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Panthers: Thanks For The Simulacra

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? by Mike Diver
Something of an anomaly, this: New York's Panthers aren't known, at all, for fitting with commercial trends - their forthcoming Things Are Strange is harDCore with an Icarus Line intensity via Dead Meadow's dronescapes - yet 'Thanks For The Simulacra' is the greatest punk-funk single to hit shelves this year.

Deplore that pigeonholing with all you have if you must, but this is some truly punky funk, albeit courtesy of Jesse Keeler's MSTRKRFT remix. The man best know as fifty per cent of Canadian full-throttle rockers Death From Above 1979 has twisted Panthers' original into a Rapture-plays-Daft Punk, slap-bass-happy dancefloor anthem, all coo-along vocal harmonies and incessant party beats. If DFA1979 expanded their minimalist ranks, a song like this could conceivably be the result.

The original, for the curious, is a little meatier: guitars are manhandled 'til they cry feedback-soaked mercy and vocalist Jayson Green spits 'n' hollers rhetoricals with absolute menace. However good it is, though, it's no potential anthem in the making. Turn on the remix, turn it up and get the fu(n/c)k down.

  • Panthers 8 / 10
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Panthers - Thanks For The Simulacra

Saw the panthers at the buffalo bar following the aborted garage gig and thought they were excellent, a hardcore take on garage rock (or vice versa), although a bit more MCD then Icarus Line. Also to be expected that there'll be more of a cross over between the PF/Electronic and the HC, think chinese stars or milemarker on the us side or forward russia over here. Fugazi did it 20 years ago, only a matter of time all things early 80's made their logical/historical progression.
KillYourKids | 20 Sep '05, 13:05 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Panthers - Thanks For The Simulacra

I was at the same gig and thought Panthers were awesome, although I must say I was - as always - mostly moved by Das Oath. Stunning band.

Do you not think the Chinese Stars are lame, though?
Mike_Diver | 20 Sep '05, 13:07 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Panthers - Thanks For The Simulacra

well, das oath are pretty special. didn't really want to mention them but what the hell. stunning 90 second songs, schizophrenic time changes, sing along choruses, awesome front man. what more could you want? they're everything every wannabe muso emo/hardcore band aims at and fails miserably. it's all about the energy the songs, the complexity is there because its a) fun to play and b) quite interesting, it's not an aim in itself and never gets lost up its own arse (which is so often the case).

think chinese stars are ace actually (then again, loved AOR, so slightly biased). probably best dance band since the first liars incarnation (although have to admit their songs aren't anywhere near as poppy as the liars were). think there'll be a definite shift of bands going a bit harder, there's only so much stuff you can listen to with a straight disco beat.
KillYourKids | 20 Sep '05, 13:19 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Panthers - Thanks For The Simulacra

having seen Panthers several times, i can confirm they are indeed awesome in the extreme
the Lets Get Serious EP rules to bits too

no point to saying that, other than its nice to say something nice every now and again
Bilbo_Sabbath | 21 Sep '05, 13:33 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Panthers - Thanks For The Simulacra

Saw Panthers with Das Oath at Jospehs Well at the beginning of the month - amazing show. Didn't really know Panthers before and only really knew Das Oath but I was tres impressed. Tis just a shame the turn out wasn't the greatest...

Also thought Das Oath were absolutely amazing yet strangley enough I found them to sound less heavy live than their recorded output (although admittedly I WAS slightly hammered after a few too many whiskeys and cokes so maybe I'm just talking sheet?)
dewdropmagic | 23 Sep '05, 03:33 | Send note | Report this | Reply