Greenville Scene

Catch The Winter Sounds and Zydepunks Friday, June 27 at the Irish Pub (formerly Woodchuck Pub) at 8:00pm. Tickets are available at Earshot and Mellow Mushroom. This will be the final Winter Sounds show for a few months as they are leaving to record their second album, Church of the Haunted South.

by Keith Groover

The Zydepunks
Exile Waltz

People ask me what my favorite kind of music is, and I tell them “this kind.” No, not necessarily the zydeco/folk/rock/klezmer/French music this band makes, but music that at least tries to do something new and different. If you’re in a band, and you release an album that sounds like Weezer, in order for it to even be acceptable as background music you have to out-Weezer Weezer. And, most likely, unless you’re Weezer, you can’t do that.

This band, the Zydepunks, are clearly not trying to out-Weezer Weezer, or anyone else for that matter, and that’s why this album (mostly) succeeds. They are a quintet out of New Orleans, and their instrumentation is so unique (consisting of two accordions, violin, bass, and drums), that they could probably get away with a few basic songs repeated over and over again with a minimum number of variations. Thankfully they avoid this temptation, and have put out a fine record. Exile Waltz contains twelve songs, nearly all of which could fit into a separate genre, from the eponymous zydeco to French street music, klezmer, and, yes, polka. Also, only one of these songs is sung in English. Don’t let this scare you away, though, because this music is fun, unpretentious, and was obviously made to be experienced live, which you have the opportunity to do this Friday at the Irish Pub.

There are a number of bands which try to do the kind of genre-crossing the Zydepunks attempt (the punk-celtic band Flogging Molly and the heavy metal cello quartet Apocalyptica come to mind.) However, the Zydepunks don’t bridge the gap between the two genres quite as successfully, mostly because, without a guitar present, the drums seem to be left hanging in the air without a musical friend to help out. We’re so used to hearing clanging guitars to go along with clanging cymbals that, without the guitar, it seems like the band is on one side of the stage while drummer Joe Lilly is left to fend for himself. This isn’t as much of a problem on the faster, busier tracks, but when the music slows down and the drum part simplifies, it’s a bit musically awkward. Hopefully they’ll either find a guitarist or bassist Scott Potts will find a good fuzz pedal.

Overall, though, the music comes together quite well, with high-quality musicianship and excellent performances throughout. I recommend it, and I hope you go to the show.

www.myspace.com/zydepunks
www.myspace.com/thewintersounds