We Like Moving Units Even If They Don't Like Each Other
Let's talk about the kind of band Moving Units is not. If any of you have seen Broken Social Scene live, you know that one of the most engaging aspects of their show is that it's one big love-fest. Everyone on stage smiles, laughs, and cracks jokes. It's one big happy family, and for the entire performance, you're welcomed as part of it. Moving Units on the other hand, seems like the kind of band where everyone wants to smother the lead singer in his sleep, and they would, were he not the one writing the songs and able to hit the high notes.
We've liked Moving Units ever since their first EP, and have seen them be largely ignored in Seattle despite the fact that they make incredibly good, dancey tracks. They unfortunately came out during the crushing wave of dance-punk acts and while the press gravitated to other bands, Moving Units is the one that did it for us (along with The Rapture). Fast-forward to now, with Moving Units having just released this year's soundtrack to rocking out in your underwear, Hexes for Exes (Pitchfork misses the boat), and the band is sticking with the whole dance-rock sound long after the hype is gone, which we're OK with - it's like running into an old friend.
We were fine with the fact that lead singer Blake Miller's voice sounded a bit tour-weary Tuesday night at Chop Suey. The band was still tight and there's nothing like a good 4-4 beat to get your head bobbing. What tainted the experience was Blake's occasional dips into douchebaggery, yelling at the sound guy and at one point angrily(?) shoving the guitarist. Maybe it was all schtick (he was oddly polite in his few words to the crowd), but as the band made their way through a set pulled about equally from their two LPs, the band wasn't smiling at all, instead just going through the motions, earning the night's gas money. It's a shame really. Moving Units' songs aren't exactly happy, but they do make you want to dance, or at least they would if the band looked a bit happier to be playing. Seattlest still heartily recommends the new album (and the old for that matter), but maybe the band needs to do some trust falls before the next tour.
