|
|
BENT NIGHTS JD Samson and Men
Special to the online edition of Windy City Times
by Vern Hester 2014-02-04
|
|
This article shared 3377 times since Tue Feb 4, 2014
|
|
As one-third of the legendary band Le Tigre, and as a record producer, performance artist, activist and DJ, JD Samson could easily rest on her laurels as an out personality. However, after hearing her new album, Labor ( Men Making Music Records ), the thought of her chilling out is hardly likely.
Samson and her band Men, with Michael O'Neill on guitar and Tami Hart on computer, is all about pushing forward albeit with a disarming angle. Rather then using rock 'n' roll as her medium, Samson and Men are all about hardcore disco and club techno, which is a novel twist. Where disco and club music are generally about emotions ( sexual euphoria, love, rejection, emotional liberation ) Samson has given her version heady concepts and ideas. It's as if she has taken L.A. noise rockers Xina Xurner's catch mantra, "Feel me, kill me, fuck me on the dance floor," and turned it into a reality with a vengeance. This does not imply that all those heavy ideas and politics weigh Labor down and make it one long loud rant of a downer.
Labor is anything but a confrontational bummer and is, in fact, a big infectious take on performance art and, well, shaking your ass. The opener, "Power Strobe," sets a numbing tone for the CD's grandly throbbing inorganic palate but the first gem, "All the Way Thru," moves the album in a different direction. Thanks to its strong melody and effortless hook, the song gives Labor its first hint of personality while preventing this techno from sounding airless and vacuum-sealed. "( she )" is the downside of what the genre can do and the song is loaded with so much sonic texture that it literally swallows Samson in the mix. Its the only song on the CD that does not work while revealing how well the rest of it does.
"Making Art," "Next" and "I Don't Care" are strong compositions that force the production to yield to them rather then the other way around. "Let them Out or Let me In" and "Make Him Pay"two songs available on the download version of the albumhave anger and bite to spare ( they were written and produced as a protest for the Pussy Riot incident ) while "Semenya" feels like an assault ( with the song commenting on the Caster Semenya controversy ). The kicker is "Fucked Up," the kind of subversive stomper that could be taken personally or politically while forcing you to dance your ass off.
In front of a largely queer sold-out audience Jan. 31 at the Empty Bottle, Samson and Men took the premise of Labor and gave it a much bigger and richer dimension while defusing the heat of the records arguments and turning it into something unexpected and beguiling. It made all the difference that O'Neill was part of the mix and his guitar shrieks were mixed way up in front. With Samson dressed in an oversized man-suit ( the suit figures on the cover of Labor ), she seemed downright benign and politewhich did not seem to fit the music or its content. "Credit Card Babies" and "Who am I To Be So Free?" were ironic, irresistible, pungent, funny and witty. "All the Way Thru" somehow came across better then the recorded version and even "( she )" sounded like a mini-epic rather than a musical fragment. "Making Art" was dedicated to all the creative people in the room but the unrecorded gem "Dekonstruk Me" stole the night.
That large chunks of Labor and the Jan. 31 show's set list seemed heavy on the messages seemed to be undone by Samson's lightness and spirit of funwhich actually makes an interesting and ironic point. Samson has a lot to protest about, not by choice but by who and what she is. It may be a sign of this era that being an out, female artist is a political statement in itself but surprisingly Samson seems to take it all in stride. She may not be pissy, angry, radical or militant, but she does know how to make a point with a seductive dance beat.
Heads up: For those who missed her last month, Betty Who? will be playing Lincoln Hall on April 12. Tickets are already on sale.
|
|
|
|
This article shared 3377 times since Tue Feb 4, 2014
|
ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE |
---|
|
| | WORLD Australian law, soccer players, Grindr suit, South Korean situation 2024-05-03 - In Australia, Queensland has updated its Anti-Discrimination Act to explicitly protect non-binary and gender-diverse people for the first time, PinkNews reported. The changes came into effect on April 29, and they impose tougher penalties for hate ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ 'Faye,' Sophia Bush, Janelle Monae, Laverne Cox, Peabodys 2024-05-03 - The HBO Original documentary Faye, about iconic actress Faye Dunaway, will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on Max later this year, a press release noted. The film will have its world premiere ...
