Back to Music

Finding solace in blackouts

And And And create full-throated anthems out of drink and depression

And And And enjoy a good swim. Photo courtesy of Facebook

Recommend Article
Total Recommendations (0)
Clip Article Email Article Print Article Share Article

With their song, "Theme From Cheers," Titus Andronicus took a desire for alcohol as an escape from the pain of everyday living and turned it into one of the great anthemic rallying cries of 2010. Patrick Stickle's impassioned plea to "give me a Guinness, give me a Keystone Light, give me a kegger on a Friday night, give me anything but another year in exile," summed up this young, dumb need to find solace in chaos and blackouts. When he screams "I need a whiskey right now," he may as well be screaming "Love, reign o'er me."

Portland's And And And has a spiritual cousin of "Theme From Cheers" with their song, "I Want More Alcohol (It Makes Me Sadder)." Except, instead of the bravado that Titus Andronicus uses to barely conceal the loneliness, And And And put their depressive neediness right up front and center. Musically, like Titus Andronicus - as well as the forefathers of bombastic drunk outcasts, the Replacements - And And And craft songs that sound big, riled up, and lively in the face of a world that always seems poised to knock you flat on your ass.

"Lyrically, (And And And frontman Nathan Baumgartner) is sort of dark and apathetic, almost depressive, but in a way that's about dealing with it instead of falling into it," says drummer Bim Ditson. "He approaches a lot of serious issues but never tries to make any of the songs a big statement about anything. I think music, for all of us, is a good process for dealing with the s--- that life hands to you. There's a lot of that in there, but then just a lot of songs about drinking, or whatever (Laughs)."

It's important to emphasize that And And And are not interested in wallowing in their drink and despair. Despite their tendency toward dark lyrics and ideas, their words are always accompanied by full-throated singalongs and shit-kicking guitars. Even when cellos or trumpets or other manner of chamber instrumentation enter their songs, they never become dirges. These songs don't mourn; they celebrate ever stupid, painful, humiliating entry in a life full of moments that shine as much as they slump.

"There's a verbal thing you can do with music, but there's also a more kinesthetic thing you can do with it," says Ditson. "I think the band is more responsible for the tactile aspect than the emotional aspect. We all, as musicians, come from different pretty different backgrounds, too. So, there's a lot of what would be in-fighting in a different band, for us it just brings some dynamics, having different viewpoints."

As a frontman, Baumgartner sings with a voice that is constantly searching, reaching out for notes just beyond its range. He sounds on the constant verge of a nervous breakdown. He sings with a need - a need to get all of these words out while he still has the floor, a need to vocalize all of these things that have been running madly through his head. The music rarely slows down long enough to leave him in the spotlight. More often, his voice blends in with the rushing torrent of instruments.

In the Portland scene, And And And are known for their absurdly entertaining live shows. In a move that belies their clout as a performing band, they will be releasing a live album - and not some crummy live demo, but rather a professionally captured set - at the end of the month, which is a rare move from a relatively small independent band.

"It's not really as important to be perfect on every note as it is to be stoked on playing them," Ditson says, in a statement that sums up more than music.

AND AND AND, w/ Sun Angle, Camp Wisdom, 8 p.m. Friday, May 17, Northern, 414 ½ Legion Way, Olympia, $5

Read next close

Arts

Tacoma vs. Olympia

comments powered by Disqus

Site Search