The Felice Brothers: Old Dog, New Tricks

The Felice Brothers
The Great American Music Hall
San Francisco, CA
April 28, 2011

The Felice Brothers: Old Dog, New Tricks

For the past five years, the Felice Brothers have been Old School, recording and performing classic down-home country Americana, songs of boozing, carousing, the open highway. Kind of Willie Nelson meets Bob Dylan meets Appalachia. Fiddle and Accordion music with a lot of gusto. And they've gotten pretty good at it. They were a band that seemed to have an authentic vision. And damn fun! Three albums and five years of live performances of their rollicking, rootsy sound- kind of leads to certain expectations.

The hardest thing for any band to do must be to experiment with new sounds. The temptation to be lazy is great and there is security and comfort in well-tread grooves. For their fourth studio album (due next week), the FB have decided to bring in additional instrumentation. Less fiddle, more keyboards. This has already generated obvious concern amongst the FB flannel faithful. It's definitely a different, less accessible sound- kind of a jazzy, indie Americana- which would be great except for the fact that FB has been building a reputation for authenticity. Is this Bob Dylan going electric? Not exactly.

Their performance at the GAMH (awesome venue) was interesting and challenging because it violated expectations. They put on a good show but not one I was hoping to see. It is difficult to separate my sense of disappointed expectations from the actual performance. The band did well but the new sound just didn't work for me. They sounded a bit like every other indie band except that they had still had the fiddle and accordion on stage. I've heard this before. Sometimes an old dog should just stick with being an old dog because that is was it does best.

Wye Oak: Show Biz Kids

Wye Oak
Bottom of the Hill
San Francisco, CA
March 25, 2011

Wye Oak: Show Biz Kids

If you want to live the hipster life, you got to be ready to go out at night while the poor people sleep after closing time. To hang with El Supremo, making movies of himself; to be one of the Show Biz Kids, you need to be outrageous. You also need to wear flannel, horn-rimmed glasses and a plaid fedora. What you can’t do is sit through the middling opening acts, sipping bottled water, and bailing after the first three songs because you had a long week and the dog needs to pee. In other words, there are sacrifices to be made, discomforts to be endured and many more PBRs to drink.

It also helps to be young. It also helps to care. One great thing about getting older is that you don’t necessarily care that you bail after three songs when you’re tired. You just think I’m tired, screw this. I need to get up early to go make cheese. I’m probably no longer young enough to be a hipster but I’m also old enough not to care. That’s what fashion is about. However, it does make a review more difficult to write.

The hipsters were in full attendance at the Wye Oak show at the Bottom of the Hill on Friday. WO has plenty of good buzz swirling about the band. They fall into the guitar/drum duo category, a la White Stripes, Black Keys, Mr. Airplane Man, The Fumes etc. And I do loves me some good guitar/drum duo-alizing though WOak is not as crunchy or bluesy as these other acts. For the first three songs, I found that WO had a much more Indie rock band sound live, a la Arcade Fire, and less a folk indie sound that is found in their studio recordings. This is partly down to drummer Andy Stack who plays his drum kit with one hand and a keyboard with the other. This gives WO a big sound for just two people on stage. There’s definite talent in the band. Front woman Jenn Wasner has a great voice and can certainly play guitar. I think they are one good CD away from playing much larger venues.

I just wish I could have stayed longer or that the show started before midnight. Of course, I will continue to be on the look-out for the next hipster gathering. I just hope that, next time, I can stay up long enough to see the stars come out at night.

Wye Oak tunes to check out: Civilian, Take It In, For Prayer.

The Cave Singers: Encore, Encore

The Cave Singers
Great American Music Hall
San Francisco, CA
March 10, 2011

The Cave Singers: Encore, Encore

This blog is in danger of becoming a Cave Singers fansite. This is a record 6th appearance for The CS on The MV&R. For the past 3 or 4 years, the Cavers have been one of my favorite bands. They are poetry. So, you'd be delusional to expect a bad review because you're not going to get one especially since this was one of the Singers better performances. It was their highest energy show yet and the lively crowd was behind them all the way.

