NIGHT LIFE
America is at war and most every band is just thumping along in some blind-eyed stupor, poutinÕ out some goth-disco love-to-love-ya-baby slime, inoculating us, massaging with entertainment. Erase ErrataÕs new album, their third, Night Life, is a look at American life with the fluorescents on. Singer/guitarist Jenny Hoyston serves up narratives that examine realities no one wants to look at: war and poverty. ÒI think the US can be a wonderful place and I generally stay positive,Ó Hoyston explains, Òbut itÕs overwhelming to think of all the things going on under our noses and our silent concession. People are distracted from doing anything or even thinking about our country's foreign dealings, disturbing trends of corporate privilege and other major issues. My lyrics are about the government, political disillusionment, and the things that keep us from thinking about what is really going on--being distracted by night life, consumerism and celebrity watching.Ó The albumÕs pithy title track, itÕs lone line a thesis: ÒNight life, forget about real life.Ó
While some songs splay their polemic plainly (ÒTax Dollar,Ó ÒAnother Genius Idea From Our Government,Ó), others are more obscure; ÒBeaconÓ is about churches that take pro-war stances, and some are more personal: ÒTake You,Ó is a gender-queered love song that takes place in a cave (ÒItÕs a shout out to people like me,Ó says Hoyston), ÒGiant HansÓ is a surreal allegory about cloud warfare; though all of the songs are suffused with humor, fury and hope.
Erase ErrataÕs lyrical content is not all that is different this time around; after whirlwind tours supporting Sonic Youth, Le Tigre, and The Ex, followed the departure of guitarist Sara Jaffe for grad school in 2004, the band spent almost two years reconfiguring the bandÕs sound and line up. Drummer Bianca Sparta explains, ÒAfter Sara left, we were playing around with the notion of a different sound. We decided to experiment with a new singer, since Jenny wanted to play guitar and needed someone to fill in singing for her. So we got Archie McKay, and he was in the band for about a month.Ó She laughs, adding ÒIt made some of our fans real mad.Ó The band soon realized that they worked best as a trio and spent the next two years refining and writing. It was not a simple process says Sparta, ÒWe had a lot of practices of just playing and playing, hating the band, doing a lot of work to get solid--then all the sudden it started clicking and we ended up writing really quickly. It was fluid and relaxed.Ó The rhythm section of Sparta and bassist Ellie Erickson shows that though the band has largely abandoned a quantifiable skronky, dance punkª sound, they are still dynamic, elastic and dance-able. They even sound like a pop band at times. ÒJennyÕs guitar playing is pretty different from SaraÕsÑshe plays chords, harmonies and is weird in a different way,Ó add Sparta.
All their changes and efforts are well evidenced on Night LifeÕs twelve tracks of polished chaos. Since their inception six years ago, the band has always been hailed as a visceral fury; now, the bandÕs sound is as powerful and unhinged as ever, though now much more cogent and wielding firm controlÑon all fronts. After a 2005 tour supporting Bloc Party, the band decided it was time to begin recording a new album. Night Life was produced and mixed by the band along with Chris Woodhouse (A-Frames, Coachwhips) and Eli Crews. ItÕs standard artist bio hyperbole to insist that a band defies convention, is pure, inspiring and original-- fortunately, for Erase Errata, itÕs the truth.
Erase Errata was nominated for the Short List Music Prize in 2003, received the Best Indie Band award from the San Francisco Weekly, and was selected to perform on John PeelÕs radio show two times. They've played at Noise Pop, SXSW and ladyfests several times, All TomorrowÕs Parties in LA and in England, Coachella (their last performance with Jaffe), Primavera Fest in Spain, and have played with such acts as Fugazi, The Fall, and Blonde Redhead.
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