Nomenclature has had an intriguing career that defies their young age. The band’s MySpace mentions collaborations with an impressive roster of names, including The Count Basie Orchestra and James Brown, among dozens of other groups around the country.
Speaking with them recently, they cited Pavement as a significant influence on their sound and play “Sum Pavement Shit” on their most recent LP. Stephen Malkmus’ bizarre sense of melodicism is especially present in their recorded output. However, in the months since that album’s release they have traveled the country and returned to Portland with three fewer members.
The band currently performs as a two-piece. All that greeted concertgoers at a recent show at Rontoms was two drums, a cymbal, a bass and a microphone. Occasional backing tracks were played off an iPod.
On paper that sounds disastrous, and it did leave some people underwhelmed. Those who granted the band their attention were rewarded with a versatile set that few bands could accomplish with such minimal instrumentation.
The iPod did play a role in fleshing out the songs, but its presence hardly hindered the group. Rather than use it to fill in for the missing members of the band, Nomenclature used it as an opportunity to diversify their sound with prerecorded electronics and noticeably less guitar lines than in their recorded material.
Singer/drummer/iPodist D.H. made up for the lack of live synths and guitars with drumming that alternated seamlessly between efficient syncopation and violent flogging. Meanwhile, bassist William Danztler played driving Kraut-rock bass lines with John Entwistle detachment. The overall effect recalled Justice, Ratatat and, Nomenclature’s occasional collaborators, The Elephant Six Collective.
The band, who just finished a tour on Nov. 9, are already planning another that will take place within the week, but said they might play another Portland show before hitting the road again. They may also pick up band members, old and new along the road, as some of them currently reside in Macon, Georgia.
While Nomenclature, with all of its members effectively channeling Pavement’s laconic, carefree/careless charm, is made all the better with the incorporation of elements of electronica, experimental, punk and pop music. Hopefully the current direction of the band is not at odds with the other members.
No information has been officially posted about Nomenclature’s future travels, but keep an eye on their MySpace. There, you can also watch footage from previous shows and some self-produced music videos for songs off the new album (one of four such recordings released this year).
You can also buy copies of their releases, hear a recently recorded demo and listen to a small portion of their substantial recorded output.
Of the six songs featured, “Alllove” most closely resembles their current sound, but is even more stripped down and considerably more lo-fi. It almost brings to mind what might happen if mid-90s Olivia Tremor Control all sat down together to harmonize around a $5, Goodwill Casio keyboard. And I mean that as a compliment.