Review by Jeff Phifer
A Thousand Knives is the band that you haven't heard yet, but you will.
The group’s very first show in LA resulted in an offer to play a party at the prestigious South By Southwest festival this coming week. A Thousand Knives brings a new sound that captures what's happening around them as well as adding a new flavor to the scene, thus the lucky break.
Sim, as their frontman is known, runs his vocals through a line 6 amp that accentuates the lyrics in a way that both distorts them and makes them crystal clear.
Sure, this sounds like an oxymoron but Sim’s vocals sounded like a megaphone without any distortion. The effect produced a loud, vibrant and commanding sound. The vocals were piercing yet not pain inducing. This quality helped round out the shape of A Thousand Knives’ tonality: Sim, singer and lead guitar, acts as the band’s high end while the low end is comprised of a bass player and a drummer who needs a little more confidence.
At the end of their set arose a cloud of smoke that cleared to reveal the rhythm section had switched instruments for an encore that added even more mystique to this new and compelling band.
A Thousand Knives is able to pull of disco-pop dance beats with dark rockabilly open chord (early Danzig style) and still come off with a legitimate popular sound. Call it a sort of dark pop or pop noir.
(If you didn't catch this show, which very few people did, you can see A Thousand Knives at the Sixth and Alameda Warehouse in LA tonight (that is, if you can find it). If you happen to be in Austin for SXSW, stop by the Beauty Bar March 12 or Black And Tan March 15. )
Also check out A Thousand Knives’ myspace, which has a few live recordings.