|
| | Shining a spotlight on girl in red 2024-04-30 - Bathed in a crimson-gelled spotlight, girl in red entered the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom on the night of April 27. She was accompanied by a backing band and wore a striped suit jacket. For those that ...
|
| | Artemis Singers presents June 8 "Never Doubt: We Are Here" Pride Concert & Dance 2024-04-27 --From a press release - CHICAGO─Artemis Singers, www.artemissingers.org, Chicago's lesbian feminist chorus, presents "Never Doubt: We Are Here" Pride Concert & Dance, Saturday, June 8, at First Congregational Church of Evanston UCC, 1445 Hinman Ave. ...
|
| | Navy Pier to mark 40th anniversary of Chicago house music with summer-long programming 2024-04-26 --From a press release - CHICAGO — Navy Pier announced plans to celebrate House music's Chicago roots with a summer full of programming paying homage to the energy, music, and dance of Black and Latino youth on Chicago's south and west ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ 'Priscilla,' Tony nods, Oscars, Ncuti Gatwa, Jonathan Bailey, GLAAD event 2024-04-26 - Stephan Elliottwho directed the cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desertsaid a sequel "is happening" and that the original movie's stars (Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving) are back "on board" 30 ...
|
| | THEATER 'Mamma Mia!' returns to Chicago with 'Daddyhunt' star Jim Newman 2024-04-24 - "Who's your daddy?" That's the key plot question driving the global hit Mamma Mia! The global smash jukebox musical famously features the song hits of Swedish pop group ABBA, and it returns for a three-week run ...
|
| | Local queer opera composer premiering her first show, a coming-of-age tale with LGBTQ+ themes 2024-04-23 - A Lake View woman is debuting her first opera as a composer, a coming-of-age story with LGBTQ+ themes. Gillian Rae Perry, a fellow with the Chicago Opera Theater's Vanguard program for emerging artists, composed The Weight ...
|
| | Cher, Dionne among Rock & Roll HoF honorees; Mariah snubbed 2024-04-22 - On April 21, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced its 2024 inductees, per an ABC press release. In the performer category, the inductees are Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter ...
|
| | The importance of becoming Ernest: Out actor Christopher Sieber dishes about the Death Becomes Her musical 2024-04-20 - Out and proud actor Christopher Sieber is part of the team bringing Death Becomes Her to life as a stage musical in the Windy City this spring. Sieber plays Ernest Menville, who was originally portrayed by ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Celine Dion, 'The People's Joker,' Billy Porter, Patti LuPone, 'Strange Way' 2024-04-19 - I Am: Celine Dion will stream on Prime Video starting June 25, according to a press release. The film is described as follows: "Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion gives us ...
|
| | Kokandy Productions now accepting submissions for Chicago Musical Theater Fest returning Aug. 8-11 2024-04-18 --From a press release - CHICAGO (April 18, 2024) — Kokandy Productions is pleased to open submissions for the 2024 Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, returning this summer following a four-year hiatus. Kokandy is thrilled to ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ Jerrod Carmichael, '9-1-1' actor, Kayne the Lovechild, STARZ shows, Cynthia Erivo 2024-04-12 - Gay comedian/filmmaker Jerrod Carmichael criticized Dave Chappelle, opening up about the pair's ongoing feud and calling out Chappelle's opinions on the LGBTQ+ community, PinkNews noted, citing an Esquire article. Carmichael ...
|
| | Judith Butler focuses on perceptions of gender at Chicago Humanities Festival talk 2024-04-10 - In an hour-long program filled with dry humornot to mention lots of audience laughterphilosopher, scholar and activist Judith Butler (they/them) spoke in depth on their new book at Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., on ...
|
| | Andersonville Chamber announces Andersonville Midsommarfest entertainment lineup 2024-04-09 --From a press release - CHICAGO (April 8, 2024) — The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (ACC) is pleased to announce the full entertainment line-up for Andersonville Midsommarfest, one of Chicago's oldest and most beloved summer ...
| |
|
|