North America is a band from New Mexico. I hear from their MySpace setting is that at the time of this writing they have relocated in New York City.

North America is a combination digital effects from a sampler or keyboard mixed with a drum set. No vocals aside from having to speak sentences and banter in-between songs. If I weren’t so tired during that evening I would have stayed in the living room instead of sit down in the kitchen and draw.

I really liked the setup that North America had. It was all instrumental and the feel from the combination of the drum kit and the keyboard, sampler, and other gadgets / whatchamacallit’s, gave their set that feeling of excitement. This is opposed to the dull feeling that may be derived from certain bands’ and beats provided in part by a drum machine. An actual drummer provides the audible and aesthetic appeal that the tempo is more malleable.

There’s one particular song I enjoyed that they performed. I don’t know what it was called but it involved cricket noises. They began to play it as I walked in after the prior song was finished and beautifully transitioned. It was exciting to my brain. Kind of like when you’re listening to a solid rhythm that’s not going to change and it sounds really good already. Then think of adding in an instrument with vibrato (such as a Rhodes piano) where the pulsation of the vibrato doesn’t match the backing rhythm played- but it teases your brain enough that some form of excitement is sparked.