It's hard to imagine a musical act more dynamic than Brooklyn, N.Y., dance-punk duo Matt & Kim. Well, prepare to be wowed: Their high-octane tour mates the So So Glos will give them a rowdy run for their money at the Majestic Theatre on Sept. 21.
The So So Glos played here last year. I recently spoke with three-fourths of the band - bassist Alex Levine, guitarist Matt Elkin and drummer Zach Staggers - to find out how they make such a ruckus.
How would you describe your sound to someone who's never heard you before?
Levine: A lot of what we do tends to be a collage of all sorts of stuff we've been into over the years with our vision of what the future should look or sound like. Some sort of apocalyptic grunge meets hopeful Motown, I guess.
Elkin: If a tree fell in the forest and no one was around to hear it, we are the sound it might make.
You guys seem to radiate energy at your live shows. How do you stay so pumped up when you're on the road for days?
Levine: The energy that comes out in shows is a conversation we're having, between us and whoever is listening or moving. It gets around whatever room we're in and we thrive on that connection. I'd say every show has its own unique energy, and new faces and spots tend to keep it fresh. That keeps us excited. Traveling also does wonders for the soul.
Have you been working on any new material lately?
Staggers: We just recorded a new EP, Low Back Chain Shift, at the Rare Book Room Studio here in Brooklyn. It comes out Oct. 12.
Levine: We've also been writing tons of songs recently, so we're anxious to get back into the studio to record.
What do you remember most about Madison?
Staggers: I was in a gas station and saw they had cheese curds. Me being a New Yorker, I had no idea what this was, so I asked the guy [at the store], "What are these 'cheese curds'?" He looked at me straight-faced, and all he said was, "They are good, really squeaky."
