It’s nearing in on a year since Iffy’s locally-hyped debut Biota Bondo was released, but the band’s sugary should-be-Top-40 pop work is still gaining momentum nationally. Last summer, the disc’s opener “Double Dutch” was played at a handful of Major League Baseball parks for it’s “comin’ in ready to swing” chorus. Now, Iffy’s tracks have been selected by the International Olympic Committee to be played at athletic venues in Salt Lake City this week. The band was one of just 25 chosen by the committee. Others included Incubus, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Ozzy Osbourne and Jennifer Lopez.
From medals to metal… This Saturday three of the Twin Cities best loud rock bands share the Uptown Bar stage. Sunset Black headlines with Secretly Drowning and Trend 86. Trend 86’s new seven-song EP Adobe unveils a more raw and streamlined sound. Most of their metamorphosis took place this fall, when they shed their horn section and went into the studio with producer Steve Albini.
“He really insisted on us co-producing it with him,” said singer Steve Schmidt. “It was kind of intimidating at first. He’d ask us how we thought something sounded. We’d all nod our heads, and then he’d say, ‘No, no! That sounds horrible. He put high expectations on us, and we really came out a completely new band.”
Trend 86 also play The Uptown on Friday with openers Clair de Lune.
In other news… The Burning Reason, who you may have read about in this column a few weeks ago, are working through some intra-band drama and have cancelled their show this Sunday at the Dinkytowner. Singer/guitarist Will Just used the word “touchy” in our email correspondence. Guitarist Ryan Young and bassist Travis Even are no longer in the band. No new bass player has been finalized. The Killing Bottle‘s Chris Rose is temporarily taking up the second guitar position, and Flipsyde‘s Claudio Rivera helping out in the studio as “interim drummer.” Just and company are finishing up a full-length record for Amped Records, a Denver-based subsidiary of TVT Records. Download previews at www.mp3.com/theburningreason.
Flipsyde plays on campus Thursday as part of Cabin Fever Week. The pop-ska sextet headlines a Valentine’s Day showcase at McNamara Alumni Center with Mr. Biggins and After All. All three bands have U students among their ranks. A van accident over the holidays caused Flipsyde to cancel their winter tour. While they search for a new vehicle, they’ve converted their practice space to a recording studio and are working on material for a possible early summer split EP with The Common Place.
In new release news… The Hawaii Show‘s self-titled debut CD is in stores. The sixteen tracks serve much better as a souvenir of the troop’s live performance than they do as an introduction to Mr. Hawaii Dude’s rock ‘n’ roll fantasy world… Local DJ Freddy Fresh has a new CD out on Brooklyn Music called Music for Swingers. Fresh has had Top 40 success in Europe, but in the U.S. he might still be most heard as the voice sampled on Fatboy Slim‘s “In Heaven.” He’s also collaborated with Grandmaster Flash, the Sneaker Pimps and Eminem, among others. Most of Music for Swingers‘ tracks sound like they’d make perfect beds for Hello Nasty-era Beastie Boys songs… Ol’ Yeller celebrates the release of their second CD this Friday at the Turf Club… Also Friday, eclectic, space-themed concept rockers P. Skunk Willy throw a CD release show at the Bryant-Lake Bowl.
Dan Haugen is the Lens music editor. Please send comments and correspondence to [email protected].