At the urging of a friend I went to see North Carolina band Lost in the Trees. I never heard their music and was glad I got to check them out. Their symphonic indie folk was elegant and brooding. Singer / songwriter, Ari Picker’s ghostly falsetto was supported by his acoustic guitar (with distortion), 2 cellos, a violinist, drums, bass (the bass player also busted out a tuba periodically), and a stunning multi-instrumentalist that moved between floor tom, xylophone, French horn, trumpet, and harpsichord (I think that is what it was) while commanding a powerfully trained backing vocal.
Jan 192011
I think I may have been playing it safe when I used the word pageantry to describe Of Montreal‘s live performance. It was more like Liza Minnelli’s dream Vegas show if she was twisted up on acid. Baby skeletons, giant pac-man dragon caterpillar things, phallic figures spewing confetti feathers, sequins, pig people riding inflatable rafts across the crowd, glitter, strobes, costume changes, fish head creatures with gas masks, and more spandex full-body unitards than the icecapades.
The band was comprised of about 7 musicians, a score of dancer / performance artists, and a roadie / musician in a leotard with a giant dildo (I hope it was) trying to rip through his lime green figure skater garb. Kevin Barnes was in rare form as he danced, pranced and sashayed across the Firestone stage. The music was rock driven and even psychedelic at points with an extended jam here and there. He reminded me of an indie rock Prince (with less guitar prowess), then they busted out a cover of Prince protege Apollonia 6‘s “Sex Shooter” and moved straight into “Gronlandic Edit.” Pretty nifty.
There is something in the Athens, GA water that nourishes alternative music or something. From the breakthrough sounds of the B-52′s and R.E.M to the country rock of Drive-By Truckers or the new pop of Danger Mouse to the hip indie power of Neutral Milk Hotel Athens is home to a wide range of great musicians. Of Montreal adds a little swagger and glam pageantry to the mix. For some reason I’ve missed them by minutes at several festivals and spaced on their last 2 or 3 visits to Orlando. I will try to end the streak this week and see wildman Kevin Barnes and company touring behind the adventurous False Priest. This album is more organic compared to the ultra-catchy electronic pop of Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? and that combined with lights, stage antics, and costume changes that made them festival favorites will make for a great show.
The Coolest Song Ever! … Right Now is basically a recurring feature of Kisses & Noise that allows me to highlight a song. Sometimes these songs are yet-to-be-released, brand new, a few months old, or from a completely different decade, but all are deserving of attention. Some may be new to you or an old favorite, but they are all noteworthy in some way. That’s what I say and that’s all you need. Heed thy words! This playlist is a review of songs covered in 2010 so enjoy a disparate, disjointed, and motley collection of randomness that actually makes for a good listen.
“Tom Tom” sounds tame and mature at first listen with the acoustic intro and catchy chorus. Further review extracts the changes, stops, and signature wall-o-guitar that Billy champions so well. The guitar strums and building drums that bring the song back from the quieter parts is classic SP although it comes across more subtle and nuanced. The new songs are simple, brilliant and these releases serve as a chronicle of an evolving band (the band now records together vs. the old Billy and a drummer model). Now if they can work in a 10 minute epic here and sprinkle some hard charging rockers there this will be another exquisite SP collection.
Over the past 20 years or so The Black Crowes carved a niche as the quintessential American rock n’ roll band. They did this by studying and practicing to receive an honorary PhD from the School of Rock. The Crowes are students of the trade, learning from the songwriting nuance of bands like The Beatles, the honky-tonk swagger of The Rolling Stones, the glam and volume of Zeppelin, the guitar power of 70′s mountain rock from bands like, well, Mountain, the jamming blues-rock prowess of The Dead, and the southern grace of the Allman Brothers just to name a few obvious influences. They are able to harness all of this and adapt it to their sound and abilities to create their own vibe. They can be gritty, folk-y, loud, jam-y, intimate, and heavy. They were all of this and more during the 2-day stint in their hometown at Atlanta, Georgia’s famed Tabernacle.