In the time I’ve been writing these Blogarhythms’ I haven’t really had the chance to be taken aback by a stylistic turn-around perpetrated by an artist featured in these pages. In fact, when I recently picked up 24kt God, the new sophomore LP from previous Blogarhythms featuree Panther, it came very close to sparking the first instance of such feelings.
Observant readers might remember Portland, Oregon-based Panther, known to the government (and his parents) as Charles Salas-Humara, and the avant-garde amalgam of Electro, Funk, Pop, Punk, Glam and more he deployed on his debut LP Secret Lawns, from a Blogarhythms post back in April of ‘07. But much has changed between then and now. The name Panther now applies not just to Salas-Humara, but to Joe Kelly as well, whose addition as drummer turns what was previously a largely electronic solo act into a full-fledged duo with newfound live-band tendencies.
This decidedly liver, definitively more organic sound is on display all over 24kt God, the act’s first release under the aegis of the Kill Rock Stars label. To say it strikes a unique figure compared to Secret Lawns would be a bit of an understatement. The music made by the two is still deeply indebted to ’70s Funk, but with hardly a synthesizer or drum-machine heard. So songs like “Puerto Rican Jukebox,” “On the Lam,” and “Beautiful Condo” come off more like reinterpretations of James Brown-esque Funk itself than the previous record’s electronically-produced homages to Funk.
Marrying the omnipresent throb of funky bass to pounding, uptempo drums, tunes like “Decision, Decision,” “Violence, Diamonds,” “Total Sexy Church” and “What You Hear” foray into dancey Art-Punk territory reminiscent of the Talking Heads. Cuts like “Her Past are the Trees,” “These Two Trees” and “Worn Moments” employ a folky tribalism that’s part Bow Wow Wow, a bit Animal Collective, and a smidgen if Architecture in Helsinki. While other tunes, the Freak-Folk meets Philly Soul ballad “Glamorous War,” the proggy cello-over-beats rocker “Take Yr Crane,” and the staccato start-stop rhythms and cheesy synths of the title track for example, reach beyond any discernible stylistic boundaries.
More notable than either the new musical directions embarked upon or the cut-back on synthesizers and drum-programming (a loss augmented by the addition of cello on a number of tracks) though is the fact that Salas-Humara’s signature falsetto has all but disappeared. This should mean he has fewer comparisons to Justin Timberlake to look forward to in the future. But it also means that the Panther of 24kt God is even more different than that of Secret Lawns than it would have been simply withstanding the addition of Kelly on the skins.
I’m not deeply disappointed by the changes, but I am surprised. And I can admit, I’m comforted by Portland-based producer Copy’s robot-flavored remix of “On the Lam.”
Panther “On the Lam (Copy Remix)”
If you’re in San Francisco or LA check out Panther opening for The Gossip April 18th at The Fillmore and April 19th at the Henry Ford Theater in those respective cities.
- El Keter
