jaga jazzist 02-07-2011
confederation park, ottawa
i didn't realize that jaga jazzist had a completely "badass" drummer, that phrase being less vague than it appears; while i will not describe it, it should be clear what it means in an exaggerated stereotyped kind of a way, the term being far from obscure. we all know what "badass" means, although we don't really want to stoop to the level of having enough interest in it to justify studying it in any sort of depth. label it a primitive term, in both the literal and ironic sense.
those familiar with jaga jazzist will recall a sound that's a little less refined than what i saw this evening. while i'll admit to not having explicitly heard their most recent recordings, the sound transmitted to me through the show suggested a desire to move closer to an alternative rock sound, an abstraction of that presented by acts such as the arcade fire. i must admit to preferring the less refined sound, although i'll refrain from making normative statements regarding the difference in sound. i was maybe expecting a little bit of a busier sound...
...and the drummer. almost alone, presented that. "badass". again, this means, what, precisely? it means randomly playing standing up in the middle of the song so you can wave your drumsticks at the frightened post-grad audience. it means a beard and a belly, and a plausibly inebriated glare out to harbour. it means running off periodic phil collins impersonations, injecting some passion into a largely over-intellectualized general presentation.
there were some great jaga jazzist records released in the last decade, and i wish i would have been able to see them several years ago. as it is, what i'll take away from the show is the badass drummer.
i do not have footage from the show, but this set is a full set from about a week before the show: