SF
Bay Gaurdian: Fearing that the tagline "live electronica" has become
a catch-all for any knob-twiddler attempting to incorporate an actual synthesizer
into his or her set, Mission District multimedia trio Moped prefer to call
a spade a spade. In this case (real-) live instrumentation and laptop-generated
soundscapes compliment the oddball visuals of video wizard Fantastic Ass
in creating an AV feast to shake your midweek booty to. Blending hip-hop,
Progression Sessions-minded jazz’n’bass, and the improvisatory spirit of
--dare I say-- a jam band (think Soundtribe Sector 9), Moped’s eclecticism
plays to the genre-hopping music lover in us all. Tonight’s CD-release party
celebrates the latest album of all new material, puzzlingly entitled The
Early Years.
DIY
Magazine: It’s a mystery but Peter Gavin won’t wear the shirt that says
‘I’M GOOD AT SAX.’ Pete is one half of the San Francisco jazz-and-bass duo
known as Moped—the bass half that, as his neglected t-shirt attests, also
handles brass duties, together with keyboards and loops. The t-shirt is
blue with big hand-stenciled lettering and was hand-made expressly for him.
In a recent attempt at a fashion makeover, Pete half-heartedly bought a
few work-into-play pieces but, I suspect, ultimately didn’t care enough
to keep up the effort. Which, if you rocked the sax the way Moped does,
you probably wouldn’t give a rip about either. On a recent Wednesday night
at the Elbo Room, Pete sported denim carpenter pants, a polo and what looked
like a lanyard. To give you some idea. To give you another, Moped closed
their set with a sax-led version of The Cure’s ‘Lullaby,’ probably the most
inspired arrangement of a cover I’ve heard since Pavement’s redux of Echo
and the Bunnymen’s ‘Killing Moon.’ Not that Pavement were such natty dressers
either. There’s a trendier half of Moped though, and it sits behind the
drum kit, usually faces away from the audience, and is always perfectly
turned out. Scott Eberhardt favors vintage but that’s not where his style
ends. Go to a Moped show, you’ll see what I mean. Scott teaches Media at
an arts school and you can talk to him at length about theories of cinema.
Oh ps, he’s a really accomplished musician. If percussion were a fashion
house, Scott would be Marc Jacobs—retro inspiration and ease meet meticulous
attention to detail. Too sexy for his shirt. Moped has it’s own image machine
by the way. Known as Cripes!, Jeff Jones is the visual artist behind the
projections that support Moped’s live show, combinations of found footage
and digital animation carefully syncopated to Moped’s fibrillating beats.
Think Galactica meets a Hamptons summer party on quality drugs. But you
rarely see Cripes himself and there’s a symmetry to this. Cripes is an auteur
and can wear whatever he wants. He’s post-fashion. - Mauri Skinfill
Elemental
Magazine: The brainchild of San Francisco transplant Peter Gavin,
(who plays bass, saxophone, keyboards, and loops), Moped's debut release
is an unassuming but extremely listenable journey through many different
vibes. Almost entirely instrumental, its ten tracks meander through the
speakers with jazz flourishes, touches of exotic percussion, and even
a dub reggae jam. "Blindness" is exceptionally mellow, with its chilled-out
organs, humming bass tones, and straight-forward beats. It also sports
some nice scratches and the best use of a Jodi Mitchell sample since Q-Tip
and Janet teamed up for "Got Til It's Gone." Tablas, shakers, and chimes
enter the mix for "I Remember," backing up lush synths and a weird instructional
record. While many of the selections have heavy jazz overtones, the title
track exemplifies this the best -- a lengthy session comprised of only
live drums, bass, and fluid, over-dubbed saxophones. Other tunes blend
simple hip-hop beats with subtle keys and looped feedback ("Thes Pace
Between Us") or dreamy, processed guitars with tripped-out Moogs and seagull
noises ("Sean Cake"). With help from a few friends, Moped has managed
to craft a record that defies the usual stereotypes and labeling. It's
definitely of the "down-tempo" variety, but not nearly as boring as many
artists who rep that style. Ideal for jazz heads, instrumental aficionados,
and open-minded music lovers everywhere, "Riding Solo" is a solid introduction
and an enjoyable listen. Hopefully we'll hear more from him soon. -
Brolin Winning
