Trans Am - Dingwalls
Trans Am arrive with the baggage of a great deal of critical acclaim around their necks, and a lot of expectations to live up to. Initially, they seem up to the challenge, Cologne is sublime, all warm Arabic squiggles and deft drumming. But further into the set, it becomes apparent that they intend to turn songs that are mind-cleansing on record into a forceful aural enema. Many of the electronic washes of tracks like American Kooter and Illegalize It are forsaken all too quickly for sub-Fugazi hardcore, with the guitarist throwing bad shapes, cheeks blown out with effort. He looks like the ultimate garage geek, his moment in the spotlight tarnished by too many years playing to no-one but his band mates. Talking to bassist Nathan before the show, it transpired that they had indeed spent many garage years in a backwater of suburban Washington. Sharing a love of early Van Halen and AC/DC (particularly apparent on tracks like Enforcer and Carboforce tonight), Nathan confessed to receiving some inspiration from acts like Aphex Twin and Autechre, and indeed from anyone willing to mess around with the accepted conventions of musical form. Seventies jazz-funk guitar also gets honourable mention, and this collision of styles works perfectly on current album Surrender To The Night, but tonight it’s just plain messy. I get the feeling that the curious sounds coming from the album are as much happy accident as the result of perspiration/inspiration (in whatever proportions). When I suggested that the structural spontaneity of some of the songs pointed towards a sense of improvised genius, he seemed keen to blame it on a simple lack of preparation. Modesty not withstanding, there is an inkling that a bad gig means little more than an unproductive afternoon’s rehearsal, easily solved by a couple of beers. For a band so filled with ambition on vinyl, Trans Am display a startling lack of it in the flesh. In many ways this is an endearing quality (and Nathan is nothing if not endearing), and yet a directionless band can never inspire live.
Apparently, after a short European tour the band intend to go back to a purpose built studio in the States to record their third album. Be grateful they’re not planning a live album just yet.
