Interesting Show Review

What is today? August 6. The summer. But what does it feel like in San Francisco? December.

So, a lot of reviews have been popping up this month, including a live review on Wiretap Music, a new local music website. Jeff Bissell writes of the Passionistas' show at Bottom of the Hill, "I hadn’t planned on seeing the Passionistas but I caught their last three songs. Initially, I was repulsed by their lack of musical talent, but I dug the singer who was ranting like a boyish Mark E. Smith. It wasn’t until the last song, 'Banana,' that it finally clicked for me. The singer picked up the guitar and, wishing humiliation on someone who let him down, I saw a new age Stephen Malkmus. Keep them on the radar."

"[R]epulsed by their lack of musical talent" is an interesting description, though what's exciting about this review is how the band actually won him over. I don't think we assume that everyone seeing the Passionistas for the first time will automatically be into it, but if they stay and watch I think the band's charisma, excitement and energy will be undeniable. "Keep them on the radar" - I like that; plus it's hard to feel bad about comparisons to Pavement and the Fall.

God's Boat Review in East Bay Express

Nate Seltenrich says, "The Passionistas have their heads in the right place, but their hands don't follow. Jilted, jerky pop lacking tightness and polish sounds like the work of a high school garage band with great taste." And that's the whole review.

Performer Review, Performer Presents! Show

A review of God's Boat can be found in the latest issue of Performer magazine - the West Coast version. So, if you live on the West Coast, you can probably find the magazine at one of your local establishments. If you do not, however, you can read it online. It's quite a nice review with several quoteworthy moments - "a true DIY spirit [channeled] through jaunty, three-chorded noise pop," "tunes with a timeless appeal," "genre-bending," not to mention: "The most redeeming qualities on the album, however, are the hidden ones: above every blithe pop hook looms a fuzzy bass line meandering lazily; behind a jagged rocking number awaits a grating squall of razor-wire feedback."On the subject of Performer, the Passionistas will in fact be headlining the magazine's August showcase alongside the Happy Hollows and the Dont's. I get excited for every show, but I am really, really excited about this show. I've raved about the Happy Hollows (from LA) before and I am just thrilled that they will be playing with us. Their debut EP is phenomenal and the live show appears to be where it's at. We've also been wanting to play with locals the Dont's for some time now. In fact, we were set to play the Hemlock with them a few months back, until an opening slot for Ted Leo opened up - lucky blokes. Anyhow, it's still a month away, but should be a blast. Not to mention it's at the Make Out Room and will probably be the venue's last Thursday night show.

More Reviews Coming In...

Tonight we have a band/label meeting to discuss so, so much.

Last night, I came across a couple more Passionistas reviews. The first is from Barbara at Bad Tempered Zombie. Barbara was one of the first people to read and comment at my original blog, after it went up in January 2006. I'm happy to say that we are still reading each-other's blogs and she has given God's Boat a positive review. She writes, "There are some aspects of the Passionistas which do put me in mind of some other bands at times, the yodelling of Born Ruffians, or the brevity and stripped-down sound of Tokyo Police Club, but ultimately the Passionistas have their very own, incredibly unique sound. One might go so far as to call them revolutionary."

Professor Puff gives God's Boat a 3.5 out of 5 stating, "At their most focused and cooperative ("Going Gay," "One Foot," "The Socialists") they’re brilliant, at their most odd-ball and intentionally difficult ("I Am So…(Rock and Roll)," "No No No") they’re cheeky, but no matter what, no matter how much precision they lack or how much time they spend making YouTube videos in lieu of practicing, they’re doing music on their own terms and the result is something truly unique and… concerning?"

First Show Review

The first review of Friday's CD Release Party has come in - complete with photos. You can read it at World Famous in San Francisco.

God's Boat Review at Rewriteable Content

Let the reviews just keep rolling in. Rewriteable Content - some of the best music bloggers around if you ask me - posted a review of God's Boat today, hitting the nail on the head with quips like, "Everyone wants to make these big powerful songs about the state of our government, and The Passionistas turn the situation on its head - giving everyone the middle finger. They take on an absurd situation with their own brand of absurdity." Everyone that we've heard from seems to be digging this album so far.

Passionistas in The Owl Mag

The Passionistas are continuing to get local press as we lead up to the CD Release Party next Friday. The band was featured in The Owl's "Band Barometer" alongside Social Studies and Music For Animals, a column designed to "identify what's hot." Sounds good to me. The nice paragraph reads ...

The Passionistas: Self-proclaimed "pop rebels," the Passionistas know the true meaning of a 'diss' record. You think the Game's feud with Fiddy was tuff, hear this SF band attack indie kids. Ballsy, right? Especially in the Yay Area. These pranksters deliver surprisingly mature music behind the guise of slapstick funny lyrics. And get this, their upcoming album, God's Boat was produced by Kelley Stoltz. Oh boy. CD release Party @ Cafe du Nord 6/8. (Read the full story here).