The band performed fantastic versions of Summer Light (to open the show), At the Cut and Beach House. Three wonderful songs. In fact, my only complaint from the evening was that the show was too short. The band played one hour and 15 minutes which is not enough for a band with three albums; many wonderful songs were left out. (BTW, the new album, No Witch, released two weeks ago, has several tunes that are worth DLing, e.g. Haystacks, Swim Club).

It's possible that the CSers may have cut short their performance due to two lengthy opening acts, including Triumph of Lethargy who were a Triumph of Feedback, little more than an exercise in pain tolerance. I have not heard anything so unpleasant in so long a time but the CS made up for it. You know you have been to a good show when the houselights come on and you still want more.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot: the Great American Music Hall is an awesome place for a show.

Trombone Shorty & Los Amigos Invisibles: Energy

Trombone Shorty
Los Amigos Invisibles
Fillmore
February 11, 2011

There was a festival atmosphere outside the Fillmore on Friday night. Maybe it had something to do with the people's revolution in Egypt and Mubarak's final capitulation and resignation earlier in the day or maybe it was just Friday night. There was a street band playing New Orleans jazz on the corner of Fillmore and Geary and plenty of smiling people milling about in hopes of a ticket to the sold-out show.

The Amigos
The scene of jubilant celebration continued once inside where Los Amigos Invisibles had the crowd shouting and dancing with (almost too much) abandon. Los Amigos Invisibles is a Venezuelan band that plays a high-energy combination of acid-jazz and funk with Latin rhythms. They also have a well-deserved reputation for explosive live performances which they definitely did at the Fillmore. The band is super talented and knows how to get a crowd dancing. Mucho, mucho divertido.

The Trombone
Trombone Shorty has been compared by many, including himself, to New Orleans jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. There is no question that Shorty is deeply talented but, I think, he has a way to go before that particular comparison has any merit. Although from Nawlins, TS does not really play New Orleans jazz. He occasionally includes covers of AC/DC in his set. One of last night's highlights was "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson. Shorty reminds me much more of Robert Randolph's high-energy jam band with a trombone center-stage instead of RR's slide-guitar. There is lots of thumping bass and a rock beat keeping the music driving forward. But to compare him to Marsalis or to call TS a New Orleans jazz musician will lead to false expectations.

The Comparison
Trombone Shorty might do better than to tour with Los Amigos Invisibles. By the end of the night, it was really a toss-up as to which was the better performer. If this concert were in Venezuela, Los Amigos would certainly be headlining. They had big energy and had the crowd jumping with their Spanish dance funk. I could feel the floor shaking. Los Amigos have also been together for 20 years while TS is only 25 years old. Although Shorty was a child prodigy at the time and is certainly the best rock trombonist today, it's tough to compete with that kind of experience. The crowd gave TS plenty of love, but I'd have to give the Hollywood ticket to Los Amigos.

Overall, this was definitely a night of big fun. Two great bands that came to party. Either one is well worth the effort to check out.

Trombone Vids: a brief intro to Shorty, One Night Only, Back in Black.
Los Amigos Vids: Sexy, Ultrafunk.

Martha Wainwright: Champagne

Martha Wainwright sings Edith Piaf
Great American Music Hall
San Francisco, CA
February 10, 2011

Martha Wainwright: Champagne

First, note to self: before spending the night listening to French songs, brush up on my French.

It's tough to write a review of Martha Wainwright without mentioning her musical genealogy. She is the daughter of musician and actor Loudon Wainwright and folk musician Kate McGarrigle (half of the famous Canadian folk duo Anna and Kate McGarrigle) and her brother is musician Rufus Wainwright. This may suggest that she is the beneficiary of some musical nepotism rather than earning her success through individual talent. In fact, if anything, it's the opposite. MW is the beneficiary of a talented gene pool and may actually be the best of the bunch. She is a terrific singer and songwriter.

For the non-francophile, Edith Piaf was a French singer and cultural icon, widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. She lived a typical French life, born to a cafe singer and street acrobat and raised for a time by her grandmother who was the madam of a brothel. Before being discovered, she sang on Paris street corners while her father performed. Just like all the French. Still, it's no wonder that MW might be drawn to the songs of a street performer from a minstrel family.

I also feel compelled whenever reviewing a show at the Great American Music Hall to mention what a fantastic venue it is. So, I just did.

