That Handsome Devil
Encyclopedia
That Handsome Devil is an American rock
band hailing from Brooklyn
, New York
, by way of Boston
, Massachusetts
.
The band mixes genres such as rock, funk
, jazz
, jive, blues
, surf, R&B, reggae
, rockabilly
, rap
, and psychedelic
. Their sound has also been described as "equal parts Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, bizarre electronica
, creepy hip hop
and in-your-face gonzo
rock". Gypsy jazz
has been used in description of the band, while Godforbid himself describes the band's music as "fringe pop".
group Alaskan Fishermen, along with Thirstin' Howl III and Father Time.
In late 2004, That Handsome Devil, sometimes abbreviated "THD," released their first single, "Dating Tips" featuring three songs, "Dating Tips", "How to Get Money", and "Don't Go"http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/store/detail.asp?=That-Handsome-Devil-Dating-Tips-How-To-Get-Money-Dont-Go-Art-And-Craft-Music&UPC=AAC120112 July 23, 2006, saw the release of their first eponymous EP That Handsome Devil, which included the single "Dating Tips" from 2004. "Elephant Bones", the fourth track on the album, was featured as a bonus song in Guitar Hero II
.
Their first studio album, A City Dressed in Dynamite
, was released on August 5, 2008 to scores of positive reviews, being praised as "profoundly entertaining", "bizarre in a beautiful way" and "a madcap musical frenzy as dizzying as it is dazzling". Although the music continued to be as stylistically varied as their last release, the album expanded on the band's prevalent themes of emptiness
, drug addiction, materialism
, and death
, and continued to feature their trademark of dated soundbites from the 1950s.
A portion of "Mexico" was featured in the seventh episode of season four of Weeds
, "Yes I Can", before A City Dressed in Dynamite was released, though they are mistakenly credited as The Handsome Devils (Another band called The Handsome Devils had produced a song titled "Mexico" though this is a coincidence). "Squares" was later heard in the episode "Rebellion" of Reaper
.
"Rob the Prez-O-Dent" was featured as the fourth track on Good Riddance, George W. Bush, released in December 2008, a compilation album of anti-George W. Bush
songs, even though, despite its premise, "Rob the Prez-O-Dent" doesn't refer to George W. Bush
or his policies at all; though "Viva Discordia" contains overt references to the Iraq War and the Bush administration
, referring to the latter as "a bunch of mobsters looking for Osama".
"Rob the Prez-O-Dent" was also featured as a playable track in Rock Band 2
. This, along with the appearance of "Elephant Bones" in Guitar Hero II, has greatly increased their visibility.
Their next EP, Enlightenment's For Suckers was released on August 25, 2009.
THD went on a national tour dubbed "Hating New People" in the summer of 2010 where they sold a small-print disc of unreleased singles and covers.
On August 9, 2011, That Handsome Devil released their newest full-length album, The Heart Goes to Heaven, The Head Goes to Hell
, to favorable reviews from fans and critics. The band kicked off the album with a heartland tour and the launch of an independent website. This was financed in part by a fundraising effort on project startup service Kickstarter
; the band made their $2000 pledge goal within a few days and ultimately raised $6013 after a month. Many people chose to donate at the hundred dollar level in order to receive some highly sought-after unreleased songs, along with other accessories.
(2006) Stardust/Traffic
Enlightenment's For Suckers
(2009)
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band hailing from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, by way of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The band mixes genres such as rock, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, jive, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, surf, R&B, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
, rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, and psychedelic
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
. Their sound has also been described as "equal parts Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, bizarre electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
, creepy hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and in-your-face gonzo
GONZO
, stylized as GONZO, is a Japanese anime studio, owned by the company's corporate parent, the GDH group. In June 2006, it signed a long-term output deal with the anime television network, Animax, which saw Animax broadcasting all of Gonzo's anime titles across all of its networks around the world,...
rock". Gypsy jazz
Gypsy jazz
Gypsy jazz is an idiom often said to have been started by guitarist Jean "Django" Reinhardt in the 1930s. Because its origins are largely in France it is often called by the French name, "Jazz manouche," or alternatively, "manouche jazz," even in English language sources...
has been used in description of the band, while Godforbid himself describes the band's music as "fringe pop".
History
The band was founded by Godforbid and Jeremy Page. Predating the band's existance, Godforbid and Page were both members of the hip hopHip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group Alaskan Fishermen, along with Thirstin' Howl III and Father Time.
In late 2004, That Handsome Devil, sometimes abbreviated "THD," released their first single, "Dating Tips" featuring three songs, "Dating Tips", "How to Get Money", and "Don't Go"http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/store/detail.asp?=That-Handsome-Devil-Dating-Tips-How-To-Get-Money-Dont-Go-Art-And-Craft-Music&UPC=AAC120112 July 23, 2006, saw the release of their first eponymous EP That Handsome Devil, which included the single "Dating Tips" from 2004. "Elephant Bones", the fourth track on the album, was featured as a bonus song in Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
.
