by Brad Roberts
I'd said I was going to try to cut back on shows so I could get more writing done, but when all was said and done I still was at four shows this week, down one from the week before. And I'm still sorry about the ones I missed. They were all smallish shows in small spaces, but with major local talent on display.
At first they sound like really sad songs, but repeated listenings reveal, not despair, but introspection and thoughtfulness. Reminiscent of a French film score, I don't think I can call this indie rock, but folk songs with classical chamber music orchestrations. I was a little nervous that in a live setting, it might be so delicate it falls apart.
It was a revelation to see how steady and assured Ryan's delivery is. He duplicates the vocals of the recording perfectly and with the addition of Catherine Campion on cello and harmony vocals, they reproduce the delicate nature and poignancy of the compositions. As the CD has lots of ambient sounds and instruments, on this night they employed the talents of Aaron Robinson on dobro, which added a certain country flavor, to augment their sound with atmosphere.
I was pleased to see how many in the audience fell right under his spell, as everyone paid rapt attention. "Antique Dreams" was wonderful to hear, as it is a song that's burned into my brain, and the stunning instrumental, "Tabanata". I urge everyone to give Fort King and this music a listen, and if you're not impressed, then you don't have a heart. Their performing tonight, May 29, at Gallery 2023 downtown.
I was introduced to some other local bands this week. At the final Monday night of the Gangi residency, May 25, at Spaceland, opening band, Local Natives, blew me away with their beautiful indie power pop. Creating two, three and four part harmonies in a style similar to Fleet Foxes, but with a more rock and roll setting. I found their own compositions strong enough to pick up their EP, but their cover of Talking Heads' "Warning Sign" was also a stand out.
Gangi (above photo by Sarah Forbes Keough) decided to cover their greatest hits in their original arrangements (or close... they never do the same thing twice) and it was great. Right up to the conclusion of their newest song, "Gun Show" which, with it's concussive beat, blew out Spaceland's sound system and effectively brought the evening to a close. At least for me. I never did find out if the last band went on.
Covering "Subject Positions", "Animals" and "Commonplace Feathers", Gangigot through about five songs, each one topping the one before, for a near-capacity crowd of fans. This band has a way of structuring their programs to build to a near-crescendo of noise, in this case, being the rendition of "Gun Show" which blew Spaceland off-Earth for a time.
Matt Gangi and Lyle Ness told me that with the residency over they will focus their attention on finishing up their next album. Based on the fact that their first album, A, was on my 10 Best Albums list last year, I'm looking forward to the new Gangi CD.
I loved the set by Divisadero at the Avi Buffalo residency on Tuesday, May 26. I walked into The Echo midway through their first song, "The Boxer's Daughter" and they were furiously hacking away at their instruments, creating this beautiful jangle of sound. It felt like being washed out to sea.
The sound mix had Marcos Montesclaros' vocals pitched just right, which is vital to the band, as they sang some selections from their wonderful CD, Lefty. I'll write more about this set when I review Divisadero's Lefty, right here next week.
Another band I didn't know about performed next. Greater California are from Long Beach and they play psychedelic indie rock with talent and conviction, highlighted by strong songwriting and fine singing. They also all appear to be multi-instrumentalists and I will definitely seek them out in the future.
And so do I, so I moved way down front and focused all my attention on the band and, like magic, all the ambient noise faded away. The songs afford plenty of opportunities for Avi to attack and shred his guitar, while Rebecca employs a free-form jazz exercise on piano and Aron adding his mellifluous bass lines and the always astonishing drums of Sheridan melding into one of the most cohesive bands I know. Avi Buffalo create magic every time they're on stage and I'm proud and humbled to call them friends.
I got to Spaceland too late on Thursday, May 28, so I only saw the last two songs of his Orchestra, but I remembered having seen them opening for another band somewhere in the past year (I tried to find out where, but to no avail) and that I liked them. They had the audience at an attentive standstill and I joined them as these fine musicians played away on a wide variety of instruments. I picked up their CD, Field Guide To the Wilds, which has some stand out selections on it, well produced.
But I was there to see The Wooden Birds (above) who came on around 11:30. On the Western end of a national tour that sees them criss-crossing the country, they turned in a solid performance. Bounding on stage with a easy going charm, this band appears very comfortable and confident on stage. The songs are nicely crafted, with melodic hooks and smart lyrics. As Joe pointed out, when he wrote about them from Boston, they mine similar territory as Earlimart, but with an Austin background, they add hearty dashes of Southwestern indie alt/country. Think Calexico or Iron and Wine.
Lead, Andrew Kenny's voice also had elements of John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats in the sometimes whispered vocals. Keyboardist, Leslie Sisson, adds beautiful harmony vocals and the whole band performed as a tight unit. Very lovely.
I picked up a hard copy of the CD, Magnolia, which I've been enjoying as downloads. But I never feel I really 'hear' an album until I'm holding the artwork in my hands, to fully comprehend the artist's intentions. Just so with The Wooden Birds, who's terrific CD has a splendid package.
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