Archive for Sightings

Sightings – City of Straw (Brah) 2010

Posted in Music, noise, Sightings with tags , , on November 16, 2011 by noisenoisenoise

 

I love Sightings probably to the point of obsession. You see Sightings sounds to me like the perfect deconstruction of rock music into its essence. It’s difficult and loud and messy.

2010 saw the release of their last record, City of Straw. Compared with their previous record Through the Panama it just seemed to sneak out without much fanfare. I think it is a shame because it is on the finest things they have done and one of the best records of last year. If I go back and listen to their early works like their self titled debut or Michigan Haters, they sounded like a cross between Pussy Galore, Jesus Lizard and Wolf Eyes. After each album their sound has grown to the point where (I think in part to their producer Andrew W.k.) they have become a much more sophisticated group with influences ranging from No Wave, DNA  and the Swans. The chaos is still there but in a lurching kind of way. Instead of staying sonically messy like their earlier records their sound became focused and probably a bit harder. In fact I’d go a step further and say that there is a sonic coldness to their recent output especially when the zombie dead pan vocals kick in. For a three piece from Brooklyn they make a great racket and are one of the few noise rock bands that have not compromised on their vision or sound.

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Sightings – Through the Panama (Load) 2007

Posted in Mouthus, Music, noise, Sightings with tags on July 4, 2008 by noisenoisenoise

With the untimely demise of the Yellow Swans, I’ve been on the hunt for a new favourite band and I think I may have found it in this three peice from Brooklyn. Produced by Andrew W.K. last year  Through the Panama is Sightings fourth full length. I have no idea whether this record is representatyive of their previous output, but I will say is this is the sort of avant rock which really works for me.  It’s noisy, experimental but bases itself around normal rock song structure.

When I first played it last week the most immediate band that came to mind was the New York no-wave band Mars. I think that impression had more to do with the vocalist’s version of intimidating ambivilance rather thna the music itself.  I suppose to use more modern equivilants,  Sightings sit somewhere between the intentional obtuseness of Mouthus and the nihilistic, swaggering cool of Liars.  The majority of the songs have vocals (with lyrics even!). The first two tracks bely the strength of Through the Panama as an album.  Both sound like post-punk infused no-wave updated for the new millenium. Even when they do a Yellow Swans style drone/noise excursion (on Cloven Hoof)  Sightings really hit the mark.

Live 2008 Rhode Island

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