Ever wonder what a languid version of "Don't Trust Me" would sound like drained of its vitality with completely earnest, singer-songwriter styled vocals? Actually, if you've ever wondered what 3OH!3 would sound like hopped up on tranquilizers and stripped of its hyperactive delivery and ever present smirk and recast as doleful, emo-indebted troubadours, wonder no more! The outfit just released a six-song Live Session ep, available exclusively on iTunes. Hell even the artwork that was chosen for the page (pictured above) makes the hooligans look all introspective. If you didn't know any better... Curious? Maybe just a little right? Good news: For $4.99, it can all be yours. Operators are standing by. Read Eryc Eyl's take after the jump.
It's
no secret that I'm a fan of this both maligned (locally) and celebrated
(nationally) act, but its latest release is a little puzzling.
Available exclusively through iTunes,
the six-song package includes "live" recordings of favorites like
"Colorado Sunrise," "Still Around" and "Don't Trust Me," which gets a
mellowed-out lounge treatment that devolves into a jam, kinda. There's
also a tossed-off, country-ish classic rock number, called "You Don't
Love Me Girl," that is endearingly reminiscent of Foreman's acoustic
guitar freestyles. It's not exactly live -- there's no crowd noise or
between-song banter -- but the recordings have a stripped-down,
one-take feel that suggests Motte, Foreman and their collaborators
picked up instruments and just let the tape roll. Drums, guitar, bass
and piano add an organic feel, while the way-out-front vocals make the
lyrics much easier to decipher. No confirmation yet on whether the
recordings include Kam Mohager and Adam Halferty, who have been touring
as the duo's live bassist and drummer. The record is clearly intended
to capitalize on the huge success of the duo's major label debut, Want,
and its lead single, "Trust" - which currently occupies the #3 spot on
Billboard's Top 40 chart -- without the burden of cranking out a bunch
of new tunes. However, it remains to be seen whether anyone really wants a live album from 3OH!3. -- Eyl
