‘WE LOST TRACK OF WHAT MADE US DO THE MUSIC'
Prime candidates
Sian Bevan discovers that oddball indie trio Presidents of the United States of America have got a bit older but are still refusing to grow up.
he Presidents of the United States ol‘ America are the proud owners of the most cumbersome name in pop history. Fortunately. that name is also associated with hlissl'ul memories of the l‘)‘)()s. when all around its was fields and rock was fun. Songs such as 'l’eaches‘ and ‘l.ump‘ remain classics that draw a warm smile ol‘ rememhrance from all who know them. as does their self-titled debut of NOS. They
were renowned as a fantastic liye act. lull ol‘
_iumping and ridiculous two-stringed guitars and then . . . nothing. Their split was blamed on exhaustion and. despite protests from many l'K l'ans. PUSA slid ol'l~ the radar.
The boys released Low lz‘i'r'ryom' in 2004. which saw a slightly more mature take on their playt’til rock. The hand haye kept the same line tip. with Vocals and hasitar twiddling l'rom (‘hris Ballew. Daye Dederer on guitar and Jason Finn hashing the drum kit. But there have been subtle changes: the harmonies are deeper. with mellower songs such as 'l’reaked ()tit and Small' snuggled next to those in the more traditional style. 'Some Postman (is Grooyingi' tells the cute htit sordid tale of‘ a postie getting his kicks to other people‘s loye letters. lt‘s imaginatiye stul'l‘. driven by beats that make you want to don some old cord flares and mosh til you drop. '
Ballew explains what’s changed this time round:
‘We got exhausted and lost track of what made tis do the music. which is just a loye of standing up in front of people and playing . . . this time it‘s great to do it again and keep our locus on what really makes tis happyf
Mature sentiments from the hand who sang a songs dedicated to dune buggies and cats. So. haye they grown up beyond t‘ecognition'.’ Talking to Ballew one would lt‘tll‘ the worst. When asked about which current artists l‘loat his musical hoat. hc cites Rufus Wainwright arid Damien Rice. Rufus Wainwright? 'l don‘t listen to a lot of music that sounds like me. actually.‘ he explains. 'I find that when I'm not making and playing music. I like to listen to sttil‘l‘that's a little more . . . suhtle.‘
Suhtle isn‘t really a term associated with the hand. However. in the interyening years Ballew has been working on adyerts and scoring children TV shows.
It‘s giyen him a chance to get his softer side out of
his system so they can ltic‘tts on the serious business of being a yery l‘unny rock band. They might be older but are determined to plough the same energy in. Amongst all the earnest sincerity of the current music scene they stand with the quirkiness ol' the Artic Monkeys. the energy of early Green Day and the style ot‘ . . . well. the Presidents of the l'nited States ot~ America. Long may they rule.
Carling Academy, Glasgow, Tue 22 Aug.
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'r-zr. fur; 27/2111: LIST 31