Live: Tenement @ The Acheron 1.4.12

It's damn shame that it's been the better part of three years since we have had Tenement in our fair city. Their last Brooklyn show was one of the better shows I've seen in recent  years, but the time-honored lineup changes have hampered touring. Last year's Napalm Dream was one of the best indie rock records of 2011 and fate has smiled upon us to get them a touring drummer and make it out Brooklyn way. While I was excited as hell at the prospect of seeing Wisconsin's finest, I was somewhat less chuffed at the idea of riding out to nowhere Bushwick in temperatures that finally turned 'seasonal'.

I managed to blunder my way out to The Acheron in fairly short order and was pleased to find it was pretty legit in a Death By Audio sort of way. The room where the bands played is narrow and not especially long, kind of like the Khyber in Philly, begging the question how fucking Youth Of Today played there last Fall. Even with Coke Bust and Tenement on the bill, it made for a room that seemed full with maybe fifty people in it. Opening with a squall of feedback that got the kids shoving, Tenement romped through a half-hour of Dinosaur meets Figgs rock that satisfied pop and drunk punks alike. Mail me if you want a recording of the set.

All in all, the drummer for hire kid could have been more into it, and to that end I'd love to see what kind of damage Mikey Erg could in the Murph slot. I am not sure what the future holds in touring for Team Tenement, but you would be well-served in seeing them if you are able. In the absence of that, if you have not yet heeded the JS-NYC clarion call and purchased Napalm Dream, I suggest you do so with the quickness. Keep track of all things Tenement here.

R

Tenement - Napalm Dream

How great are fucking Tenement?

Answer: really fucking great.

I can't believe it's been almost two years since they played Lost and Found, but a quick check of the JS-NYC archives confirms that date is correct. Listening to Napalm Dream, it's obvious that they made the best of the time, as this fucker rocks from note one to note last.

It hadn't sunk into my addled brain that Tenement are a duo currently and while I continue to be bummed that they have not made it out East in a bit, I will give them huge props for not trying to do some sort of White Stripes horseshit. Napalm Dream displays a gift for a hook that is pretty obviously influenced by Americas Finest Rock Band: The Figgs. As Tenement hail from Wisconsin, this should not be a surprise. I also hear a fair amount of Ben Deilly-era Lemonheads and other late 80s Boston ilk in their sound, which basically means my neighbors get to hear a whole lot of Tenement. But come on: hearing Tenement in a tenement is pretty fucking meta. It would appear that Napalm Dream is the initial salvo in what will be a bumper crop of new material. Here's hoping it comes with some touring, as the 13 songs here beg to be heard live. Keep track of all things Tenement via their social networking interface here. Get Tenement Dream here and see if you don't have Stupid World, Skyscraper or Running Into Mirrors in your head forever.

Consider yourself warned.

R