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Northampton, Massachusetts band No Shadow-Kick's holiday six-song promotional EP is a short but diverse introduction to the band's style. The opening track "In the Snow", the only holiday song on the EP, is a holiday song for those unable to always muster up the expected amount of festive spirit. Its power and depth are highly complemented both by lead singer Tom Pappalardo's deep and moody vocals and Elizabeth Street's graceful backing voice on the choruses. The horns add to the subtle yet pervasive sadness buried among the lyrics. The EP's other songs include two new and three old tunes, from the band's 1999 LP, Basement Make-Out Party.
The second song, "Double Nothing", billed as a "song probably about a girl", rocks with the intensity of both loss and the recognition of growth. "Monks Don't Tell Lies", the second new track on the EP, is the band's road song, complete with traffic sounds and Pappalardo's appropriately preoccupied-sounding low-toned vocals. Herein, the road is transformed into a surprisingly spiritual locale, ripe with possibility, illustrating what the band calls the "Mike Watt metaphor of van-as-vessel": "He reads my palm, proclaims me king, drops to his knees, averts his eyes, I stay calm, and say a joke, and he says to me: 'monks don't tell lies'". Shawn Reynolds's background vocals complete the harmony needed to transcend the everyday mundane experiences of life as represented by the road into a series of memorable and beautiful occurrences.
"The BMX Song", from Basement Make-Out Party, is the rare instrumental that rocks, with a swoon-worthy beat that makes it incredibly hard for this listener to sit still. "Scarecrow Waltz" slows the pace down, expressed from the point of view of one who can "no longer discern life's subtle shades". Filled with touching, if a bit simplistic, lyrics, it takes a slow yet determined gait, while the music hypnotizes the listener into empathy with the melancholy tone of the track. The EP's final song, "The Saviour Made Me Do It", is a rocker complemented by powerful yet subdued guitars and is complete with the hilariously pathetic sounds of a televangelist's pleas for more money for his ministry. Very sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek without losing authenticity or credibility, it is the most memorable track on the EP.
As an EP, this one fits together and works quite well. However, the lyrics could use a bit of punching up. Even so, these songs are beautiful seemingly without intending to be, the vocals are powerful and intense and the band can rock and elucidate without seeming either crass or that they are trying too hard. This is most definitely a band to watch—one that can combine indie rock sensibilities with the talent and wit needed to build a steady fan base and achieve sincere success. Pick up this EP, it's worth it.
Miranda Hale, January 2002, JunkMedia.org
They had me at “hello.”
Their version of “hello,” anyway. I opened the envelope with No-Shadow Kick’s EP in it, and out fell a lovely, snowflake-covered holiday card with perfect script that read, “Happy God-Damned Winter.” Inside, they offer helpful instructions on how to classify their music: “Holiday, some sort of indy rock, and/or local, if we happen to live near you.”
I played the first song, “In The Snow,” three times straight. I really liked this morose ode to crap hanging in windows, dead trees with limbs hacked off and hung on the doors, and accident-causing black ice. This is the perfect song to play next year while you’re slamming Bacardi by the Yule log, waiting for Christmas to be over. I would pay an enormous amount of money to see NSYNC spring this one on their unsuspecting fans at their next holiday concert:
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night,
On 34th Street, it’s a wonderful life.
Thanks for the gift; it’s just right.
I’ll exchange it later for something I like.
For all their dark humor, No-Shadow Kick does take their music seriously. The word that kept popping up in my notes was “creative.” One track in particular, “Monks Don’t Tell Lies,” is an intriguing, groove-intensive, mind-expanding, surrealistic walk across a sonic desert, complete with trippy visions and paranoid vibes. I like the image of a priest doing a palm reading.
The bitter, dark “Scarecrow Waltz” also stood out for its hollowed-out vocal recording and lyrics such as:
My head is caving, my colors fading,
I can no longer discern life’s subtle shading....
You’re just the crow sitting on my shoulder, pecking at my eyes....
I especially like the way the vocal was recorded on this song. The microphone stays on during music solos, catching the singers breathing, swallowing, coughing. The mood is immediate and real.
No-Shadow Kick is a band that will try anything, using the studio as a musical playground. There’s a lovely trumpet solo on “In The Snow,” accompanied by a fake glockenspiel. (No, I don’t know either. I’m just reading the notes.) I strongly recommend this music, especially if you’ve been listening to the same kinds of artists for a while and need to sandblast the slate clean. If you like the promo CD, No-Shadow Kick also has the full-length Basement Make-Out Party CD available at their web site.
