Thumping beats and devastatingly addictive tunes are what drive this electro-pop trio and they are a fucking delight. With their self-released debut EP out mere months ago, the majority of the crowd is yet to learn each song by heart – but give it time. We’re not here, though, to enjoy a back catalogue. We’re not even here for a good ol’ fashioned singalong. We are here to be entertained, son, and entertainment is what we shall receive.
And so begins a joyous night out. The beats from the opening track, 'Friend in the Field', grab at our feet and sleazy tricks from the synth loosens hips. The atmosphere is dark, with a heavy nod to 80s New Wave, and yet you can’t help but feel that this somber mood whispers of a party to follow.
Days before their first gig at Splendour ‘08 the band penned what is their catchiest and most well-known song, 'Parlez-Vous Francais'. The same burst of creative energy inspired them prior to Splendour ‘09, and we are treated to a newbie, 'Higher'. When lead singer Dan Mac starts to teach us the chorus, we know it holds the same promise and heady joy of 'Parlez-Vous'.
The music isn’t particularly clever (or is it? What kind of talent thinks of writing a lyric that rhymes ‘Kelvinator’ with ‘chore, chore, chores’? Oh it sounds brilliant, trust me) but it is ridiculously fun; the refrain for 'Higher' simply repeats the title to an ever-increasing crescendo before climaxing at a Karate Kid-esque “HiiiiiiiiiiYAA”. This, surely, is part of the appeal of Art Vs Science; you don’t need to be an electro connoisseur to appreciate solid, addictive tunes that promise good times.
I’d half expected 'Parlez-Vous' to be their encore, but lo, midway through the set the staccato beeps of the intro tease our ears as we lean towards the speakers. Suddenly, the beat loops in and heaves us into the first verse, and the crowd lets out an appreciative roar. I heard Richard Kingsmill once describe (with tongue firmly in cheek) Art Vs Science’s music as ‘stupid, really’ and whilst you can’t ignore the simplicity of their songs, you can’t deny just how damn catchy they are. We’re a self-deprecating lot here in Straya, so any band that knows how to take the piss while having a good time is bound to generate a little more love. We still might not be able to manage those tricksy French syllables in the chorus -- you try screaming si tu peux le parlez aller tomber ta chemise after a few beers -- but we can let out a ‘Oui!’ to rival the girls of the Moulin Rouge in the call-and-response chorus.
We probably wouldn’t be kicking our proverbial can-can skirts so high if we weren’t feeding off the exuberance and effort from the band, and Dan certainly knows how to bash the shit out of his drums. Sometimes you just need a gig loud, thumping and alive, and 'Parlez-Vous' signaled the beginning of our glimpse into what is bound to be one of the great live bands of 2009. We catch our breath just as the boys grab us by the collar and throw us into space for 'Take Me to Your Leader' and some disjointed Galaga-era fun.
How can I describe what happens next. My mind pretty much exploded. I’d heard the rumours about Art vs Science’s cover song at Splendour, and a couple lines in I knew I had reached some kind of cross-genre, 90s flashback, fangirl nirvana. If you don’t know what to do after you hear the lines Yo back up now and give a brother room/ The fuse is lit and I’m about to go boom then click away immediately and download any/all of ‘Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’. How many electro-pop bands do you know who can capably reference and honor the magic of Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s 'Boom! Shake the Room'? I am absolutely not exaggerating when I say that those four minutes have got to be some of the best four minutes of my life, and judging on the heaving mass that surrounded me, I am not alone.
So where do we go from here? How could anything build upon that awesome cover? We hit more of the better-known songs, and keep the rush running with 'Flippers'. We’re already used to shouting our favourite rhymes from Boom! so it’s not much of a stretch to keep our arms up to punch out the beat for this one. The energy is still high, and the keyboard/drum solo that runs the bridge between chorus and verse runs up and down our brains in the best way possible. This song is ridiculously bizarre, but its catchiness circumvents any self-conscious pretensions.
Dan Mac speaks to the crowd again, offering thanks, and then Art vs Science break into their final song. 'Hollywood' certainly has a heavy beating from the Daft Punk stick, but you couldn’t call it derivative. The Daft Punk influence will no doubt come up again, but 'Hollywood' invokes more drama and yes, we’re going there, interpretative dance. Guitars and violent movies (set to a heavy backdrop of your finest 80s keyboard and fuzzy guitar) are some of the spoken word we’re treated to; and if there was any time to drag a dramatic fingerless lace glove down your face, now is that time.
Art vs Science: I say, play on, players. I pray at the altar of the Rock Gods and ask for leniency from the Tall Poppy Brigade. The hype is already paving the ground before them (both Melbourne shows sold out and the remaining dates on the national tour are falling like dominoes) so get your dancing shoes on and get in while you can. Blink, and you’ll be paying seventy bucks (as opposed to the bargain basement $17 charged to my card) to see them perform at Festival Hall. Hells, if I can’t convince you, maybe the band can. I’ll leave the final word to Dan Mac, from 'Parlez-Vous Francais': Do it now, because you can and I think you should. Do it now, because you can and I told you to.
