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The Dandy Warhols

on Tim Kerr Records


My first and only exposure to the Warhols was at the Electrafixion show in Salt Lake City last November. They took the stage and the audience's breath away as they launched into their heavy set. This is a band that has a lot of fun together; it shows through in their lighthearted material. In concert Zia never stops dancing, Courtney talks to the crowd between every song. I guess it's probably hard to take yourself too seriously when you purposefully imitate other bands and sing about how small your brain is.

The band actually does tongue in cheek imitations of bands they seem to have been influenced by ("Ride" sounds strangely like the British band of the same name, "Lou Weed" sounds just like something the former Velvet would have dashed off). The last three songs, a "fast-driving rave-up with the Dandy Warhols sixteen minutes'," are very reminiscent of "Sister Ray." Although ghosts of these and other bands (maybts of these and other bands (maybe T. Rex) float around the album, they come off sounding very fresh, new, and original.

Although most of their songs are hard-edged, rumbling and heavy, songs like "Genius" and "Dick" let their quiet, melodic side show through. These are very talented musicians who add a lot to Courtney Taylor's well-crafted songs. I think they may be the most underrated band of 1995.

Wade Chamberlain
© 1996, Rational Alternative Digital