By Jennifer Layton, indie-music.com
No-Shadow Kick are an unsigned pop-rock band from Massachusetts. Surprisingly, given the general track record of unsigned pop-rock bands (whether they're from Massachusetts or Fiji), No-Shadow Kick are quite good -- their songs, especially the newer material, are intelligent, hummable and undeniably enjoyable. Their only problem, really, is anonymity; the Billboard charts notwithstanding, the world is full of pop-rock bands that play intelligent, hummable and undeniably enjoyable music, and our culture has scrunched them all into a massive, dense gestalt. The few acts that reach the top of the pile are often disappointed to find that their major-label deal results in an inept or nonexistent marketing push, public indifference and an eternity in one-hit-wonderland -- which, in all fairness, is still far better than bands like No-Shadow Kick ever do. It's not fair, but it's the way the world works.
Which brings us to Promo EP. This holiday offering is apparently half new tracks, and half material culled from 1999's Basement Make-Out Party. Although the odds are against you having heard (of) Basement Make-Out Party, the distinction is important, as the new songs blow the older ones out of the water. There's nothing wrong with "BMX Song", "Scarecrow Waltz" or "The Saviour Made Me Do It", other than their busy, slightly dated, funk-derived sound and the general bulkiness of "Saviour"'s central conceit, but the simplicity and clarity of the holiday-themed "In the Snow" beats them all. "In the Snow" is just plain gorgeous -- a jangly, melodic, beautifully simple indie rock song with a hint of shoegazer fuzz. Guest vocalist Elizabeth Street adds a much-needed female contrast to the chorus, interacting wonderfully with the crystal-clear guitar melody; I hope the band can use her more in future. The surprises don't end there, either; there's a lovely horn and (I think) music box interlude that introduces the looped beat that guides the song to its finish. There's more fun to come: "Double Nothing" is a more riff-intensive song, rich with indie-rock dischord and Britpop-style harmony. "Monks Don't Tell Lies" debuts a stripped-down version of the band's quirkier work, pairing chorused vocals and whining guitars with a canned beat, unleashing thunderous live drumming and processed vocals during its chorus. Like "In the Snow", these songs work well because they're not as busy as the other tunes -- the production is clean, the variety high.
My advice to No-Shadow Kick: burn "In the Snow", "Double Nothing" and "Monks Don't Tell Lies" to a new CD and send that to labels. There's enough variation and skill on display in that fourteen minutes to get you a deal -- if that's what you want.
- George Zahora, Splendid E-Zine
If you're looking for music to chase away the winter blues (so what if it's April) then No-Shadow Kick's Promo EP may be just what you're looking for to put a smile on your chapped lips. This trio of power poppers from Northampton, MA serves up smart, solid, and ever so sarcastic indie rock. The first three tracks are the latest from the band. They cash in on the winter motif with “In The Snow,” a poppy little tune full of one liners and word play aimed at the Yuletide. Sure it's an easy target, but nonetheless the song will keep you chuckling and acquaint you with the band's tongue-in-cheek nature. The second track, “Double Nothing,” is the highlight of these half dozen songs. A lovesick indie rock song, it's full of contemplative angst over the oft-lost gamble that is love. The rhythm section keeps the track punching along on cruise control as guitar drifts through like a breeze. This track is perfect for that mix tape made especially for those long, post break-up drives to clear the head. The last of the new songs is “Monks Don't Tell Lies,” a slightly dubbish ditty relating a moment of Zen clarity come upon during the chaos of a broken down tour van. The remainder of the promo EP is made up of tracks originally released on their debut full length Basement Make-Out Party. “BMX Song,” “Scarecrow Waltz,” and “The Saviour Made Me Do It” continue to exemplify No-Shadow Kick's pension for bouncing from sound to sound. Stylistic A.D.D. aside, this EP helps to showcase No-Shadow Kick as a band that one hopes will continue to grow and continue to produce music that strikes a balance between talent and humour.
- John Lefler, Performer Mag April 2002
Strange stuff. We got zero info. so I'll have to make it up as I go along. Let's see...got a drummer, I hear bass and guitars and a guy and girl singing these rather bizarre songs. I'm gonna guess that maybe the recording is home grown. Not that it stinks or anything, it's just the EQ and compression, etc. But the hell with all that. They've got an unusual way of turning a song and it's loaded up with wacky percussive bits, swooshes, and echoey thangs. I'm loving the in-your-face vocal mix on "Monks Don't Tell Lies" with its synth-guitar textures, drums panned left (except for that side stick) and trashy FX loop. Very creative, that. My fave of the bunch is "In The Snow." It opens the CD and paints a lovely vignette of a winter's day, lyrically. I also like "Scarecrow Waltz."
