Tuxedomoon

In a review published the day after this concert, a writer for the St. Petersburg Times stated that Tuxedomoon "dupe 'tolerant' Russian audience." And perhaps he's not the only one feeling duped, as the group has made heavy in-roads into electronic music's cutting-edge festivals and record stores, mostly likely thanks to the patronage of one DJ Hell, who has reissued the groups most dance-pop oriented work, "No Tears" and "What Use," with a plethora of remixes by notable electro acts like Adult. and Ectomorph. But anyone familiar with Tuxedomoon's original music (as one should be before paying for a concert) knows that this band of global living avant garde-ists fuse the mechanical sounds of Kraftwerk to the noise-nik posturing of no wave, making for a minimal broth not meant for festive ears. In fact, Tuxedomoon are at their best when not acting out their early-'80s post-punk temper, regardless of how trendy the watered-down 21st century version can be, and instead delve into a dirge-like cavern of songwriting familiar to those who fancy Nick Cave and Crime and the City Solution. Vocalist Blaine L. Reininger sounds so much like Cave at times, that it would be easy to confuse the two, were it not for the rudimentary trampling of bassist Peter Principle in place of the epic sweep of the Bad Seeds. The group covers Cole Porter's "Nite and Day" and dangerously approaches smooth jazz territory on several occasions, but if we're to really appreciate Tuxedomoon as the experimental group they are alleged to be, we must take the failed trials along with the successful ones. And fortunately, the band's creative ADD means that you're never stuck in a bad place for very long. ~ Joshua Glazer, All Music Guide