Missoula's
dad noise quartet Total Combined Weight (they seem to like the term
man noise but something about dad noise sits better with me) boasts a
lot of things, but they're claim that "we will out eat you
anywhere, anytime" is one I caution you from challenging. These
dudes are large, menacing beings that fit the cuddly teddy bear
cliche to a tee. They'll probably punch me in the arm for saying
that. They're the type of dudes who bring a keg to the recording
studio, but also take their kids fishing, stroller through the
farmer's market, and fill a room with their laughter.
It's
easy to see how these dudes coalesce into a tight-nit, sweat soaked,
raw, straight ahead, power machine. They're like some
smiling-bearded-large-voiced borg who share the same sense of humor
and willingness to deliver fist-raising, anthemic song after glorious
song. Sure there's a lot of nostalgia brewing here. Some 90s era
hardcore tied together with familiar pop-punk arrangements.
Simplicity doesn't mean simple, though. They've pulled elements from
their past and at times slow things down, pile on heavy riffs and
drums, slide into off beat rhythms and quick changes. Familiar and
strange all at once, you feel like you still have a 5 CD changer, but
you're sitting in a stranger's basement. On the surface, TCW can seem
like a group of dudes pounding away on their instruments without much
care as to who and how many people dig them. That sentiment couldn't
be further from the truth. At their core, their dedicated musicians
who can't stomach strings that aren't in tune, amps with a buggered
connection (seriously, don't be that amp), missing a fill, or being
shocked by a mic. It's an awesome combination to witness:
straight-up, loud, powerful music shepherded by an almost collective
OCD dedication to polish.Throw in some of the shortest-shorts and those gargantuan smiles, and you're swarmed over by the dad-noise monster known as Total Combined Weight.
