Plays the Lord

Wax Tablet
By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF  |  January 16, 2013

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Glass Fingers
• It's twenty thirteen, and everyone we're talkin' to has got an idea for some new rock party. He wants to start a lounge night at the Armory, she wants to throw an all-night noise rave, and they wanna do a cover night of all the bands Jon Donnell has ever played in. These are all good ideas that will get their due, but first, someone's gotta take care that the original good rock idea, METAL MONDAYS, is in effect. And Portland would be decidedly vulnerable in that department if not for LORD EARTH — the sludgy, doomy, groovy, instrumental hard rock duo from South Portland. Taking a cue from other organizations with supersized, grandiose names — like MOMA, Whole Foods, and British Petroleum — Lord Earth are a logical choice to revive the cultural institution of Metal Mondays. And they've done a fine job of it so far, hosting sets by COALSACK IN CRUX, ACE GALLOPER, ARCANE LORE, and BUILDER OF THE HOUSE all January at Flask Lounge. What's that? Yeah, we know those aren't exactly metal bands, but let's not forget the two foremost tenets of metal. One is partying when it's not possible — hence the Monday night — and the second is confusion. Remember, it was Ozzy Osbourne who said, "Fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me," which is the sincerest paean to confusion that ever was. Lord Earth are just two mere men, but they seem to understand this intuitively, and have so far set metal's year off on the right foot. Their ultra-listenable 2012 LP Napalm, Baby is up at lordearth.bandcamp.com; see them play with the fried-up blues unit Arcane Lore this week at Flask Lounge.

• Thinking back, 2012 was long on a lot of musical events, like cover nights, dubstep parties, and heavy metal Rick sightings. But one thing it was definitely too short on was sex music. Now it's a new year, and one man has proven sensitive enough to nip that problem in the bud: Jesse Gertz, a/k/a GLASS FINGERS, who softly dropped the single "Do You?" this week, a scrumptious little electro jam that tackles the topic gloves-off. Gertz has recruited a crop of other local producers to help dress up the track, and the seven-song single includes remixes by COMPUTER AT SEA, AFRAID, JARED FAIRFIELD, and MR. NEET, along with a couple more Gertz interpretations from alternate heights of excitation. The release does make us wonder if any female electronic producers were up to the task, but as it stands, it's a lovely little slice of soft masculinity, and one of the finer calls to action we've heard in awhile. Do You? is a teaser for Glass Fingers' forthcoming release this spring, get a piece at glassfingers.bandcamp.com.

  Topics: New England Music News , Computer at Sea, Computer at Sea, Arcane Lore,  More more >
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