People Noise « AZLTRON

August 22, 2007

Extraordinary Ghosts

Filed under: People Noise,VHS or Beta — AZLTRON @ 1:45 am

People Noise is the product of Zeke Buck and Matt Johnsony. Zeke, formerly of VHS or Beta, and Matt formerly of Boom Bip. They both left their respective bands feeling limited inside the structure of what the bands were doing. They wanted to be more free with their music, to make music that is distinctly human rather than man machine drenched in synthesizers and mechanical rhythms. As much as I love electronic things, I have to admit that sometimes enough is enough and I have to listen to something else, like folk, pop, or even *gasp* acoustic ballads! So I can only imagine what it was like to work on extremely technical mechanical riffs for 10 years.

People Noise’s debut album “Ordinary Ghosts” definitely delivers upon its promise to be more human. While Zeke Buck offers up spectacular guitar riffs as always he also proves he has some startlingly good vocal chops as well. I was surprised to learn that he was a well known opera singer in his youth, until he hit puberty. It was said that he trained with a blind blues musician to regain his confidence in his vocal ability, and regain it he did. His piercing vocals cut through the walls of guitar sound with an envelope of soothing reverb. For Zeke to strike off on his own without his fellow VHS or Beta band mates, this release sounds very fully formed and at times it has the feel of some of VHS or Beta’s more atmospheric tunes minus the dance beats, which I don’t mind at all. The rock beats allow Zeke’s guitar to roar to life in a way that they never could in a 4 by 4 stomp. Also the lack of pressure to make dance music also allows for some sensitive ballads that never would have been possible with VHS or Beta. “Turn Around” features some beautiful cascading synth and modestly triumphant guitar melodies that makes it a mellow favorite of mine. Another favorite of mine is the urgent “Harrison Bergeron” that makes use of soaring guitar lines and the seemingly endless amount of effects pedals that Zeke Buck employs.

Long story short, if you’re looking for some pyrotechnic guitar work with a heart and soul, give People Noise a shot, you won’t be disappointed.

MP3 – Turn Around – People Noise

MP3 – Harrison Bergeron – People Noise

People Noise Myspace

Pretty Things Live:

Comments (0)

June 27, 2007

New VHS or Beta

Filed under: Depeche Mode,Duran Duran,People Noise,VHS or Beta — AZLTRON @ 7:25 pm

VHS or Beta posted 2 new tracks off of their upcoming “Bring on the Comets” album. I have to say they sound quite a bit different. While the songs are still dance-able, it seems like the songs are built around the vocals this time around rather than having the vocals injected into dance numbers. While we’re on the topic of the vocals, they have improved a great deal but they still don’t manage to make their own imprint. Most listeners are sure to have Duran Duran/Depeche Mode Deja Vu upon contact. Another things that stands out to me right away is the lack of the catchy lead riffs that made VHS or Beta’s “Night on Fire” so addictive, this is most probably due to the lack of founding Guitarist Zeke Buck who left to form “People Noise” with the former drummer of Boom Bip. They are set to release their excellent debut LP “Ordinary Ghosts” later this month.

Obvious first single “Burn it all Down”, still rings with the flange tinged builds and bass thumps that VHS fans are used to, while “Can’t Believe a Single Word” employs vocal grooves and spare piano to get it’s point across. It’s still too early to make a call on the entire album but the songs here are solid to say the least. The bass lines and the man machine drumming are still there, but they’re lacking something, an energy, an effect, or more likely a guitar player.

VHS or Beta Myspace

Comments (0)

June 2, 2007

Noisy People and Motocades

Filed under: Motocade,People Noise,VHS or Beta — AZLTRON @ 10:58 pm

The other day i was looking into what was going on with VHS or Beta’s new album, and while I was on their official site, I found out that guitarist Zeke Buck had left the band after ten years to collaborate with Mathew Johnson of Boom Bip on a new rock project. Having seen VHS or Beta perform live at Alfred University a while back and seeing Mr. Buck play live leaves me with some high expectations of both this new project and VHS or Beta’s new project. People Noise does not disappoint. Rather than the experimental funk based guitars of VHS, there are some huge riffs and feedback thrust alongside some fist pounding mid-tempo drums. Zeke Buck also offers up some surprising vocal chops. It all works together in a spacey compelling way, and the guitar work has immense personality to it. Their debut “Ordinary Ghosts” comes out later this month.

People Noise Myspace

MP3 – People Noise – The Killing Fields

Secondly, I received a request to review a band from Auckland, New Zealand band called Motocade. At first listen I can hear some clear strokes influence in the form of their linear guitars, but they take their work in a more manic bouncy direction. It adds to the nervous confessional theme on the excellent single “My Friends”, which calls to mind going out with friends for no other reason than routine and the desire to break that routine. The delirious beat and spoken word breaks carry the song home. The band have respectable range in both their guitar riffs and in the vocals of Eden Mullholland, and their new EP “Into the Fall” is solid.