How can you tell when you've listened to a CD one too many times? I guess when the person in the neighboring cubicle starts singing aloud, "Oh Tina, she's got ideas" and no one knows who this Tina is or what kind of kinky ideas she has anyway. But despite the fact that The Elephants have me and my co-workers singing about some strange woman named Tina, I can't help loving their demo CD. It's catchy; it's '80s retro; it's futuristic modern; it's happy, and it's sad at the same time. Example: I had the disturbing realization that I was dancing around in a towel to "The humans kill themselves and now they're gone." I guess I was hypnotized by the poppy synthesized beat. Sorry. I can't help it. I was once a waver. I especially like the closing song's "Here comes love, beware, defend yourself." Truer words were never sung to an electronic Casio beat. Luckily for those of you in T-town, these are local kids, and they are playing this Saturday at Hell's Kitchen with a couple of the Weekly Volcano's other favorite local bands.
Speaking of which, Paris Spleen must have shoplifted a copy of the Punk Rockers Pocket Guidebook because they seriously know the rules. They are following a very rigid formula for punk rock stardom, and they aren't ashamed to admit it. They are drunk, disorderly and disrespectful of anything resembling establishment (including venues and booking agents). But amazingly, after they keep getting banned (supposedly) from venues, they continue to have gigs and a fairly significant following. They quote Rimbaud, along with a few of the other authors frequently mentioned in rock biographies and seem to have the Dionysus gimmick down pat. Jim Morrison would be proud. It's a "life imitating art - imitating life" kind of thing, and it's working like clockwork. I suppose the whole shirtless animal magnetism thing isn't hurting matters either.
Both groups play on the same bill with Mono in VCF and Thee Emergency. tonight, 9 p.m., $5, Hell's Kitchen, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma. - Angela Jossy