Six Finger Satellite

The Pigeon Is The Most Popular Bird (Sub Pop)
by Paul Lee

Is this neo-psychodelic, progressive, post-punk noise rock? The band Six Finger Satellite defies an easy label. They are from God knows what sort of cacophonic sub-culture and have landed on Sub Pop Records, East Coast Division. Rather than rehashing the bio, I’ll tap straight into the source; the perturbing and twisted milifuence conjured up on The Pigeon Is The Most Popular Bird‘s pre-release, T.B.A. (Idiot Savant Version).

This is not your usual fare. If grunge and post punk were sushi, S.F.S. is a delicacy like chocolate grasshoppers. They’re stimulating (gastronomically and auditorally speaking) and taste really bizarre. They are unsettling and mesmerizing throughout T.B.A., especially with unlabeled noise appetizers preceding each song.

Is S.F.S. an avant guard kind of band and is that term cliched? Who gives a fuck, these guys are and the terms suits them. Does that mean I like them? Well, if that isn’t evident, I suggest you go back to reading the cut-and-dry reviews of overly slick publications.

Liking them doesn’t necessarily mean I find this CD lovely or phenomenal, but it is a step to the left of “alternative” music that is merely repackaged mainstream. Six Finger Satellite is hopefully too screwed up for the conditioned, trendy masses (although Primus is becoming socially acceptable, God forbid).

It is somewhat comforting (not that their sound is, by a long stretch) to hear some really freakish music that has just enough lucidity to balance its insanity. I can’t think of a more suitable label for this Providence R.I. band on the brink (of what, who can tell) than Sub Pop East.