!!! - As If!

    !!! – As If!

    23 Nov

    By

    Label: Warp Records – WARPLP260
    Format: Vinyl ‎(2xLP, Album)
    Country: Europe
    Released: 2015
    Genre: Electronic, Rock
    Style: Indie Rock, Tech House

     

    Freedom – How’s that working for ya!

    ‘!!!’, also known as ‘Chk Chk Chk’, is an American rock band from Sacramento, California, formed in 1996 by lead singer Nic Offer. Members of !!! came from other local bands such as the Yah Mos, Black Liquorice and Pope Smashers.

    !!! is the name of the band. Chk Chk Chk is how you tell your friends about the crazy night out in a live venue with a New York punk dance indietronica funk outfit headed by Nic Offer who was a jolt of electricity to this “corporate square” who stood in the audience at the The Curtin, Melbourne one night in Dec 2017.

    Freedom is topical in Melbourne in Dec 2022. We have missed the feeling and the ability to be free.
    Is our energy subdued, are we able to relax and go out and celebrate?
    I think we are on the verge of the Roaring 20’s, as we come to terms with the new normal of mask on mask off mask on activity.

    Check Check Check your QR code, Check Check Check your 1.5meters, Check Check Check your primary and secondary contacts, Check Check Check your feet as they might start tapping and the knees start rocking and the body start swaying to Check Check Check as you lose your stages of embarrassment (that white guys who can’t dance have) and Check Check Check as the floor and mosh pit are jumping to the funky vibe that’s being laid down by one of New York’s finest outfits.

    For an idea of what they sound like today try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOoOV_AiFYQ.
    Don’t have time to get acclimatised jump ahead to 31:20 minutes to get to the blast off stage that follows.

    I remember coming back to earth after that night and realising that dancing can be a lot of fun. Just as Covid hit in early 2020 I was in an office setting as the reality was starting to dawn on the team that our freedom was going to be hibernated for an unknown period. A colleague had decided to pull the pin on Hot Chip a UK funk dance band for fear of getting struck down with Covid. I lamented that I would have gone to see them too and that last funk dance outfit I’d seen live was Chk Chk Chk.

    Music has a way of inspiring and critical listening is a contemplative meditative exercise to be enjoyed. Sometimes however you need to blow off some steam and party like its 1999.

    Jump to 40:15 on that Youtube link to see how “Freedom How’s that working for ya” can make you feel. That’s one tight groove so chunky and fat it will get under your skin and take over.

    Even if you just stood there and “danced on the inside” to Chk Chk Chk you’d come out feeling like nothing in the world mattered. For that 2 hours you had transcended to a better place.

    Time to party people, get your groove back, make your mojo work!
    Hot chip anyone? 😉

    Track listing

    All U Writers 4:53
    Sick Ass Moon 4:21
    Every Little Bit Counts 3:14
    Freedom! ’15 6:00
    Ooo 3:44
    All The Way 4:36
    Til The Money Runs Out 4:31
    Bam City 3:25
    Funk (I Got This) 4:41
    Lucy Mongoosey 3:21
    I Feel So Free (Citation Needed) 8:39

    Versions

    • As If ‎(CD, Album, Dig), Warp Records, WARPCD260, UK, Europe & US, 2015
    • As If ‎(2xLP, Album), Warp Records, WARPLP260, Europe, 2015
    • As If ‎(CD, Album), Beat Records, BRC-481, Japan, 2015
    • As If ‎(CD, Album, Promo), Beat Records, BRC-481, Japan, 2015
    • As If ‎(CD, Album, Promo, Wat), Warp Records, WARPCD260P, UK, Europe & US, 2015

    Band members

    • Mario Andreoni – bass, guitar
    • Justin Van Der Volgen – bass
    • Tyler Pope – drum programming, bass, drums, percussion, keyboards, guitar
    • John Pugh XI – drums, vocals, gong, percussion
    • Gorman Dan – keyboards, percussion, trumpet
    • Nic Offer – vocals, keyboards
    • Allan Wilson – saxophone, keyboards, percussion

    Years active

    • 1996–present

    Labels

    • WarpTouch
    • GoGold Standard

    Additional information

    • Website: https://chkchkchk.net/
    • They are currently based in New York City. The band’s eighth album, Wallop, was released in August 2019.
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