- L.A. Wha?, Soundcheck Magazine
Well, it may be a little late now, but this is a six-song holiday EP from Northampton, Massachusetts' No-Shadow Kick. Hence the "happy god-damned winter" greeting card that comes along with it and the opener, "In the Snow," being a cutesy but melancholy holiday song with adorable supporting vocals from Elizabeth Street. "Double Nothing" rocks out a little more as a simple indie pop song about a girl, followed by the rather lethargic "Monks Don't Tell Lies," which is the band's song about being on the road. Then we get three already released songs, from the band's Basement Make-Out Party album. There is the groovy instrumental, "BMX Song," as well as "Scarecrow Waltz," a slow and mildly depressing number, and an edit/remix of "The Savior Made Me Do It," a bass-driven rock number that stands out as one of the better songs offered. All together, the six songs provide a diverse introduction to a band that blends standard indie rock with hints of playfulness, melancholy and wit. (EF)
- Alarm Press Oct 2003
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AMG EXPERT REVIEW: No-Shadow Kick's Basement Make-Out Party does a good job of showcasing the band's chops, sense of humor, and musical influences, but none of these elements really jell into a cohesive album. Their stripped-down sound and the album's slightly rough-around-the-edges production values are appealing, however, on tracks as varied as the quasi-emo of "Daft"; the jazzy, math rock-influenced "Sat Through Tues. in July"; and the pretty Beck- and Pavement-inflected "Scarecrow Waltz." Quirky songs like the lounge singer parody "I'll Love You in the End" add even more eclecticism to Basement Make-Out Party, but what the band really needs is more focus and consistency in their sound, not less. Still, No-Shadow Kick displays enough ideas and ability on this album to make their future efforts worth anticipating.
— Heather Phares, All-Music Guide
With a skewed version of blues and Funk, No-Shadow Kick reside somewhere between the realm of die-hard Classic Rock enthusiasts and tongue-deep-in-cheek Indie nutcases. Either way, their mixture of heavy guitar riffs, funky basslines, weird keyboard sounds and vocal wailing should keep many a music fan happy.
– www.listen.com
This is somewhat of a mixed bag, kind of like Haribo Star Mix; they are all good, just in different ways.
It’s difficult to review an album that is so seemingly random, but soon it becomes evident that the order of the day is predominantly funk. Although the feel of the songs changes they are all held together by a great rhythm section, throwing about influences ranging from Captain Beefheart to what is apparently the soundtrack to a low grade erotic movie (‘Three in the Afternoon’ being a prime example of this).
The range of sounds throughout the album is pretty varied but if you have a love of 70s funk, psych and low-fi indie, this may well be the band for you, I suppose I can hear echoes of Eels or Beck…..but that isn’t really any sort of guide as to what No-Shadow Kick sound like.
Overall it stands as a very confusing, yet enthralling listening experience, quite odd.
Drew Millward, TASTY FANZINE
Northampton-based No-Shadow Kick has enticed me into their dirty cellar of a CD with Basement Make-Out Party. There are fourteen cuts (plus the now inevitable secret bonus track) here and most were recorded in various Valley basements (with three exceptions recorded in Valley bedrooms). Everything was then mastered at the Monkeyhouse by none other than local fave Zeke Fiddler. The resulting effect is a great raw and primitive sound quality that the listener can actually hear and distinguish.
The band consists of Shawn on drums, piano, digital clip remover (whatever that is), and percussion; Josh on guitar and vocals; and Tom on bass, vocals, and percussion. Why they list no last names is probably their own business and I will choose to leave their personal lives the mystery they want, because this disc stands on its own in every sense of the phrase. No-Shadow Kick blend a bunch of styles including '60s Detroit blues, '70s funk, a certain late '80s indie spirit and throw out hellos to various performers including Sly Stone and a really funny (and perfectly done) nod to Tom Waits. The style is mellow, but even so gave me a bit of a Mission Of Burma feel now and then. The bass anchors the band here and Tom goes from intricate funk to simple punk with no trouble and regardless of what he's playing is solid, forceful, and a powerhouse. The drums and guitar are minimalist, but still come in with great effect. The sparseness of the guitar defines the sound here in many ways. Vocals? Seedy is an apt description. Very low-key and fits well with the music. The groove seems all important with these guys and Basement Make-Out Party has more than enough groove to spare. I liked everything on the disc except the secret bonus track. Very annoying; long, and needless. Luckily it starts so long after the last track that it will be easily avoidable for anyone getting the disc.
- Duke Aaron, Il Duce, VMAG, FEB 2000
Dear VMAG,
While normally I find your magazine to be an excellent source of information with regards to local culture and political issues, I find myself compelled to object in most strenuous terms to an item I read in your February issue. Specifically, I am referring to Duke "Il Duce" Aaron's ill-conceived review of Basement Makeout Party, the debut album by local band (and alleged animal-abusers) No-Shadow Kick: I have never been witness to a more vicious affront to reason.
What exactly is Mr. Aaron trying to say when he writes that "this disc stands on its own in every sense of the phrase" or when he describes the CD as having "a great raw and primitive sound quality that the listener can actually hear and distinguish"? What kind of rubes does he take us for? Does he think that we don't have ears? And does "Il Duce" honestly expect us to believe that "Basement Make-Out Party has more than enough groove to spare"? Is this some jejune attempt at neo-fascist doublespeak? How DARE he try to tell his readers how much groove is "more than enough"!