You heard the man.
--- Contributed by Mez Lynch
And so begins a joyous night out. The beats from the opening track, 'Friend in the Field', grab at our feet and sleazy tricks from the synth loosens hips. The atmosphere is dark, with a heavy nod to 80s New Wave, and yet you can’t help but feel that this somber mood whispers of a party to follow.
Days before their first gig at Splendour ‘08 the band penned what is their catchiest and most well-known song, 'Parlez-Vous Francais'. The same burst of creative energy inspired them prior to Splendour ‘09, and we are treated to a newbie, 'Higher'. When lead singer Dan Mac starts to teach us the chorus, we know it holds the same promise and heady joy of 'Parlez-Vous'.
The music isn’t particularly clever (or is it? What kind of talent thinks of writing a lyric that rhymes ‘Kelvinator’ with ‘chore, chore, chores’? Oh it sounds brilliant, trust me) but it is ridiculously fun; the refrain for 'Higher' simply repeats the title to an ever-increasing crescendo before climaxing at a Karate Kid-esque “HiiiiiiiiiiYAA”. This, surely, is part of the appeal of Art Vs Science; you don’t need to be an electro connoisseur to appreciate solid, addictive tunes that promise good times.
I’d half expected 'Parlez-Vous' to be their encore, but lo, midway through the set the staccato beeps of the intro tease our ears as we lean towards the speakers. Suddenly, the beat loops in and heaves us into the first verse, and the crowd lets out an appreciative roar. I heard Richard Kingsmill once describe (with tongue firmly in cheek) Art Vs Science’s music as ‘stupid, really’ and whilst you can’t ignore the simplicity of their songs, you can’t deny just how damn catchy they are. We’re a self-deprecating lot here in Straya, so any band that knows how to take the piss while having a good time is bound to generate a little more love. We still might not be able to manage those tricksy French syllables in the chorus -- you try screaming si tu peux le parlez aller tomber ta chemise after a few beers -- but we can let out a ‘Oui!’ to rival the girls of the Moulin Rouge in the call-and-response chorus.
We probably wouldn’t be kicking our proverbial can-can skirts so high if we weren’t feeding off the exuberance and effort from the band, and Dan certainly knows how to bash the shit out of his drums. Sometimes you just need a gig loud, thumping and alive, and 'Parlez-Vous' signaled the beginning of our glimpse into what is bound to be one of the great live bands of 2009. We catch our breath just as the boys grab us by the collar and throw us into space for 'Take Me to Your Leader' and some disjointed Galaga-era fun.
How can I describe what happens next. My mind pretty much exploded. I’d heard the rumours about Art vs Science’s cover song at Splendour, and a couple lines in I knew I had reached some kind of cross-genre, 90s flashback, fangirl nirvana. If you don’t know what to do after you hear the lines Yo back up now and give a brother room/ The fuse is lit and I’m about to go boom then click away immediately and download any/all of ‘Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’. How many electro-pop bands do you know who can capably reference and honor the magic of Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s 'Boom! Shake the Room'? I am absolutely not exaggerating when I say that those four minutes have got to be some of the best four minutes of my life, and judging on the heaving mass that surrounded me, I am not alone.
So where do we go from here? How could anything build upon that awesome cover? We hit more of the better-known songs, and keep the rush running with 'Flippers'. We’re already used to shouting our favourite rhymes from Boom! so it’s not much of a stretch to keep our arms up to punch out the beat for this one. The energy is still high, and the keyboard/drum solo that runs the bridge between chorus and verse runs up and down our brains in the best way possible. This song is ridiculously bizarre, but its catchiness circumvents any self-conscious pretensions.
Dan Mac speaks to the crowd again, offering thanks, and then Art vs Science break into their final song. 'Hollywood' certainly has a heavy beating from the Daft Punk stick, but you couldn’t call it derivative. The Daft Punk influence will no doubt come up again, but 'Hollywood' invokes more drama and yes, we’re going there, interpretative dance. Guitars and violent movies (set to a heavy backdrop of your finest 80s keyboard and fuzzy guitar) are some of the spoken word we’re treated to; and if there was any time to drag a dramatic fingerless lace glove down your face, now is that time.
Art vs Science: I say, play on, players. I pray at the altar of the Rock Gods and ask for leniency from the Tall Poppy Brigade. The hype is already paving the ground before them (both Melbourne shows sold out and the remaining dates on the national tour are falling like dominoes) so get your dancing shoes on and get in while you can. Blink, and you’ll be paying seventy bucks (as opposed to the bargain basement $17 charged to my card) to see them perform at Festival Hall. Hells, if I can’t convince you, maybe the band can. I’ll leave the final word to Dan Mac, from 'Parlez-Vous Francais': Do it now, because you can and I think you should. Do it now, because you can and I told you to.
You heard the man.
--- Contributed by Mez Lynch
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