In underpants and a jumbled falsetto

From the extremes of pop culture comes Oxbow. Critics have tagged the San Francisco quartet as being sexually aggressive, and as the “best band in the world that you are likely to hate.” Correct on both counts, unless one is a fan of experimental rock in the truest sense of that genre, mixed with noise, classical music, blues, and something that might pass for jazz. This does not fully define the Oxbow experience.

Consider Oxbow’s front man, who performs more often than not in his underpants and sometimes sings in a jumbled falsetto. His name is Eugene Robinson, and he is a true wild man. And a bouncer. Things get out of hand, Robinson can take care of business.

Oxbow’s singer is 6’1” and tips the scales at 235 lbs. The bodybuilder-boxer’s live act was documented in a short movie made about the band titled Music for Adults: A Film about a Band Called Oxbow. Trouble in the house? No problem. Robinson can handle it, and make it seem entertaining. I suppose you can add the word “intimidating” to Oxbow’s menu of hard rock noise with funky classical overtones. Which can be rude, or lock a listener into the tightest of grooves.

This band’s been around for at least 30 years and has released seven studio albums, some of them with titles too offensive for print. But most all of Oxbow’s music has met with critical acclaim. Eugene Robinson started the band in 1988 with a multi-instrumentalist/composer named Niko Wenner. It was going to be a recording project at first, but it took off, and bassist Dan Adams and drummer Greg Davis became part of the experience. For those indie rock and art noise fans among you who are tired of the same old, there’s Oxbow.