January 15-21, 2004

hearhere

Don't you know the best things in life?

by Patrick Rapa

Some people talk about The Low Road the way Flyers fans talk about Mark Howe. Throughout the ’80s, as you may recall, Howe was the best defenseman Philly has ever seen. Man, you shoulda seen ’im play. The man killed penalties, scored a ton and was even a ridiculous +85 one season. The feeling is that if he couldn’t win the Norris trophy -- closest he got was runner-up a couple of times -- then maybe nobody in this town ever will.

The Low Road, local legends in the early '90s, seemed to have everything going for them, too: a uniquely hip and ambitious roots-rock sound, skilled musicians, stage presence, style and personality. When they called it quits in 1997 -- after an unsatisfying experience on a failing record label -- there was joy for what was, but also a bit of sadness over what shoulda been.

And it makes you wonder: If The Low Road never found a way to national success, what chance do Philly's current best and brightest rock bands have? Of course, the music biz, like the game of hockey, is always changing and, quite unlike the game of hockey, has mostly ambiguous measures for success. OK, that's it for the hockey metaphor.

The point is you never know. Like, who could have predicted that after a seven-year hiatus, The Low Road would get together for some New Year's reunion gigs at the Tin Angel?

The first of the three shows came on the Eve's eve and from the opening acoustic swoon of "Devil's Pocket" it was clear the band was taking things seriously. No endearing sloppiness or reliance on the happy-just-to-see-you crowd to carry the evening. The Low Road is, as it always was, a tight and well-rehearsed ensemble.

Which is not to say they weren't having fun up there. Drummer Mark Schreiber was the first to crack a smile, which spread across the stage. Everybody was loose by the time they dusted off their fourth golden oldie, "Strong Strapping Gent." From there they waltzed through a familiar setlist: "A View of Camden," "Mean and Average," "House Not a Home," their rumbling cover of the Pixies' "Gigantic." For their fans, these songs were as good as hits. The band played them every time at every gig all over town back in the day.

Everything was where it should have been, from the places they stood on the tiny Tin Angel stage to the arrangement of Palmer Yale's harmonicas on a towel to the way their collective muscle memories recalled the complex chaos of "Torso." Man, you shoulda seen 'em play.

Town Watch Sugar Town moves to new territory this weekend (so long Saturdays at The Balcony; hello Fridays at Doc Watson's), but you'll see a lot of familiar faces. The Tights, who just rocked the Sugar stage in November, is the current home of singer/guitarist Lynette Byrnes and bassist/singer Christine Weiser, but you older heads may remember them from Mae Pang. That band was loud and kinda trashy (find out a little more by Googling the phrase "one of America's Most Attractive Bands"). The Tights are not unlike that, but there are some classic harmonies and groovy keyboards mixed into the garage sound. Download the spy-themed "Save the Girl" MP3 from www.thetights.net right now.

True If Destroyed is a punkish war on two fronts, with vocalists Julia Gaylord and Drew Orlowski exchanging shouts and melodies over loud, righteous rock. Their five-song eponymous EP is more than a year old now, but it's gonna have to do until they get around to recording their full-length debut this spring. Opening the show will be Carolynne McNeel -- whose poetic lyrics and sharp, middle-range vocals ignited April Disaster -- now performing under her own name. She'll be joined on mandolin and guitar by Rory Connell (sounds like delicate work for a guy who also plays with Raccoon). Fri., Jan. 16, 9:30 p.m., $7, with The Tights, True If Destroyed, Carolynne McNeel and the Sugar Town DJs, Doc Watson's, 216 S. 11th St., www.plainparade.org.

Tears for a Clown Eric Wareheim -- keyboardist for Sola, half of the comedy duo Tim and Eric -- is moving out to L.A. (with Tim Heidecker), as you may have heard, to work on a pilot for Cartoon Network. The band already said goodbye last week. All that's left now is the crying, right? Not exactly. Wareheim's weepy farewell to Philly at L'Etage on Sunday is more like a "mega-dance goodbye celebration," he says. "You like getting wasted at a fancy place, then bootyshakin' with Tim and Eric? Get to our goodbye party now!" Sun., Jan. 18, 9 p.m., free, L'Etage (above Beau Monde), Sixth and Bainbridge sts., 215-592-0656.

Divide and Conquer? As per their prime directive, the members of Need New Body are using side projects as a means of collecting those precious, precious bodies this Sunday at Vox Populi. NNB's Jamey Robinson and Dale Jimenez both play keyboards and sing in Buffalo Stance, and on this occasion they'll be joined by sax man David Fishkin and Cynthia Mason, both of whom will also sing. "Much of the music is three- and four-part vocal harmony," explains Robinson, who says he's hoping to acquire even more singers by showtime. After them comes Icy Demons, made up of NNB's Chris Powell plus people from Bablicon, Circulatory System and the recently departed Sola. Sun., Jan. 18, 7 p.m., call for price, with Buffalo Stance and Icy Demons, Vox Populi, 1315 Cherry St., fourth floor, 216-568-5513.

And Baby Makes Three I haven't heard the Brother JT 3's new Hang in There Baby (Drag City) yet, so I asked John Terlesky to give some hints. "It's kind of all over the place stylistically," he says. "Jangly pop, hamfisted jazz rave-ups, garage gospel, acid-funk." Yeah, he doubles as a rock critic (for the Allentown Morning Call).

While the previous two JT3 CDs were recorded under the knowing gaze of Royal Trux's Neil Hagerty, this one was co-produced by Terlesky and Dan McKinney (who played organ with JT in The Original Sins) up near the band's homebase, in the Lehigh Valley. "As such, we were able to take much more time than previously, to get things just right," says Terlesky. "Or wrong, as the case may be."

The 3 remain intact (JT plus Bill Melcher on bass and Dave Ferrara, another Sin, on drums), but are joined on guitar at times by Art Di Furia (of Photon Band) and "a great itinerant performance artist" named Steve Gigante. "For what it's worth, I think it's the closest thing we've come to the Sins, musically."

What else is JT up to? "Making myself sandwiches, playing sparingly with a few different groups, generally laying low till this immense black cloud that only I can see blows over." Hang in there, brother. PhillyFREAKOUT!! VII, Fri., Jan. 16, 8 p.m., $7, Brother JT CD release party, with Mondo Topless and Some Action, The Balcony, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE, www.brotherjt.freeservers.com.

Campus Counselors You gotta play to your strengths, right? With their independently released Blue EP making waves on the college circuit (lots of play on campus radios, five weeks in the CMJ top 200), the boys of Cordalene have wisely put together an all-ages show so the kids without fake IDs can see what the buzz is about. Wed., Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m., $8, Cordalene, with Army of Me, This Radiant Boy and Hurry Up Offense, The North Star, 27th and Poplar sts. , 215-684-0808.

A Little Bit Softer Now The Trolleyvox gets all its flies with sweet, harmonious honey (as opposed to loud, cocky vinegar) so hearing they've scheduled a series of acoustic shows won't make anybody do a spit-take. Go ahead and take a sip. Besides three consecutive third Saturdays at Old City Coffee, the 'vox populace will also unplug for a gig at the Society Hill Hotel. Sat., Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m., $5 (proceeds go to the Doe Fund), Old City Coffee, 221 Church St., 215-629-9292; Tue., Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m., free, Society Hill Hotel Bar and Restaurant, 301 Chestnut St., 215-925-1919.