Seattle Subsonic

Cut Copy is the Cure

May 2nd, 2008

Actually, if we’re referring to the Cure, the one with the broken-hearted, silver-throated hair-do of a frontman, that homage was left to opening pop-rock outfit the Black Kids, out of Florida. The remedy I’m referring to here is for the damage I was feeling from a full day’s labor and a lingering head cold on the very day I was trying to celebrate my 29th birthday. I mean, what the hell? Not to get too specific here, but the celebration began with a festive meal at Seattle’s best sushi restaurant, Maneki, down in Japantown. Feeling pretty good from the eight 32 oz. Sapporos and plenty of hot sake, me and my posse headed down to Neumos (4/30) for a continuation of the revelry and plenty of jumping up and down to Aussie new wavers, Cut Copy.

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But, much to my dismay, my body started to give out during the Black Kids’ set. Feeling similarly, friends began dropping like flies and I was left with an achy set of knees and a pair of eyelids that seemed to weigh about ten pounds each. But, you know, the tickets were a birthday present, I’d been looking forward to a good time ever since my buddy sent me the band’s 2004 debut Bright Like Neon Love a few months ago, and I wanted to see the show, dammit. Cut Copy then graced the stage. Oh sure, Australia’s been known recently for their palpable reproduction of greater-known rock bands of the past; Jet and Wolfmother, to name a few, come immediately to mind (full disclosure: I totally dug Wolfmother’s debut album). In a way, Cut Copy is similar, but in another way, they are different. I will not argue with anyone—particularly my girlfriend—that the rave-rockers don’t sound like the melding of New Order and the Pet Shop Boys, with a bit of Interpol’s guitar flair thrown in. They do (obviously). But when the group adds in its brash electro-house and underground disco influences, they manage to pull off something entirely acceptable; and rather well at that.

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Many a concert is judged by the audience and their knowledge of, their reactions to, and their participation with the music. If I used those criteria here, this was an above-awesome show. It seemed like everyone was in a good mood—a dancing mood, they knew the words, and were completely willing to test the floorboards inside Neumos each time the band members told them to. In turn, Cut Copy, using cuts from their latest LP, In Ghost Colours, seemed to feed off this physical energy and pump it into the veins of their performance. And of course, into me, as well. I was rejuvenated by the quick tempo bass slaps and sleek sentimentality of “Out There on the Ice”. I was revitalized by the house-disco barn burner “Lights and Music” (especially when Cut Copy architect Dan Whitford leaned over his synth and yelled “This is the single on our new album!” Chee-sy.) I was further invigorated by the post-punk of “So Haunted”, a highlight of a song that sandwiches a bright, poppy chorus between blurry guitar riffs, finishing with a deliciously 80s synth-embellished outro.

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“Hearts on Fire”, the centerpiece of In Ghost Colours, ended the pre-encore set, and brazenly lit a fire under the collective feet of the dance-mob. Sure to be a ubiquitous club anthem in the coming months, the song showcases Whitford’s background as a DJ, using crescendo so liberally it should be a crime—not to mention the alto saxophone floating in the background. A few songs from the band’s first record were also sprinkled throughout the set (“Time Stands Still”, “Saturday”).

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Who knows when these guys will be back through town, but if you fancy the new wave dance music, do yourself a favor and pick up either of their albums. You won’t be disappointed. You will, however, be cured of anything that ails ya.