Brass Tax

OK, this band is from where again? Tucson, AZ? Yes, it appears to be true -- Calle Debauche do not hail from, say, Neuchatel, Switzerland or Uppsala, Sweden. It's surprising enough that Hamster Theatre reside in and around Boulder, CO, but somehow Tucson seems even stranger for a group -- like the Hamsters -- with the generally lighthearted avant-prog sound one might equate with albums by Switzerland's L'Ensemble Rayé or Sweden's Hans Bruniusson. Calle Debauche started in 2006 as a guitar-bass-drums trio and drew on a larger lineup for their first recording, an EP entitled Potemkin Carnival released in 2007. Their first full-length, eponymously named as merely Calle Debauche, arrived in April 2009, and it's an impressive release indeed, featuring a five-member core band -- playing guitar, drums/percussion, marimba/glockenspiel, tenor sax, and tuba -- supplemented by several guests here and there on accordion, clarinet, and sitar. Their crisp and nicely layered compositions touch on a world of influences including ska, tango, waltzes, circus and cartoon music, Middle Eastern/Balkan modes, and outright avant-garde, and are generally bright and amiable, but odd and occasionally even unsettling elements hover around the edges. There are even outright violent noise eruptions -- akin to the needle jumping around on an old vinyl LP during an earthquake with the volume turned to 11 -- on the closing "Son of a Cultural Gladness," most likely attributable to single-monikered guitarist (and principal composer) Mohadev, who elsewhere displays a nicely burnished and sustained tone, not to mention the type of shredding talent one might expect from a metal or hard rock axeman (on the metal meets spaghetti Western soundtrack meets ersatz jazz meets circus fanfare of "Regarding Pete"). In a more conventional band, Mohadev would acquit himself just fine, thank you, but sounds positively inspired -- particularly if you're into uncanny juxtapositions -- backed by a tuba and marimba. If there's a limitation to be found here, it's that the tunes don't quite stick in the mind the way some outright classics of the genre might -- Hamster Theatre's "Jeanne-Marie" or L'Ensemble Rayé's "Cloche-Pied" for example. But those inventive arrangements -- filled with quick-change stylistic curve balls enhanced by masterful production touches -- are at the very least pleasing to the ear, and Calle Debauche are audaciously way outside the loop in even playing this kind of stuff in the 21st century United States. There's warmth to the music as well -- of the type suggesting camaraderie rather than baking under the Tucson sun -- as the aforementioned "Son of Cultural Gladness" ends with a wordless vocal chorus that, with a larger group of people participating, could easily build into a rousing singalong anthem celebrating brotherhood and sisterhood united in a common cause, whether that cause be a good time in a beer hall or a rally for social justice. Here Calle Debauche prove capable of satisfying the heart as well as the head; given their love of complexity and subversions of dance forms, the feet might have to wait. - Dave Lynch

OK, this band is from where again? Tucson, AZ? Yes, it appears to be true -- Calle Debauche do not hail from, say, Neuchatel, Switzerland or Uppsala, Sweden. It's surprising enough that Hamster Theatre reside in and around Boulder, CO, but somehow Tucson seems even stranger for a group -- like the Hamsters -- with the generally lighthearted avant-prog sound one might equate with albums by Switzerland's L'Ensemble Rayé or Sweden's Hans Bruniusson. Calle Debauche started in 2006 as a guitar-bass-drums trio and drew on a larger lineup for their first recording, an EP entitled Potemkin Carnival released in 2007. Their first full-length, eponymously named as merely Calle Debauche, arrived in April 2009, and it's an impressive release indeed, featuring a five-member core band -- playing guitar, drums/percussion, marimba/glockenspiel, tenor sax, and tuba -- supplemented by several guests here and there on accordion, clarinet, and sitar. Their crisp and nicely layered compositions touch on a world of influences including ska, tango, waltzes, circus and cartoon music, Middle Eastern/Balkan modes, and outright avant-garde, and are generally bright and amiable, but odd and occasionally even unsettling elements hover around the edges. There are even outright violent noise eruptions -- akin to the needle jumping around on an old vinyl LP during an earthquake with the volume turned to 11 -- on the closing "Son of a Cultural Gladness," most likely attributable to single-monikered guitarist (and principal composer) Mohadev, who elsewhere displays a nicely burnished and sustained tone, not to mention the type of shredding talent one might expect from a metal or hard rock axeman (on the metal meets spaghetti Western soundtrack meets ersatz jazz meets circus fanfare of "Regarding Pete"). In a more conventional band, Mohadev would acquit himself just fine, thank you, but sounds positively inspired -- particularly if you're into uncanny juxtapositions -- backed by a tuba and marimba. If there's a limitation to be found here, it's that the tunes don't quite stick in the mind the way some outright classics of the genre might -- Hamster Theatre's "Jeanne-Marie" or L'Ensemble Rayé's "Cloche-Pied" for example. But those inventive arrangements -- filled with quick-change stylistic curve balls enhanced by masterful production touches -- are at the very least pleasing to the ear, and Calle Debauche are audaciously way outside the loop in even playing this kind of stuff in the 21st century United States. There's warmth to the music as well -- of the type suggesting camaraderie rather than baking under the Tucson sun -- as the aforementioned "Son of Cultural Gladness" ends with a wordless vocal chorus that, with a larger group of people participating, could easily build into a rousing singalong anthem celebrating brotherhood and sisterhood united in a common cause, whether that cause be a good time in a beer hall or a rally for social justice. Here Calle Debauche prove capable of satisfying the heart as well as the head; given their love of complexity and subversions of dance forms, the feet might have to wait. - Dave Lynch

