Sound collage, performance art, exceptionally self-aware pop weirdness and a whole host of other adjectives of my own devising are popping up in my mind-brain while attempting to truly express how much Seattle's Free Music (nee Punishment) will completely surprise and wow you guys at Total Fest XIV this year. Musically, William Statler's one-man-magic-orchestra fits somewhere between the soundtrack to a Sega Dreamcast game and Brian Eno's emotional 1970's. It's a bizarre mix, sure, but the real neon icing comes into play when you see Free Music live and in person. I don't wanna give too much away; you really do have to see this.
Free Music is one of the true enigmas at the festival this year. While I did mention "performance art" and that phrase is sure to make more than a few of your eyes glaze over, you should trust me. Let's just highlight the word Performance for a minute. A few years ago, while Free Music was still known as Punishment, he played a show at the ZACC with Mega Bog and completely enraptured the room. It was one of the most amazing things I'd seen a solo performer do. There's a ton of humor in it, it's almost childlike, but the depth is there and you can tell this guy is completely serious about what he's doing. I seem to remember there was a basketball involved. "Not in my house."
Let me put it another way: Free Music is one of the most "punk" bands I've ever seen. This is the kind of punk that doesn't need a snarling beard or a half-stack. This is punk that doesn't need a band. This is punk like it really, REALLY, doesn't care what you think. It's confrontational but dressed up in a cartoon half-smile and completely one of the most unique things this festival has harbored in a good long while. CYA this summer, doods.
NY-by-way-of-Seattle's Mega Bog has morphed into a heavy-hitter of what this particular listener has termed the "elegant English psych pop underground" that really lives in no place, assaults your threshold for whimsy, and has so far produced nothing but amazing songs.
Erin Birgy has brought her 'Bog to Missoula on more than one occasion in the last two years. Once at the ZACC joined by Punishment/Free Music, and a couple other times with IJI (who are totally playing Camp Daze this year, btw). Every time has been a dream. I'm worried (not really) about geeking out or alienating some of the more "hardcore" Total Bros here because Mega Bog references a lot of the things I thought only record store owners or dudes that lived alone with their cats cared about: Kevin Ayers, Nico's "difficult music," woodwinds. There's a saxophone all over her most recent record and it's glorious. I can tell you one thing for sure and I know that it's true. Mega Bog rules and Missoula and the world is lucky to have her. Hell, we're more than ecstatic she's playing Total Fest this year.
