poplars rocks playing field

lazer crystal, live at bang bang club in berlin on july14th 2009

another fantastic show. if I did not had to work, I could have enjoyed the show a bit more. it was a dancy thing in the end, and a very sweaty one for the drummer. lazer crystal are indeed more an indie band than mahjongg, more a traditional three piece, with a stronger focus on a main singer (the biggest difference to mahjongg), but with a good deal of inventive sounds, even if of course new wave influence cannot be missed out, and they have studied their early 80s and late 70s well, this synthie-pop though experiments too much with the computer and has too much punk-like lack of any vanity, but much beat driven energy to be anything but boring mainstream or simple copy. here we go with mahjongg again, but in lazer crystal jean-michel jarre or roxy music seem to have had more to say, although disco, tribal, house and kraut elements cannot be denied either. unfortunately I still don‘t have a record, because when I had the time, the merch table was gone again already. I don‘t know what bands sometimes do, that people cannot hear their music (the band went for an interview to motor fm, thanks to the station!, but no one brought a playable version of the new single, but my two downloads did it in the end), but finally my myspace player works again, (now that I downloaded an older flash player maybe), and I have quite fallen in love with the latest single „hot pink bmx“. I have no idea why it reminds me of ca plane pour moi, kraftwerk-like, repetitive chords swirl on top and end in distorted sounds, and all is swung in a swift punk techno pace. „bad indian“ is a nice piece as well, in genuine indian dance style, also one of the former singles. I wish I could upload, but- listen on myspace.

it was lazer crystals last show on the tour. but I hope they will come back and you can catch them somewhere they play again.
(thanks to doorboy and dj, and the rest for attending. I always appreciate this. sorry to the club when we made longer than planned, and thanks.)

mahjongg are still on tour through europe. catch them live! also check the drummer’s, josh johannpeter, other projects, if you can. he is not only lending his talent to mahjongg and lazer crystal, but also played beside others for two other musicians I love: bobby conn and matthew friedberger, one half of the fiery furnaces. I had no idea of how demanded he was already when I saw him first play, but genius cannot disguise itself for long.

mahjongg, „tell the police the truth“, from „kontpab“ 2008, k records

the fiery furnaces, „single again“, from „single“ 2004, rough trade records

bobby conn, „we come in peace“, from „the homeland“ 2004, thrill jockey records