TOTAL LOCAL: NO FANCY

Another day, another killer Missoula band we get to announce and it's...NO FANCY. They're one of the newest, most stellar local trios operating right now. For reference, let's just say they kinda remind me of The Magpies in one sense, perhaps without the latter's serious wall-of-noise, but with that same propulsive garage-y nod to 90's indie rock. No Fancy is a little moodier, I think, and that's one of things that sticks out for me. I love those moods.

Some other things you might be interested in knowing: No Fancy has been hard at work and (last I heard) is nearly done with recording their first album via Missoula's recording-brain-trust Black National. The first result of which you can hear below. Ray, No Fancy bassist extraordinaire (the guy with the mustache) is also a member of Missoula alt-country-faves The Best Westerns. Dude is a talent. Hell, all three of these No Fancy folks are talents and man, I'm really excited they're playing Total Fest XIV.

 

TOTAL LOCAL: MAGPIES!

I think Vanek sums up Missoula's Magpies here, where he leads with "The Magpies are one of those bands that you're certain you've heard before the first time you hear them. They've got that built-in familiarity, and kind of walk the well-worn streets of slacker mode independent rock that all kinds of great bands have."

It's a solid review. What's subtlety sitting behind it is this quartet hones that slacker vibe with some superb musicianship. Tolan, Sam, Hank, and Jamie continually impress me with not only how much they grow between each song, each show, and each record, but also how they constantly tweak everything. They're never satisfied. I can't say when I first saw Magpies, but I can say that before I had, it was prefaced with "You have to see them!" and "Why haven't you seen them?" and "How haven't you seen them yet?" The "how" was particularly puzzling because these cats play almost every chance they can. They practice, record, and tour like most of us make coffee in the morning -- it's what oxygenates their brains.

So .... the first time. I was impressed, but I think there was something lacking for me. It wasn't anything they weren't doing or anything they were doing that didn't sit right. The energy is always there, and for a time my favorite thing was watching Sam and Tolan adjust to different drumming styles after the Daver hung up his sticks (so to speak). Tolan and Sam have a definite chemistry that's palpable in all things they do. Shit, they could coax a herd of cats to keep time for them. Add in Hank and, eventually, Jamie, and everything is coming up tornadoes.

Tornadoes is a perfect metaphor for them. It's a controlled, well-harnessed, sustained burst of chaos that appears to meander effortlessly with its explosive force. The guitars are pitch perfect as they lead and underscore the vocals, which, given Sam and Tolan's dynamic, weave together two voices from opposite sides of the spectrum; punctuated by the seemingly deliberate but always powerful and fluid drums, Magpies confidently move between songs, allowing for the music to do the work for them. In the end, isn't that what every band wants? From my perspective, they get the best of both worlds. There's the tireless, yeoman effort attached to the celebration and fun of creating and living their music, and we're all the better for it. Check out this video created by Hanks son, Cade:

GODDAMMITBOYHOWDY …is REZ punk

These Browning boys are something special because they’re something different. They have experiences that a lot of angry white kids don’t have. Goddammitboyhowdy’s brand of punk simultaneously embraces and disregards the “outsiderness” of coming from the reservation. The Blackfeet rez is a slice of Northern Montana overshadowed and underpaid by the East entrance of Glacier National Park. These Rez kids have the energy of the snowmelt coming off Logan Pass and their music will maul your face in Night of the Grizzly style. I love their style of authentic punk music that has something real to say.

But I don’t want their unique native background to overshadow the quality of their music. These guys are awesome musicians first. Their new 7” GDBH IS REZ PUNK is a great press and includes a cd of even more tracks put out under Marty’s label Minor Bird Records. It’s a piece of art, with a hand printed sleeve of the Blackfeet Nation’s seal. Their other release is super-punk packaged in a brown-bag that ironically draws attention to the other, more problematic, item wrapped in a brown bag.

GDBH’s popularity is growing. A friend of mine visiting from Olympia picked up their disc after he saw a Goddammitboyhowdy patch stitched to some Oly punk’s obligatory hoody. Will this music spark a new generation of the American Indian or inspire other AIM wannabes? I don’t know. I do know (or I may be projecting here) that the energy of their live shows can stoke a revolutionary flame or make you wish you were a native too.

Check out this video, can you feel it?