Perhaps Mr. Aaron's most egregious offense is when he refers to bassist Tom as "solid, forceful, and a powerhouse". Assuming for a moment that he actually believes the excrement that he so effortlessly belches forth, I think it's safe to say that Duke Aaron lacks a sense of social responsibility commensurate with any notion of "journalistic integrity". Perhaps he does not care that as a result of his statement, said bass-player has been accosting strangers in downtown Northampton with shouts of "Who's the powerhouse? Yeah, that's right: I'M the powerhouse!"--but I, for one, would hold Mr. Aaron responsible for the consequences of his actions.
However, there IS one kernel of truth in Mr. Aaron's review; it is when he describes the vocals as "seedy". In fact, if there exists a more shifty-eyed and unscrupulous assortment of uncouth misanthropes than the members of this band, I have yet to meet them. I have seen the future of music in the valley, and brother, let me tell you: it is NOT the No-Shadow Kick. My only consolation is that they will be revealed for the sham that they are when they play the Hadley Pub on March 11th.
Sincerely,
Shawn Reynolds
Drummer, No-Shadow Kick
Basement Make-out Party has an experimental feel about it. The impression is that No Shadow Kick is a young band exploring sounds, moods, styling and recording techniques ("recorded mostly in basements"). Throughout the CD it seems the bassist carries the songs with a perpetual groove while the drums, percussion, piano and guitar often create the eclectic, oddity of Haverhill MA's No Shadow Kick. Not without humor, I'll Love You in the End, is a great send up of the lounge piano singer. The potential is there. Unfortunately, the recording is weak and suffers from poor production.
- Nick Casino, Musician's Trade Journal
issue #3, March 2000
This is the kind of record that you would assume was made after smoking about a trash bag full of dope. That may be why I couldn't grab all the subtle nuances here, and probably why the purpose of this album was lost on me. The band brings new meaning to the word sparse, with loose musical arrangements comprising most of the album, and trippy vocals interjected from time to time. There are moments of clarity, and some nice bass work strewn throughout, but often little to tie it together.
At the beginning, we get "Daft", which has what sounds like a sick snare drum being repetitively hit, drowning out almost everything until the vocals start - which isn't until about a minute into the track. A lot of the vocals on this album are odd, too. They were definitely trying for a different sound - which is either hit or miss. "Sat. Through Tues. In July" is a miss. Its plodding, bluesy vocals never seem to quite catch, leaving you waiting for a hook that never arrives. But, the album does have it's moments. One example would be "Scarecrow Waltz", which shows how loose arrangements can be a good thing. It has the feeling of one of the slower, pshychedelic Pink Floyd tunes from the Roger Waters era, with the filtered vocal sound used throughout most of the album. "Super Press-Down" also has potential, with a 70's funk sound.
But then, the return of the sick snare in "OC2". Please, kill the snare. It's done enough for one lifetime. And, the lounge hit "I'll Love You in the End" has that dripping, Wayne Newton overtone to it, with none of the production value. I think it's supposed to be up close and personal time with the band, simulating the live experience (complete with chinking glasses, background voices, etc), but it's an odd way of going about it. "Von Chow Soul Suck", aside from having the coolest name on the disc, also starts out with the most potential. The bass is great, a good groove with a flanger making it sound even cooler. But then it just drags on - with little else going on at all. The only vocals are some "ooh-ohh"'s and an "oh, yeah" here and there. It just made me want to skip on to the next track. By the final official song on the album (yes, there's a bonus track, too), "The Savior Made Me Do It", there's actually a full song worth of material. There's some great jamming, with powerful vocals that aren't understated like the rest of the disc. Basement Make-Out Party has moments. Unfortunately these moments were spent getting to the meat of some of the tunes. The carnivorous general public just doesn't have the attention span to wait 1 to 2 minutes for vocals to kick in. They're more likely to just stop listening.
- John MacLeod, Music Revue Magazine, May 2000, (the "Mariah Carey" issue)
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Interviews, Articles, and Misc. Comments
HONESTLY, THEY'RE GOOD
by Sean Glennon,The Valley Advocate 07/20/00
This is not what a Northampton band is supposed to sound like.
There's not a hook to be found. Nor the slightest hint of twang.
And no one, not anyone at all, would consider describing No-Shadow Kick's music as accessible. Because it isn't. And it doesn't want to be.
Good? Oh, yes it is. Very good, in fact. Not great. Not on the band's debut CD, Basement Make-Out Party, anyhow. There are some sublime moments to be sure, but there are some missteps as well.
That's OK, too, you know? Because, really, if you're looking at things honestly you can't help but realize that great just doesn't come along very often. And at least with No-Shadow Kick there's no sense that anyone in the band is pretending they're great.
They seem to know they're good. And they certainly know what they're about. But they're too honest to believe they're great.
The band's music is mostly honest, too. Honest, at least, in the sense that it presents itself as the music No-Shadow Kick was called to make, rather than music the band members thought people would like.
