Record Reviews

The Love Supreme

This is shed music, baby, well-dressed stuff that demands rock stardom before it's even landed a record deal. The stylishly shod and shorn lead singer Noah Lit must be miserable in this unfabulous capital city of Austin. Where on earth does he find shoes? The local band's transition from dull jam to taut glam must surely be attributed to the opinionated production of Austin's most glamorous Swede, Lars Goransson. Like the music of obvious idol David Bowie, Lit's songs suggest an understanding that stars aren't born like us commoners, but instead are beamed down from some higher plane. On opener "Flawless," the young singer considers a rock persona,"I take a look at myself, it's my chance to be someone else," and by the next verse has brashly assumed the character, "If I'm wrapped up in myself, it's cause I'm bored as hell, and I don't need to know your game." By the song's climax, his transformation is complete, as he shouts, "I am flawless!" Heavily influenced by the musical pomp of Suede and Pulp, as well as the bold simplicity of Oasis, the attitude is glamorous, but not exactly glam, stylish but not vacuous. On "Entropy," Lit sucks air through his teeth like Pulp's lascivious Jarvis Cocker and wails like Suede's Brett Anderson, while on "Downman," he whines like the most outerspacey Bowie. To misunderstand the musical bravado of such bands is to misunderstand the Love Supreme. It's overstated, it's ambitious, it's undeniable. It's simply the best band in town. Be there now. (Saturday, Buffalo Club, 1am)