The Bipeds: 54 Strange Words

photo: Kim Walker

Meet The Bipeds, a dance rock 'n'roll company and rock & roll band from Durham, NC, led by banjo player Curtis Eller and choreographer Stacy Wolfson. Their latest project is called 54 Strange Words, about the state between dreams and reality. The music brings back the sound of the Weimar era operas of Weill and Brecht, topped off with dark Americana and blues. It's rough and intense, with call-and-response vocals.

Ever felt that you were falling only to be saved by your soft bed? That's what happens in A Ragged Sayonara. The lines are blurred in the lyrics on this album, when reality checks don't work out as they turn out to be an integral part of the dream. Giant Skeleton House is spooky like a child's fantasy, with plenty of echo and reverb. A Surgical Solution is doubtful from a medical point of view, but might work if the patient is desperate enough. 54 words is destined to be a full-on experience, with dance and music working together to tell the story.