The Shock of Pleasure
Rarely do I write a review of an artist based entirely on one song. However, when a promo email from Dallas trip-hop/downtempo group The Shock of Pleasure landed in my inbox featuring a link to download their cover of the 1971 Carpenters’ classic “Superstar”…well, I had to hear it. I am an unabashed Carpenters fan, and “Superstar” happens to be one of my favorite Carpenters songs. So, how would a band who describe their sound as “slick basslines and throbbing electronics combined with sultry vocals” treat a song that I’ve loved ever since I was a tyke listening to my mom’s old vinyl LPs?
The answer is: PRETTY DAMNED GOOD!
The Shock of Pleasure first came together in 2004 as the brainchild of singer/songwriter Robert Romano of Stranger Than Fiction and veteran drummer Brent Irish. Dallas/Fort Worth model and actress Kelley Christian was added as feature vocalist in 2005, and to round out the present lineup, bassist Josh Curry was added in 2006. And soon–very soon, I hope!–they’ll be releasing their debut album It’s About Time sometime this Fall.
The band’s description of their sound is 100% accurate. Their cover of “Superstar” is a sleek, sexy lo-rider of a jam, with Christian’s silky voice drifting like mist above a rolling bassline, jangling acoustic guitars, and a funky downtempo beat that turn Karen Carpenter’s mournful anthem into an aching plaint that will almost certainly call to mind Sade at her finest. What I find most attractive about this cover is that it maintains the original’s melody enough so that the song remains immediately recognizable but changes the entire feeling of the song, giving it a martini-flavored, late-night sensuality that would’ve made wholesome little Karen Carpenter blush a thousand shades of red.
The band’s MySpace page features several more songs, most likely taken from their current EP, available via iTunes. (If I didn’t loathe the iTunes Music Store, I’d be downloadin’ that sucker right now. Hint to band: make your stuff available through DRM-free online shops like eMusic and Amie Street, and you’ll see your sales skyrocket. I personally guarantee it. If I’m wrong, I will eat my MIDI controller, one key at a time.) “This Is a Test” is a booming, slinky number that will have Morcheeba, Massive Attack, and Imogen Heap lovers salivating to its lush synths and crystal-clear vocals. “Lovebrat” is another number that features beautifully-recorded acoustic guitars and a shuffling bossanova rhythm that gives the track a sweltering Latin heat accentuated further by a guitar solo reminiscent of a more restrained, less flamboyant Carlos Santana. The production on all these tracks is superior, with every instrument placed perfectly so that the listener can hear every little nuance of the music. No Wall of Sound here, but a beautifully pristine arrangement of elements that gives each track the feeling of a live performance.
This is a band that you will be hearing more about soon, and not just here on W♥M. By this Fall, I wouldn’t be surprise to see The Shock of Pleasure on some magazine covers. This band is going to be hot.
In the meantime, you can see them live at the following dates in Dallas, Texas:
- Jul 18 2008 9:00P the Mansion on Turtle Creek dallas, Texas
- Jul 26 2008 10:00P absinthe lounge dallas, Texas
Links: shockofpleasure.com myspace.com/shockofpleasure
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