That allows the music to succeed honestly. Or to fail honestly.
But No-Shadow Kick's work is also deceptive. Its songs carry the illusion of simplicity, but are in fact deeply nuanced. Its music doesn't scream for attention -- it beckons almost shyly, asking with an odd sense of quiet urgency if you might like to hear what it has to say -- but to make any sense of it, you absolutely have to give it your full attention. And even if you concentrate with all your might, you still may not understand what the band is up to.
The trio's sound is anchored in a funk/soul love of the groove, but it draws on strains of goth, Television-style punk (as filtered through Yo La Tengo-ish space drones), and not-infrequent nods to the sometimes meandering post-hardcore sound practiced most notably by fIREHOSE (indeed one of Basement's most intriguing tracks, "Integrity," sounds for all the world like an homage to Mike Watt and Ed Crawford).
And No-Shadow Kick is a Northampton band, even if it doesn't sound like one. And even if almost no one in NoHo knows it.
Just about every music fan in Northampton knows Tom Pappalardo, No-Shadow Kick's bassist. He's the tall, brown-haired guy with a bit of scruff on his face as often as not, who used to run Turn It Up! records.
Tom (he asks that his first name, not his last, be used on second reference) still works for Turn It Up!, but he spends his days in the chain's Florence warehouse. He's also the guy responsible for creating Turn It Up!'s oddball cartoon newspaper ads and similarly off-key radio spots.
When he's not doing that, he plays his bass. And when he plays his bass he sounds a lot like Watt, only maybe a bit funkier.
It's guitarist/vocalist Josh Gilb who brings in the gothy sounds, working a hollow, Robert Smith-style guitar sound as often as he references Crawford's furiously spare style. And while it's always tempting to take drumming for granted, it's vital to No-Shadow's sound that Shawn Reynolds knows how to keep the band connected to the groove without denying Gilb the opportunity to explore his sonic wanderlust.
Tom isn't at all surprised that his band is so widely unknown. Much as he and his bandmates would like more people to hear their music, they don't put in much effort.
"We talk like we're interested and we play like we're interested, but we're really bad at the simple stuff like booking shows," he says. "We're bad businessmen. We're bad at the business end of the deal."
You're not going to see No-Shadow Kick playing at the Bay State every other week. Not even close.
"We try to play out once a month, but there have certainly been stretches of months where we don't play out."
When I told Tom I planned to write about his band, he thought about trying to set up a show, so he'd have something to plug in the article. He even put in a call to Don Rooke, who books the Bay State. But he never quite got around to seeing it through.
"We're really like a fine example of the pure artist," he says half-joking. "We are only interested in our craft."
There's something about Tom that allows him to says things like that without coming off as pretentious. It's his sense of sincerity, maybe, the way he seems to recognize that even if you can say such things and sound like you mean them, it's not such a good idea.
You just have to give the guy points for being down to earth, if only because you're glad he's not one of those people who think the music world -- bookers, journalists, radio programmers, label reps and fans alike -- ought to seek them out just because they have talent.
You have to wonder, though, if maybe Tom and his bandmates take things a bit too far in the other direction. When he talks about Basement's lack of cohesion, when he apologizes for the fact that the songs on Basement sometimes lose focus and leave the listener feeling a bit abandoned, when he promises that the band's next record will concentrate more on the funky side of the band's sound in hopes that it will paint a more consistent picture, you wonder if he isn't beating himself up a little too much.
But he doesn't see it that way.
"It's not really a lack of confidence as much as my firm belief in truth in advertising," Tom says. "If a couple of tracks on the album leak shit all over the place, I think it's a good idea to say it."
He says its only natural for him to try to view his own work honestly.
"I wouldn't believe anyone who went around saying they were great, and I don't like the punk rock approach where you go around saying you suck," he explains.
And since neither he nor either of his bandmates is all that interested in promoting their stuff, it only makes sense that they should simply look at their work as what it is and keep trying to improve it.
It's hard to take issue with that approach -- except when what you want is for Valley music fans to hear No-Shadow Kick's work, which, for all its imperfections, is not just good, but interesting, different and infinitely worthy of attention. And in a town where pop is king and alt.country is the sound of the moment, that's just not going to happen all by itself.
[why] did you write an article so boring and mundane about a band that is, at best, mediocre? Were you strapped for time? Ideas? what a waste of newsprint. Do you really think people will find it interesting?
- posted on masslive messageboard by sliptdiskette, in response to the above advocate article
NO SHADOW KICK INTERVIEW with INSTANT MAG (Oct 2002)
INSTANT: To start, the standard boring question for all the Instant readers that might not be familiar with No Shadow Kick. How and why did No Shadow Kick start?
TOM: "we rose out of the ashes of a rock band called TALLER THAN gOD, like the proverbial Pontiac Firebird."
SHAWN: "My momma says I ought spend more time with people who aren't my momma."
JG: "To punish those low-minded folk who prefer technical ability over passion and laziness."