Martha's songs of Edith were accompanied by piano and stand-up bass which definitely captured the Parisian cafe vibe. The only thing missing for MW was a jaunty beret. In the middle of the set, Martha pulled out her guitar and played a small collection of her own songs before returning to EP which was a nice break. Still, her updated takes on Piaf were tasteful and well-done and I found made the French chanteuse much more accessible. It was a really nice evening of quality and class.

Since MW's EP LP is not available in the US (why is that?), you'll have to check out these vids: A promotional video for the LP, Le Brun et la Blond, Une enfant.

Cat Power: All the World's A Stage

Cat Power
Fillmore
San Francisco, CA
February 4, 2011

Cat Power: All the World's A Stage

Cat Power appeared once before on MV&R when I occasioned the desire to see her perform in a a smaller venue than the outsized, outdoor festival setting at Outside Lands. And now, la, here she is at the Fillmore. I suppose this is the smallest venue that she could play given the demand for tickets at this sold-out show. I would prefer even one step smaller for Cat Power's quiet bluesy minimalist music.

Cat Power is the stage name for Chan Marshall. Her performance last Friday at the Fillmore reminded me a bit of the review I did for Ray Lamontagne a couple years back. She is an interesting performer since she often appears so distinctly self-conscious on stage. This may also be the source for her renowned reputation for mercurial performances, storming off the stage after a couple songs, abandoning the band mid-song, etc. She did make it all the way through the concert at the Fillmore but rarely faced the audience. She spent most of the concert facing stage-left. She also made random and unexpected, almost bird-like, gestures that seemed out of time with the song.

For me, it made the show even more captivating and made me think of a Cat as an individual rather than a performer on stage which also led to other ruminations about the performances we all make in our daily lives and the different roles we play: son or daughter, brother or sister, mother or father, friend, colleague. Each is a different person. I got the feeling that Chan Marshall is the same person off stage as Cat Power is on-stage. And I think this combined with her tremendous voice and good looks only endears her more to her fans.

Cat Power's breathy and sultry voice is seductive and powerful and she surrounds herself with talented musicians. However, her live arrangements do not differ very much from her recorded efforts. Still, hearing live music always adds a new perspective to a favorite song and I enjoyed the concert. Here are a few tunes to check out: The Moon, New York, New York, Lived in Bars, Metal Heart.

Daniel Lanois: Picasso

Daniel Lanois' Black Dub

January 30, 2011

The Independent

San Francisco, CA

If Picasso were a guitarist, he would be Daniel Lanois. There are few guitarists, or musicians for that matter, operating on the same level of DL. His latest project is Black Dub, consisting of DL on guitar, Trixie Whitley singing, guitaring and occasional drumming; Daryl Johnson on bass and jazz drummer Brian Blade. For a jazz drummer, BB could be the best unknown rock drummer around. One of the best concerts that I ever saw in San Francisco was DL and BB at the Great American Music Hall. It was art. Few can do what Lanois does with a guitar, bending and shaping sounds into a song. He makes soundscapes and fashions them into poetry. And there are few drummers with better understanding of exactly what a song needs than Brian Blade.

DL is most famous for his work as a producer on some of the most archival albums of all time: U2’s The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree and All That You Can’t Leave Behind and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and No Line on the Horizon; Peter Gabriel’s two most successful albums So and Us; Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind, Willie Nelson’s Teatro; Brandon Flower’s Flamingo, just to name a small handful. So, it was great to see him back on stage instead of behind a mixing board- especially after the motorcycle accident that delayed this tour.

Black Dub is a bit of a departure for DL since it is more roots/blues oriented than the usual sonic rock sound that he helped pioneer with Brian Eno and U2. Although I, personally, find the Black Dub album a bit constrained and incongruous at times, a little like U2 playing muddy Southern blues, it all worked much better live when the band was able to catch a groove and explore it. For a small but sprightly blonde, Trixie has a huge voice. My only complaint is that every word is sung with unrestrained enthusiasm which kind of cuts against Lanois’ brilliant, subtle touches. The highlight was when the band left and DL and drummer BB played some of his older songs. Then, Lanois reached the heights that he has shown in the past and with other artists. Still, there is a lot of promise in Black Dub and the band seems to have rejuvenated Lanois. A great show.

Highlights: The Messenger, Fire, Bellavista Nights, Surely, Nomad.

