Press & Reviews
Thursday, November 19, 1998
Hippest New Group on "Block" Grooves
Jamie Block, lead singer and guitar player for the New York City-based trio Block, commented that the "alterna-folk" sound that Block exudes is "just not hip enough to make WXYC." But, the band’s fresh new sound and incredible live shows should push Block into being one of the hippest new bands to come along in a long time.
When Block took the stage Saturday night at Go! Rehearsal’s Room 4 in Carrboro, it immediately captivated the audience with friendly interaction and sardonic lyrics. At first glance, the band seems like nothing more than a bland trio, but Block is so much more than that. It has a unique blend of folk guitar, rock riffs, pounding drums, hip basslines and sampled effects controlled by drummer and background vocalist Mark Hutchins. Several of the band’s songs rely heavily on sampled beats and sounds, including the hysterical "I Used to Manage P.M. Dawn," and "Catch a Falling Star," an old Perry Como hit. Block just wants to have fun on stage and the audience to enjoy themselves. For "I Used to Manage P.M. Dawn," Jamie Block slipped on sunglasses to recreate the sleazy Los Angeles man who approached him after playing a show one night.
The band offered an incredible experience for the audience, exerting all its energy in a short but powerfully-charged 45-minute performance in which it played virtually all the songs off its new CD Timing is Everything. Bassist John Abbey jumped across the stage the entire night with a cigarette dangling from his lips, capturing Block’s power and emotion. The CD gives no indication of how talented each member of Block really is. During the show, band members kept a close eye on each other to ensure that everything worked perfectly. Block’s performance remained upbeat and pumping. "Cigarettes, Prozac & Scotch" offered a beautiful contrast, however, telling the girl that left Jamie Block for California how he’s dealing with being single. Block finished the set with "Raise," a fantastic tune made that much better with Jamie Blocks' friendly vocals. With influences like Bob Dylan and Lou Reed, Jamie Block has created a style all his own, primed for success. Block should be back in Chapel Hill later this year and, by that time, it might be the hottest band around.