom Costume" and "Hush Hush" do make more of a mark, the former benefiting from a wonderful instrumental break. Meanwhile, the fact that there's a song all about beard maintenance somehow just seems so emblematic of the time and place that it's an instant nostalgia trip -- which might well be the point (it doesn't hurt at all that it's one of the best songs on the album to start with).
--- - |- Natalie Portman's Shaved head is a 5 piece out of Seattle that rivals the likes of CSS and Does it Offend You Yeah? with their clever hipster fashion references and relentless electro/power pop. Their new album 'Glistening Pleasure' drops July 15th and it is a bangin' album. The concepts of the songs are amusing alone, like "Sophisticated Sideways Ponytail" and "Beard Lust" but wait t...
More >
This is what happens when hipsters sit around and listen to too many 'Chromeo' and 'Does It Offend You Yeah?' records...they form a band.But I still smile every time this song comes on my Itunes, so they must be doing something right.
More >
I really don't see why the fact that a group named themselves Natalie Portman's Shaved Head didn't make it clear to people that they weren't being entirely serious. This is stupid, silly shit, but it's mildly amusing and I'm in a weird pop kind of mood. (Black Ghosts also currently being quite nice) So here's a sort of silly, electronicky, yet suprisingly well-written bit of insubtantiality.Now...
More >
--- - |- Natalie Portman's Shaved head is a 5 piece out of Seattle that rivals the likes of CSS and Does it Offend You Yeah? with their clever hipster fashion references and relentless electro/power pop. Their new album 'Glistening Pleasure' drops July 15th and it is a bangin' album. The concepts of the songs are amusing alone, like "Sophisticated Sideways Ponytail" and "Beard Lust" but wait t...
More >
The thing about being gimmicky when it comes to anything is the only way to pull it off is to be completely self-aware. Crank 2 was one of the most gimmicky things I have ever witness but it was also one of the most awesome things I have ever witnessed because it knew exactly what [...]No related posts. Sorry.
More >
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head 10.22 New York, New York @ The Mercury Lounge 11.07 Sacramento, California @ University Ballroom @ Cal State (w/ the Faint) 11.08 San Francisco, California @ The Warfield (w/ the Faint) 11.09 Portland, Oregon @ Roseland Theatre (w/ the Faint) 11.11 Seattle,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit the MCMB website for full links, free music, great videos
More >
© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved
 "Glistening Pleasure")
