God Is My Co-Pilot
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There’s also a long tradition of introducing foreign elements into rock. Richie Valens brought in pinches of Tex-Mex, the Beatles noodled with sitars, and the Talking Heads employed African polyrhythms. But in the underground these days, a postmodern plundering of other musics is almost taken for granted. Dilettantish dabbling is practically mandatory; cultural borders are made to be breached.
A New York outfit called God Is My Co-Pilot–the quartet of vocalist Sharon Topper, guitarist Craig Flanagin, bassist Alex Klein, and drummer Siobhan Duffy abetted by any number of loosely affiliated outsiders–is a rock band ashamed of its pedigree. In the most general sense GIMCP recalls the dull squawk first blared by New York’s infamous “no wave” bands, early 80s combos like DNA, Mars, and the Contortions who slopped together intense, almost hysterical vocals, skittering, scratchy atonal guitar, thick, lumbering bass, and manic drum flailing. But GIMCP are reaching for more: they’re attempting to make the music of the world their oyster.
