The Airborne Toxic Event - Gasoline
With a name cribbed from a cataclysmic chemical spill in Don DeLillo’s 1985
novel White Noise and a frontman who grew up listening avidly to The Smiths,
it should really come as no great surprise that The Airborne Toxic Event trade in a particularly dramatic brand of American indie rock.
However, unlike many of music’s method actors, songwriter Mikel Jollett has a real source of drama to draw on. The former journalist, who has had fiction published in American indie-lit institution McSweeney’s, wrote the
band’s self-titled debut album in the wake of a messy break-up, his mother’s
diagnosis with cancer and the discovery that he was suffering from
Autoimmune disease.
Such a menu of misfortune might lead you to expect some decidedly
dour music but in fact, although The Airborne Toxic Event deal with dark themes, the five-piece act (which, rather unusually, features a viola - an instrument rather neglected in the rock canon, save for the occasional band such as Velvet Underground) produces profoundly uplifting songs like Gasoline – introduced on the first night of the band’s month-long Dublin Castle residency this week as “a song about teenage sex”. Starting with a ragged count-off, Gasoline careens to a conclusion like a car with broken brakes, a slice of Springsteen-sprinkled, classic indie rock.
[Hear Gasoline by Airbone Toxic Event]
[And watch a video of an acoustic performance of the track here]
Mic Wright
11:57 AM | 05/11/2008
More Photos Of:
Latest Track Of The Day
-
Regina Spektor - All The Rowboats
'Anti-folk' hero continues to confuse and delight in equal measure with new album out today (21 May)
-
TNGHT - Bugg'n
Disjointed electronic madness from accomplished production team
-
The Who - I Can't Explain
We've gone into the vault to celebrate one of the Mod's birthdays...
-
The Hives - Go Right Ahead
The Swedes are back and this time they've got top hats (and a UK tour on sale today, 20 May)
-
Zulu Winter - Silver Tongue
A new single and debut album Language, it's a big week for the Londoners
-
Animal Collective - Gotham
It's not the theme from The Dark Knight Rises but the band's seven-inch warm-up ahead of a new album later this year
Advertisement
User Comments
Post A Comment
Thanks for bringing this amazing band to the forefront... Just love them!! The entire CD is filled with great tunes... Love Wishing Well, Gasoline, Missy , Innocense and of course, Somethime Around Midnight!! It's been a long time since a band has been so inspiring!!
Posted by Leda at 4:11 PM | 05/11/2008 | Report Abuse
Awesome band, 10/10 live, well done Q recognising pure quality
Posted by jim at 12:41 AM | 08/11/2008 | Report Abuse
I don't know who posted the previous comments, but this band is super over hyped. Read their pitchfork review. They blow.
Posted by jonah at 7:49 AM | 10/11/2008 | Report Abuse
I guess that last comment may be from the band's cyber stalker who posts nasty comments about them anywhere and everywhere. Well, I for one can say they are awesome. They really do not blow. The live set they do is full of energy even in front of the smaller crowds drawn on this tour, and the lyrics are so potent and heart wrenching yet optimistic at the same time.
See them now before their CD is released; once that happens they wont be playing these smaller venues.
Posted by Mandy at 2:55 PM | 10/11/2008 | Report Abuse
I suggest Jonah, you read Mikel's response to pitchfork review. Of course everyones entitled to their opinions, however some people make livings out of pure and utter trash. I take it you haven't been to a live show? If so and you still feel the same, then that's fine, but I have seen them 4 times live, their awesome and I'm entitled to that view.
Posted by jim at 8:54 PM | 10/11/2008 | Report Abuse
Saw these guys on Monday in Southampton and gotta say they were superb, only had a handful of people watching but somehow made it even better. Album is great and if you get a chance whilst they are over here then check em out, you won't be disappointed....oh and Anna is bl**dy gorgeous too.
Posted by Fabreze at 8:28 AM | 12/11/2008 | Report Abuse
Saw these guys at the dublin castle last night, they will go far, they are a superb band overflowing with fresh talent, the pitchfork review is just someones opinion (remember that Jonah and get a mind of your own )
Go see them now before they're filling stadiums.
Posted by Caustic-chris at 1:44 PM | 19/11/2008 | Report Abuse
Post A Comment