The Eternals ~ Rawar Style
The Eternals are
a Chicago trio – Damon Locks on vocals, keys and sampler, Wayne Montana
on bass and keys and Tim Mulvenna on drums. Mulvenna particularly has pedigree
having played with jazz giants including Peter Brotzman and Ken Vandermark
– he’s a mighty fine player who lays down driving, infectious
grooves. Montana plays gangly, funky bass and brings the suggestion of dub
into the mix while Locks sings in a variety of styles, often distinctly crazed,
insistent and verging occasionally on the convulsive. Rawar Style is noisy
new wave/no wave carrying with it hints of Devo, early Talking Heads, maybe
the songform Material circa Temporary Music. It would be great fun to catch
The Eternals live especially if it was from the moshpit pogoing in a crowd.
It’s difficult not to imagine the band on stage in fezes and cream suits,
with the singer additionally wearing black specs, pens peeking out of his
top pocket and sweat streaming down his forehead - and they’d all be
dancing manically. Though many of The Eternals’ references are to the
early ‘80s, there are hints of contemporary influences, for example
Silhouette slows the pace down and builds around a lovely sampled figure which
is slightly reminiscent of a Fourtet track. However this is predominantly
live music played by real, live musicians (remember?) and it’s loud
and abrasive and a lot of fun.
Colin Buttimer
June 2004