Sometimes you wonder when a trend is going to run it's course. The 80s new wave revival has been going on longer than the original decade lasted. Since the beginning of this century there have been more acts with angular bass lines, synth patches and funny haircuts than hippies to shake sticks at them for not playing "real music."
You'd think that nu new wave had finally jumped the shark. But instead, the extremely photogenic Hank & Cupcakes emigrated from Tel Aviv to Brooklyn to show America how it's done. Despite being brought up on a musical diet of classical piano and low key acts like Tori Amos and Paul Simon, Cupcakes eats up the scenery like a 60s Bond girl. Imagine if Eartha Kitt played the drums while setting fire to the stage during one of her torch songs, and you might get an idea of what's going down at Bardot Friday night.
Playing the drums standing up while singing lead is a neat trick. Even Sheila E. doesn't use a kick drum when she's out front. So when Cupcakes sings and dances behind her kit, the sole other instrument to Hank's heavily processed bass guitar, it is almost as impressive as the funky hooks they pump out on tunes like " Ain't No Love." Making the evening more fun for those revelers being inducted into the world of of Hank & Cupcakes tonight, is their knack for covers. You can expect both their slinky version of Joy Division's "She's Lost Control" and their punky take on last year's dancefloor mega-anthem "Like A G6." And that, dear readers, is a good thing.
I think you hit the nail right on the head, Tom... They're very cool, indeed...!
Posted by: Ralph Portilla | 05/05/2011 at 07:47 PM