by Otto Ross

Local instrumental band Calle Debauche - listing such influences as Frank Zappa, '70s avant-garde rock and eastern European folk - plays music that is impossible to squeeze into any one genre. It's also impossible to dance to.

"You want to dance, but you can't," says guitarist Mohadev. "Sometimes, people dance because it has danceable elements, but then it's constantly changing. As soon as you start dancing we'll go into a noise thing where it's unclear how to dance."
"But if somebody is up for the challenge . . . ," marimba player Chris Halvorsen dares.

Calle Debauche was formed in 2006 as a guitar, bass and drum trio but has since replaced bass with tuba, saxophone and marimba. Mixing horns with rock influences, Mohadev found tuba player Dave LeGendre and sax player Guillem Sarle through their listings on craigslist. LeGendre was looking to play in a small classical band while Sarle was trying to start a funk band of his own. Instead, they both wound up contributing to the eclectic stylings of Calle Debauche.

Mixing horns with rock influences, Calle Debauche - translated as "street debauchery" or "debauchery street" - sounds a bit like an orchestra gone wild.

"We combine a lot of elements that the connection between them is not very obvious," Mohadev says. "A lot of the stuff we play is really heavy, and I've never heard a band playing heavy music with a tuba instead of a bass player or with a marimba player."

Based on the types of music each musician in the band prefers, this eclectic result is no surprise. According to Mohadev, drummer Fred Malter listens to Latin jazz, tuba player LeGendre prefers metal, Sarle favors funk while Halvorsen jams to folk music and '70s rock. As for Mohadev, his eclectic tastes include Bulgarian wedding music, death metal and post punk among countless others.
Calle Debauche fuses this elaborate combination into one big genre-bending medley.

"A lot of our music is instrumentation and the blending of different styles in a very seamless way instead of just genre-hopping," he says. "We combine different styles into the same songs or the same compositions."

Calle creates these intricate songs using a composing program called Mozart. The program allows the musicians to write arrangements and then play the result back on their computer.
"It sounds like video game music," Mohadev says.

From there, the musicians print sheet music and pass it to the rest of the band to learn how to play the songs.

"We don't really know exactly what it's going to sound like until we start playing it and interpreting what's been written," Mohadev says. "We make a lot of stylistic decisions on how to play the parts."

May 21, Calle Debauche will have a party at Plush to celebrate the release of its first CD. The self-titled disc is a vast departure from the band's 2007 EP "Potemkin Carnival," Mohadev says.

"The EP was all over the place. Each song was in a different style," Mohadev says. "The new one is a lot more focused."

While audiences at the CD release party may have difficult time dancing to the music, they probably will never be bored, Halvorsen says.

"We try to keep the intensity up so the show is pretty fast paced. Just song after song, we jump from one to another." - Tucson Citizen

by Otto Ross

Local instrumental band Calle Debauche - listing such influences as Frank Zappa, '70s avant-garde rock and eastern European folk - plays music that is impossible to squeeze into any one genre. It's also impossible to dance to.

