Natalie Portman's Shaved Head

For an act whose moniker alludes to the film version of V For Vendetta, graphic novelist Alan Moore's dystopian fantasia about a masked bomber, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head is pretty darned peppy. On Glistening Pleasure, the Seattle-based outfit's debut album, Luke Smith, Claire England, David Price, Shaun Libman and Liam...

By Michael Roberts

August 14, 2008

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For an act whose moniker alludes to the film version of V For Vendetta, graphic novelist Alan Moore's dystopian fantasia about a masked bomber, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head is pretty darned peppy. On Glistening Pleasure, the Seattle-based outfit's debut album, Luke Smith, Claire England, David Price, Shaun Libman and Liam Downey Jr. roll out electro-pop grooves that form the backdrop for ecstatic vocalizing occasionally delivered in falsetto, as in the call-and-response opening to the merrily twisted "Beard Lust." ("Where did you get that beard?" "I grew it!" "How d'ya keep it so clean?" "I shampoo it!") The result is knowingly dorky party music delivered with so many winks that the average optometrist might suspect a serious vision issue. NPSH appears in the middle of a twelve-band lineup assembled as part of the Larimer Lounge's Summer BBQ Series, and if listeners aren't too hungry for something substantial, the music should keep them going until the next course.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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