RECORD REVIEW: TWISTED WIRES 'ONE NIGHT AT THE RAW DEAL' 12"(2009 Italians Do It Better)

shortly before we started this little mcbloggily of ours we had some technical issues, thus, we were not able to listen to records and cassettes for awhile. cd's were ok - but the older media was a problem. this was discouraging as there were a couple things we wanted to talk about here. one of which was the twisted wires 12" which will be discussed below. the other the balaclavas cassette on the skrot up tapes label (out of denmark), which we'll get to on another post.

the debut 12" from houston's twisted wires is one night at the raw deal b/w one night at the raw deal (instrumental) & one night at the raw deal (guitar & vocal mix). i'd look at the b-side as a gift for people to remix. or for dj's to spin their own extended mixes at dance parties. very late last night jen, sharpe james and i sat down in the 423 gallery to listen to the record with law & order: criminal intent airing on the television set in the background on mute.

jen: so far it kind of sounds like early simple minds. its good background music to this criminal intent episode. it reminds me of someone else from the same era, i'm trying to remember who.

sharpe: it really says alot about houston when this record is easier to find in new york. london. paris. tokyo. milan. all those towns we party at.

rich: yes. we really don't party much in houston do we?

jen: no we don't. we just get booked to play fiskadoro shows in houston and then get them cancelled at the 23rd hour.

rich: rowan really loved this single. he described it as techno goth. one of my other friends said it wasn't complicated enough.

jen: it is kind of minimal. but isn't that a good thing?

sharpe: people need to remember what we learned from the postpunk era. minimal is a good thing.

rich: no one seems to remember history anymore.

jen: i'd be interested to listen to one of my older simple minds records after this. i didn't really remember what twisted wires sounded like, i still have that //tense// show stuck in my head and i thought they sounded more like that. but... how wrong i was.

rich: oh look at bubbles [one of our cats laying on the floor on his back in variation of savasana pose].

jen: is this one of those times you think he's meditating?

rich: i think he's just enjoying the music.

sharpe: while lenny [another of our cats, looking out the window with much intensity] thinks this is soundtrack to some sort of nefarious doings going on outside in the quad parking lot.

jen: kind of like the nefarious goings on on criminal intent right now? i mean just look at them - i think they're in a chinese bar or something.

rich: this scene would be awesome if twisted wires were performing on a small stage at the other end of the bar. it would be like that great scene in fire walk with me. or wait -that scene in the aki kaurismaki movie i hired a contract killer when joe strummer & the astrophysicians played in that bar.

(jen and sharpe have no idea what rich is talking about)

sharpe: this sure is an awesome record.

jen: i think so too.

jen: its weird cause its got all these dance effects to it but its a little bit too slow to dance to unless you want to look like a total tool. its more of a sway back and forth song.

rich: maybe it depends on the kind of drugs you're taking?

jen: i think the drugs that would enhance this song are not the kind of drugs that make you want to dance. its almost more of an anthem.

rich: i'm dj'ing that chill-out room we hung out at in barcelona and this is number one on my playlist.

sharpe: with a fucking bullet.

jen: and someone is slipping a mickey into sharpe's drink as he looks down at his boots. one night at the raw deal. yeah.

sharpe: what is in this kiwi strawberry juice?

rich: kiwi strawberry juice.

jen: i can see playing it at a faster speed and having a bunch of strobe lights.

rich: they performed this when they played at mango's and that show was a veritable dance party.

jen: did you dance?

rich: i think we all did baby.... wait - you were there!

jen: i don't remember dancing at any shows. i'm not much of a dancer. the only person i really remember dancing at that show was tina.

sharpe: she's the best dancer in town you know.

rich: we sure do sharpe james... we sure do.

jen: if you played this a third faster it would sound like the things i was hearing in the gay clubs in the late 80s.

rich: like what?

jen: mostly stuff i didn't know. but like secession...

rich: what about new order?

jen: i would say its almost too clubby sounding for new order.

sharpe: this would be interesting music to play in a club scene in some larry clark movie.

jen: where everybody's fucked up.

sharpe: yeah.

jen: the guitar does kind of sound like new order.

[bubbles attacks lenny] lenny was asking for it... it almost sounds like a bernard sumner solo thing but i don't recall him putting a ton of reverb on his voice like often if ever. but it sounds cool.

rich: we'll remember this single as the big hit of the summer of 2009 in the 423 gallery.