“I wanna take this tape and blow up ya fuckin’ stereo!” says the late Beau Velasco on the intro for The Death Set’s album “Michal Poiccard”. After this five second warning, the album launches into spastic electro punk and doesn’t stop, saving the best track for last, if you ask me. It starts tough and ends strong, with just enough melody throughout so that my girlfriend digs it. Ladies like The Death Set.
It’s hard to believe this is only the band’s second LP. The Death Set has gone through more than a band’s fair share of incarnations. Starting in Australia as a duo, Johnny Sierra and Beau Velasco jumped ship from their island continent and landed in Baltimore, Maryland. Slumming it in the warehouse skid row of B-MORE, these two tattooed white dudes learned to love America. That was, like, 2005.
Cue Emily “What You Don’t Have Internet?” Rabbit, the cunning genius who befriended these Aussie emigrants. She re-released their self-released EP, To, and… BLAM! Suddenly The Death Set were playing crazy shows in dirty basement venues all across the Eastern Seaboard, shaking up wherever they could, ahem.
While Beau stepped away from performing live shows after releasing Rad Warehouses and Bad Neighborhoods in 2007, The Death Set signed with Counter Records, the rock imprint of Ninja Tune and released their first true LP, Worldwide. And the band proceeded to play concerts both in the USA and, well, pretty much worldwide. Zing!
The Death Set has toured with the likes of Girl Talk, Bonde Do Role, Spank Rock, Ninjasonik, Japanther, Best Fwends, Dan Deacon, Ponytail and more. These days, as a trio: Johnny, JahPhet and Dan. What’s that like, you may ask? What’s it like driving across the country with these three scumbags? In a shitty van? In the summer of 2008?
Here’s a 20 minute “taste of tour” in the form of a documentary film called The Adventures of Quanni Cannonz.
And now they have a new album! Released last week in conjunction with a shitshow of a party in Los Angeles, Michel Poiccard features production from XXXChange and collaborations with Diplo and Spankrock. It’s high-fi low-fo spaz punk electo rock that won’t let you go until you come. I give it nine out of ten kitties. But don’t take my word for it!
The Death Set, Michel Poiccard
The Death Set – Yo David Chase! You P.O.V. Shot Me in the Head [Ft. Diplo]
Slap Slap Slap Pound Up Down Snap
My twitter song review: “An anthem for the cool kids back when being cool was actually cool. What you know ’bout shuffling shoes? It’s more than a handshake, bitch.”
Here’s the real deal. I fuckin’ love these guys. And I love the music, they’re live shows, hanging out with them and getting loose and maybe having a little too much fun. These guys have seen me at my worst, often in my own living room at the after after after party. Touring, carevaning to Texas and back, show after show, that was a blast. Wild ass motherfuckers, the whole lot of them. But nice guys at heart. Hell, Jahphet’s had me to his house I don’t know how many times. And I’ve cooked Dan and Johnny a fucking Thanksgiving turkey at least once. And that’s not slang.
But they do use a lot of slang, these guys. And remember, Johnny and Dan are both Australian. But just for example, let’s pretend Johnny were to approach you and say:
“I just had a flipper, and these shoes need shuffling!”
What does that mean? What does that translate to?
Is it…
A) He ate dolphin and needs to take a shit.
B) He just got a blowjob and really wants a cold beer.
C) He took ecstacy and wants some cocaine.
D) all of the above.
The answer will be revealed at The Death Set album release party this Saturday night!
THE BROOKLYN RELEASE PARTY IS SATURDAY NIGHT! BE THERE!
Saturday, March 26
at Music Hall of Williamsburg
The Death Set
Spankrock
Ninjasonik
Hood Chef
DJ C-Lo
OH!
OH!
And the release party is 16+
But older people are welcome too…
Jahphet’s father, Rasta Nini representing his son’s band.
Dan “Lady Killer” Walker with said skateboard.
From the Death Set: “We have etched Death Set skateboards to give away as door prizes and we worked with Music Hall of Williamsburg to bring you a special reduced price admission of $10.”
The Death Set – “I Miss You Beau Velasco” by EverydayElk
UPDATE FROM SXSW:
Interviewed by some toolbag at AOL, The Death Set tell it like it is.