Sometimes a little too all over the place but always
intriguing
The Fever
Double Door Chicago, IL
Mar. 27, 2006
Story and Photos By Andy Argyrakis
Type in the band name "The Fever" into Amazon.com and
a slew of mostly positive feedback pops up, along with
the fact that many consumers who purchased the band's
2004 effort Red Bedroom have also bought Bloc Party,
The Bravery and Kaiser Chiefs. Check out the group's
website (www.thefeveronline.com) or peruse the
internet for record reviews and the common influence
pool consensus falls somewhere between Nick Cave & the
Bad Seeds and the Beach Boys during its hippie era.
While those 80s dance/pop revivalists, the enigmatic
singer/songwriter with his psychedelic backers and the
surf pop legends don't seem to have the slightest in
common, each of those elements surfaced during The
Fever's trip to the Double Door.
The New York City based band is criss- crossing the
country in anticipation of its May 2nd release In the
City of Sleep (Kemado) previewing much of that record,
along with samples of its previous full-length. On one
hand, that exotic but highly intriguing cross
pollination of sounds led to a blistering 50-minute
set where no one in the audience could've predicted
what was going to happen next, but chances are, it was
something they'd appreciate. Take for instance the
slashing guitars, pulsating beats and electronic organ
groans stretched throughout "Hotel Fantom" and
"Ladyfingers," an outpouring not typically combined,
but one that came across with creative gusto and
transitional cohesion. "Mr. Baby" also possessed
elements of psychedelia mixed with brimming melodies
and enough bounce to get a shuffle going while still
keeping its cool.
On the other hand, all of this jumping back and fourth
between genres led to a sensory overload of sonics at
times. The most apparent problem came during "The
Secret" when The Fever couldn't quite catch traction
nor find a constructive direction. While front man
Geremy Jasper was fierce with his vocals, he often
jumped ahead of band members, who were busy in their
own worlds wailing on everything from drums that
sounded like gunshots to electric guitar cranked up
with severe distortion to seemingly random key
pounding. That side of the band represented a
challenge it will face outside of indie rock circles,
especially in a day and age when mainstream radio
insists bands find a format to fit tightly into one
particular box.
But thriving in the major label world isn't the goal
of these ambitious guys, who've opted for Kemado
Records, the home of fellow buzz brewers like Elefant
and Diamond Nights. Considering eyes are already
pointed at the label's current roster, The Fever are
likely to find footing with the critical crowd, along
with hipsters hoping to avoid the so called "popular"
garbage cluttering up MTV countdowns. That mixture of
credibility, melded with true glimpses of great ideas
can blot out the group's stains of inconsistency and
hopefully pave the way for continued impulsive
excitement.
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