Hep cats

Delta Clutch, Amoebic Ensemble, the Kaisers

by Michael Caito

The Kaisers

According to Delta Clutch lead singer Pip, Friday was the first time he'd ever shared a bill with his brother Matt Everett of the Amoebic Ensemble. Overseeing the performing siblings was another sib (John) from the performance troupe Frodus, prompting multi-instrumentalist Chris Adams to note respectfully, "Geez, can't swing a dead cat without hitting one of those guys."

The Amoebics don't feature any dead felines, but they do have a new alto saxophonist and have added upright bassist Margie Wienk from Difference Engine. Mark Pedini is the other comparative new cat on drums, et cetera, having replaced their earlier two-piece percussion section, and the revamped bottom end alters a lot in the Amoebic world. Consider the other instrumentation: lynchpins Al Redfearn (on accordion and a newly-expanded vocal role), violinist Laura Gulley (also of the Philharmonic) and bassoonist/hurdy-gurdy player/librettist Steve Jobe are forever chasing each other's intricate melodic and harmonic lines around. It's not that their compositions are convoluted, but they have a tendency to get busy, sometimes groaning under the weight of numerous diabolical time changes and drop-outs. With the economical contributions of sax (alternating between accenting Redfearn's squeezebox and Jobe's bassoon lines)and Everett on mostly-plucked Telecaster filigrees, there's a whole lot happening before you even add a bowed-bass and trap kit. Thus the understated lines of Wienk and Pedini bring the whole into focus, and they never end up sounding like calliope music run under a roto-tiller.

Which is not to say the found-object percussion of Ensemble alum Jonathan Thomas (now in His Panic Band) is not missed -- JT always added a pulse of whimsical anarchy to the Ensemble's studiously subversive melody lines. As fleet and indiscreet as a Van Vliet, he was. As co-founder, Redfearn has maintained from Day One that this group will feature an ever-evolving lineup (thus their name), but this incarnation is super. On Friday Redfearn's accordion playing was ragged, but the compensatory improvement in his singing meant all was forgiven. Gulley and Jobe, musical co-conspirators for years, had the evening's most magical exchanges, and a shout-out should go to soundman Jimmy Reynolds, who pulled the potentially daunting mix together -- without soundcheck -- by halfway through the second song. While the Providence band's stirring sophomore LP Amoebiasis (Stupeur &Trompette) is a tough-to-locate import, their too-rare live shows remain rewarding, especially when sandwiched between the blustery '70s cock-rock of Paxton and the mighty Delta Clutch, who followed on Friday.

The Ensemble has always proven difficult to capture in words, but again, consider the instrumentation and the fact that in Gulley, Jobe and Redfearn you have medieval and ancient music, classical and experimental pop realms covered, and the trio leaven those experiences with doses of humor and a determination to push the envelope in terms of specific inspirations, song construction/ deconstruction and fierce playing. In this vein they're unique, which is fine and dandy, but they also realize that that fact is never reason to rest on laurels. On to Toronto . . . .

The Kaisers: Wishing Street (Imperial Wireless 14-song CD)

Screaming outta Scotland in a latter-day UK Invasion, the quartet make their first Met appearance since '96 this weekend. Warning:there are those who may dismiss and relegate them to a catch-all retro back-burner. Bad move, though it's true that immediately after trying this I was obligated to spin Meet the Beatles.  Beatsters and punks, surfers and those who still do the Twist will find plenty to dig in this fun-o-rama record, which stands head and shimmying shoulders above the passel of one-trick mugwumps who have recently tried to cash in on garage, Dick Dale and surf-rock. Transcending the above with a far greater sense of melody, they sometimes are circa '64 Fab Four, but other times come off as the Everlys in a rave-up band -- praise we reserve for a select few. On Wishing Street, their fourth full-length, they pull it all together convincingly, even with spiffed-up production. One trusted pal who heard them in a notorious Glasgow tavern said they were astonishing live, and Mr. Jesso of Friday's openers the Fabulous Itchies (who are still searching for Story Lewis' replacement) concurred, earlier this week. Be Beat-y, with the Neanderthals (featuring Eddie Angel) along too. This is a good one.

Dopey Lopes: Welcome to the Mental Stadium (Potters Field 6-song EP)

Lopes is nothing if not tenacious, writing every song as if it's his defining anthem and -- occasionally -- coming up with one. This EP from the same label which brought us two fine Cutler discs is loaded with credible players (Freddy Abong, Rob George, Mike "Stumpy" Neckritz, Tommy Tenz, Peter Breen, Tripod Cats frontman Ray Memery) all along for the big gig in Lopes' recognizable power-chord Stadium, where Westerberg is still God and Paul Stanley is Saint Peter at least. How well it works is entirely up to your moodswing, but the EPhas a self-effacing, endearing quality, and you have to give New-Yorker-via-South-County Lopes some props for never being a bandwagon-hopper -- no mean feat in a fad-soaked genre. The CD-release party Saturday at the Green Room also features Tripod Cats and Tim Flynn.

STARS & BARS. The Met Café has one of those weeks: tonight (6/11) it's Gringo, Bastard Squad and more for the hooligan inside you that needs to vent, Saturday finds Purple Ivy Shadows performing with Varnaline, Monday is a quality summit with two excellent songwriters -- Scarce alum Chick Graning and Figgs' singer/ bassist Pete Donnelly. Three nights, three takes, all worthwhile.

Speaking of the Figgs, they've replaced a guitar player, a nugget gleaned from the latest issue (III-1) of the Pawtucket-based bimonthly Amplifier. This mag keeps improving, with the only quibble being that in bi-monthly format you're sometimes reading reviews of, say, Christmas gigs in spring. No biggie -- there's lots elsewhere to peruse, from BS-free interviews (Fastball, High Llamas) to tons of capsule CD and singles reviews (including the Velvet Crush -- twice) from the latest in global pop, indie to major. This issue's cover is Ben Folds Five, and inside Folds says, "I don't think your average kid these days is exposed to that much culturally. But you're still going to crave expression the same way. So you're going to do what you can with bits and pieces. I think that's what we've done." Also:a teary trib to Carl Wilson by Jeffrey Foskett, who toured with the Beach Boys. Excellent read courtesy of Marlowes frontman John Larson and Joe Joyce, co-editors; punch up amplifierj@ aol.com for the five Ws.

Largest news this week is obviously the Hear in RI Festival, happening on several themed stages starting 'round 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at India Point Park. It's all free, so drop over, and if you happen to waltz by Fellini or Zog, better reload for this major mostly-folk earful. We received a schedule but during events like this set times are usually flexi -- so go with the flow and wander among stage, kiosk and rejuvenated shoreline. Don't forget a hat.