Zoe Keating: One Woman Cello

Zoe Keating

January 19, 2011
The Independent
San Francisco, CA

Zoe Keating: One Woman Cello

Zoe Keating has made a previous cameo on MV&R when she opened for Imogen Heap and stole the show. In the battle of the loopers, there was no question which was the true artist. Imogen Heap's songs may be more accessible, but Zoe is able to bridge the technological and the classical in an idiosyncratic way to create really amazing music. I have hope for IH, but ZK is already there.

To review, ZK is a celloist and in her solo performances, she uses foot pedals to electronically record and play back short loops, layering motifs, one on top of the next, until she is playing over an ensemble of, as many as, 15 or 16 different cello lines that she has created live. The cello is a beautiful instrument of great pathos and the music Zoe creates can be mesmerizing as she slowly builds up each song. You could hear a pin drop during the quieter moments at the sold-out Independent show. There were a few moments during her performance where I felt that she got a little Windham Hill but there is no doubt that she is creating art.

Zoe is also one of those rare artists whose live performance outdistances her recordings by some measure. Listening to her live performance is an enriching experience that isn't quite matched by her CDs. Seeing ZK perform at The Independent is a reminder of why I love going to live shows. If you get the chance, go see her.

One bit of criticism: She does need to work on her stage banter a little bit. It's never a good idea to tell the audience that they are missing out on a special guest that couldn't make it. Still, ZK is an unknown that needs to be more known.

A couple vids to check out: Tetrishead, Optimist

Willie Nelson: American Legend

Willie Nelson: American Legend

Willie Nelson
January 7, 2011
Fillmore
San Francisco, CA

As mentioned previously on MV&R, Willie Nelson is a national treasure- a 76 year old rebel, an irrepressible, incorrigible rascal, kind of like Huckleberry Finn if he had made it to senior citizen status. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching this piece of Americana perform, just do it. Willie makes you feel good about being American. His music is all about the good part of America, the open spaces, the freedom to be an individual, the love of a good time, the friendly acceptance of all-comers. Willie is the antithesis of the uptight, moralizing, xenophobic part of the US that has been dominating the national discourse during the last decade. His honky-tonk country songs and warm voice are the embodiment of Mark Twain's America populated by fun-loving characters.

When I arrived at the Fillmore on Monday night, the last thing that I wanted was an opening band. Bring on Willie! So, of course, Promise of The Real came on stage moments after I arrived. I should have anticipated as much since Promise of the Real is an eclectic looking blues band starring Willie's son as a Texas slacker doing his best hyperkinetic Stevie Ray Vaughn impersonation. To complete the Nelson-evening, Micah Nelson, another Willie offspring, was painting on stage during their set. Of course, I was trying not to be annoyed, I had a beer to drink and I just had to wait out this little bit of nepotism until Willie wandered out of his smoky bus. But, as Promise of the Real continued, I was grudgingly impressed and they did play an inspired version of Bob Dylan's “Meet Me in the Morning.” (link is actual video from the Fillmore) So, all is forgiven.

Finally, Willie came out accompanied by his band and (again) his Texas slacker son on guitar. Willie has been opening his concerts with 'Whiskey River' for many years and I think his enthusiasm for the song is waning, it was a rather perfunctory opening number. But, once he got rolling, the concert was just what I needed. Willie performed great versions of Beer for My Horses, Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys, Georgia on My Mind, Good Hearted Woman, Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground. Watching Willie perform helps to provide some perspective. He is a survivor and his songs reassure that after all the trials and tribulations of this thing called life, a good glass of whiskey can make it all OK.

Guilty Pleasures

Jeff's Guilty Pleasures

December 2010

Berkeley, CA

Guilty pleasures are things you like even though you know better, like Cinnabons or Doritos. So, there is an inherent danger identifying musical guilty pleasures. First, it opens one's self to endless mocking. OMG, you like that? Loser! Second, offending someone who thinks their favorite band is not something to be hidden but celebrated! What’s wrong with Justin Bieber? Nevertheless, I’ve never been one to avoid the minefield and so here they are:

1. Styx

There is something so cheesy about Styx that you can't help but love the band. From Domo Ariagato, Mr. Roboto to Lady, Styx had something for everyone to hate. But, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more earnest band. Despite being panned as 'corporate rock,' Styx recorded some great songs and I think they are overdue for a resurgence of respect, a la Rush, Bob Seger or even Britney Spears. Who doesn't love 'Come Sail Away' from its plaintive nostalgic beginning to its extraterrestrial ending? The song is the banal American answer to the artistry of Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and is more fun besides. Other songs to enjoy guiltily: Fooling Yourself (one of the best Stuart Smalley self-affirmation songs ever), Lorelei, Renegade (for the next crime spree in a Tarantino flick).

