The Twin Cities music scene is a mosaic of smaller niche and cranny scenes only capable of being loosely discussed by folks who write about music in Minnesota. With so many bands and artists playing out in our clubs every week, it would truly be a gargantuan task for any individual (or organization for that matter) to wrap it all together in one tight bundle. Yet despite this, there are pockets of artists in this town that have taken matters into their own hands, striving to formulate a single, cohesive, musical assault on the masses. Perhaps foremost among these are the many bands that comprise the TC Electropunk scene.
Every year for the last five years TC Electropunk has released a compilation album showcasing many of the best electronic bands in Minnesota. Just out of their fifth year, TC Electropunk Vol. 5 dropped at the tail end of 2009.
As someone who grew up on his own healthy dose of seminal punk rock, now seems as good a time as any to dispel a possible myth about TC Electropunk. It’s not punk music sensu The Dead Kennedys or Black Flag, but the scene itself embodies the punk rock ethos as strongly as any has. Some might cry “foul” when listening to TC Electropunk bands, not hearing the power-chord driven, deep anti-establishment lyrics of punk lore. But these days, few bands seem to rage against the political machines, and TC Electropunk bands seem to choose to rage against the machine of industry and technology instead, while embracing that same technology with a blazing irony. From the same working man’s, do-it-yourself roots from which punk was initially drawn comes Electropunk, and the particular way it has reared its mechanical head might best be explained by the words taken directly from the TC Electropunk website:
It’s simply what happens when you take a generation of bored teens and twentysomethings – raised on hardcore punk, British techno, Nintendo, and Doritos – and place cheap digital recording technology within their grasp.
Though TC Electropunk bands have found a collective identity, Volume 5 remains a matter of genre splicing. Electropunk is more punk in practice than sound, so it should come as little surprise that many of the songs on TC Electropunk Vol. 5 sound as if they originated from slightly different musical influences. The following is the first of three articles where I attempt to parse out the album in a way that, admittedly, may make more sense to me than anyone else. While some bands may feel uncomfortable with my categorizations they may rest assured: their music rocks, and in spite of my personal designations, it’s really all still rock ‘n roll to me. 
Electropunk as New Wave Punk
Three songs off TC Electropunk Vol. 5 could have been plucked directly from the second overseas invasion of the late 70’s and early 80’s. Avenpitch’s “Soon Enough” kicks the album off with tremendous drive. Its ear popping synth is fit for the discotheque as well as the backdoor club, and were it not for the more modern, tongue lashing delivery of the vocals, pinning it as 21st century could prove difficult. Thosquanta’s “Alstas” is a song that seems most reminiscent of a seminal punk sound that die-hards might submit to. The dual male/female vocals of “Alstas’” chorus could cause one to rise tall with an “Oi! Oi! Oi”! And if these don’t impress the sense of New Wave upon you, then Thought Thieves “All I Pretend” will certainly do so. After listening I found myself scrambling for some Joy Division and New Order. Really, really good.
The New Wave Punk influence on TC Electropunk Vol. 5 is the smallest of three categories, but the diversity in these three songs is the gel that brings the rest of the album together as elements of other tunes might be found within each of the three. Is it any coincidence that “Soon Enough” and “Alstas” lead the record off? I think they’re fine ways to begin turning over the soil!
Avenpitch
[audio=http://borangutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Soon-Enough.mp3, Right click and "Save Link As",download]
“Soon Enough” by: Avenpitch
Thosquanta
[audio=http://borangutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Alstas.mp3]
“Alstas” by: Thosquanta (download free at tcelectropunk.com)
Thought Thieves
[audio=http://borangutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/All-I-Pretend-Daydodge-Mix.mp3]
“All I Pretend” by: Thought Thieves (download free at tcelectropunk.com)
Read more…
posted January 5th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Reviews
Avenpitch, TC Electropunk, Thosquanta, Thought Thieves
Earlier today Jeremy Messersmith posted a song to his myspace blog that he had recorded with local artist Dan Wilson of Semisonic. Within the post Messersmith mentions that he’s been working on an entire album with Wilson, and he notes that they “spent a lot of time exploring different sonic areas, sometimes ditching whole recordings and nearly finished songs and starting anew.” One of the songs that made its way through this process is posted below, and the song is entitled “Wasting Time.” After trying to find the tune a happy spot on the album, Messersmith decided it just “didn’t fit thematically,” but on the bright side, at least we all get a snapshot into what might be expected on the upcoming record.
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