Jul 28, 2009

Oneida. Heads Ain't Ready.

oneida

We've been lucky enough to catch Oneida on several of their tours, and they nearly always put on a show that is just as much a test of endurance as it is a rock action. Most of the shows we've seen ended with Kid Millions and Fat Bobby battling it out over who can pound the hardest/last the longest. Kid Millions may be the best drummer I've ever seen (after Janet Weiss, although they have very different styles). I don't think he ever stops playing, even between songs. In fact, seeing them live confirmed something I half suspected from their albums—the drums are their "lead" instrument. On songs like Changes in the City, the organ and guitar are primarily rhythm instruments that provide the structure for Kid's increasingly intricate and melodic drum patterns.

These two songs come from a tour single, and although I recognized the titles as belonging to the Grateful Dead (Cream Puff war and Cold Rain and Snow), I had to listen to them a couple of times before I was sure they weren't just adopting them ironically.

Heads

Oneida's official site

Oneida on myspace

2 Blurts:

Anonymous said...

not sure, but i think "cream puff war" might be corrupt. stops playing at 43 seconds or plays back with warbly compression issues. help?

Egnu Cledge said...

Yeah, it did that to me, too. I don't know why that happens. I'm afraid it's going to be a little while until I get this back up--I can't find my original file, which means I'll have to rip it from the single again, but my record player is currently in need of a new belt....so, a couple of weeks maybe. Sorry.

Blurt!