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Listening • Glorious Ballad of the Ignored

Band Name Theory

Pas/Cal is from Detroit, which was founded as Fort Détroit by Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac, who was the first governor of the Louisiana territory, which was named in honor of King Louis XIV, who was the son of King Louis XIII, whose career was guided by Cardinal Richelieu, whose financial policies and absolutist government forced many opposition officials to flee Paris, one of whom was judge Etienne Pascal, who was the father of famed mathematician and theologian, Blaise Pascal.
My familiarity with Pas/Cal has largely been based on a precious few songs heard over the years as well as a few concert posters in a friend’s apartment. The songs are usually above average, and the posters are great. As you can see from their web site, they are staunchly dedicated to their modish presentation, and it’s hard to describe them without invoking the ’60s or the French. Being from neither the ’60s or France thus seats them handsomely at a table on the patio of Café Pretence. However, few contemporaries bring the same exuberance to their pop music, or are willing to gleefully confound its expectations. In “Glorious Ballad of the Ignored,” from their first full-length album, they manage to cram what feels like about 10 songs into under five minutes. The result is way less pretentious than it is awesome. —Erik Bryan, Jul. 30, 2008

» Glorious Ballad of the Ignored” at The Yellow Stereo

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