Seaweed Jack Will Take You To Their Special Island

It's true that we were already intrigued at hearing Spokane's Seaweed Jack [myspace] played pirate music -- so much so we left the warm bosom of Capitol Hill and trekked over to Fremont's High Dive last night for a genre-transcending experience. And if we're going to rave about a band, we want to do it up right, savvy?

Seaweed Jack is touring for their first album The Captain, which in 75 minutes offers a startling range of music. It's made to look like a black plastic 45rpm single. [Sample it here.] You've got your Tom Waits-y moments, your rockabilly, bluesy sea shanties, a riff on the Batman TV theme -- served up with a profligate lyricism that might remind you of -- in a less verbally preening way -- the Decemberists.

The band is Geoff Doolittle (vocals, keyboard, guitar, clanking chains), Anthony Stassi (drums), Von Stace White (guitar), and Jack Sheehy (bass). They play live with incredible energy and an array of instruments, including a marching band's bass drum. Doolittle's musical ambitions are refreshing, and if they aren't soon college-radio darlings we -- well, we should point out that we don't listen to college radio, but good lord, this music is perfect for blowing out actual dorm room windows, or just the still-uncurtained dorm windows in your mind.

Doolittle reminded us of Seth Green's musical alter-ego, and Sheehy's thrumming bass lines had us hypnotized. The anthemic "Open Faced Crab Sandwich" was the crowd favorite, sparking a lot of jumping up and down and what seemed like a genuine attempt to dance, while "Man Down," brought out for the encore, was a sung-spoken bit over drum and bass, punctuated with funked-up screamfest choruses. Nothing wrong here; this band is ready to go swash some fucking buckles.

-Michael Van Baker
The Seattlest