Seattle Subsonic

Get To Know: (the) Intelligence

September 8th, 2008

This is Lars Finberg. He writes songs for and plays guitar in (the) Intelligence. I can’t quite figger out if there’s a ‘the’ in front of their name. What I can figger, though, is how rad their music is. YOU, my friend, should be listening to it. Fun trivia fact: Lars used to play drums in the A Frames.

 

This is Lars’ guitar. It’s a turquoise Squier Venus (as you can see). He likes to pump up the volume to at least 10…and a half. I have permanent ear damage from all the Intelligence shows I’ve been to recently.

 

This is the synth master. I don’t know her name, but I do know she served me some Absinthe in Ballard a few weeks ago. She plays a MicroKorg atop a handicap walker and adds a little bit o’ awesomeness to the band.

 

This is the other guitarist. This picture is blurry, but it would’ve been a good one were it not for the blurriness. Notice the mustache, but also notice the finger work and the focused concentration.

 

Here’s a shot of the drummer. He keeps both the rhythm and the beat. Plus he wears one of those basketball knee brace thingys. Drumming is tough on the knees (especially the high-hat).

 

As part of my earlier mandate that YOU should be listening to it, well, here’s a nice little sample to get you addicted. (The first one’s always free, right?) It’s a fine example of their spastic guitar jubilation coalesced with quirky and cryptic lyrics, fuzzed-out doldrums, and an acute affection for punk freak-outs. In short, it’s fan-fucking-tastic.

 

I give you, “Moon Beeps”, from the Deuteronomy LP.

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