San Francisco’s Casey & Brian are a hyper-punk duo consisting entirely of shout-out-loud vocals, drums and a keyboard (Casy & Brian share/alternate all three responsibilities). Their music sounds like equal parts Screeching Weasel, Matt & Kim, and Moldy Peaches. The duo’s debut album, Catbees, collects 10 primarily animal-themed danceable electro-punk tracks of relentless drums and booming, incessant keys. Vocals are shouted aloud, with lyrics often tripping on top of other lyrics. Live, the formula is explosive and wide-eyed, and to their extreme credit, the album does an excellent job of capturing that energy. The opening track on the album, “Duex Drumbaclots,” serves as Casy & Brian’s musical manifesto, as they declare that: “we made the record that we want to hear.” And on the track “Animal Calls N’ Dancehalls,” Casy and Brian demonstrate an obsession with animals that continues on at least 6 of the 18 minute long album’s 9 other songs, as they sing/shout the lyrics such as: “certain animals dance after hours at the zoo / if a zebra can get down / so can you” atop stuttering, grimy keys and ratatat drums. The whole album is a sophomoric mess in the best possible way, and makes for irresistible dance-punk fun.
Casy & Brian – Rumble In The Jungle 1974 (from No Fiction 7″)
Casy & Brian – Animal Calls N’ Dancehalls (from Catbees)
Head back to eating/sf to read Kasey’s latest review of Kazu Sushi. Also, Casy & Brian are currently on tour. Stop to check them out if they are visiting your city:
July 26 + The Bus + Oakland, CA
July 27 + Backspace + Portland, OR
July 28 + The Greenhouse + Seattle, WA
July 29 + Grandmas House + Boise, ID
July 30 + Kilby Court + Salt Lake City, UT
July 31 + Rhinoceropolis + Denver, CO
August 1 + Kitty Cat Klub + Minneapolis, MN
August 2 + Michael Jordans + Chicago, IL
August 3 + Trumbellplex + Detroit, MI
August 4 + Don Pedro + New York, NY
August 5 + Danger Danger Gallery + Philadelphia, PA
August 6 + TBA + New York, NY
August 7 + The Cottage + Boston, MA
August 8 + Meat Town USA + New Brunswick, NJ
August 9 + Cider Haus + Baltimore, MD
August 10 + The Kansas House + Arlington, VA
August 11 + Nara + Richmond, VA
August 12 + Maya Gallery + Greensboro, NC
August 13 + TBA + Athens, GA
August 15 + Xanadu Clubhouse + New Orleans, LA
August 16 + Mohawk + Austin, TX
August 17 + 1919 Hemphill + Fort Worth, TX
August 18 + The Burnside House + El Paso, TX
August 19 + Winning Coffee + Albuquerque, NM
August 20 + The Trunkspace + Phoenix, AZ
August 21 + Soda Bar + San Diego, CA
August 22 + The Smell + Los Angeles, CA
August 23 + J Dees Landing + Palm Srings, CA
August 24 + Women of Crenshaw + Los Angeles, CA
August 25 + Biko Garage + Isla Vista, CA
August 26 + Thee Parkside + San Francisco, CA
