beta hate beards, luv Oneida

It actually happened last summer, when my levels of Devendra Banhart reached toxic levels at his Bowery Ballroom show. That reaction then is described in some detail in my first paragraph about Cripple Crow, and goes along with my disappointment with that album as a whole. Granted, it's not as killer as Nick Catucci's piece, but that axe he's grinding shaves more than beards.

Just the same, my fondness for Oneida perhaps dims in the light of my editor Chuck Eddy's love for them, which may be what led to this gi-normous spread I got to lavish on them for this week's main Music section.

This song below was one of the few highlights on that Rough Trade new artists cover old artists comp from a few years back. Of course, Oneida's "eternally well-read and repetition-happy" (Chuck's words) traits work exceptionally well with this James "Blood" Ulmer joint. And you know how much I luv Ulmer.

Oneida- "Jazz is the Teacher, Funk is the Preacher"