Their first studio album, A City Dressed in Dynamite
A City Dressed in Dynamite
A City Dressed in Dynamite is the debut album by That Handsome Devil. It was released in 2008. It was recorded at Cybersound Studios in Boston, Massachusetts. It is darker in tone and content than the band's EP, with some songs dealing explicitly with drug addiction and death. The album includes...
, was released on August 5, 2008 to scores of positive reviews, being praised as "profoundly entertaining", "bizarre in a beautiful way" and "a madcap musical frenzy as dizzying as it is dazzling". Although the music continued to be as stylistically varied as their last release, the album expanded on the band's prevalent themes of emptiness
Emptiness
Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation and apathy. Feelings of emptiness often accompany dysthymia, depression, loneliness, despair, or other mental/emotional disorders such as borderline personality disorder...
, drug addiction, materialism
Materialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
, and death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, and continued to feature their trademark of dated soundbites from the 1950s.
A portion of "Mexico" was featured in the seventh episode of season four of Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
, "Yes I Can", before A City Dressed in Dynamite was released, though they are mistakenly credited as The Handsome Devils (Another band called The Handsome Devils had produced a song titled "Mexico" though this is a coincidence). "Squares" was later heard in the episode "Rebellion" of Reaper
Reaper (TV series)
Reaper is an American television series that focuses on Sam Oliver, a "reaper" who works for the Devil by retrieving souls that have escaped from Hell.The series originally ran on the CW from September 25, 2007 to May 26, 2009....
.
"Rob the Prez-O-Dent" was featured as the fourth track on Good Riddance, George W. Bush, released in December 2008, a compilation album of anti-George W. Bush
Public image of George W. Bush
George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, has elicited a variety of public perceptions regarding his policies, personality, and performance as a head of state. In the U.S. and elsewhere, journalists, polling organizations, and others have documented the expression of an evolving...
songs, even though, despite its premise, "Rob the Prez-O-Dent" doesn't refer to George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
or his policies at all; though "Viva Discordia" contains overt references to the Iraq War and the Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
, referring to the latter as "a bunch of mobsters looking for Osama".
"Rob the Prez-O-Dent" was also featured as a playable track in Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
. This, along with the appearance of "Elephant Bones" in Guitar Hero II, has greatly increased their visibility.
Their next EP, Enlightenment's For Suckers was released on August 25, 2009.
THD went on a national tour dubbed "Hating New People" in the summer of 2010 where they sold a small-print disc of unreleased singles and covers.
On August 9, 2011, That Handsome Devil released their newest full-length album, The Heart Goes to Heaven, The Head Goes to Hell
The Heart Goes to Heaven, The Head Goes to Hell
The Heart Goes to Heaven, The Head Goes to Hell is the second full-length album recorded by alternative rock band That Handsome Devil.-Track listing:...
, to favorable reviews from fans and critics. The band kicked off the album with a heartland tour and the launch of an independent website. This was financed in part by a fundraising effort on project startup service Kickstarter
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology and food-related projects.-Model:...
; the band made their $2000 pledge goal within a few days and ultimately raised $6013 after a month. Many people chose to donate at the hundred dollar level in order to receive some highly sought-after unreleased songs, along with other accessories.
Band members
- Godforbid - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer... - Jeremy Page - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, pedal steel, glockenspielGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, kazooKazooThe kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by...
, background vocals, songwriter - Naoko Takamoto - backing vocals
- Evan Sanders - keyboardMusical keyboardA musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Jeremy Siegel - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, background vocals - Sam Merrick - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Deflon Sallahr - backing vocals
- Andy Bauer - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, accordion, guitar, backing vocals
Studio albums
- A City Dressed in DynamiteA City Dressed in DynamiteA City Dressed in Dynamite is the debut album by That Handsome Devil. It was released in 2008. It was recorded at Cybersound Studios in Boston, Massachusetts. It is darker in tone and content than the band's EP, with some songs dealing explicitly with drug addiction and death. The album includes...
(2008) - The Heart Goes to Heaven, The Head Goes to HellThe Heart Goes to Heaven, The Head Goes to HellThe Heart Goes to Heaven, The Head Goes to Hell is the second full-length album recorded by alternative rock band That Handsome Devil.-Track listing:...
(2011)
EPs
That Handsome Devil EP(2006) Stardust/Traffic
Enlightenment's For Suckers
(2009)
Singles
- "Dating Tips" (2004)
- "Steady and Slow" (2007)
- "Hey White Boy" (2007)
- "Lucky Me" (2008)
- "Mr. Grinch" (2008)
- "Chicken Claw" (2009)
- "Marilyn Loves Heroin" (2009)
- "Disco City" (2009)
Trivia
- The MuppetsThe Muppet ShowThe Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
' cover of "Mah Na Mah NaMah Nà Mah Nà"Mah Nà Mah Nà" is a popular song written by Piero Umiliani. It originally appeared in the Italian film Sweden: Heaven and Hell . It was a minor radio hit in the U.S...
" was sampled heavily for their track "Hey White Boy" - They covered "Mr. Grinch" as a 2008 ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
single. - The band performed a live cover of "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang" by Dr. DreDr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
.
External links
- MacNeil, Jason (2008) "That Handsome Devil A City Dressed In Dynamite", PopMattersPopMattersPopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...