Kinetic like a cat

The name Arabella was casually culled from both the fourth Harry Potter book and the Thomas Hardy novel Jude the Obscure. According to the band, it means “beautiful altar” and, possibly unbeknownst to them, it’s also the name of a popular romance magazine and an Atlanta-based dominatrix. All these connotations are appropriate.

When asked to describe their sound, vocalist Jeanne Jo provides a succinct answer: “We’re a hardcore band.”

“No, Jeanne. I told you before—we’re a fucking hardcore band,” bassist Josh Hardy corrects her. And then he adds, by way of further explanation, “Kind of early to mid-'90s style hardcore.”

Influences therefore include bands like Orchid, Crimson Curse, Impetus Enter and “Hall and Oates, obviously,” drummer Justin Craperi happily points out.

They play loud, fast, kinetic hardcore punk rock music punctuated by tricky time changes, split second pauses, start-stop dynamics, noisy guitar breakdowns and the occasional slow, moody part.

Vocal duties are shared by Jo and guitarist Andrew Warbington. And though sometimes they sing the same part, they usually trade off—Warbington typically handling the slower, more melodic vocals and Jo leading the fast, blast beat rock-outs. The effect is occasionally that of a conversation, but more often it’s like getting two different perspectives on what one song is about. This is hardcore, so one doesn’t usually catch all the words—but when one does, the pleasurable feeling of disparity is heightened.

Jo’s lyrics for the song “PDX” are abstruse: “Did you pray for the chance to exist in ambiguity? Forever on the bodies of the aging—destroy, despair.” But she’s eloquent when deciphering them.

“I was hanging out with these older punk rockers in Seattle, and they all have these tattoos of bands that broke up a long time ago,” Jo says. “And some of these bands are so obscure that now they only exist on these people’s bodies. It’s like a small, private joke only shared by a few people. It’s as though these musicians’ art is only immortalized on these people that are getting older … it’s very poignant and sad … but also happy at the same time.”

“My lyrics are just about some time I spent in Portland,” Warbington smiles and shrugs.

“I’ve only been in Portland for two days,” Jo laughs, “so I don’t really have anything to say about that.”

Many of the songs, such as “A Drone in D” and “Room to Forget” have driving, droning guitar parts offset by bass lines that provide melodic and harmonic counterpoints. The band’s repertoire also includes “a cover of a cover,” the early Joy Division classic “Warsaw” as recorded by the hardcore band Swing Kids.

The song “Curse” is particularly impressive live, with massive volume, rocking buildups and breakdowns and the catchy sing-along chant sung by Craperi, Jo and Warbington: “I need a curse, something nasty, a plague of boils to take you with me.”

During their performances, Jo interacts with the crowd, pushing and provoking and pacing like a cat (to use a metaphor I think she’d fancy).

“I’m starting to go crazier,” says Jo. “My dentist told me that my teeth are fine but that I’ve got to stop hitting myself in the mouth with a microphone.”

Arabella has plans to record this December. Though the band has thus far strayed no farther from home than Fallon, a West Coast tour is planned for next spring. Future local shows will always be listed on the very useful punk rock scene page, www.renoshows.cjb.net.