Proudentall
The Bottleneck
December 18, 1999

Review by Mark Cuthbertson

I’ve seen this group several times, and this was one of my favorite shows this Lawrence-based indie rock trio has performed since I’ve known of them. As usual, the Bottleneck’s sound mix was bass-heavy and the vocals were quieter in the overall mix than I’d have preferred (some syllables were lost), but at least they were loud enough for the contrasting qualities of Matt’s and Billy’s voices to come through.

Proudentall songs are built on a British rock sound (think AC/DC textures) with gradually swelling dynamic changes, catchy rhythms, and sparse, contrasting vocal melodies which define the line between assertion and aggression very well. Their stage presence mirror these sound qualities as John pounds out the rock-steady grooves with precision and Billy and Matt confidently nod, hop, and jerk about the stage in sudden, aggressive motions.

Two gripes about Proudentall: some songs sound much alike, and instrumentals aren’t good for everyone’s attention span. That said, these result from some of the band’s positives: a focused, distinct sound many bands could only wish to develop, and a knack for writing and playing powerful and memorable original material which can’t be conceived by the average mediocre self- or book-taught musician.

A highlight of their set for me is always “No Knowledge.” This dynamic and intensely catchy song tends to stick in my head for days after hearing it and has even motivated me to play air guitar and lurch about my living room to its memory (a real shocker to anyone who knows me). That’s an unusually profound effect for a song to have considering that I’ve heard less than a handful of times over the course of several months. Soon, the band is scheduled to release an album on the Sun, Sea, Sky label, and I can only imagine the scope of the air guitar seizure epidemic which is sure to impact its future owners.

--Mark Cuthbertson