by Daphne Carr
This no wave threesome from Portland, OR, is fronted by the strange and exquisite waif Ida No, whose crazy caterwauls recall the frantic singing of the Swans Jarboe, David Bowie, and the shifty rhythms of James Chance. John David V provides disco beats, while a changing cast of drummers has included Avalon Kalin and Jimi Hey. Two singles (Brittle Women and Metal Gods) appeared on K Records shortly after they began playing in the Pacific Northwest. A 2001 tour with the Baltimore band the Convocation Of... introduced their raw, glammy performance art-oriented show best captured on the Smashed Candy (Live) album on Vermin Scum. In 2003 they released their proper full-length debut, Love Love Love, on Troubleman Unlimited; Life After Sundown arrived the following year.