Oxford Collapse
Artist of the Day
People who have never traveled to the humble burg of Brooklyn must think that all its denizens possess artfully mussed hair and require a constant soundtrack of boisterous dance music to bop around to on the steps of omni-present brownstones. Brooklyn's own Oxford Collapse, following in the grooves of other metro area bands like Radio 4 and the Rapture, does nothing to dispel this semi-true stereotype. The Oxford Collapse's own brand of bass heavy, dance punk is enough to get even the most snarky Brooklyn hipster dancing in the streets.
A trio of recent NYU grads, the Oxford Collapse has been haunting the greater New York scene since 2001. Singer Michael Pace and drummer Dan Fetherston were part of the original trio, but the third founding member bassist Yong Sing da Silva left the band to go to medical school after the release of the band's self-titled EP in 2003. Current bassist Adam Rizer stepped in to pump out the fantastic grooving baselines on the Oxford Collapse's new LP, A Good Ground.
The exuberance of the Collapse is palpable on "Cracks in the Causeway" (listen), with its high-pitched harmonies of Pace and Rizer's falsetto yelps and whistles. While the pretty, pensive "Flora Y Fauna" is a bit of a departure from the upbeat melodies Oxford Collapse is known for, it's a successful break from the dancier tracks. Sounding almost Shins-esque, Pace sings over a lightly strumming guitar and bass, "There's something in the way...the light always reflects perfectly on your chest."
A Good Ground was released on June 21 on Kanine Records, and the Oxford Collapse is in the midst of a U.S tour which wraps in Madison, Wisconsin on July 18. Catch 'em if you can.
Oxford Collapse tour dates:
6/24, Albuquerque, NM (Atomic Cantina)
6/25, El Paso, TX (T Lounge)
6/26, Odessa, TX (Earl's 2)
6/27, Denton, TX (Rubber Gloves)
6/28, Oklahoma City, OK (Conservatory)
6/29, Valparaiso, IN (TBA)
6/30, Lima, OH (Stage Right)
7/1, Pittsburgh, PA (Roboto)
7/7, Allston, MA (Great Scott)
7/8, New York, NY (Mercury Lounge)
7/9, Brooklyn, NY (Southpaw)
7/10, Philadelphia, PA (North Star Bar)
7/11, Pittsburgh, PA (Garfield Artworks)
7/12, Detroit, MI (Magic Stick)
7/13, Kalamazoo, MI (Karftbrau)
7/14, E. Lansing, MI (Mac’s Bar)
7/15, Cleveland, OH (Beachland Ballroom)
7/16, Chicago, IL (Empty Bottle)
7/17, Minneapolis, MN (400 Bar)
7/18, Madison, WI (Hi Noon)
