popwreckoning

The stage at Johnny Brenda’s was littered end to end with a refreshing variety of instruments that don’t often make an appearance at hipster haven located in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood. A mere passing glance found an accordion, electric upright bass, guiro (wooden and metal), cowbell, bongos and other hand drums in addition to the “normal” stuff. When Brooklyn (by way of France and Peru) six-piece Chicha Libre took the stage, I was surprised to find the ratio of band members to instruments saw the latter in the lead.

Stepping up to the mic, Chicha Libre front man Olivier Conan introduced the band in the form of a demand to the audience: “We’re Chicha Libre. We’re gonna bring you some libre and you’re gonna be dancing.” It took a few songs for the audience to garner the confidence to shake it to Chicha Libre’s eclectic and ethnic dance beats, but the audience — an odd mix of hipsters and NPR oldies — soon warmed up to the foreign sounds and got their respective grooves on.

Throughout their set, Chicha Libre showed off their cosmopolitan influences and outlooks with songs taking on sounds from Latin America, Eastern Europe and more while singing in a variety of languages, reminding me of DeVotchKa on speed. Chicha Libre’s energy and stage presence was infectious as they got the crowd moving to their aptly self-described sound of “what rock and roll would like if America lost all the wars.” Despite a initially timid reception, Chicha Libre left the stage to wild applause.

The noise emanating from the audience at the end of the first set was nothing compared to the excitement that surged throughout the venue as L.A.-based Dengue Fever made their way onto the stage. What happened next was a jazzy foreign explosion of noise. I honestly had to pause and get a grip on what I was actually hearing, which was unlike anything I’d ever heard before.

I listened and watched amazed at the skill with which David Ralicke played both the trumpet and tenor saxophone. He wailed on his respective horns as each song was driven forward by Senon Williams‘ throbbing bass lines.

However tight the band’s instrumentation, the star of the evening was front woman Chhom Nimol. Already famous in her native country of Cambodia (she’s performed for the King and Queen there!) before joining up with five American guys to form what started out as a 60s Cambodian cover rock band.

Now, with three notches on their album belt, the latest being this year’s Venus on Earth, Dengue Fever is showcasing their massive talent on tour (dates below) in North America and Europe through the summer. Their sultry jazz grooves and upbeat fiery numbers make Dengue Fever the perfect band to see in the heat of a summer night, preferably at an outdoor venue.

Not only can Dengue Fever bring down a house with tight and solid instrumentation, they literally knock it over with the spastic energy they display on stage. At every opportunity, Williams, Ralicke and guitarist/vocalist Zac Holtzman jumped up and down in time with the music getting some pretty solid air, an impressive feat while perfectly nailing notes and chords. Even organ player Ethan Holtzman (yes, they’re brothers) was bouncing around as much as he could in spite of having to keep his fingers to the immobile keys. Ralicke was so amped that on a song which required neither trumpet nor tenor sax, he jumped off the stage to dance along with the legions of fans crowding the stage.

Taking the cue from Ralicke and turning it around on him, zealous crowd goers jumped on stage during the set and encore, jumping along with the fellas in the band and watching the petite Nimol in awe as she belted out each tune in her beautiful voice with its unique Cambodian inflection. With a performance as dynamic as Dengue Fever’s, it’s no shock that they have such a legion of rabid fans.

Tour Dates:
Jul 11 – Live on Fearless Radio / Chicago
Jul 11 – Empty Bottle / Chicago
Jul 12 – La Fete de Marquette at Central Park / Madison, Wi.
Jul 16 – Joe’s Pub / New York City
Jul 18 – Larmertree Festival / Salisbury, Eng.
Jul 19 – Lovebox London Weekender / London
Jul 21 – Hoxton Bar & Grill / London
Jul 23 РJazz Caf̩ / London
Jul 26 – WOMAD Festival / Wiltshire, Eng.
Jul 27 – WOMAD Festival / Wiltshire, Eng.
Aug 02 – El Rey / Los Angeles
Aug 06 – Oya Festival / Oslo
Aug 08 – Way Out West / Goteborg
Aug 09 – Summer Sundae Weekender / Leicester, England
Aug 13 – Globians Doc Fest / Potsdam
Aug 15 – Viana Do Castelo Int. Music Festival / Viana Do Castelo
Aug 16 – Beautiful Days / Devon, Eng.
Aug 21 – Festival Musicas Do mar Povoa do / Varzim, Por.
Aug 29 – Festival Musicas Do mar Povoa do / Varzim, Por.
Aug 30 – Festival de Beschaving / Utrecht, Hol.
Aug 31 – Electric Picnic / Dublin
Sep 03 – Globians Doc Fest rerun / Berlin
Sep 20 - Street Scene / San Diego
Nov 20 – ICA / London

Chicha Libre: myspace
Dengue Fever: website | myspace | Venus on Earth review

Photos:Ed Roper

Dengue Fever has released a new video from their newest album Venus on Earth for “Seeing Hands.” The video features the bands’ members tied to van racks, lava melting into brake lights and lead singer Chhom Nimol holding the band in a miniature and a B-2 Bomber. The video was shot in High Definition by famed Director of Photography Lance Acord, who has worked on such films as Marie Antoinette, Lost In Translation and Being John Malkovich.

