Unexpected Bliss: BUKE AND GASS

From the Basement of AVE-R

Many bands can thrive in a scene based on their ability to recreate, re-contextualize, or repackage familiar musical gestures. True innovation however, is surprisingly (or unsurprisingly) scarce in such a lawless, over-saturated, and creatively-centered “community” as Brooklyn.

Then there’s BUKE AND GASS, a male/female duo consisting of Arone Dyer (Buke, voice, bells) and Aron Sanchez (Gass, drum) who are so unique, I can’t appropriately compare them to other bands. Though there may be minute glimpses and tiny reminders; only the feelings they conjure are truly familiar.

B+G achieve their mountainous sound from unusual instrumentation: Arone plays the Buke, which is a 6-string bass ukulele, electrified; Aron plays a guitar/bass hybrid – an acoustic body with both guitar and bass strings with separate outputs for each, which go into their own respective effects and amplifiers.

Aron also employs a mighty kick drum while Arone straps bells to her leg which correspond to her stomping feet. Their selective use of percussion at only certain points in their songs make for both delicate and explosive textures balanced on a needle teetering between chaotic doom and absolute ecstasy.

And on top of that (!!!) is Arone’s wildly dynamic singing that seems to soar, swirl, and traipse through complex song structure and tempo changes.

Can you tell I love this band? I saw them a couple of months ago and was completely blown away. Their 7 song EP, “+/-” is available through their site for $6 or $5 at shows

more info:

www.bukeandgass.com and www.myspace.com/bukeandgass

BUKE AND GASS upcoming live dates:

4/25/09 Union Pool w/ Azeda Booth

5/8/09 Europa w/ Anamanaguchi

BUKE AND GASS: Red Hood Came Home

Click the above link.

BUKE AND GASS: Red Hood Came Home