Ice or Ground?
A Tribute to an Off-kilter Band and an Off-kilter Friend
My purpose for Olney Magazine is loosely defined. I was hired to write about music, but Olney’s focus is on poetry and it’s purpose is to promote self-expression. As a result, I end up submitting personal stories disguised as album reviews. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Now that I’ve come to this realization, I’ve decided to fully embrace my approach to writing about music. After all, music would be much less meaningful in a vacuum.
Sean & Courtney Pakos. Two wonderful people with whom I’ve shared countless great experiences. I’ve known Sean since elementary school, and he’s certainly witnessed (and tolerated) more of me than Courtney; but both people are irreplaceable in my eyes. Smart (very), kind (sometimes), and unique (always), Sean has been a better friend to me than I deserve. Joyous (always), kind (always), insightful (always), Courtney has been a wonderful friend. I’m endlessly happy that they found love in one another.
(Sean, I’m sorry she got a more positive review. I suppose that explains the term “better half.”)
The pair has already been wed, but the ceremonious part of their union is not scheduled until next month.
The two live in Seoul, S. Korea, which makes spending time with these friends of mine… difficult. That’s a shame too, since we all share a great love of music. (When I’ve reference a ‘friend’ who recommended me an album, it’s almost always Sean.) Today they come back into town (which for us is Northeast Ohio.)
The plan was to go see a concert, but our window of opportunity was, and is, narrow— they leave again for Seoul shortly after the wedding. Buffalo native Hip-Hop artist Benny the Butcher was one show we considered. The Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary tour is another. Torn, I decided to browse the Grog Shop (Cleveland) events calendar. To my total disbelief, I saw the name “Karate” on the billing conveniently scheduled in the middle of their brief visit home.
Karate is not a famous band. It has a decent following and carries a solid reputation within the Slowcore genre. But the group isn’t exactly a household name. Regardless, Sean and I (along with some other close friends) have loved Karate for years.
Karate has always reminded me of Steely Dan. In some senses, the comparison makes sense. Rock infused with Jazz. But Steely Dan were meticulous. They were a rotating ensemble with core members, and were known for keeping the best musicians of the time (covering every damn instrument) in their orbit. “The Dan” is also famous for studio perfection.
Karate is an under-the-radar three-piece group known for its curious blending of Slowcore, Blues and Jazz. The music has a distinct garage-rock vibe and most probably wouldn’t find “studio perfection” in the band’s recordings.
Steely Dan is clean. Karate is dirty. The types of rock that the inject their Jazz into are wholly different.
However, on top of the Jazz-Rock elements, the lyrics offer me the same feeling. Sarcasm, absurdity, and humor are abundant in both artists’ lyricism. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) and Geoff Farina (Karate) both find potent ways to grab the listener with their words. A good understanding of their stories (?) signals to me that all three are geniuses who have found the world to be a pretty peculiar place, and a place about which they understand as much as they don’t.
In December 2010, a few friend (Sean included) and I went to New York City. It was a first for each of us. At one point in our incredible trip, Sean noticed that we’d essentially lived a verse of a Karate song.
“The Same Stars” goes:
I’ll see you somewhere like museum stairs
And in friends’ cars
And outside of Irish bars
And underneath the same stars
We were standing on the huge stairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, having taken one of our cars from Ohio to New York City. (The city is also referenced in the song.) The hostel we stayed at was directly next-door to an Irish bar. He made this observation on an evening with a perfectly clear sky.
On July 11th, Sean, Courtney, my fiancée, some other friends, and myself get to see Karate live in Cleveland. The following weekend is my good friends’ wedding. I don’t want to read too much into it all, but it feels a bit poetic that one of our favorite bands is touring for the first time in over a decade just days before my friends’ marriage ceremony. A lovely wedding gift, I think, and a perfect time to bask in nostalgia while also celebrating the present and future.
Below is a link to a Karate playlist I’ve made for anyone who would like a well-rounded introduction to the band’s music. Several of the songs are from one live recording, but the track listing overall offers a solid glimpse into the band’s whole career and discography.
