I suspect Brazil’s CSS are due up for a new record soon since it seems they have been riding their debut for years. This L7 cover of “Pretend We Are Dead” was recorded at Irving Plaza on their 4th or 5th time through New York, although the first, I believe, doing a headline show. Few things entertain me more while watching a band live than getting an unexpected and well executed cover of a song I haven’t heard in years. This is a particularly good example.
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I was really excited to see CSS when they played last month at The Echo since I really like their debut album but one thing that I wasn’t expecting the “O-Town” for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs set. When listening to the CD, it sounds like it was written by a producer, but I wasn’t expecting their “live” show to be mostly pre-recorded with their singer and a few guitar parts being the only actual live aspects of the show. Even the drums were only there to supplement the recorded drum track. Plus they were shooting the video for “Alala” at that show, so that made the show that much more strange. All that said, people were eating it up and I still listen to the CD all the time. This song was recorded live at their show at The Echo here in Los Angeles.