In Lewis Carroll’s book, Alice in Wonderland, Alice’s adventures start when she follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole and discovers a whole new world. For members of The Looking Glass, whose band name was influenced by the children’s story, the rabbit is music, and the wonderland is Taipei.
“We just felt that the concept of an alternate reality really matched our situation of being abroad and living this life in Taipei as musicians,” said vocalist and keyboard player Annie Chii (杞亞軒). “If Jon [Hom] (譚家輝) and I didn’t move to Taiwan to start this band, then we’d probably still be in America. Being in the band and living here has really changed our lives.”
The timing of the band’s appearance on the scene and the release of the new Tim Burton film might seem disingenuous, but after seeing them perform live it’s difficult to be cynical about Chii’s glowing sincerity and Hom’s indie ethos.
Young, irreverent, energetic and obviously delighted by the crowd, this new synth/pop rock group charms onlookers. The sound is quirky, catchy, danceable and unmistakably independent. Effortless and somehow touchingly naive harmonizing between the lead vocalists, Chii and guitarist Hom, is balanced by early video game synth sounds and drum rhythms that occasionally veer into almost-punk by New Zealander Greg Russell.
Iki Chen (陳奕齊) plays his bass along swimmingly, keeping the music from becoming too light. Though the lyrics are in both Mandarin and English, Chen is the only member who was born and raised in Taiwan.
Chii was born in Taipei but immigrated to California at the tender age of 4. When she returned three years ago to study she met Hom, born and raised in Los Angeles, and they decided to start a band.
They don’t like to discuss their influences: “I generally don’t like telling people who we sound like because for example, if we were to say to a person that we sounded like Weezer, and that person didn’t like Weezer, then we’re kind of screwed aren’t we?” said Hom. “Or what if they really liked Weezer, and we didn’t live up to that expectation? You get the point.”
Lyrically they bring to mind The Postal Service, with a smart, storytelling style. Hom just wrote a song “in the perspective of a character in a TV show that [he’s] currently obsessed with.”
“The Chinese lyrics are surprisingly not written by me,” said Chen, “but are written mostly by Annie and some by Jon [who didn’t learn to speak Chinese until he was 22]. This explains why it’s not exactly the most proper Chinese.” That only adds to their unique, engaging style. One of their most catchy, fun songs involves the repetition of the word banana loudly and cheerfully.
“My favorite song is Goodbye Hello because it hits pretty hard but it’s also really nerdy with kind of a retro video game vibe,” said Chii, and this description could be used to pretty much sum up the band.
Catch them this weekend with My Skin Against Your Skin and Dr Reniculous Lipz and the Skallyunz (白悟空) at Light Lounge for the Tuck Yourself In birthday party for Spring Scream co-founder Wade Davis and Russell (who also drums for Lipz).
Dr Lipz, real name Nick Sylvester, is reminiscent of the Mad Hatter, and Andrea Huang (黃盈誼), lead singer of My Skin Against Your Skin, would make a fine Red Queen, with her “Off with her head!” dance moves.
In the words of Lewis Carroll: “We’re all mad here,” said the Cat. “I’m mad, you’re mad.” “But how do you know I’m mad,” said Alice. “You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”
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