Band To Watch: Videohippos
Baltimore duo Videohippos dropped their Monitor Records debut some weeks ago now, but damn if it hasn't crept its way into steady 'n' heavy rotation around here. The Wham City affiliates' Unbeast The Leash is a half-hour of hyperbeat keyboard hardcore/pop, melding morose melodies to contoured 'n' spazzy noise bursts in songs that stick quick and generally quit within 150 ticks. And though they (and the entire Wham collective) are benefiting from Mr. Deacon's rapid ascent to resident indie court jester/pied piper-dom, there's little holdover from his vibe (but for "Rider," a sort of Dan-on-a-down-day gem). If you haven't spent time with Videohippos yet, try the album's lead track "Toothsub," a shot of the Strokes-meets-Blondie-on-speed (intercut with quick shots of upper-addled vocal freaks).
Videohippos - "Toothsub" (MP3)
And here's the premiere of "Narwhals," the band's next single. Videohippos are Kevin O'Meara (drums/keys/vocals) and Jim Triplett (guitar/vocals/keys), but this one gets additional instrumentation by Narwhalz (note the z). Dig the Nintendo meltdown:
Videohippos - "Narwhals" (MP3)
Unbeast The Leash is out via Monitor on CD, via Wildfire on vinyl. Be their friend, then check 'em on tour (dates, including a CMJ stop, after the jump).
09/01 Philadelphia PA @ 409 S 43rd St Block Party
09/02 Brooklyn NY @ Dan Deacon Scavenger Hunt-POSTPONED!!!
09/07 Washington DC @ Collins House
09/08 Baltimore MD @ Talking Head
09/20 Rochester NY @ Boulder Coffee Co
09/21 London Ontario @ LOLA Festival *
09/23 Montreal Quebec @ Le Divan Orange
09/24 Ottowa Ontario @ 854 Bronson
09/25 Hamilton Ontario @ Casbah *
09/26 Waterloo Ontario @ 130 King St *
09/27 Toronto Ontario @ Sneaky Dee's
09/28 Brantford Ontario @ Ford Plant *
09/29 Barrie Ontario @ Young People's Center *
09/30 Detroit MI @ Scrummage University w/ Grass Canyon, Lobodomys
10/01 Chicago IL @ Empty Bottle w/ The Blow
10/02 Grand Rapids MI @ DAAC
10/03 Kalamazoo MI @ Rocketstar Cafe w/ Grass Canyon, Breezee One
10/04 Oberlin OH @ Dionysus Disco w/ Dan Deacon, Health, Crime Novels
10/05 Cincinnati OH @ Skull Lab
10/06 Pittsburgh PA @ Garfield Artworks
10/19-20 New York NY @ CMJ Festival
10/22 Charlottesville VA
10/23 Wilmington NC @ Bellafesta
10/24 Charleston SC
10/25 Savannah GA
10/26 Tampa FL
10/27 Sarasota FL
10/28 Miami FL
10/30 Tallahassee FL
11/01 Hattiesburg MS @ Thirsty Hippo
11/02 Pensacola FL
11/03 Atlanta GA
11/04 Athens GA
11/06 Asheville NC @ New French Bar w/ Ear Pwr
11/07 Blacksburg VA w/ Sad Cobras
11/08 Greensboro NC
11/09 Greenville NC @ Spazz w/ Hot Lava
11/10 Williamsburg VA @ Meridian Coffee House w/ Hot Lava
11/11 Richmond VA @ TBA w/ Google Earth, Hot Lava
* with DD/MM/YYYY
Posted at 2:41 PM in Band To Watch, MP3, Tour Dates
Tags: Videohippos
I saw them a couple of years ago at Warehouse Next Door. If I remember right, their drummer played with a bucket over his head, but that was probably been the first band. Otherwise, I remember their video set being awesome. It reminded me of Nintendo.
Score = 0
I had the disc and sold it...Every song is sounds the same...thought it was kinda boring.
Score = 0
Steven Malkamus wants his hoodie back
Score = 0
saw these guys with deacon, they were pretty cool, their disc is understated, muddy pop with catchy keyboards and electronics
listen to this album once and it will slowly creep up on you and you'll keep listening and then start nodding your head, pretty soon you've listened to the whole thing about 25 times
all in all, i'm interested to see what happens next
Score = 0
I saw them back in Milwaukee a month ago.
They were awesome. It was at a small bar, and they had their screens set up. Just insanity..I was dancing my ass off.
Liz King also played with them -- shes pretty cool- i was surprised to hear that one song she played 'booty queen" out of the blue..that was just fuckin nuts. good shit though.
Score = 0
I saw them open for Dan Deacon as well recently. It was kinda boring. I don't know if they couldn't really hear themselves because of the sound in the room, but it was pretty sloppy. And it was dark on stage and they were hiding behind the screen so you couldn't really see what was going on. I think the whole crux of the performance was supposed to be the visuals on the screen, but they were sort of boring as well...
Deacon, on the other hand...
Score = 0
its all about the live shows.
kevin, the drummer, is one insane beast -- just seeing him is enough--but the videos add so much more - can be a very profound experience esp. when the crowd goes nuts.
BRING BACK ROBOCOP and RIDER. FUCK YES.
A MUST SEE. AN EXPERIENCE.
DO IT.
Score = 0