Count Brent & the Maestros

"It's kind of hard to think about so try not to think about it. Some say it's strange, and I agree, but that doesn't mean it can't be beautiful, right?" - Anonymous, Mpshows.com

Count Brent and The Maestros followed Caddywhompus. Their name, like Hafler Trio (one member) or Cocteau Twins (three members), was (at least on this particular evening), numerically misleading, since there was only Brent (razor-thin and all in black, like a tiny Nick Cave), and his huge hulking scary-looking (if extremely adept) co-instrumentalist cohort. I loved them dearly too, despite, or rather because of their dour brooding waves of sonic decay and melancholia. I didn't know anybody was still kicking it oldskool like this, but I haven't exactly been on the scene lately, either.

They reminded me at moments, of Death in June and Christian Death and a good bit of good old Bauhaus. Very bleak and gothically twisted. Sonically, Brent would lay down some samples with his violin or voice and then he and his buddy would go to work building and degrading their vibe until they had reached an intense musique concrète saturation point, in which you (me) the unsuspecting listener, was helplessly awash. Then they'd let you go and do it all over again.

As far as local acts go, they reminded me quite a bit of Begin By Gathering Supplies, at least in terms of technical approach (ie., the fine layering of the layers), albeit certainly not artistic vision: unlike BBGS, CB&TM don't really want you shaking your ass, so much as they want you twisting in your crypt.

But just like Caddywhompus, I would definitely go see these guys again.

Fortunately, they're local, so that may actually happen - http://baywatch-brimful.blogspot.com/