2. Fleetwood Mac

OK, you might be thinking that this list is all about the 70s and you'd be mostly right. Although the 70s has gotten more props recently, it is still much maligned by the musical intelligentsia. The Mac has also been frequently mocked as just another phenomenon that white people like, particularly old white people who listen to Pandora radio stations based on Gerry Rafferty and the Little River Band. Of course, the band is one of the most popular white-people bands ever- which leads to the obvious question: If a band is a multi-platinum selling artist that is a cultural touchstone, can it be a guilty pleasure? The Answer: Yes, yes, it can. Ask yourself this: you're out on a date with a woman of style and substance, do you put on Fleetwood Mac? No, no you don’t. Enuf said. Songs to enjoy guiltily: Monday morning, Oh well, Tusk, Gold-dust woman.

3. Grease

OK, not exactly a band, more like a movie but it does continue the 70s theme, though it's really the 70s does the 50s. In any case, I don't think Grease contains a single bad song from ‘Summer Loving’ to ‘We Go Together,’ nearly every song evokes the innocence of high school romance as portrayed by actors in their 30s and 40s. Grease also contain one of the greatest love song of all time, 'Hopelessly Devoted to You.’ Grease was pretty thoroughly panned when it came out, it was a musical in an age of dramas, the over-acting was campy, the story cliché, and the cinematography fairly amateurish. Now, it is overplayed as a rerun on TNT or TBS, one of those, but it is still worth a viewing if you haven’t seen it for a while.

4. Shania Twain

And now we’re well into the guilty pleasure zone. There are not many rockers who would admit to liking a country artist; especially someone's who primary talent is looking hot. Shania’s songs are simplistic, country pop. Of course, ST is old school now, like an older, cooler Taylor Swift. Country music is inherently corny so it's difficult to really single out a guilty pleasure since all country music is a guilty pleasure. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule: Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings. But they are not as cute as the Dixie Chicks or Taylor Swift or Shania Twain. If you want some empty country calories, you could do worse than “Don’t Impress Me Much,” or “Still the One.” OK, OK, you couldn't do much worse, but I like watching Shania sing.

5. Madonna

Maybe another eye-candy entry but I still enjoy “Lucky Star,” “Ray of Light,” and “Borderline.” I think this entry is similar to The Mac above in failing the date test despite the Madonna's super-popularity. Although I don’t search my music library for either Madonna or Fleetwoodie, when the e-shuffle pulls up one of their tracks, I enjoy it. (Brief Aside on the Evils of I-Tunes’ Genius: I don’t want 100 variations of chocolate; I want 100 different flavors of ice cream). It’s hard to explain the 80s to people who didn’t live through it. It can be summed it up by this: video killed the radio star. Madonna was a video star so part of the problem. But she is a fighter and a survivor. Yes, it is probably time for her to step aside, live off the royalties, and make a peaceful transition of power to Lady Gaga, but she’s still a guilty pleasure.

Florence and the Machine: Spiritual Sisterhood

Florence and the Machine
The Fox Theater
Oakland, CA
November 5, 2010

Florence and the Machine: Spiritual Sisterhood

It is difficult to review the performance of Florence and the Machine at the Fox Theater without discussing Florence's solemn efforts at female spiritual empowerment. And that poses all kinds of minefields to navigate. It should be noted at the onset that F&TM have released one album so it is not really fair to generalize and categorize but I will anyway.

In the world of women rockers, there are at least four very clear camps: The Rockers, including Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde, Courtney Love, the Minks; there are the Joni's: named after Joni Mitchell (the matron saint), including Rickie Lee Jones, Beth Orton, Jewel, Shawn Colvin; another is the Madonnas, including the material girl, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Britney Spears and then there is the the Spiritual Sisterhood, including Sarah McLachlan, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Stevie Nicks. If I had some good tech support, I would create a Venn diagram. While overlapping some of these other groups, Florence is very much in the Spiritual Sisterhood circle.

