Bodhi’s influences are as clear as day—Bowie, The Stooges, Gary Numan—yet they manage to end up sounding like nobody but Bodhi. “Kids Are So Nice” is a fine slice from MTV’s early days when new wave, Nina Blackwood (and videos) ruled. Brian Carr’s voice is the glue that holds the myriad influences in place, even when the band decides to throw a new wave country song into the mix (”Bystander”). Went from 0 to No. 4 on my year-end in less than three weeks.

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Neo-psychedelic garage rock has been done to death. It’s sorta lost its oomph, lost its lovin’ feeling … lost in translation, lost in space. Portland’s Bodhi—which I’m hoping is named after Patrick Swayze’s character inPoint Break—is an exception. Sure, all the elements are there: Swirling synth, reverbed guitars and unhinged vocals, but the four-piece pieces it together into their own damaged rock ‘n’ roll narrative.

Bodhi quietly released its debut full-lengthSecondhand Runner, an album recorded here and there in Portland—here being Revolver Studios in southeast Portland, there being the band’s living room. Fortunately the slick production doesn’t undermine the album’s rickety garage appeal—in fact, it makes it even more compelling. Not to mention the band manages to make a country song in “Bystander” feel right at home with the new wave disco of “The Kids Are So Nice” and the pure garage punk of “Honkin ‘44.” What holds it all together are Brian Carr’s vocals, which float and flail in a register somewhere between that of Iggy Pop and David Byrne.

It looks as though the members of Bodhi are finding the drizzly climes of Portland to their liking after relocating here from New York in 2006 … and I must say it’s nice having them here to contaminate the folk and electro-pop gene pool.

Bodhi will perform at the East End, Dec. 12 with Austin’s Woven Bones and locals The Whines.

By NED LANNAMANN

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