"You want to dance, but you can't," says guitarist Mohadev. "Sometimes, people dance because it has danceable elements, but then it's constantly changing. As soon as you start dancing we'll go into a noise thing where it's unclear how to dance."
"But if somebody is up for the challenge . . . ," marimba player Chris Halvorsen dares.

Calle Debauche was formed in 2006 as a guitar, bass and drum trio but has since replaced bass with tuba, saxophone and marimba. Mixing horns with rock influences, Mohadev found tuba player Dave LeGendre and sax player Guillem Sarle through their listings on craigslist. LeGendre was looking to play in a small classical band while Sarle was trying to start a funk band of his own. Instead, they both wound up contributing to the eclectic stylings of Calle Debauche.

Mixing horns with rock influences, Calle Debauche - translated as "street debauchery" or "debauchery street" - sounds a bit like an orchestra gone wild.

"We combine a lot of elements that the connection between them is not very obvious," Mohadev says. "A lot of the stuff we play is really heavy, and I've never heard a band playing heavy music with a tuba instead of a bass player or with a marimba player."

Based on the types of music each musician in the band prefers, this eclectic result is no surprise. According to Mohadev, drummer Fred Malter listens to Latin jazz, tuba player LeGendre prefers metal, Sarle favors funk while Halvorsen jams to folk music and '70s rock. As for Mohadev, his eclectic tastes include Bulgarian wedding music, death metal and post punk among countless others.
Calle Debauche fuses this elaborate combination into one big genre-bending medley.

"A lot of our music is instrumentation and the blending of different styles in a very seamless way instead of just genre-hopping," he says. "We combine different styles into the same songs or the same compositions."

Calle creates these intricate songs using a composing program called Mozart. The program allows the musicians to write arrangements and then play the result back on their computer.
"It sounds like video game music," Mohadev says.

From there, the musicians print sheet music and pass it to the rest of the band to learn how to play the songs.

"We don't really know exactly what it's going to sound like until we start playing it and interpreting what's been written," Mohadev says. "We make a lot of stylistic decisions on how to play the parts."

May 21, Calle Debauche will have a party at Plush to celebrate the release of its first CD. The self-titled disc is a vast departure from the band's 2007 EP "Potemkin Carnival," Mohadev says.

"The EP was all over the place. Each song was in a different style," Mohadev says. "The new one is a lot more focused."

While audiences at the CD release party may have difficult time dancing to the music, they probably will never be bored, Halvorsen says.

"We try to keep the intensity up so the show is pretty fast paced. Just song after song, we jump from one to another." - Tucson Citizen

I’ve never had fun with such an album in my life. Calle Debauche, an instrumental art rock band from Tuscon, AZ, released their first full-length earlier this year in May. I’m one to enjoy and dab into instrumental music immensely, but I don’t think I’ve ever come across something like this, really, ever. Their self-titled album is the first I’ve ever heard of them, but it is so brilliant in itself that I have to assume that the band’s first release (EP Potemkin Carnival (2007)) must have been equally as great (a quick MySpace listen at the song, “Hot Dogs,” confirms this conviction). I am definitely going to check that out for myself after being introduced to this album.

This album is full of avant-garde craftiness, coupled with fun and wild elements to the likes of Frank Zappa. The band is eclectically composed of an electric guitar, miramba, trombone, sax and percussions. Sounds like the make up of a jazz band, and in a way they are. In other ways they are also a punk band, a polka band, a classical band, a metal band…the list could go on. The point is, there is no exact way to pinpoint Calle Debauche’s place amongst others; they seem to transcend the notion of genres.

Calle Debauche are made up of very talented musicians who really know how to play their instruments. Each track is written so well that transitions are seamlessly weaved to invoke a variety of images. Generally, their tunes are upbeat and fun, but the band also manages to sneak in a few bars of tranquil mellowness occasionally. Their tendency to be more upbeat and circus-y is not to say that they can’t be taken seriously; in all truth, their music has to be taken seriously in order to fully appreciate it. I suppose that’s just an element of such avant-garde music. The arrangement of each track is very intricate, to the point where I wonder: how can they be so original, and could their future releases ever top this one?