Florence took the stage Friday night wearing an all white flowing dress behind a mic-stand covered with vines and flowers, a kind of purified homage to Stevie Nicks' spiritual gypsy of the 1970s and 80s. With her flowing red hair and thin frame, Florence looked like an angelic sprite. At times she looked so ethereal, I almost expected she would melt into the bright white lights and just float away into the stratosphere.

As for the aforementioned minefield: I guess part of the problem for me with the Spiritual Sisterhood is that I feel excluded, much like heavy metal bands tend to exclude women fans (though they may desperately want them). Frankly, I feel a little uncomfortable seeing either. Though I really liked Florence, I felt like a bit of an interloper at times. And though I enjoy the thunder of power chords at an occasional heavy metal concert, I miss the female presence. It's too much of a locker room and smells like one too.

There is no question that Florence is a talent to watch. She can really sing. In fact, she sang so well, I suspected that she might be using backing vocal tracks. Although her recorded songs are creative and varied, they did tend to blend together in the live performance. A couple smaller complaints: the Machine was kept in the dark for much of the show. Even if Florence is The Artist, I prefer performers who give their bandmates more props. Also, Florence's performance was all rather dramatic, it almost bordered on the severe at times. The great enthusiasm of the audience saved the night from becoming too much of everything and made the evening quite fun, but a little bit of humor from Florence from time to time would do her well.

The Highlights: Drumming Song (the opening number), You've Got the Love, Dog Days Are Over.

Other impressions:

Joe: "Estrogen dripping walls of wailing."

Brian: "I was a little disappointed to be truthful. The eerie, undecipherable warblings started to really bug me by the end. For me, she got too into her atmospherics and lost sight of her biggest strength: crisp, commanding voice. That said, I was entertained and enjoyed the energy of the show. Lauri absolutely love it."

Ben: "Vagipalooza. I was impressed by the Fox as a venue. Good sound mixing and great lighting."

First two photos by award-winning photographer Joseph Santel

Mumford & Sons: Drama, Drama, Drama

Mumford & Sons
The Warfield
San Francisco, CA
October 20, 2010

Mumford and Sons: Drama, Drama, Drama




There was much to like about the Mumford & Sons performance at the Warfield last night. The crowd was hugely enthusiastic and the band is comprised of sharp, able musicians that compose interesting, literate songs. Though some (AG) complained that the lights shone too brightly in the eyes of the center balcony fans (maybe they should have distributed sunglasses), I thought the lighting creatively fashioned an intimate environment in the large theater. But, it was all a bit dramatic.

There is a certain inelegant quality to the laid-back, warm puddle of acoustic-based songs that constitutes the oeuvre of M&Sons. They are the Emo-band of British folk music. And like other emo-bands, there was a kind of disconnect between the pleasant, melodic acoustic music, the overly enthusiastic audience and the bleak Wuthering Heights lyrics of heartbreak and endless yearning. At the concert, the crowd whooped and hollered with rapturous approval when Marcus Mumford sang, on M&S' biggest hit Little Lion Man, "Weep for yourself/ my man/ you'll never be what is in your heart" and danced wildly while singing along with the chorus, "it was your heart on the line/ I really fucked it up this time/ didn't I, my dear?" To some extent, I can't blame the fans because the song is an upbeat, fun, melodic song; on the other hand, the lyrics do not particularly invite celebration.

This disconnect, between the ecstatic audience and the bleak, despairing lyrics of many M&S songs, was also further compounded by MM riling up the fans to chant and cheer and then telling them to be quiet for this next somber, hushed song- kind of like having a tickle fight with a 5 year-old and then telling them, it's time for bed.

Despite these problems, M&S is a band to watch. They are young and deeply talented. I can only imagine that they will improve over time. They may not have fulfilled their promise, but they are half-way there.

Highlights: Little Lion Man, Roll Away Your Stone.

