Mahjongg rewards my RSS addiction
I've been using Google Reader to subscribe to RSS feeds right and left, because if the information is out there I want to know it as soon as it gets there, dammit! And yesterday it paid off: reading my feeds at home, finally, after a gruelling two-day return journey from Indiana, the Ithaca Times arts blog announced a last-minute show at No Radio Records by Chicago band Mahjongg, that very evening! And I read the announcement in time to go! And the show was fantastic! They answered my question, "Where, oh where, are the bands using electronics in a rock context? And playing some extra drums?" Mahjongg is one of them! Five guys playing three sets of drums (with MIDI pads), analog and digital synths, bass and guitar (sometimes) made a glorious rhythmic racket in the tradition of my favorite 80s Sheffield bands, Hula and Cabaret Voltaire. They sound like a cross between Polyrock and the Cabs on "Aluminum" (and even adopt the violent imagery that was a favorite of CV):
I was impressed enough to buy their new CD, Kontpab, and I love it! Don't just take my word for it, you can listen to the whole thing on the K Records website. Oh, please let this be the start of a new trend...