INSTANT: No Shadow Kick seems to be somewhat lo-fi, yet there is a hi-tech vibe. Bottom line is No Shadow Kick is a do it yourself sort of band. What made No Shadow Kick go in this direction?
NSK: "Atmosphere is an integral part of a record and the recording process, which alot of bands, either intentionally or otherwise, ignore. To spend alot of time and money to make things sound like they were recorded in a void doesn't make a lot of sense."
INSTANT: What has been the primary driving force behind the music of No Shadow Kick?
SHAWN: "A vain compulsion to recapture our lost adolescence."
TOM: "We own all this stuff...."
JG: "Retail sucks."
INSTANT: Today, it is much easier for DIY artists to get themselves heard. With the internet changing the way everyone in the music industry thinks, what do you see as the advantages of the web for No Shadow Kick?
TOM: "Well, the web's been pretty good to us. Our 'fanclub' runs www.noshadowkick.com for us, so we get to just kick back and watch the money not roll in."
JG: "Our inability to interact/communicate with people on a basic human level will no longer keep them from liking us as a band or buying our shit."
INSTANT: Inversely, what do you see as barriers to No Shadow Kick using the web as a means for self promotion?
SHAWN: "Sometimes Tom stays up all night staring at the hit counter and clicking 'refresh'. He's always missing rehearsals because of it and once we even had to cancel a gig. It's getting to be a real fucking problem. Can I say 'fuck'?"
JG: "Well, the web is still not something that everyone has access to, or even likes to use. As a tool, it's one piece of a puzzle, not an entire means to an end."
TOM: "Dude, you're not a tool."
INSTANT: As No Shadow Kick progresses musically, what direction to you see the band going in? Meaning, do you see yourselves getting more experimental with the music, changing styles, adapting, moving away from the current sound etc, etc.
NSK: "The majority of the material from Basement Make-Out Party was stuff we were playing live, so the arrangements and performance were pretty straightforward. Our future material won't necessarily be limited to what we can pull off with three instruments in front of a crowd. Lately we've been developing material based off of jamming rather than chord progression verse-chorus-verse stuff. Alot more open sections, trying to create some kind of mood. We're also working on an instrumental funk thing for a Canadian television station. It's going to be used as incidental music for a cop show they're working on. So we're trying to develop a couple of different sounds at the same time."
INSTANT: What influences No Shadow Kick - both musically and non-musically?
TOM: "George Porter, Watt, Reid Miles, Jeet Kun Do, Neil Fallon, my car."
JG: "Helena Christenson, Nobuyoshi Araki, Freaks and Geeks, Francesco Clemente, Steve Caballero, Gran Turismo."
SHAWN: "The Police, Star Wars, German schisse videos, Christopher Walken, John Stuart Mill, Carlo Gesualdo.
INSTANT: If No Shadow Kick could go on the road with any 3 bands from any era, who would they be and why?
TOM: "Iron Maiden (Powerslave), Tenacious D, pre-sober Replacements."
JG: "Public Enemy circa 'Fear of a Black Planet', Los Pixies circa 'Bossanova', Iron Maiden circa 'Seventh Son'."
SHAWN: "Melissa Etheridge, kd lang, and Sinead O'Connor. Them fillies is hot-to-trot!"
INSTANT: Tell me about the BMX Song...
JG: "It tells a story without words of a boy who, while riding in a BMX race, hits a jump so hard he flies off into space, where he is attacked by aliens. He escapes, lands back on Earth, and wins the race. BMX Song was the first song where we wrote all of our own parts without Tom butting in, and is probably a better representation of our future sound."
SHAWN: "There are people who have bought the album solely on the basis of hearing BMX Song on WFNX. I call them suckers. That's "Basement Make-Out Party", available at Newbury Comics or online at www.noshadowkick.com."
TOM: "Maybe we should call it the FNX Song."
SHAWN: "Ha-ha."
INSTANT: Who would No Shadow Kick consider to be their peers and their idols?
SHAWN: "Piers Anthony and Billy Idol. Get it?"
TOM: "I wish Tom Waits was my uncle."
JG: "I couldn't pick our peers out of a room filled only with our peers, but damn! I love the Pixies, Nirvana, Deftones, and Radiohead."
TOM: "Damn!"
INSTANT: Tell us one thing about the band that nobody knows?
TOM: "At the end of 'The Crying Game', the chick turns out to be a DUDE."
SHAWN: "Thanks, asshole. I haven't seen that yet. Oh, and Josh sees dead people."
JG: "No one in the band is circumcised."
INSTANT: Finally, where did the name come from?
NSK: "A signature Wong Fei Hung move where a guy flies parallel to the ground, kicking his opponent repeatedly in the ribcage with both feet, until the opponent either falls over, or dramatically spits out a mouthful of blood, or both. Don't try it at home, kids."
