Misanthropy, Porno Mags, and the Battle of the Crazy Foreign Guys

One thing that Serj Tankian (of System Of A Down) got, besides a cool name, millions of fans, and interesting facial hair, is a really weird voice. Which is only thing that gets me to listen to System every so often, as a guilty pleasure. But he's even better when singing for other people, like his guest spot on the Deftones, or this song: a duet with, of all things, Les Rita Mitsouko, one of France's most important bands (so I hear). In a song about, get this, reading skin mags at a drug store.

In moments of pure misanthropy (misogyny?), which are happening more frequently these days, I can listen to "Terminal Beauty" on repeat, waiting for his weird little "la la la la la na na na" towards the end, which is about as maniacally misanthropic you can get without saying anything. Serj should be cast as the bad dude in some crazy action movie, as a sort of anti-300-Gerard-Butler.

In fact, the movie should just be Serj and Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hütz screaming and hitting each other with sticks. I'd sit through two hours of that. Hell, I'd buy popcorn.


Les Rita Mitsouko - Terminal Beauty (yousendit)


vs.

Okkervil River, Webster Hall, 9/28/07

If you had asked me what are my favorite artists making music right now, Okkervil River, Midlake and Shapes And Sizes would top the list. Now I've been able to see all three within the space of a few weeks, and damn does it make me happy. If I never see a show again -- well, I'd be really pissed off so let's hope that doesn't happen, but at least I'm happy now.


For more pictures, check out Impose magazine coverage.