Seattle’s Natalie Portman's Shaved Head have a cool name, but at this point I’m pretty much over it. Except when I need to write it, which is a pain in the ass. So I will avoid trying to talk about how much I hated the plot of V for Vendetta and just write the name as NPSH.
Blending musical influences including funk, electronic, glam rock, and yum-yum pop while sporting faux-new-age fashion, sweatbands, and David Bowie makeup, NPSH looses no time in establishing an uneasy pop-cultural mystique. I'm not sure how the band decides to fit their act together, but I know it fits. This collage of references takes the stage with the full force of teenage sex romp disco meets scene-wise name-dropping Jarvis Cocker-esque intrigue.
The band (Luke Smith, Shaun Libman, David Prince, Claire England, and Liam Downy Jr.) appears to have formed in the somewhat unconventional coeducational environment of a Seattle magnet school run out of the Pacific Science Center. Truthfully the only thing I know about the school is that their ultimate Frisbee team wore really hot spandex and cursed a lot (this from my sister who went head to head with The Ultimate Players).
Rumors continue to circulate about the personal lives of the band members, adding somewhat to the impression that these young people have hectic teenage personal lives to match their hectic dance moves. Only one thing is for certain, these kids don't let a little teen heat get in the way of pumping out fresh tracks.
And speaking of the music, the new Secret Crush EP, has been released through their website (actually their MySpace page). I picked up a copy at a recent show, and though I've heard all the songs on it live, I need to say that it sounds real tight, smooth, and in charge. Luke Smith, the band’s main songsmith, likes the Unicorns, Weezer, the Zombies, and T. REX. Vintage funky guitar jams dazzle back to back bass synth lines for a maximized danceablity. The lyrics, often written by Luke and Shaun Libman (spiritual leader and vocal frontman) really tie the whole performative package together. Lyrical themes include facial hair, going out at night sophistication, anachronistic sexual politics, and the alienation following artistic success in highschool.
The future of NPSH is uncertain, though the band posted a note about a L.A. industry rep. being at a past show on MySpace. Also according to a MySpace bulletin: on Monday July 9th, NPSH went on a short trip Los Angeles to work on new material.
I've seen the band play a number of times, including the super rad show during which they opened for CSS. You should see them soon and there exists ample opportunity. NSPH will pay Capitol Hill Block Party and Bumbershoot this year.