The album starts off with “…”, a 35 second track that starts off mellow and digs right into “Defenestrator,” a very polka-esque song with so many transitions I start to think I might become bipolar. This is not a one-time thing throughout the album; in fact, almost all of the songs feature some sort of drastic transition, but as mentioned earlier–seamlessly so. It just doesn’t sound wrong, ever. I also love the full use of all instruments in each song; one instrumentalist is never left out. Calle Debauche seem to know how to use with what they’ve got very well. “VRF” is quite reminiscent of Zappa, being more of a compilation of genres of metal, ska, and jazz. It seems like an appropriate background theme for an old 80s video game. I especially enjoy “Regarding Pete,” a rock tune with amazing guitar solos that makes blatant references to songs like “The House of the Rising Sun” and the Circus theme. Such referencing always makes songs much more entertaining, and considering the rest of the album is entertaining in itself, it’s easy to see what I mean by how amazing this album is.

Calle Debauche are quite strange. Americans with a French band name that take on influences from eastern European folk music…I think I am in love with this album, I really do. It is a definite must for those looking for some fun avant-garde/prog music that captures worldly influences. If you like Zappa, you will definitely love Calle Debauche. Here’s looking to future releases! - Jessica Nguyen

I’ve never had fun with such an album in my life. Calle Debauche, an instrumental art rock band from Tuscon, AZ, released their first full-length earlier this year in May. I’m one to enjoy and dab into instrumental music immensely, but I don’t think I’ve ever come across something like this, really, ever. Their self-titled album is the first I’ve ever heard of them, but it is so brilliant in itself that I have to assume that the band’s first release (EP Potemkin Carnival (2007)) must have been equally as great (a quick MySpace listen at the song, “Hot Dogs,” confirms this conviction). I am definitely going to check that out for myself after being introduced to this album.

This album is full of avant-garde craftiness, coupled with fun and wild elements to the likes of Frank Zappa. The band is eclectically composed of an electric guitar, miramba, trombone, sax and percussions. Sounds like the make up of a jazz band, and in a way they are. In other ways they are also a punk band, a polka band, a classical band, a metal band…the list could go on. The point is, there is no exact way to pinpoint Calle Debauche’s place amongst others; they seem to transcend the notion of genres.

Calle Debauche are made up of very talented musicians who really know how to play their instruments. Each track is written so well that transitions are seamlessly weaved to invoke a variety of images. Generally, their tunes are upbeat and fun, but the band also manages to sneak in a few bars of tranquil mellowness occasionally. Their tendency to be more upbeat and circus-y is not to say that they can’t be taken seriously; in all truth, their music has to be taken seriously in order to fully appreciate it. I suppose that’s just an element of such avant-garde music. The arrangement of each track is very intricate, to the point where I wonder: how can they be so original, and could their future releases ever top this one?

The album starts off with “…”, a 35 second track that starts off mellow and digs right into “Defenestrator,” a very polka-esque song with so many transitions I start to think I might become bipolar. This is not a one-time thing throughout the album; in fact, almost all of the songs feature some sort of drastic transition, but as mentioned earlier–seamlessly so. It just doesn’t sound wrong, ever. I also love the full use of all instruments in each song; one instrumentalist is never left out. Calle Debauche seem to know how to use with what they’ve got very well. “VRF” is quite reminiscent of Zappa, being more of a compilation of genres of metal, ska, and jazz. It seems like an appropriate background theme for an old 80s video game. I especially enjoy “Regarding Pete,” a rock tune with amazing guitar solos that makes blatant references to songs like “The House of the Rising Sun” and the Circus theme. Such referencing always makes songs much more entertaining, and considering the rest of the album is entertaining in itself, it’s easy to see what I mean by how amazing this album is.

Calle Debauche are quite strange. Americans with a French band name that take on influences from eastern European folk music…I think I am in love with this album, I really do. It is a definite must for those looking for some fun avant-garde/prog music that captures worldly influences. If you like Zappa, you will definitely love Calle Debauche. Here’s looking to future releases! - Jessica Nguyen

by Glen Hall

Instrumental art rockers from Tucson, Calle Debauche sure know how to have fun. They write happy music that's a delightful mash-up of Balkan folk and Mothers of Invention rock. Their unusual instrumentation — guitar, marimba, tuba, alto sax and drums — gives them both punch and precision. On many of the 13 well-crafted tunes melodies are gleefully passed around from one instrument to another in a dizzying version of musical Hot Potato, "VRF" being just one example of this inventive strategy. Of special note on the same tune is how drummer Frederic Malter at times, plays a type of percussive antiphonal counterpoint, not just the time. Guitarist Mohadev delivers a great spaghetti western melody on "Regarding Pete," with a savoury, scrunchy guitar tone, and the piece ends with a program music, wind-across-the-prairies thematic riff. The tunes on this disc will bring a smile to your face and put a bounce in your step for the rest of the day. - Exclaim Magazine

