The Boxing Lesson

Harken ye to The Boxing Lesson, who, back in days of yore (2002), were forged in the valleys of LA, and since migrated to Austin, where their sound has only improved with experience and the addition of new talent.

That's founding father Paul Waclawsky on the left, and that's Jaylinn Davidson to the right. Sure, they look normal enough, despite the superimposed tiger skin and somewhat guilty expressions. Maybe there's something there, we dunno; they say where there's smoke there's fire. Try their music, though, and you'll find out what that guilty look is about.

Back in the day (and when we say "day" in this context, we mean the 60s), their kind of music was performed by Pink Floyd and was dubbed "rock". But we knew, oh yes, we knew, that it was much more than that. That it wasn't just strange sounds constructing stranger musical beds, but a statement. A going out, a journey into lands alien and wonderful to behold.

Nowadays, it's called psychedelic or, as in the case of The Boxing Lesson, "Space Rock". If we were shallow, we might call this drug-induced experimental and move on to the latest Lady Gaga offering (which, at the time of this writing, is available for 99 cents on Amazon).

But you'll give it a chance, just out of curiosity. And you'll walk away astonished at the epic compositions, well-conceived arrangements, iconic hooks, and accessibility you find embedded in these tracks.

Check out "One" from their "Fur State" release; see if the dreamy-easy synths and acoustic guitar don't lull you into a more peaceful state of mind.

Notice that this LP is considered "lo-fi". In this context; the context of dreamy, shoe-gazing rock; it works, and pretty dang well too, transporting us to parts hitherto unexplored.

Granted, "One" is a little off their normal Pink Floyd-ish path. Typically their tracks are slow-burning compositions, built on simplistic chord progressions, toned by bizarre samples or synths, lightened up with grandly-dark electric guitar strokes, occasionally spiced with Waclawsky's coolly plaintive vox. Take a gander at the excellent "Lower" from the "Wild Streaks and Windy Days" LP for a good example of this:

Notice we said "typically". Poor choice of words, as that label don't stick to The Boxing Lesson - Their discography includes pithy rock-pop pieces like this one:

And now, just to add a little breadth to our sampling, give this surprisingly-simplistic, imminently approachable, poppish number a go:

You're not the only folks to dig The Boxing Lesson: Check out the consistent praise from the press here, here, and here.

Their latest EP, "Muerta", keeps their critical-success streak intact, with deviant wanderings into more uncanny sonic textures, woven into musical pieces that ignore rock and pop conventions, yet present instantly-iconic melodies formed into truly unique, brilliant compositions.

The Boxing Lesson worked overtime during SXSW this year, playing one or more gigs a day at Skinny's Ballroom, Cheer Up Charlie's, Lipstick, The Blue Theater, Guero's, etc., and even represented the American continent in the 6 Bands... 6 Continents event put on by Dart Music International.

For maximum pleasure, we'll leave you with their latest: The afore-mentioned, excellent "Muerta" EP:

Look for The Boxing Lesson on Wordpress, FaceBook, Bandcamp, Twitter, Youtube, and, yes, Wikipedia!

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