I have never listened to No Shadow Kick so here's my review:
'If Rock and Roll has a saviour its this band. Delicious layers of ironic buzz-saw guitar combine perfectly with (insert name here) pleading and evocative vocals to produce an emo melange of mystery, grandeur and epic sadness. Currently a non stop touring favorite of the 'in ' crowd across america, this (debut,sophomore, freshman etc) album proves that there is still hope in a world of jaded neophytes and mc5 wannabe slackers.
Highly Recommended."
- Frank Kozik, July 2, 2003
"They just don't have it..."
- local band promoter
"...they remind me of someone, but I can't think of who."
- some guy's mom
...but it wouldn't change the fact that you're in a band with a mediocre rhythm section, a terrible singer, a lame guitarist, too-long songs that lack any interesting changes, structure, or hooks, and no drive anyway, which ensures that you will no never go anywhere (but you're too cool to care about that, anyway, aren't you?)...
- anonymous post to shawn the drummer, masslive music forum, july 25, 2001
i downloaded and listened to yr songs, so here's my review just so you get some feedback.. if you want you can put me on yr mailing list. BMX Song- snappy drumming, groovy bass, sneering gtr, nice. Punk Rock Song- i don't like punk rock, so... Saviour- diggin it, good tune, like the melody, but the part with the faux-evangelist talking is annoying. Suckers/Setup- nice melody, the bassline really got to me after a while, the drumming leaves something to be desired. [why does nobody love me? - Shawn] 3 in the Afternoon- when the singing gets kinda loud and bellowing, got on my nerves. but then when it starts rockin out, it really compliments it. the ending noise gtr is great.
-al
"While you're probably sick of hearing about The No-Shadow Kick, it is crucial that you read this letter. What follows is a set of observations I have made about the worst classes of bleeding-heart mischievous ragamuffins there are. It would be downright combative for The No-Shadow Kick to interfere with my efforts to speak up and speak out against it, and deep down in our bones, we all know why. Anyone with an IQ two points higher than a wet sponge's knows that I must blow my whistle on The No-Shadow Kick's tactics of deception and distortion. But, even so, The No-Shadow Kick and its cronies pay little or no attention to the negative impact that sexism will have on our daily lives.
It's precisely because The No-Shadow Kick's lackeys don't worry me, since they're generally not in positions to make significant decisions (except maybe "right shoe on right foot") that if The No-Shadow Kick got its way, it'd be able to undermine the foundations of society until a single thrust suffices to make the entire edifice collapse. Brrrr! It sends chills down my spine just thinking about that. Many sybarites have an intense identification with saturnine troublemakers. I know because I have experienced that personally. In spite of the fact that The No-Shadow Kick is a master of psychological manipulation, it is so cinfodent in its own intellectual and cultural paradigm that it is blind to global realities.
Does The No-Shadow Kick do research before it reports things, or does it just guess and hope it's right? Think about that for a moment. How can something that claims to be so educated and so open-minded dare to suppress controversy and debate? I fear that, over time, The No- Shadow Kick's philippics will be seen as uncontested fact, because many people are afraid to anneal discourse with honesty, clear thinking, and a sense of moral good. While it is not my purpose to incriminate or exculpate or vindicate or castigate, I, for one, must surely add my voice to the chorus of those who take steps against the whole fickle intransigent brotherhood of clumsy sappy mountebanks. This makes me fearful that I might someday find myself in the crosshairs of The No-Shadow Kick's crass craven activities. (To be honest, though, it wouldn't be the first time.) Sorry for babbling so much, but there is no longer any room for hope."
- anonymously sent via e-mail. we're not 100% sure, but we're hoping it's from one of those instant-complaint letter websites. we hope.
I listened to some of your stuff and I thought it was pretty cool. I wish I had half your enthusiasm for music. I used to. I especially liked the instrumental. You can add me to your list of fans. You guys are indeed real.
- anonymous post, masslive northampton forum, july 24, 01
"hey tom the CD sounds really good"
- Mister Reusch, the guy on the cover of BMOP.
you know, I bought your CD. I enjoy it a lot. There was one song - I thought it was a Morphine tribute/rip-off/parody. . . .but then I realized - aha! Tindersticks. The one where you mumble a lot. No, not "I'll love you. . . " That's a great Waits track, though. I read the VMag review too - Good for you - great press. I have to disagree on the "mystery track" - I really like it. The lyrics and the music really work well together. Sounds, you know, that sound good together. anyway, my 2 cents offered without request. Like the touches of Piano here and there.
- ian, via e-mail
What's so difficult about playing out once in a while? I have both an electric and acoutic guitars, and a banjo, none of which I play, but am offering my services to No-Shadow Kick. Even if it means sitting around drinking beer while you practice.
-Chris
Kingsley Kaigama,
DIRECTOR B.P.E,
FEDERAL SECRETARIAT,
GARKI, ABUJA.
