Rockbites: Rollerball's ninth album a subtle power trip

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Rollerball's ninth album a subtle power trip
20 October 2003

Portland, Oregon experimentalists Rollerball reinvent themselves from one release to the next, if not from one day to the next, as the band—who live together—play, innovate, and record together in their basement studio.
    Formed as a power-pop quartet in Bozeman, Montana back in 1994, a move to Oregon led to the exit of founding member Herman Jolly who went on to front Portland band Sunset Valley, and to a wholly different sort of Rollerball—jazz, classical, and noise-rock influenced and led by cofounder Mae Starr.
    Each Rollerball release is an art project, with the discs usually appearing in strange, beautiful, and sometimes hand-painted packaging. Real Hair is Rollerball’s new full-length, and while it comes in a relatively pedestrian jewel case, musically it is as expectedly unexpected as ever. This time around the band often sound like Calexico jamming with Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 on the set of a David Lynch film.
    Even Rollerball fans might find this one a touch difficult, though, with subtlety the operative theme. This record offers abundant power and humor but these are visible only deep below a quiet and gentle surface defined by lots of horns and accordion and impressionistic poetry. It’s moody, dreamy, and... subtle.
    But ya know, at the end of the day that’s all good because it means that this disc was built to endure. Many, many listens have proved that true for me.
    There are often enough unique musical motifs throughout the course of a Rollerball record to fuel several new art bands, if not entire genres. Listen well to Real Hair and don’t be surprised to hear its themes reappearing over the next few years from various quarters. It’s out now on the band’s new label, Silber Records, based in Raleigh, North Carolina and home to an eclectic roster that includes Origami Arktika, Small Life Form, Pale Horse And Rider, Clang Quartet, and Jamie Barnes.
    Rollerball continue a major US tour with a show tomorrow night in Lawrence, Kansas. Here are the remaining dates:

October
21 - Lawrence, KS (Replay Lounge)
22 - Denver, CO (Climax Lounge)
25 - Oakland, CA (Stork Club)
27 - San Francisco, CA (Make Out Room)
28 - Eugene, OR (Samurai Duck)
30 - Portland, OR (Ozone Records)
| Rollerball on Silber Records | | Silber Records | | Rollerball on Torture Music | | top of page |

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