Bewitched was the primary creative vehicle for Bob Bert following his departure from Sonic Youth in 1985. Based in the New York City 'Downtown' scene, the project served as a bridge between the abrasive No Wave of the early 80s and the burgeoning noise rock and alternative scenes of the 90s.
Bert's identity as a 'percussionist' rather than just a drummer is central to the sound; his work emphasizes timbre and physical impact over traditional timekeeping. The inclusion of DJ David Cream of Wheat P was a pioneering move, integrating hip-hop turntable techniques into an avant-garde rock framework years before it became a mainstream trope. Critically, the band is viewed as a cult classic of the era, praised for its rhythmic ingenuity and its ability to incorporate diverse instruments like Donna Croughn's violin into a harsh sonic environment. Their output on labels like No. 6 Records remains a significant document of the post-punk evolution into industrial-adjacent indie rock.
Shares restless, anxious, rebellious (moods); basement_show, urban_night, dive_bar (atmosphere)
Shares noise rock, indie rock, no wave (subgenres); lo_fi, noise_textured, sample_based (production style)
Shares noise rock, no wave, art rock (subgenres); restless, rebellious, playful (moods)
Shares noise rock, indie rock, no wave (subgenres); restless, rebellious, playful (moods)
Shares noise rock, no wave, art rock (subgenres); basement_show, urban_night, dive_bar (atmosphere)
Shares no wave, indie rock, art rock (subgenres); basement_show, urban_night, dive_bar (atmosphere)
Shares basement_show, urban_night, dive_bar (atmosphere); restless, rebellious, playful (moods)
Shares noise rock, no wave, art rock (subgenres); lo_fi, noise_textured (production style)
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