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Take It Like a Funk Band

Ripped Tide: Burlacticus Undertow gets slotted on their new demo with mad funk beats and off-the-wall lyrics. Burlacticus Undertow 'spanks' the beat into submission By Matt Koumaras THESE TIGHT-KNIT psychedelic funk tunes serve as the ideal soundtrack to skinny dip while playing Marco Polo in the public pool this summer. The Rev. Lovejoy packs maximum attitude into each verse, which has the vicars getting physical with each other in the pew. "My Neighbor, the Cops," grooves along to an effects-mad funk beat boasting a lyrical mission statement of "We don't intend to kill your cat or terrify your mom." Such off-the-wall lyrics made me fall in love with the band, and I'm not just saying that because I reside in a hate-free zone. "Cut Throat Trout" features sharp, cascading rock guitar from Rob. "Surf Spy" shags around the seas with crisp guitar lines like Jane's Addiction body-boarding with the Ventures. "Spank Therapy" is a James Brown-like number with a domineering saxophone that "spanks that beat" into submission. A terrific cover of Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" captures the nasal-fatigued recklessness of the "Let It Be"-era Replacements. As for the band's harem of scantily clad dancers, this appalling sexism makes me sit in the front row defiantly at every Burlacticus show and vehemently voice my outrage. Contact Burlacticus Undertow at [email protected]. Midget Meets God Spaceboy tells me that Jade Dylan and drums are departing the band's stoner fortress for a brief sabbatical to tour with guitar god Link Wray. The tour eventually culminates with an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in New York City. A former member of the Vicious Midgets on NBC? Get out the Ramen and the rifles--the world is truly ending soon. Speaking of the Vicious Midgets and Spaceboy, both bands are scheduled to play at an Anti-Cruz benefit show tentatively scheduled for Oct. 10 at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Punk bands who pompously think they are punk now could learn a lesson or two from the Vicious Midgets. They were truly the punkest of Santa Cruz punks back in the early '90s, laying down the mayhem with crude bedtime stories and homemade taxidermy kits. Twelve or so bands are scheduled to play this all-ages benefit, including Good Riddance, Great Divide, Fury 66, Yapphet Kotto, Herbert, Mock, Lonely Kings and a few more. This truly looks like the best local show in a long time, and it features the best cause--independent punks putting on shows "for ourselves, by ourselves." Look for updates on the benefit and how to help the cause in future columns. Upcoming Naked Ape, Wyrm, Junk Sick Dawn and Time play the Catalyst Thursday; AFI, Riff Raff and the Lonely Kings play Palookaville Sunday; Pee Wee Thomas & the Safecrackers, the Chop Tops, the Smokejumpers (formerly the Wankin' Teens) and Sean Kennedy & the King Kats play the Felton Community Hall at 8:30pm Sunday; the Lonely Kings also play the Idle Hands show on Free Radio SC 96.3FM 4-7pm Tuesday. [ Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]