Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"There's a place musicians go when they've been around; too bad there's hardly ever any drummers there. But Long Beach duo Poverty level can do without, plucking out minimal acoustic guy-on-bass/girl-on-guitar pop that's as refined as one of those top-shelf bottles of whiskey. They like Elvis Costello and X and show it. Fortunately or no, bassist Gene Whitright has a voice that dips from a strident Costello to a twitchy David Thomas of Pere Ubu fame ("I Don't Wanna Be Like That" sits down on the happy side of "sentimental Journey" or "Humor Me") or Frank Black to--and we hate to say it, but we know the masses need a reference--Tenacious D's Jack Black. But unlike Tenacious D, Poverty Level makes real music that's funny to your brain, not just your bonghole. Songs like "I, Rodan" or "Dr. Thompson" might be portraits of people hanging by their fingertips, but it's still precariously hilarious--who knew your drab, frustrating life had so much in common with a movie monster? And penultimate "For The Life Of Me" shuffles together the Blue Orchids' post-industrial (the society, not the genre) blahs with Camper Van Beethoven's bleary-eyed kind-of blues. "Underground music is the new disco/Quiet is NOT the new loud/Kiss my ass/I'm going out for a smoke/It's the last real vice I have left," sings Gene. One day, we'll be that dignified!" - LA Weekly
Discography
"Ain't We Happy" Full Length 2001
"Willmore City" Full Length 2003
"When the Hills are A'Blaze" Single 2004
"7Days/Big Baby" Single 2004
"Test My Faith" Full Length Fall of 2005 (not yet released)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy