Kitchen Sessions 26 // Delta Saints - "Jezebel"

Kitchen Session 26: Delta Saints - Jezebel from Kitchen Sessions on Vimeo.

Review: Bowerbirds at The Met, 6.21.12

Words and Photo // Brian Hodge

The Bowerbirds perform at The Met in Pawtucket RI - June 21, 2012

Bowerbirds - Tuck The Darkness In

The Bowerbirds have perched a lofty and unique place in today’s musical landscape, nesting a home in the unfettered space close to Bon Iver (they recorded their aptly-titled The Clearing at Vernon’s Wisconsin April Base studio), but in a fashion all their own.

Or, as Phil Moore puts it in “This Year,”: “We’ll find a clearing in the forest of our hearts.”  So the group has successfully found a clearing in today’s independent folk scene, a favorable position on full display in a recent Rhode Island performance.

To begin, Moore solely took the stage in a style befitting his tunes – simply and sincerely. Moore initially dipped his toes into The Clearing, namely “Walk The Furrows” and “Sweet Moment.”  His versions, reminiscent of a simple coffeehouse set, was an excellent introduction to the evening. with Moore’s falsetto croons carrying easily throughout the club.

Soon, he was joined onstage by Beth Tacular and percussionist Yan Westerlund.  They quickly launched into “House of Diamonds,” the subtle-but-stellar opener from 2009’s Upper Air.  Tacular, backing multiple Korgs, sweetly supported the live arrangements throughout with perfectly placed vocals and fulfilling piano parts.

The three quickly squelched any questions of how their lush arrangements would translate to the live setting.  With a bit of creativity and tacit talent, the performance – as good ones do – rekindled the records, without simply recreating or reflecting them.

The group continuously kept The Clearing on shuffle, bending “In The Yard” into a fuzzy affair and snapping “Stitch the Hem” into a quicker, calypso-sounding serenade.  Westerlund, perfectly steady throughout, capably kept the whole thing buoyant with a breezy backbeat. The trend continued with a wistful version of “Northern Lights,” the tune bouncing brightly on Tacular’s brisk piano.

“Island Dweller,” a protest song from a heretofore-unknown side project also kept things interesting, with Moore’s electric guitar carving out a different-in-a-welcome-way look for the group.

But the Bowerbirds are at their best in the comfortable, middle tempos and bright, mid-range melodies.  They closed the evening with the wonderful “Tuck The Darkness In,” as Moore’s  allusion to time as nature’s incessant swindler ringing sincerely in the audience’s ears.

--

Basia Bulat beautifully opened the evening.  The Canadian singer-songwriter made an impressive Rhode Island debut, smoothly shifting between attractive folk melodies to tunes on pop music’s alluring border.  

Her musicianship was immediately apparent, breaking out an autoharp, a turn-of-the-century American harp, and ending the evening with swift fingerpicking on a ukulele.  It is, of course, one thing to trot these instruments out, but Bulat handled them all with equal aplomb.  Expect to hear more from her in the future.

Songs for Wednesday // J, Dana Buoy and more

Words // Adam Sharp

'Get Goin', Boy!'- J
Seriously, this does about everything right. Everything.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/ColdColdNights

Get Goin', Boy! - J

'Call To Be'- Dana Buoy
Fair warning: this song might give you heat stroke.
Website: http://danabuoy.tumblr.com/

Call To Be - Dana Buoy

'Quill'- Bison
You're not going to hear a lot better start to a song than the swirling strings and swelling 'ooohs' and 'ahhs' that open this little number. The rest of the song is just as good.
Website: http://www.bisonfolk.com/

'Summer Flings/Baby Blue' (La Blogotheque) - We
Were Evergreen
This should put a smile on your face. I'd be concerned for your health if it didn't.
Website: http://www.wewereevergreen.com/

'So Much Pain (feat Luther Dickinson)'- Star & Micey
The world can never have too many songs like this.
Website: http://starandmicey.com/

Bowerbirds - Overcome With Light

Words // Brian Hodge

The Clearing, the third album from Bowerbirds released earlier this year, found the Raleigh-formed band fleshing out its folksy sound, with soothing melodies that flowered into lush orchestration. It resulted in their best album to date.  With a new video befitting their pastoral sound, "Overcome with Light" puts the band in their natural element and does well to capture their reverence of their surroundings.  The band continues their east coast leg of their extensive tour this week and be sure to check back for a show review in the next few days.

Les Rhinocéros at Lilypad, Cambridge MA 6.13.12

Words // Sarah V

I'm always pleased when a band I like decides to play Lilypad; partly because it's an eclectic and intimate space with a decent sound system that makes for a good concert setting, and partly because no matter how lazy I am feeling or how hard it is raining, I can always convince myself to take that five-minute stroll down the street and go there for a show. This week, Washington, D.C.-based Les Rhinocéros graced us with a visit and played a late Wednesday night set.

I've been a fan of theirs since picking up their self-titled debut album last year, so I was happy to get a chance to see them here in the neighborhood. I wasn't really sure what to expect from a live set; their album seems very studio-oriented, so I wasn't sure if they would try to recreate that feel live or go in a different direction. The answer was a little bit of both: they had a surprisingly wide array of electronics and pedals to recreate a lot of the ambient sounds, noise, and samples that they used in the studio, but they still managed to really blow the roof off with a loud and high-energy set. They played rock- and jazz-inspired instrumentals with fairly heavy drums and some catchy bass lines, along with interludes of quieter, more ambient music. Filling out the quartet were a saxophone and a violin (which sometimes sounded like it was meant to be an unusual substitute for an electric guitar).

Only about half the set was drawn from their album, the other half was (presumably) newer music as yet unreleased. It was interesting to hear hints of what their second album might sound like - I'm looking forward to hearing their music evolve.

Les Rhinocéros is continuing their tour for another dozen or so dates; if you are interested in hearing some creative new music like nothing you've never heard before, check them out!  If you can't make it to one of their live sets, check out the recording of their Cambridge concert below.

Les Rhinocéros
June 13, 2012
Lilypad - Cambridge, MA

Up
Bea Spiders
Velcro
Johnway
Mark it 8
Unknown title

Upcoming dates:

JUNE 19th - Detroit, MI @ HYBRID MOMENTS LOFT
JUNE 20th - Chicago, IL @ TOWNSHIP
JUNE 21st - Bloomington, IN @ RACHAEL'S CAFE
JUNE 22nd - Nashville, TN @ NOA NOA HOUSE
JUNE 23rd - Asheville, NC @ BOBO GALLERY
JUNE 25th - Chapel Hill, NC @ NIGHTLIGHT
JUNE 26th - Charlottesville, VA @ TEA BAZAAR
JUNE 27th - Baltimore, MD @ SECRET SHOW
JULY 1st - Brooklyn, NY @ LITTLEFIELD
JULY 10th - Washington, DC @ BLACK CAT

Great debuts, old favorites and other shit I missed

Words // Scott Pingeton

I started a new job about two months ago, and the irony of working for a music tech company is that I'm actually listening to less new music. That needs to change, and I intend it to as I get settled into the new grind...but over the last couple months I've fallen behind. Here's some of the stuff I missed that is well worth spending more time with.

Swear and Shake - These White Walls
I had been waiting to hear Swear and Shake's debut full-length for the better part of a year, and it doesn't disappoint. These White Walls is one of the catchiest songs I've heard all year, and the rest of the album features tender ballads, folky-pop gems and dueling vocals between Kari Spieler and Adam McHeffey.

Velah - Black Olympia EP
From the ashes of two much-loved Boston bands (Static of the Gods and The Acre), rises Velah. Their debut EP Black Olympia has garnered a lot of attention around town already, and for good reason. Rich layers of alternately shimmering and fuzzy electric guitars, soaring vocals and a thunderous rythm section coalesce in a tsunami of post-punk, shoegaze and noise pop bliss. Stream the entire EP below, get your copy here and catch them tonight at TTs.

Mount Eerie - Clear Moon
Songs that are as breathtaking in their understated beauty as a misty morning, a majestic sunset or a glassy mountain lake. Simple, organic and humming with life. This is a record that needs some time devoted to it, and I intend to do just that.

Songs for Wednesday // These United States, Japandroids and more

Words // Adam Sharp

‘Human Cannonball (for Halfway House Sessions)’- Cadillac Sky
It's a bummer to hear a great song for the first time well after a band has broken up (though I'd rather hear it now than never have it exist at all).
Website: http://cadillacsky.net/

'Fire's Highway'- Japandroids
A rock and roll song played how rock and roll should be played: loud, fast, sweaty and (probably) drunk.
Website: http://japandroids.com/

Fire's Highway - Japandroids

'Amawalk'- Port St. Willow
A song that starts hollow and frail and just adds layers until suddenly you've got a full-bodied jam that's got everything (including horns).
Website: http://portstwillow.tumblr.com/

'The Angel's Share'- These United States
I'd like to take a long road trip and I would like this song to play on repeat while doing so.
Website: http://www.theseunitedstates.net/

'May This Be Love (Waterfall) (Jimi Hendrix cover)'- Michael Kiwanuka
This is perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Website: http://michaelkiwanuka.com/

Songs for Monday // Allo Darlin', Blessed Feathers and more

Words // Adam Sharp

'Europe (Live at Holy Trinity Church)'- Allo Darlin'
Nothing sounds quite as perfect with summer fast approaching as a gorgeous voice and a uke.
Website: http://allodarlin.com/

'Heaven'- The Walkmen
No frills, just plain old rock and roll.
Website: http://thewalkmen.com/home/

The Walkmen - Heaven from oof video on Vimeo.

'Hey! All You Floridians'- Blessed Feathers
Because sometimes the best place to air your grievances with the entire population of a state is in a 4 minute song.
Website: http://www.blessedfeathers.com/

'Highways'- Silver Tongues
A hollow, haunting hymn that isn't.
Website: http://thesilvertongues.com/

'Silk'- Giselle
Like a dream. A drifting, beautiful, dreamy dream.
website: https://www.facebook.com/music.giselle

TONIGHT!! Spirit Family Reunion + Hurray For The Riff Raff / Gloucester MA, June 8

 

Spirit Family Reunion
Hurray For The Riff Raff
The Broken Wing Routine

Friday June 8 - DogBar, Gloucester MA
65 Main Street  Gloucester, MA 01930

9pm // FREE!!

Presented by...
Narragansett - Visible Voice - GloucesterGoods.com

Escape from the city and head north to the seaside town of Gloucester MA for what's going to be an incredible night of music.  Spirit Family Reunion is set to tear up Newport Folk this year with their brand of backyard folk-bluegrass - don't miss an opportunity to see them in an intimate venue.  Seriously.  And as if that wasn't enough, they'll bring along two amazing bands from down south in New Orleans -- Hurray For The Riff Raff and The Broken Wing Routine.

There's no cover, no advance tickets - just show up, and enjoy an incredible night of music.  It doesn't get any better than heading to the shore in the summer to see some amazing music!

Check out the Facebook Event page for more details (RSVP does not guarantee entry)

I Am Following The Sound - Spirit Family Reunion
Look Out Mama - Hurray For The Riff Raff