by Glen Hall

Instrumental art rockers from Tucson, Calle Debauche sure know how to have fun. They write happy music that's a delightful mash-up of Balkan folk and Mothers of Invention rock. Their unusual instrumentation — guitar, marimba, tuba, alto sax and drums — gives them both punch and precision. On many of the 13 well-crafted tunes melodies are gleefully passed around from one instrument to another in a dizzying version of musical Hot Potato, "VRF" being just one example of this inventive strategy. Of special note on the same tune is how drummer Frederic Malter at times, plays a type of percussive antiphonal counterpoint, not just the time. Guitarist Mohadev delivers a great spaghetti western melody on "Regarding Pete," with a savoury, scrunchy guitar tone, and the piece ends with a program music, wind-across-the-prairies thematic riff. The tunes on this disc will bring a smile to your face and put a bounce in your step for the rest of the day. - Exclaim Magazine

by Glenn Doom

Calle Debauche is a fun, intriguing band that is carving out its own niche in Phoenix. Right off the bat, they are certainly not a metal band. The first song on the album starts fast, with the full band. The sound is celebratory and original for an American band.

Since I began studying them, I've really taken a liking to their music. They're probably never going to reach the top of any radio station's charts, and that's part of why I like them. However, I was having trouble pinning down their sound.

I first thought of Calle Debauche's style as mostly jazz, blending metal, rock and - like, well, I was kind of coming up blank. I wanted to say, "Circus music,' or "Jewish music." But those terms don't describe much, so I asked my jazz educated, trumpet blaring friend Ross Huff of The Macpodz from Ann Arbor about what influences he heard in the band's music.

Huff said they don't sound much like anything he's heard before. "Polka, klezmer, prog rock, ska, gypsy jazz," he said over an email. "Something I'd really like to see live."

Clearly we are dealing with a hodgepodge of influences.

A review of Calle Debauche's new s/t album by one Tom Butcher of The Silent Ballet calls to mind a common misconception people have with Calle Debauche - they think it's video game music. This dude Butcher spends half the review talking about video game music, most of the other half garbling nonsense, and uses a little word space to review the album. He didn't get it.

I mean, neither did I, but I wasn't about to go writing them off. That's not the avantgarde-metal.com way of doing things.

I agree that the music is thematic and similar to VGM cover bands. But even VGM's roots come from some other style. River City Ransom for the Nintendo Entertainment System, for example, uses swing music, but people now call it "Video Game Music." It's funny how music can be labeled something way different from what its creator intended it to be.

But enough about the VGM because Calle Debauche, and let me be very clear here, is NOT a video game cover band. Front man and guitarist Mohadev writes the majority of the songs. It takes talent to write this kind of stuff. It turns out that he composes the songs with midi software, prints out the sheet music for his band mates, and away they go.

I called Mohadev June 9 and heard from the horse's mouth what the band's influences are.

Mohadev's father is a classical musician from India who specializes in playing ragas, which are traditional improvisatory pieces commonly named after seasons, periods of the day, or moods. This is where his north Indian classical music influence comes from.

Bulgarian wedding music is also an influence audible in the album. Mohadev sent me a link to a YouTube video of Ivo Papasov's Wedding Band. Oh my god. The musicianship is way too technical and crazy for me to wrap my brain around, and it's wedding music. Freaking crazy. Other influences include Rock In Opposition's Samla Mammas Manna from Sweden and Henry Cow from England, Le Ensemble Raye, Cardiacs from England, Uz Jsme Doma of Prague, Voivod, Megadeth, and Sigh from Japan.

Duh. We are talking worldly influences here. You could almost call it all "world music."

In addition, the rest of Calle Debauche has different musical influences. Frederic is their German jazz drummer who likes Latin jazz, math and prog rock. Guillem is their classically trained Andorran saxophonist who loves funk. Dave on tuba is into Opeth and Amon Amarth, and classical composers Wagner and Prokofiev. And Chris is the New Yorker on marimba who likes folk music and communist rock.