Email:kkaiga@yahoo.co.uk
Sir,
Letter of Introduction and Request for assistance. My name is Dr. Kingsley Kaigama (i have taking utmost time and bravery to build up confidence to write you this very confidential mail, knowing if you decide not to help me it could mean losing my job. ). I am the Chairman National Council on Privation, The NCP was established with the Bureau of Pblic Enterprise (BPE) to make the Nigerian economic environment conducive and favourable for foreign investors. The NCP have a responsibility to do everything within its power to attract foreign investor. Having been a member of this council and also a member of board of director for the Bureau of Public enterprise for over three years now, I was recently appointed by the President and approved by the national Assembly to be a member of the Contract Review Committee: this committee was set up for the primary purpose of reviewing past contract awarded to foreign firms, organisation, associations and enterprises including the independent contractors and business consultants. It is also our responsibility to award new major investment oriented contract to foreign firms or business organisation who are willing to do business in Nigeria- the third largest producer of crude oil in the world, and having also vast potential in many other industries like maritime, energy, agriculture and steel. We are also the largest black country in the world, this giving us a rare quality of being one of largest market in the world for finished or semi-finished product (goods and services). I have taken time to write you this mail because I need your help in a business transaction as well as for investment in the agro-allied industry or any other industry you may advise in your country . I will ,therefore,without delay give you a complete insight of the transaction that I need your urgent help. In course of reviewing some past contract, in my capacity as a member of the CONTRACT REVIEW COMMITTEE, I and some of my colleague now discovered there were a lot of mismanagement and corruption in the issuing of contract by the previous ,corrupt, military administrations and We also discovered the sum of forty-seven million five hundred united states dollar ($47.5m) as over invoice contract and this money has been lying in the issuing bank-the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) the Country?s Apex Bank waiting for payment to the beneficiary contractor; with further investigation we found out that the money was deliberately over invoiced by the past corrupt officials and that the money (US$47.5m) was not associated or does not belong to any firm or contractor, but that this was a perfected plan by the past officials to keep this money for their private use. This practise of over invoicing was very rampant during the past administration of General Sanni Abacha-our late past Head of State and his predecessor Gen. AbdulSalami Abubakar and this was the way they enriched themselves and their numerous sycophants. I and my colleagues who discovered this money now decided against returning the money but to use the money for investment purposes in your country, with you as our foreign and international partner. Being civil servant we cannot be seen to be involved in this transaction but we have decided to seek your assistance to help us come forward as the beneficiary contractor, so that we can immediately approve the fund to be transferred into your account for us all. We on our part as member of the committee will recognise you as the contractor who has completed his contract and awaiting payment by the Federal Government and therefore forward your application for payment to the Central Bank and Federal Ministry of Finance for the immediate release of the contract sum into your account, after officially recognising and approving you as the beneficiary contractor we will now recommend you for payment of the total contract sum of US$47.5m. Having said this much I will also like to let you know immediately that we are offering you 30% of the total money, and we going to keeping 60% for ourselves, the remaining 10% has been set aside for miscellaneous expenses that might been incurred in the course of this transaction. I also crave your indulgence to understand the reason we dcided to keep this money and use it for our personal investment purposes. We are just trying to secure our financial future and herefore the future of our children. As civil servant we have served this Country for over 23years now, and we have nothing to show for it except working for different government that have have persisted in the looting and plundering of our treasury without adequate arrangement for our retirement. That is the reason we have taken this decision: we see this as once in a life time opportunity giving to us by God to change our financial destiny- that was very bleak before this opportunity came along and we decided to not to lose it. I hope you will give us your most reliable arm of assistance in this transaction, and I assure you that nobody will regret but rather we will only have reasons to be happy and expand our horizon inlife (both in business and life in it?s totality. I know that you are highly reliable and have the ability and capability required to ensure the successful completion of this transaction. I also trust and have full confidence in you that you will in no way disappoint, even when the money is your account and we arrive your country for our part of the money. At this point in time, I also wish to inform you that because of our positions as civil servants and our long years of service, and because we do not want to be identified as corrupt officials, we are please asking you to treat everything and anything concerning this deal as totally confidential and very personal and close to your chest- you must not mention this deal to anybody until the money is safely in your account for us all and we have totally destroyed every documents that concerns this transfer. I should also let you know that this whole transaction will not exceed fourteen official bank working days- therefore time is also of essence. Please, I await your urgent reply immediately you get this mail, giving me you telephone and fax numbers and account number. I will like to finally assure you that we have taking our time to be careful to ensure that this whole transaction is hitch-free, that is why I must eiterate the importance for all of us to keep this transaction close to our chest and very confidential, in short ,our guiding principle through-out the course of this transaction should be CONFIDENTIALITY, TRUST and absolute UNDERSTANDING.
Awaiting your urgent response.
Best regards,
Dr. Kingsley Kaigama.
N.B: I prefer all communication in English and your response to my personal
mail box
kkaiga@yahoo.co.uk
"Where's the dolphin song?" -kelly
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