Sound Check — Geoff Carter: 12 Volt Sex returns from Paris, awaits album release

Friday, July 2, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

Geoff Carter's music column appears Fridays. Reach him at carter@ vegas.com.

Fresh from a gig in Paris, Las Vegas' pop heroes 12 Volt Sex are putting their acquired continental drift to several new songs for their RCA records debut, due in early 2000. Vocalist Matt Chernoff indulges this columnist's cruel gift for forcing musicians out of bed and demanding quotes out of them without prior notice.

Question: What's up with 12 Volt Sex's long-awaited major-label debut?

Answer: The album's been delayed due to other label priorities. It's probably not coming out until the beginning of the year because RCA doesn't release new artists in the third or fourth quarter. They've opened up a window for the possibility of putting us back in the studio if we come up with tracks that both the label and we feel strongly about. Bring in some of the new writing.

Q: What's the title?

A: It was going to be called "Drive" for a while, but we sorta lost ours (laughs). I assume it's gonna be changed before the release date.

Q: How was the Parisian excursion?

A: Paris was fabulous. We played at an American-themed cafe called the Chesterfield ... and let me tell you, they get away with murder with their take on American dishes.

Q: For example? (Heh, heh -- "Royale with cheese.")

A: Quesadillas, jalapeno poppers ... lots of bar food, basically. I guess they think that's our general appetite.

Q: So were the gigs stacked three-high in French girls screaming, "Le 12 Volt"?

A: Only on lucky nights. Mostly it was French guys.

Q: Ah, have they learned the quaint Yankee trait of moshing?

A: No (chuckles), it was mellow. The fact that it was kind of a cafe atmosphere made it a bit more relaxed. We played at the venue for two weeks -- 10 nights total -- for an hour a night, and wandered around aimlessly for the other 23 hours of the day.

Q: How are the boys?

A: The boys are doing great. Just slugging through another Las Vegas summer we had hoped to avoid. Between me putting on the Devo hat (for '80s cover band Loveshack) and other odd jobs, we're just slugging away and waiting for the excitement to build again.

Q: So, how many butterfly clips do you currently have on?

A: Right now, none. Generally, when I go out, a total of four; on stage, I wear a total of six barrettes.

Q: Do you carry spares, in case of a blowout?

A: Oh, yes.

Q: Alright, let's conjecture that there's somebody in this town who hasn't heard 12 Volt Sex yet. Do you have a message for that person?

A: Hmm ... I think I'd say something along the lines of, "Please, please, please come see my band. Trust me, you'll have a good time. Please, we're really good, please."

Stereo Dynamics

The Chemical Brothers, "Surrender," Astralwerks: "Surrender," The Chemical Brothers' follow-up to the critically lauded "Dig Your Own Hole" (a follow up to the critically lauded "Exit Planet Dust" -- ah, the circle of life), is a wooden, restrained affair -- the sonic equivalent of a marionette come to life only to find itself in a box.

It's not a complete miss -- the puppet makes a hell of a noise in its box -- but there's very little here that tears away from its makers and runs free. Previously the club doors would have to be held shut to keep those little buggers from getting out.

Forgoing the hardwired rush of previous efforts for syrupy psychedelics, "Surrender" only works when it forgets itself, when it loses its conceit of its Peter Max-style cover art and just makes with the damn music. "Asleep From Day," a sweet, reverberating ballad featuring Mazzy Star vocalist Hope Sandoval, manages to rise above the fray, as does "The Sunshine Underground," a killer big beat rave-up that winds itself tight, holds the inertia for a moment, then unwinds with the force of a twister. "Out of Control," a collaboration with New Order's Bernard Sumner, completely underwhelms (Sumner's own forays into hard techno, with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, are much better), and "Hey Boy Hey Girl" sounds, for all the world, like self-parody.

While there's still much to admire on "Surrender," there's a hook at work on these, and not the kind that drives a song -- more like the kind that pulls your legs from under you just as you get your groove on. At least "Surrender" tries to get up when it stumbles. It's this fighting spirit that prolongs the listener's hope for the Chemical Brothers, even in the wake of this unnecessary retreat.

Get Out, Act Up

Support the home team, buddy! Local favorites Big Bad Zero, Left Standing and Uncle Oscar play The Boston tonight at 9, and the price is right -- a paltry $5. Call 368-0750.

Remember a couple of years ago, when everybody was so excited about swing? The Cherry Poppin' Daddies sure as hell hope you do. The zoot suit rioters play Bally's Jubilee Theatre tonight at 9. For $44, they had better raise Glenn Miller (whose orchestra plays the Stardust on Saturday) from the grave. Call 739-4111.

What can I say? I've never been a big fan of Sammy Hagar's music, but the old goober puts on a great live show. Van Halen should never have let him go. Get the Shaggy vibe Saturday night at 8, at the Hard Rock's The Joint. Call 693-5066.

If I ran the big room at Caesars Palace, Chris Isaak would play the room for 75 days out of the year. Few entertain a crowd as effortlessly as he can, and that mirror-ball suit of his was built to play Vegas, baby. He plays poolside at Mandalay Bay Sunday night, 8:30. See the man who dared to put music to Kubrick. Call 632-7580.