First Glances – Oskar’s Drum
Oskar’s Drum are Patrick Fitzgerald (Kitchens Of Distinction, Stephen Hero) and Yves Altana (Wonky Alice, Invincible) and I already love them. The music of Patrick Fitzgerald has been a part of my life since ‘Love Is Hell’ first electrified my local record store. Likewise with the multi-instrumentalist and multi-talented Yves Altana whose work with Mark Burgess made the nineties, minus The Chameleons at least bearable. Danny Ashberry accompanies the band for live shows.
Plus I love the name. Oskar’s Drum is simply excellent. I’m reminded of Oskar from the truly stunning film Let The Right One In. It also evokes images of old Sigur Rós videos. Yet Oskar’s Drum aren’t really going for that Scandinavian chic. No post-rock epics here. Think intelligent, acerbic, art-punk/post punk.
Patrick described it thus:_
“It’s 1980 Top of the Pops, when McGeoch has joined Siouxsie. It’s 1972 when Ziggy played guitar. When Joni Mitchell was blue. It’s Moominpappa at Sea, sailing out to the lighthouse. It’s Gibson guitars and Montague Terrace. It’s Baudelaire and Poulenc songs, Kraftwerk and Berlin Zoo. It’s a bit Kitchens inevitably. But it is NEW.”