It stands to reason this band is going to have a unique sound.

Metal makes a few appearances on this album, in the form of rocking guitars and even some pretty wicked solos. Mohadev said the first metal he ever got into was Megadeth. As a boy, he was involved in a Megadeth-Metallica feud among his friends and always rooted for Megadeth. Yes! They are cooler, you know.

The name Calle Debauche can be translated into either Street Debauchery or Debauchery Street. Calle is a Spanish word, and Debauche is French.

I asked Mohadev what musical styles he would use to describe his band.

I don't fucking know. I deal with that all the time," he said. "I don't know what to tell people. I say it's sorta like circus music with, uh, a circusy rock music - I really don't have a good answer."

You know a band has a complicated sound when the band leader doesn't even know what to call it. I asked him what he tells people at parties, for example, when he has to think up something quick to call his band.

"I always just tell them it's quirky, instrumental pop music," he said.

The band started in 2006 as a guitar, bass and drum trio, and recorded an EP. After adding lots of overdubbing and additional instruments, "The songs ended up being stuff we couldn't pull off with the trio," Mohadev said. The type of music they wer - Avant-garde Metal

by Glenn Doom

Calle Debauche is a fun, intriguing band that is carving out its own niche in Phoenix. Right off the bat, they are certainly not a metal band. The first song on the album starts fast, with the full band. The sound is celebratory and original for an American band.

Since I began studying them, I've really taken a liking to their music. They're probably never going to reach the top of any radio station's charts, and that's part of why I like them. However, I was having trouble pinning down their sound.

I first thought of Calle Debauche's style as mostly jazz, blending metal, rock and - like, well, I was kind of coming up blank. I wanted to say, "Circus music,' or "Jewish music." But those terms don't describe much, so I asked my jazz educated, trumpet blaring friend Ross Huff of The Macpodz from Ann Arbor about what influences he heard in the band's music.

Huff said they don't sound much like anything he's heard before. "Polka, klezmer, prog rock, ska, gypsy jazz," he said over an email. "Something I'd really like to see live."

Clearly we are dealing with a hodgepodge of influences.

A review of Calle Debauche's new s/t album by one Tom Butcher of The Silent Ballet calls to mind a common misconception people have with Calle Debauche - they think it's video game music. This dude Butcher spends half the review talking about video game music, most of the other half garbling nonsense, and uses a little word space to review the album. He didn't get it.

I mean, neither did I, but I wasn't about to go writing them off. That's not the avantgarde-metal.com way of doing things.

I agree that the music is thematic and similar to VGM cover bands. But even VGM's roots come from some other style. River City Ransom for the Nintendo Entertainment System, for example, uses swing music, but people now call it "Video Game Music." It's funny how music can be labeled something way different from what its creator intended it to be.

But enough about the VGM because Calle Debauche, and let me be very clear here, is NOT a video game cover band. Front man and guitarist Mohadev writes the majority of the songs. It takes talent to write this kind of stuff. It turns out that he composes the songs with midi software, prints out the sheet music for his band mates, and away they go.

I called Mohadev June 9 and heard from the horse's mouth what the band's influences are.

Mohadev's father is a classical musician from India who specializes in playing ragas, which are traditional improvisatory pieces commonly named after seasons, periods of the day, or moods. This is where his north Indian classical music influence comes from.

Bulgarian wedding music is also an influence audible in the album. Mohadev sent me a link to a YouTube video of Ivo Papasov's Wedding Band. Oh my god. The musicianship is way too technical and crazy for me to wrap my brain around, and it's wedding music. Freaking crazy. Other influences include Rock In Opposition's Samla Mammas Manna from Sweden and Henry Cow from England, Le Ensemble Raye, Cardiacs from England, Uz Jsme Doma of Prague, Voivod, Megadeth, and Sigh from Japan.

Duh. We are talking worldly influences here. You could almost call it all "world music."

In addition, the rest of Calle Debauche has different musical influences. Frederic is their German jazz drummer who likes Latin jazz, math and prog rock. Guillem is their classically trained Andorran saxophonist who loves funk. Dave on tuba is into Opeth and Amon Amarth, and classical composers Wagner and Prokofiev. And Chris is the New Yorker on marimba who likes folk music and communist rock.

It stands to reason this band is going to have a unique sound.

