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Review: 'Flesh, The'
'Filter 14, NYC - March 19,2003'   


-  Genre: 'Indie'

Our Rating:
I’ve been following Brooklyn’s The Flesh for about two years. In past months The Flesh, essentially frontman/guitarist Nathan Halpern backed by a revolving door of talented musicians, underwent remarkable stylistic changes. After a year of guitar-based primal garage rock, the band suddenly transformed into a disjointed, Teutonic cabaret act.    

I am pleased to report that Nathan has finally merged his disparate influences and hit on the perfect combination of personnel. This show marks the return of original bassist Jason Binnick, with newcomers Greg Rogrove on drums and the fetching Gabriella Zappia on keyboards. This is the band’s sexiest, smartest line up to date.

Tonight The Flesh effortlessly combined the immediacy of Nuggets garage rock with the seething melodrama of peak-era Nick Cave.

Lyrically intense, The Flesh present the world as a dangerous place, their songs a series of modern morality plays with tales of sex, squalor, glamour and decay delivered in high religious fervor. Understand that this is not theatrical camp -- the band is sincere and hit you with ass-shakingly powerful rock and roll.

The standouts songs tonight were Death Connection, a shuffling, sinister groove culminating in an anthemic guitar-pop chorus worthy of Springsteen, and Gallows, which sees Nathan, freed from guitar duties, in full televangelist mode leading the audience in a fucked-up hip-hop shout along.

Nathan used his guitar sparingly this evening, concentrating on slinky riffs. The band emphasized dark, keyboard-driven material with Jason’s R&B informed low-end holding things together.

Bleak sentiments and high drama. The Flesh are a band of consequence.

The "Death Connection" EP comes out June 24th in USA on Kanine Records.

www.putontheflesh.com
www.kaninerecords.com

  author: Joe Kelly (provan01@aol.com)

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Flesh, The - Filter 14, NYC - March 19,2003