Broken Bells: Uber-hip

Broken Bells
Fox Theater
Oakland, CA
October 5, 2010

Broken Bells: Uber-hip

I may not be the quintessential fedora-wearing hipster with Buddy Holly glasses and a NYC biker-bag slung over one shoulder, but I can pass. At least, I used to be able to pass. Alright, on a good day, someone who didn't know better might mistake me for hip. OK, OK, I'm not hip, but I know it when I see it, to paraphrase Oliver Wendell Holmes. And I saw it last night at the uber-hip Broken Bells show.

BB is the latest Danger Mouse project, this time teaming up with Shins front-man James Mercer. For those that can't pass hip, Danger Mouse is one of the hottest producers/artists in the biz. In 2004, DM burst on the scene with The Grey Album which was a mash of Jay-Z's The Black Album and The Beatles' The White Album. When EMI tried to restrict its distribution, The Grey Album became an internet sensation. Since then Danger M, with Gnarls Barkley, has been the epitome of the liberal musical intelligentsia that is destroying America. His BB partner-in-crime, James Mercer, is also a darling of the East Coast cultural elite. Together, fuggetaboutit. Rolling Stone hailed BB as "the year's coolest left field pop disc" and Wired described BB as "crazy good stuff." More recently, Broken B came in at #4 in NPR's best music of 2010-so-far listeners' poll. So, with this much hype and provenance, you'd figure BB has got to suck. You'd figure wrong.

Everything about the BBells show was cool. Cool lighting, cool stage, cool songs, cool performance. Only one small problem: The Fox Theater. I have heard complaints about the sound at the Fox before and I am beginning to reluctantly agree that it's a problem. To be fair, I have seen a dozen shows at the Fox and the sound was great at 50% of them, but what is the problem with the other half? Is there any possible excuse for poor sound at a concert in the 21st century? As I tried different vantage points, the sound varied wildly. When I go see a concert, I expect the sound to be better than, or at least equivalent to, my crappy earbuds. Otherwise, what's the point? At times it was like a hearing test for the color blind. That is simply not acceptable.

So, what is MV&R's final answer? Get the CD, see the band, don't go to the Fox.

Highlights: Vaporize, October, High Road,

Band of Horses: The West

Band of Horses: The West

Greek Theater

Berkeley, CA

September 24, 2010

Autumn arrived this past week and so did the summer in San Francisco. The fog and perpetual gray has given way to blue skies, hot days and warm nights. And on a warm autumn night in the Bay Area, there probably isn’t a better venue for a concert than the Greek Theater in Berkeley. After attending an art auction benefit, I quickly galloped (OK, it’s obligatory to include one, but that’s the last horse reference) across the Bay Bridge to catch Band of Horses last night.

While I really enjoyed the show - Band of Horses sounds to me like a combination of the Eagles and Coldplay - the only criticism that I have is that the songs simply were not that great. The last few shows that I have seen have particularly prompted me to reflect on the craft of song writing. Seems like a basic requirement for musical success, but so many bands today are just in pursuit of a certain ‘sound’ and don’t seem to spend too much energy on melody, a decent hook and thoughtful lyrics. This is the same complaint that I have leveled against Dave Matthews among others. After listening to Band of Horses canter through their set of more than 20 songs, just one, Laredo, was left in my head as I trotted home (really, that’s the last one).

Band of Horses has received quite a lot of critical praise for their sonic Western sound which is quite pleasant, but shows how critics have also forgotten about the need for a good song. BOH sounds like what you would think the West should sound like in 2010 - open, plaintive, dusty, nostalgic, soaring yet mellow (almost restrained) – the sound washes over you. And in case you didn’t get it on Saturday night, there were scenes of the West projected behind the band on the Greek Theater’s white walls and pillars: falling snow, mountain trees, amber waves of grain, and waterfalls (while singing about waterfalls in the song “Older”). And the bassist, Bill, who traded guitars every song, had a feather poking up from the tuning plugs of each guitar. Very Thoreau. But, I would have preferred for the band to mix it up a bit more. Many of the songs were note for note the same as their studio recordings, many quite short and ended just as they started to become interesting. Still, somehow, it all worked despite the lack of memorable hooks and the slightly pedestrian staging.

The band’s leader, Ben Bridwell, is an excellent and expressive singer and has decent stage presence and each member of the band played their part well. I just felt there was a creative spark in the middle missing that could really take BOH over the top. It was a very good, very solid performance from a talented band that is missing one ingredient from becoming really, really, really good.