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Coming out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States in 2003, Black Moth Super Rainbow soon picked up a reputation for being one of the strangest bands in the world of indie rock. After five years spent plying their brand of deeply experimental folk-tronica their frontman, a man called Thomas Fec who performed under the name Tobacco, decided to embark on a solo career. Maybe supporting The Flaming Lips while playing songs called “When The Sun Grows On Your Toung” just wasn't weird enough for him. Fec retained the stage name Tobaccco for the release of his debut solo album “F*cked Up Friends” (we at Songkick put the asterisk in), which came out on Anticon in October 2008, and was immediately hailed as one of the best releases of the year by publications from Rolling Stone to Exclaim!.
Tobacco's stoner-rock-via-classic-hip-hop sound made him friends in a lot of high places, from Pitchfork premièring the lead single from his second album “Maniac Meat” to the same record featuring guest appearances from Beck himself on the tracks “Fresh Hex” and “Grape Aerosmith”. Clearly, any artist that can act as the link between such disparate artists as Beans, Aesop Rock, the aforementioned Beck and the makers of the HBO series Silicon Valley (who've used a number of his songs in the show) is something very special indeed. However, to achieve all that respect while playing music that is proudly experimental and genuinely esoteric? That's the sign of someone truly one of a kind. For that reason, Tobacco comes highly recommended.
I forgot how weird Tobacco was. Black Moth Super Rainbow seems downright accessible by comparison. The set began with a minutes-long clip of the Jerry Springer Show, featuring a cuckolded Taco Bell employee with a distinct Pittsburgh accent. The sound was alien, but that's not the weird part with Tobacco (or BMSR). The visuals projected onto the screen past the act were, on balance, bizarre. Grainy footage from strange, forgotten television programs. Vintage porn, girls blowing bubble gum bubbles, red and white static. The full length of the video for Streaker (Eric Wereheim) - really horrific. By the end of the set, you could be sure that only the weirdos were left listening to the music. But that isn't a bad thing. -- Tobacco makes great music. Tobacco is weird.