Check out the video and then catch Dengue Fever on tour (dates below):

Tour Dates:
03/07 @ La Sala Rossa, Montreal, Quebec, CANADA
03/08 @ Sneaky Dee�s, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
03/12 @ UCLA Live, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Angelique Kidjo)
03/13 @ Echo Park Film Center, Los Angeles, CA (Screening of documentary �Sleepwalking Through the Mekong�)
03/21 @ Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
03/22 @ Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room, Seattle, WA
03/23 @ Nightlight Lounge, Bellingham, WA
03/25 @ Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT
03/26 @ Hi-Dive, Denver, CO
03/28 @ Club Deville, Austin, TX
03/29 @ Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, Houston, TX
03/30 @ Lola�s, Fort Worth, TX
04/01 @ Orpheum Theater, Flagstaff, AZ
04/02 @ Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
04/17 @ Soho, Santa Barbara, CA
04/18 @ The Independent, San Francisco,CA
04/19 @ The Casbah, San Diego, CA
05/10 @ Santa Monica Festival, Santa Monica, CA (day)
05/24 @ Sasquatch Festival, Gorge Amphitheater, WA
05/27 @ Borderline, London, England
05/30 @ Tong Tong Festival, The Hague, The Netherlands
06/01 @ Wychwood Festival, Gloucestershire, England

Dengue Fever: myspace

Out Today:

Promise of Redemption When The Flowers Bloom… show review | interview
Cat Power Jukebox review
Dengue Fever Venus On Earth review
Damemas Let Your Tape Rock review
The Whigs Mission Control review
Depeche Mode Vinyl Reissues
Evangelicals The Evening Descends
Hello, Blue Roses Hello Blue Roses
Foxy Shazam Introducing Foxy Shazam
Jet Lag Gemini Fire The Cannons review
Love In October Pontus, The Devil And Me
Primavera Primavera
Steve Smith This Town
Zox Line In The Sand

Dengue Fever‘s new album Venus on Earth is being released by M80 Music, not M80 Records as was previously stated.

Head over to M80 Music to check out Dengue Fever and labelmates Morning 40 Federation.

Congratulations loyal PopWreck(oning) readers, today you’ll not only get to read a review, you also get a history lesson on the birth of a musical genre. Before Dengue Fever‘s press kit came to me in the mail, I had never heard of Cambodian pop-rock. Nor has Wikipedia. However, after digging a little deeper, I stumbled across a wonderfully informative website called, �Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten � Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll.� It turns out that during the time period of the Vietnam War, a new genre of music was being formed due in part to the exposure Westerners and Vietnamese had to one another. Cambodian pop-rock was formed by combining the American �surf rock sound of Dick Dale and the Beach Boys, and the British pop movement of The Beatles, The Kinks and The Rolling Stones, with traditional music of Cambodian culture, referred to as either Ramvong (slower dance music), or rambach (folk-style music). Fun stuff right?

That said, Dengue Fever proudly calls this genre it’s home. Forming in Los Angeles in 2001, founding members Zac and Ethan Holzman realized their compassion for Cambodian pop-rock following a trip to the country. The brothers then began filling void in their groups line-up, beginning with David Ralicke on the sax. Ralicke, who had previously played with Beck, was followed by drummer Paul Smith and bassist Senon Williams. The band’s final piece, singer Chhom Nimol, who was discovered performing at a night club in the Little Phnom Penh or Little Cambodia area of Long Beach, Ca., would be the signature touch this band needed to complete the authentic Cambodian sound they were aiming for. Actually hailing from Cambodia, Nimol had regularly performed for the countries King and Queen. While that may not be the Beatles rooftop concert, it’s not exactly a strike against her resume either. I mean, I bet Sid Vicious never played for the Queen.

After securing a line-up and completing two �critically acclaimed� albums, we’re brought to the present for Dengue Fever, with the release of they’re third album, Venus on Earth. On the album, recorded mostly on analog tape, the band seems to focus more on the actual construction of songwriting than they have in the past. With less clutter and more craft, Nimol’s vocals seem to remain fresh and crisp, uncovered by noise. They also manage to balance on the tightrope act that is showcasing both American and Cambodian cultures equally and efficiently. Drummer Paul Smith points out, �We made a conscious decision to simplify the sound. There’s a lot of space in the mix, more swing in the playing. The arrangements are less jammy; they’re finely constructed, with plenty of surf music and spaghetti western twang.� Songwriter Zac Holtzman adds, ” We wanted a jazzy, European feel, with enough space to increase the impact of Nimol’s vocals. It’s emotionally deeper and moodier, in tradition of the French chansons, but still retain its Cambodian soul.”

Emotion is the driving force behind this album. Chhom’s vocal disposition ranges from tormented on tracks like “Seeing Hands,” forceful on “Tiger Phone Card,” and heavenly on “Monsoon of Perfume.” In much the same manner, the musical contributions to the album follow the same guidelines. Surf rock tracks may follow garage rock sounds tailing smooth jazz ballads. If one word were ever to describe Venus on Earth, that word would have to be diverse. I mean, even the language of the album remains inconsistent as Chhom fluctuates her storytelling from English to Cambodian then back again.

It’s safe to say that Dengue Fever will suffice to those indie kid whose obscurity walks hand in hand with the band who can do the same. Trust me kids, with a band this original, their sound can never be stolen.

Look for Venus on Earth on January 22nd, 2008 on M80 Records.

Download: “Sober Driver” mp3 (right click, save as…)

Links:
Dengue Fever’s Website
It’s Alive Media Group
M80 Music