Sound it Out # 21: Rebecca Gates and the Consortium - "Dangerous"

Rebecca Gates originally blew my mind with her fantastic duo The Spinanes. She and Scott Plouf (who now drums for Built to Spill) created a passionate and full-bodied sound that you'd never guess could come from a 2-piece band. Rebecca's lyrics were at once vulnerable and bold and she managed to play lead and rhythm guitar parts live.

But it was always the vocals that set her apart. She has possibly the sexiest, least contrived voice out there. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I heard her band’s new cover of “Dangerous”, originally done by the 80’s R&B group Cool’R. This song is part of the “Jackpot Covers Portland” series, in which Jackpot studios in Portland (Oregon) gets local artists to record versions of songs originally done by other Portlanders.

“Dangerous” is a lot of fun. Gates and her Consortium band-mates Joanna Bolme (who also plays in Steven Malkmus’ The Jicks) and Ji Tanzer (Blue Cranes) embrace the 80’s keyboard breaks and silly percussion sounds while throwing down a serious bass line. Rebecca’s voice is as seductive as ever.

Rebecca Gates and the Consortium will be releasing a new album of originals called The Float on May 15.

BONUS! Listen the original version of Cool’R’s “Dangerous” here

Download “Dangerous” below for one week only!

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Amy worked in the record business at Enigma, Elektra, Virgin and Sub Pop before she got sucked into the technology vortex. She co-founded the Backwards Beekeepers, a chemical-free urban beekeeping collective in Los Angeles. She runs digital marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and The Hollywood Bowl.

MORE: mp3 • music • Rebecca Gates • Sound It Out

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ROSSINDETROIT

I love The Spinanes. Arches and Aisles is one of my top 100 records of all time. Her solo work like Ruby Series is pretty good as well, but doesn’t reach the level of Phair-like angry energy of Manos or Strand.
I will definitely check this out. Thanks!
petsounds

In the 90s I went to a show at the now-defunct Alligator Lounge in Santa Monica. I saw Rebecca Gates there and went up to her, “Hi, are you Rebecca from the Spinanes?” No, it wasn’t her. But a spitting-image. Fast-forward a few months to a show at the Palace. I think I see Rebecca! “Hi, are you Rebecca Gates?…. wait. Oh no. I’m an idiot.” She laughed and I walked away feeling about as smart as a potato. I never met Rebecca Gates, but she has a pretty nice doppelganger.

p.s. – that Soundcloud widget is burning up my CPU. I see they moved to HTML5. Ugh.
noah django

Gates’ voice (and the track generally) really reminds me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYYvry_-AxU
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LROIAKNG4DDB3WHGJZAPSWGPTM macstukuls

She owes a great deal to Tracey Thorn on the track above.

Rebecca Gates and the Consortium - "Dangerous" (MP3 download)

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