Maximum minimalism

Mecca Normal, Mmm Mmm, and more

by Michael Caito

Mecca Normal

A dozen years ago, the Black Wedge tour spewed forth from Vancouver. Numbered among these prescient artists were poets and minimalist musicians including the duo Mecca Normal. Vancouverites Jean Smith (vocals) and David Lester (guitar) were to become one of many highlights of K Records of Olympia -- Calvin Johnson's spiritual linchpin of the riot grrl movement -- and, later, Matador, home to lo-fi supplicants Pavement.

The duo's pioneering work -- fomented by a chance newspaper production room meeting -- meshed punk 'tude and political poetry, with Smith's dirge-like vocal power later proving inspirational to young bands from the American Northwest. Though on the record as not being comfortable with the tag as one of the first "grrls," Smith and her lyric imagery (and, later, novels) often encompass potent political overtones made gaspingly personal. Happily, Mecca Normal's intelligence has always prevented them from being labeled and conveniently niched as "anarchist" or "nihilist" or any of the self-serving "-ists" critics often apply when confronted with artists smarter than they are.

On a number of fronts the tandem were anything but normal. Ostracized by musicians from their 'hood, including hardcore scene maggots who saw the lack of bass/drums as sufficient grounds for dismissal of anything musically relevant -- Smith and Lester were nevertheless a Smith & Wesson among capguns. Over they years they've always demanded interactivity; as seething, panther-poetess Smith strode among audience members, the bookish-looking Lester ran the gamut from power-chord windmilling to gentle, folkish arpeggios to sitar-esque ruminations. It worked on their terms, for if you've seen them once you'll never forget them.

The pair expanded to a trio with the addition of New Zealand drummer/producer Peter Jefferies, with whom they have also worked in that Kiwi's alter-ego Two Foot Flame project, and the Meccans have just released their third Matador full-length, Who Shot Elvis?, their eighth LP in a decade.

Thankfully for longtime fans, Smith returned to living in North America after a trip to New Zealand which had temporarily left the duo's future in a state of flux. Upon her re-arrival in Vancouver the trio was formed, with Who Shot Elvis?being their second LP since. Simultaneously, Smith's second publication for Arsenal Pulp Press, Complexity Is the Ghost of Understanding, is in the initial proofing stage, following her '93 novella I Can Hear Me Fine, a series of impressionist-laden vignettes which obfuscated litcrits lamented because it read too much like a slapdash anthology of lyrics.

You can poke and prod for literal meaning forever within Smith's lyric smithy and some riddles will remain unsolvable. Try 1990's Water Cuts My Hands and its freaky imagery of dogs, lopped-off chicken feet and "mushroom water." Or last year's Eagle & the Poodle, with barely-reined experimentalist Jefferies aboard for the splenetic "The Revival of Cruelty" and the flat-out twanger oddity "Cave In" ("Longevity starburst, anti-design / whiting-out the typos / fish without arms fly around the room"). Uh, Jean, what the fuck?

Smith pores over crucial emotional minutiae again on Elvis, but it's also graced with a dose of (gasp!) humor among more-familiar introspection about vagaries in a love's embers gone gray. But an economy of words remains a strong suit. On "Step Into My Sphere" she scores in a mere four lines:"Ruby-Lucille, don't send your sphinx to town/ Ruby-Lucille, you picked a fine line to wheel."

It's always been densely-packed and angular, and to their credit, you'd be hard-pressed to find a band as capable of maximizing minimalism with such poetic and musical success. Once acclimated to Smith's tendency to wholly envelop her words like frost on a tree stump, you're freed to discover the perfect accompaniment set forth by Lester on electric. Add a well-respected Kiwi percussionist/producer in Jefferies, and Mecca Normal's first trip here as a trio will be like those of the old duo: unforgettable.

Mecca Normal perform at AS220 on Saturday with Mount Everett and Herbal Nation.

Mmm Mmm . . . (11-song independent cassette)

Former Pollenate guitarist Mike Moore teams up with erstwhile producer Scott Cary, and with help from Adam Lasus of Studio Red fame (who produced early Scarce and later Godrays) creates this dazzler demo. Yes, Jesse Blatz, Brian Leveille and pals are improving every day in the other Pollenate offshoot the Fly Seville, but it's a happy revelation to hear Moore's pop songwriting skills at the fore, evoking memories as far back as Village Green-era Davies brothers and as contempo as Kink kompatriots Catherine Wheel.

Keeping the not-enough-sleep wooziness of Pollenate's under-appreciated Snorkel Type, Moore & Co. unleash pristine melody after melody, hopefully giving pause to those who wondered where all the listener-friendly Providence pop bands had got to. Unfortunately for us, Moore's been concentrating live shows in New York City, and that's smart if it's the best way to continue working with Lasus. With due respect to Mark Cutler, Rebuilt Hanger Theory, Mount Everett, Delta Clutch and that cruelly-unrepresented Velvet Crush disc in the can, this tape may help recreate a heyday, no matter what some maintain about a dearth of top-notch pop hereabout. I may soil me codpiece. Five stars.

Johnny West: Imaginary Driver (9-song independent CD)

Frontman Paul Garfinkel is joined by his brother Todd, bassist Dicky Wright and, after the recording was finished, two thirds of Vehicle (Dave Stem & Pedro). Lush Americana, medium-tempo grooves, tons of string textures courtesy of Todd G plus Lenny Amaral (pedal steel) and slide/lap-steel guitarist Kevin Murphy. It's a many-layered disc -- props to producer Stem of Diva Studios, who mostly prevents what could have been a butt-ugly squishy string soup. And while Garfinkel's world-weary voice is still strikingly similar to Bob Mould's, that ain't necessarily a bad thing. Actually, they remind me of U2 throughout most of the first six tracks, though that Irish quartet's urgency -- especially early in their career -- would be a welcome addition to Johnny West, who on this debut come off as less-than-immediate. It's knowing when to punch that emotion button which makes Americana purveyors (like Freedy) so freakin' amazing. Nobody wants to hear non-plussed in such a vibrant bed of sound . . . it's far more effective in a spare setting. "Landfill" finally breaks the plane near the end, and "Safety Pin" continues the energy boost through. Kick them words in the ass, Paul. The meat 'n' taters are all there, but the broth is thin.

Johnny West perform Saturday at the Century Lounge with Purple Ivy Shadows.

HERE AND THERE. Tonight (20), Anders Parker of Varnaline and Rex gather to bring their stripped-down appeal to the Century Lounge. Rex's new 3 (Southern Records) adds gorgeous flourishes of Fender Rhodes, viola, violin and cello to their mix, gently probing the underbelly of country/rock's junction. The solo Varnaliner's A Shot & A Beer (Zero Hour) EP coyly hints at the full-on band's power, but Parker is gonna have to be on top of his game to keep that trio's fans convinced. Polite and hungover is not so fun to hear on the new EP, but maybe that's the point. We'll call this EP a 'tweener and hope that he can dredge the magic all by his lonesome . . . Seaside on Friday, Mark Cutler makes a stop at the Ocean Mist, with Dave Lopes up first. On Saturday, Pennywise arrive at Lupo's at 7 p.m., while folk songwriting high priest Bob Franke celebrates his choice new Rounder CD at Stone Soup.