Spesus Christ
I was talking to my friend Josh the other night. Josh was mad because he had just come back from visiting an artists’ retreat in the Marin Headlands, and he felt that the space and opportunity were being wasted on a lot of the artists in residence up there. Apparently artists are selected by some sort of committee and then are given room, board and a giant art space amidst the beautiful redwoods at the foot of Mt. Tamalpias - all for free. The idea is that without having to worry about stocking the fridge or paying the rent, the artists will be able to focus all of their time and energy on their art. The result will be more and better art that everyone can enjoy.
Whether or not the artists taking advantage of this are living up to the full potential of the opportunity is beyond me. But I will say that this is a great idea. Too often in this country the value of art is measured only in monetary terms. People rarely appreciate what abstract things like beauty and curiosity bring to our lives.
Other countries have figured this out though. Canada, France, and many other nations have programs that support artists in ways that are completely free of commerce. These countries put art - and the artists who make it - in the same category as public parks. As such, everybody contributes to their upkeep so that everybody can enjoy the benefits of having them there.
If you really want to stretch this idea, I suppose you could say that’s why we have Portland. The rainy city to the north is still a bastion of cheap rent and poor kids from art school trying to blow the world’s mind. Portland is especially well suited for musicians, since almost everybody there either likes playing, listening to or talking about music. Plus, all those cheap houses have basements that make for great practice spaces. And when it rains 349 days a year, what the fuck else are you going to do?
This is why Cameron Spies moved up there. Tired of the rat race here in San Francisco he left for a city where he could afford to make music and not die of starvation. That was last year and now Spies is back in the city by the bay for a show with not one, not two, but three new bands. His pet project Soap Collectors is at the top of the order and Phantom Kicks will be batting clean-up. In the center of the line up is his most personal project, the semi-ironically named Spesus Christ.
Spesus Christ makes music that is actually closer to art. The three tracks on their second EP are splatter painted with echoing guitars and voices drawn out into church-like reverb. Keyboards, pianos and drum machines make cameo appearances implying hip hop and electronica, but often disappear into the ether just when you get your head around them.
The whole package is experimental and a little unsettling, yet oddly enjoyable. It’s good to see an artist painting in something other than the every day colors. And it’s good to know that Spies only had to move to Portland to do it. Otherwise, I would have had to write this in French.
Spesus Christ plays The Hotel Utah Thursday 4/22/10 with Phantom Kicks and Soap Collectors
MP3: ‘Here It Is’
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