Saturday in Memphis, be sure your plate is clear for an action-packed night at Murphy's. The name Jeffrey Novak (Rat Traps, Jeffrey Novak's One Man Band) has struck fear in the hearts of adolescents and adults alike for a few years now, and joining up with friend Nathan on drums and his girl Jemina from be your own Pet on bass, his new band, Cheap Time is already looking like a real menace. Jeff's on guitar and vocals, but gone are the Jay Reatard comparisons, and you'll find a whole other level of respect for the guy, as he's moving on to different sounds, naturally. It's still lo-fi and raw with great male/female Supercharger-style vocal exchanges, yet played more mid-tempo, but classic sounding nonetheless. With Jeff's uncontainable energy, live they're sure to be explosive on any stage, anywhere. Local Memphis kids, the Boston Chinks, are opening up the show and their audacious velocity coupled with teary-eyed soul slurring should really be a sight to see. If screaming guitars multiplied with the keen ability to excel at underage drinking sounds like a secret to success, then you know these kids will be another stellar addition to the night, on and off-stage. The Pumpers from Denton, Texas have a member of the Wrists and the Wax Museums on board, but have a more straightforward rock'n roll angle going that's absent of keyboards, but still brimming with energy and hate galore. Reverb'd growls and blown out roar sounds like a good time to me, so be sure to get to Murphy's in plenty of time to catch their set. Headlining the night are the pedigreed Nashville teens, be your own Pet, who have been making some serious waves in the glossy mainstream alternative magazine world as of late, and have appeared on the Lollapalooza stage and even on the Conan O'Brien Show, this past June. They had a video making the rounds on mtv2, and with releases out on both XL Records and Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label, you know these guys are poised for something big. Lead singer Jemina, has a frantic and captivating howl that could easily convert a lot of people to fans, and with the momentum they've got going, it's anyone's guess where you'll see them next. It should also be noted that they've got great taste in rock'n roll for their age, and at least one crazy hair-do, so anything is possible. Catch them on tour with the Black Lips this month across the US, and be sure to get yourself down to Murphy's in Memphis this Saturday night for this knockout of a show. Check out a video clip of be your own Pet live at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago from earlier this spring.
