RISING : : The Sexual Outlaws

 A lot of bands have fascinations with a specific pop culture figure or moment in history. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club take their name from Marlon Brando's motorcycle gang in the classic 1953 film The Wild One. Titus Andronicus' 2010 album, The Monitor, a romping Civil War punk memorial, takes its name from the Union army ironclad ship. Led Zeppelin have been known to use a number of allusions to Lord of the Rings in songs such as "Misty Mountain Hop" and "Ramble On" just to name a few. Yet, Portland, Oregon band The Sexual Outlaws' fascination with Chinese American actress Anna May Wong may squeeze in near the top. And for good reason. Just as Wong resembled the epitome of Hollywood fashion and beauty at one point in time, The Sexual Outlaws seem to have captured that in a three minute and six second pop song--not an easy thing to do.

The Sexual Outlaws possess to a degree, a sense of glamor; the kind of glamor that is less trashy glitz and more of "Oh, I just don't know what I'm going wear tonight." Cue the angst-y exit from any John Hughes movie. If they were around 30 years ago in the heyday of  Hughes mania, a soundtrack contract would be in order. For such an American band, the sound they emit is all  English new wave of the mid to late 80s. In the song such as "Xes," the Morissey croon comes through in the vocals, as does the rest of the Smiths with much of the Outlaws catalog. The Johnny Marr guitar technique is ever present, with treble laden intricacies that dance around to form a coherent atmosphere. There will be continuous comparisons to the glory that was the Smiths, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

If Anna May Wong knew what an iPod was, she would have requested one with them on repeat. In a time where a current popularity of new wave, post punk revitalization is becoming ever present with bands such as Wild Nothing,  Destroyer, and many more, the Outlaws would fit right in. Their style is smart; an acoustic intro here, a tempo change their--everything seems to fall into place. In an ideal world, Anna May Wong, Madonna, and Boy George, with a last minute visit by Morissey himself, would be having a cocktail in a London discoteque, with the Outlaws narrating their every move. But for now, they'll just have to settle with this thought of a pop culture fantasy land instead.

 Listen to the Sexual Outlaws here.



--Mike