Welcome to “ONE TRACK MINDS” with Erika Rae Owen from Band Bombshell and Chris Knauf, board member of the Des Moines Music Coalition.  Each week, Erika and Chris take turns selecting a song of their choice, listen to it together for the first time, and document their reactions, thoughts and witty banter via instant messenger.  

This week, the duo chose “Love on the Roxx” from Ames band Stewardesses. Listen along while you read their commentary:

Erika:  Hey, dude. Ready for this?

Chris:  Love it… Bring it. Quick question: Is this song truly only 1:46 long?

Erika:  It is! At least according to the SoundCloud thing. The other one wasn’t very long either, was it?

Chris:  Nope. I’m good with it. We might have to listen to a few times again.

Erika:  Agreed. I figured that would be the case. We’ll have to pick out a ballad for the next one… Haha.

Chris:  That would be awesome. Ready to hit play?

Erika:  I am. Want to do the countdown?

Chris:  3…. 2….1…

Erika:  Fuuuuunky.

Chris:  I loved this band’s score to the movie “Seven.”

Erika:  Bahaha. It’s a folk/techno mix. Like folkstep. But not.

Chris:  My life is guided by the principles set forth in the folkstep scene.

Erika:  I gotta say, you must lead quite the life, then. With a strong background song at all times.

Chris:  For instance I’m listening to this through a pair of headphones that came with my daughter’s LeapPad while she’s watching Barney.

Erika:  Haaaaha.

Chris:  Repeat?

Erika:  Yup.

Chris:  Apparently there’s also some German band of the same name.

Erika:  Really? I’d love to see them do a music video on a plane.

Chris:  Yes.  Which is odd timing because I got a LinkedIn request from a Chris Knauf who’s an attorney in LA today.

Erika:  Doppelganger! Does he look like you?

Chris:  A lot of brand/trade name infringement happening this evening. Not at all.  But he referred to himself as the “Other” Chris Knauf which immediately gave him cred.

Erika:  I actually wrote a blog on The Locals, a band from Chicago who were harassed by another band for “taking their name.” Even though they had it first.

Chris:  Playing again.

Erika:  Me, too.

My hedgehog is in my lap and he has freaked out the past two times that the yelling part starts.

Chris:  Do you know the lead singette of this band?

Will you make that into a gif?

Erika:  No, I don’t. My roommate recommended that we give them a listen this week.

Haha! Sure. Just for you.

Chris:  Their/her SoundCloud profile pic looks like it was taken from the American Apparel website

Erika: It’s pretty psychedelic.

Chris:  Do you think she’s doing the screaming in the song or she outsourced that?

Erika:  I bet she did it.

If you were going to see this band, what would you wear?

Chris:  Shorty short tennis shorts, tank top, and a headband. And deck shoes.

Erika:  Great image. I love it. You’re so trendy.

Chris:  Have you heard much else from her/them/whoever?

Erika:  I’d go with a Richard Simmons-esque color scheme.

I haven’t heard anything from them until this song.

Chris:  Don’t hate.

Erika:  I don’t either. Took some getting used to!

Chris:  This might be a stretch, but she sounds like a mix of Luscious Jackson, Class Actress, and a hint of the old local band Leap Year.

Erika:  I think they’d put on a pretty good show judging from the next song that started playing.

Luscious Jackson?

I don’t know who that is.

Chris:  You don’t know?

Erika:  Nope.

Chris:  Do we even have enough time?

All female group who played the role of little sisters to the Beasties.

They were on the Grand Royal label.

Erika:  So, old man jams?

Chris:  I’m pretty sure the drummer used to play with the Beasties pre “Licensed to Kill” when they were more of a punk group.

Always.

Erika:  Ohhhh, the Beasties. I thought you were saying the Beatles. Read that wrong.

Chris:  How dare you. You must pick up “In Search of Manny” by Luscious Jackson.

One more play then final thoughts?

Erika:  Works for me. And I’ll take you up on that suggestion.

The intro kind of reminds me of an old Linkin Park song. That industrial noise.

Chris:  Yes!  A little NIN?

Erika:  That, too! A lady led NIN.

Chris:  Why have our two first selections had a bit of a murder feel to them?

Erika:  Good point.

Should we be worried?

Chris:  Rumor has it that’s why Reznor cut his hair—to avoid further confusion.

Alright…thoughts?

Erika:  Wait, explain that last one to me. Over my head.

Chris:  Trent Reznor.  NIN.  You said it was led by a lady.

Erika:  Ohhhhh. Got it. I just got out of night class. Excuse my lack of wit and understanding.

I like it. I didn’t like it the first time through. But she goes through a lot of genres in 1:46.

Chris:  Are you ready for the workforce yet?

I didn’t like it at first either.

And then it slightly grew on me.

I thought the screaming took away from the hook the song otherwise had.

Erika:  Getting there. Give it 18 days and I’ll be a full-fledged adult… Haha.

I agree. It scared me. And Charleston.

Chris:  If he’s representative of the rest of the hedgehog market, they’re going to see some lean album sales.

Erika:  They did come out with a new EP a couple months ago… I wonder how it’s doing.

Chris:  I have to be honest…local band or not…I didn’t really like that song but it was interesting enough that I want to hear more and that I really would like to see this live.

Erika:  Agreed. I bet they have some cool light set-ups. Like Is Home Is or Tires.

Chris:  I love when a small/local band somehow puts together a great stage production. Reminds me of watching the Faint in Omaha as they were getting big. Still probably one of the best and most consistent shows I’ve seen.

Erika:  I saw N*SYNC right as they were getting big (circa 1997). Not as memorable as the Faint, I bet. And no stage production to speak of. Only denim overalls and water guns.

Chris:  The person wearing LeapPad headphones is judging you hardcore right now. Out of 5 possible glow sticks, I would give this a 2.

Erika:  You know you like N*SYNC. Secretly. If not you, I bet your daughter would.

Chris:  BSB representing on this end.

Erika:  You look like a BSB kind of dude. We have a rivalry here, I see. I’d give it a 3.

Chris:  Rave on,Erika.  Rave on.

Erika:  I’m still a college student for a few more weeks. Raves are what we do. Right?

Chris:  Raves and keg beer.