For better and worse, we seem to be in the middle of a ’90s music renaissance. There have been incredible albums from acts like Nine Inch Nails and Tori Amos this year; but then again, there was also Smashing Pumpkins flaccid Zeitgeist. Another ’90s stalwart, The Rentals, has returned to form in 2007 and, thankfully, is every bit as ridiculously catchy as in 1995. A predecessor to current acts like Motion City Soundtrack, Hellogoodbye and Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer, it was great to have these Moog pioneers in the TLA Aug. 25 with Copeland, Goldenboy and Pepper’s Ghost. While the venue was less than half-full, those who did make it out were so emphatic that it felt as if the venue had been oversold.
First up was Pepper’s Ghost. These guys opened for Ashlee Simpson once.
Next up was California’s Goldenboy, aka Shon Sullivan. If nothing else, this band deserves credit for organizing this tour with The Rentals. Like a far mellower version of Psychedelic Furs, Goldenboy enchanted the enthused crowd. Sullivan has a great voice; it’s smooth and sultry and complements the moodiness of his band’s music well.
Following Goldenboy was Copeland, a band that received hearty applause from the bar area upon taking the stage. Not to harsh on anyone’s buzz, but Copeland is for people who find Keane to be “edgy.” When Copeland beat my skull repeatedly with the phrase “you’re freaking me out,” from “Control Freak,” a part of my soul was torn away and fed to ghost dogs.
Just to clarify, Keane and Copeland are trite piano-based bands who crank out suffocating melodrama way more than anyone with a sense of goodness should/could allow.
These three opening bands all seemed out of place paired with The Rentals (or maybe the other way around). The poor songwriting quality of Copeland and Pepper’s Ghost aside, all three were inappropriate for a bill topped by The Rentals and their synth-y power pop. Even Goldenboy, as neat as it sounded, was too subdued for such an act. But once The Rentals came out, nothing else mattered.
Featuring, at one point or another, members of Weezer, Blur, Elastica, that dog., Nerf Herder, Saturday Night Live, Lucy Loves Schroeder and roughly a thousand other acts, The Rentals have gone through quite a few members. The 2007 model consists of central figure Matt Sharp, as well as Rachel Haden, Sara Radle, Ben Pringle, Lauren Chapman, Dan Joeright and Goldenboy’s Sullivan.
Opening with The Return of The Rentals’ “The Love I’m Searching For,” Sharp was a spastic blur of epic proportions. Holding him together was the smooth vocal trio consisting of Haden, Radle and Chapman. With only two full-lengths and an EP to their credit, The Rentals gave the gift of no filler to fans, serving up power pop greatness over and over. As great as Return of The Rentals is to hear on CD, tunes like “Move On,” “These Days,” “Friends of P.” and “Please Let That Be You” sound even better live, more lush and rocking.
The criminally underappreciated Seven More Minutes also got some airtime, courtesy of shoulda-been hits like “Barcelona” and “Man With Two Brains.” The real surprises though, were to be found elsewhere.
Sprinkled throughout the set were tracks from the band’s new The Last Little Life EP, and, hey, they don’t suck. In fact, they’re every bit as catchy as The Rentals’ ’90s output, and serve as a solid hype-machine for the group’s upcoming full-length. New tuneskis “The Last Romantic Day,” “Little Bit of You in Everything” and “Life Without a Brain” preserve and expand on the group’s legacy quite well. Also included both in the set and on the EP is a reworking of “Sweetness and Tenderness,” originally from the first album, now more in keeping with the style represented by Goldenboy. It’s the same old song, just good in a different way.
The real shocker, though, was when The Rentals played a Weezer song. Haden took over on lead vocals for “I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams,” from The Good Life EP. Dorktastically incredible, it was quite possibly the closest I will come to hearing Weezer live without being disappointed. Finally, the encore closer “Waiting” was just a generally rocking moment in music history.
Overall, The Rentals proved to be one of the best live acts of 2007. Their energy, voices and conviction never wavered. Sharp rocked furiously, like a modern day Elvis Costello, a description made all the more accurate after a fan handed him a pork pie hat which complemented his black glasses.
Even better, the guy is humble, taking the time to thank the audience, sound guy, The Rentals’ merch guy and Sullivan for making the night happen. If this set is any indication, the fall release of The Rentals’ third full-length is going to rule, combining slick melodies with lush sounding piano, Moog, guitar, violin, xylophone, bass, tambourine and whatever else pops into Sharp and Co.’s delirious minds.
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