Metal makes a few appearances on this album, in the form of rocking guitars and even some pretty wicked solos. Mohadev said the first metal he ever got into was Megadeth. As a boy, he was involved in a Megadeth-Metallica feud among his friends and always rooted for Megadeth. Yes! They are cooler, you know.

The name Calle Debauche can be translated into either Street Debauchery or Debauchery Street. Calle is a Spanish word, and Debauche is French.

I asked Mohadev what musical styles he would use to describe his band.

I don't fucking know. I deal with that all the time," he said. "I don't know what to tell people. I say it's sorta like circus music with, uh, a circusy rock music - I really don't have a good answer."

You know a band has a complicated sound when the band leader doesn't even know what to call it. I asked him what he tells people at parties, for example, when he has to think up something quick to call his band.

"I always just tell them it's quirky, instrumental pop music," he said.

The band started in 2006 as a guitar, bass and drum trio, and recorded an EP. After adding lots of overdubbing and additional instruments, "The songs ended up being stuff we couldn't pull off with the trio," Mohadev said. The type of music they wer - Avant-garde Metal

STAND BY TO DEBAUCHE

Another week in the Old Pueblo, another couple of local CDs being released.

Calle Debauche began life as a trio in 2006, and released an album, Potemkin Carnival, in that formation. Since then, they've lost one member and gained three more. This week, they release their second album, this one self-titled, as a five-piece: Mohadev (guitar, banjo, keys), Frederic Malter (drums), Chris Halvorsen (marimba), Guillem Sarlé (tenor sax) and David LeGendre (tuba).

Like so many young local acts, Calle Debauche strictly performs instrumentals, and theirs are quirkier than most. "Angle of Ill Repute" is centered on a ska beat and a whimsical little clarinet/sax melody, but makes room within its 3 1/2 minutes for a variation on a marimba melody, as well as a lovely bridge. One section even recalls the novelty hit "Popcorn," by Hot Butter.

"Regarding Pete," which follows, starts out as something like a march that leads into a dual-guitar lead that reminds of any number of '70s prog bands, before getting jazzy at the end. Aside from its prominent banjo, one section of "Food Poisoning" sounds a bit like the jazz band Sting put together after The Police broke up. But that's something of an anomaly: Most of what's found on the CD is cut from the same avant-garde cloth as Frank Zappa, early Camper Van Beethoven (especially during the ska and Eastern European passages) and the work of Mike Patton. If that's your bag, do yourself a favor and check 'em out: They're awfully good at it.

Calle Debauche celebrate the release of their new album with a release party next Thursday, May 21, at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St. Also on the bill are locals Chris Black and Flagrante Delicto, who begin at 9:30 p.m. A fiver gets you into the back room. Call 798-1298 for further details. - Tucson Weekly

STAND BY TO DEBAUCHE

Another week in the Old Pueblo, another couple of local CDs being released.

Calle Debauche began life as a trio in 2006, and released an album, Potemkin Carnival, in that formation. Since then, they've lost one member and gained three more. This week, they release their second album, this one self-titled, as a five-piece: Mohadev (guitar, banjo, keys), Frederic Malter (drums), Chris Halvorsen (marimba), Guillem Sarlé (tenor sax) and David LeGendre (tuba).

Like so many young local acts, Calle Debauche strictly performs instrumentals, and theirs are quirkier than most. "Angle of Ill Repute" is centered on a ska beat and a whimsical little clarinet/sax melody, but makes room within its 3 1/2 minutes for a variation on a marimba melody, as well as a lovely bridge. One section even recalls the novelty hit "Popcorn," by Hot Butter.

"Regarding Pete," which follows, starts out as something like a march that leads into a dual-guitar lead that reminds of any number of '70s prog bands, before getting jazzy at the end. Aside from its prominent banjo, one section of "Food Poisoning" sounds a bit like the jazz band Sting put together after The Police broke up. But that's something of an anomaly: Most of what's found on the CD is cut from the same avant-garde cloth as Frank Zappa, early Camper Van Beethoven (especially during the ska and Eastern European passages) and the work of Mike Patton. If that's your bag, do yourself a favor and check 'em out: They're awfully good at it.

Calle Debauche celebrate the release of their new album with a release party next Thursday, May 21, at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St. Also on the bill are locals Chris Black and Flagrante Delicto, who begin at 9:30 p.m. A fiver gets you into the back room. Call 798-1298 for further details. - Tucson Weekly