Brave the Storm - The District

From the District Weekly (4/01/2009)

It’s hard to sell instrumental music to anyone these days. It’s a fact of life that most people enjoy hearing the human voice—if not their own, then at least someone pretty. Not since Santo & Johnny has the genre had any chance at major radio play, and despite the fact that Seattle’s Kinski have been slowly adding a layer of vocal icing to their last couple recordings, the cake remains the same.

Instrumental noise enthusiasts Kinski have strangled guitars in the upper-left hand corner of America since the late 1990s—a simpler time when plaid still went with everything and the Supersonics were a force to be reckoned with (RIP, Squatch). Under the leadership of Chris Martin (no, not that one), the rain-soaked foursome (two guitars, bass and drums) toured the world with like-minded sound merchants Hovercraft and Acid Mothers Temple, with whom they released a split album several years back. For the last 10 years the band has refined its strength, condensing the bone-liquefying attack of a thousand guitars into a couple of Marshall stacks.

Kinski’s third and most recent full length, Sub-Pop’s Down Below It’s Chaos, is a heavy assault rife with punishing drums and guitar riffs that revolve and resolve like a planetary orbit. Their sound veers seamlessly from Daydream Nation-era Sonic Youth to the Jurassic-techno of the Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” But the rumors of their newest album indicate radio-friendly running times and vocals on every track. It’s unclear what to expect on this current go round but it will inevitably inspire a floor-staring sway from those healthy enough to remain upright in the face of Kinski’s feedback hurricane.

The Prospector will be the southern most point of their current tour and likely the smallest stage/low-ceilinged corner to support their instruments. The sheer mass of Kinski’s sound could quite possibly cook all the steaks in the kitchen. Consider yourself warned.

Brave the Storm - The District