Guttermouth, Finch, theSTART & Indecisive Youth

A somewhat unorthodox convention of differing musical schools, Wednesday's Guttermouth show at The Brick Works promised to be, at worst, a cultural enhancement for all those in attendance, myself certainly included. Upon entrance, I found disciples of the respective schools to be milling about in youthful anticipation of their particular band of interest; the Finch boys and girls were, on the whole cherubic and smug with contemporary fashion and mingling cheerfully; the Guttermouthers waiting somewhat less cheerfully, but equally smug.
Indecisive Youth, a last minute addition to the bill, were their usual chipper selves. Razor-sharp vocal harmonies, cheerful melodicism and up-tempo meter all contributed to the happy aura exuded by the band as a whole. I smiled as they played, finding their music, as usual, to be a very pleasant reminder of an older style of new-school punk rock lost, of late, amidst a steady stream of emo-ish hedgers and thick-riffed Hessians disguised by lip-rings and star tattoos.
theSTART was next. Honestly, my expectations were slightly less than high, even though the band had previously toured with Weezer and Incubus (or also possibly because of this). But as they began their set, my expectations were easily met and quickly exceeded. Projecting professionalism not present in subsequent bands (more on this later) theSTART created an amazing wall of sound with a mere three instruments. They successfully combined aspects of new-wave, punk rock, metal and pop without sounding like any of these, theSTART was far better than I had ever suspected. This same thought seemed to simultaneously occur to a large portion of those present whose initial disinterest slowly gave way to curious involvement. theSTART had certainly done it's best to win over both the crowd and myself. Little did I know that this phenomenon would soon be enacted in reverse.
The occasion for the reversal was the performance of the next band, Finch, who unlike theSTART, had no need to win me over, it being the case that I had been listening to their new CD for a month straight and feverishly anticipating this show. But as they ambled onstage, something about their demeanor struck me as offensive. Not in a rude way, but in an overly aloof way. They seemed to be waiting for the sound to be sorted out, and through this wait they scowled menacingly and seemed disenchanted. When Finch's set began this red haze was somewhat lifted, but the band did little to lighten my disappointment. During my favorite song, the bassist broke a string and left the stage, not returning until the conclusion.. The band went through the motions in the way that they felt they should, the way that they had envisioned way before they had a van, or a tour, or even a band, but somehow I was not convinced. Guttermouth began, but I was bitter and uninterested. I had an interview scheduled with Aimee Echo of theSTART, and we decided to escape the din and go to Panamas where we talked as the sounds of galloping horse drumbeats and sardonic lyrics bled through the walls. Guttermouth did what they do, play punk rock fast and pissed off, and those there to witness it were satisfied. I was not. I exited cursing my unmet expectations and ruing the hole in my memory that was left unfilled.
- Daniel Taylor
- Photos by Alyssa Starkey

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