This is fine.
Wanted to slink into Thursday with a little bit of reflective energy from LA’s Kvstles. It’s a home project that falls somewhere in the realm between Blank Dogs and Black Marble, albeit with a bit less pace. Bringing in deep-throated vocals builds the sadness in the lyrics, though that bright guitar line that dances in and out makes it difficult to not hear the sparkle of the melody. Something mellow and sweet to kick our day off here.
When one watches Nick Cave, it’s really difficult to spin words out of that experience. He’s got decades of writing under his belt, whether that’s with the Bad Seeds, Birthday Party or various other acts he’s worked with; on Tuesday in Austin, he treated us to a touch of it all, sprinkling his gothic fairy dust over those in attendance at Moody Theatre.
For starters, I love the presentation of the set (you can find the whole setlist HERE); we were offered Nick, clad in his suit, his piano, and a similarly dressed Colin Greenwood of Radiohead. In such a setting, one can easily see how Cave’s personality was the dominant spirit of the evening; his soulful presentation resonated throughout as he wavered between personal storytelling and dry humor. All evening the lighting was simple, merely working to keep Nick just barely out of the theatre’s shadows.
After opening up with tracks like “Girl in Amber” and “Jesus of the Moon,” we were treated to a rare glimpse inside the writing process, as we were given a short ballad that never quite made the cut, though clearly still leaving an impact on the songwriter; he titled the track “Euthanasia,” though I suppose we’ll never truly know until its recorded. From there, the set moved mostly through Bad Seeds catalog, then to some of his work with Warren Ellis. He used “Balcony Man” to create a fictional divide between those seated on the floor and those in the balcony, though sadly the mezzanine was left out of the conversation.
The staged encore also brought special moments, with a rendition of the Rowland Howard penned tune, “Shivers,” from the Boys Next Door catalog. It also gave us my personal favorite moment as Cave dropped a nice little cover of T. Rex’s “Cosmic Dancer.” I think that moment is when it sunk in, as Cave, like Bolan, is a true artist that has few contemporaries. His writing can be dark and absurd, then turn touching, and his voice can move anyone to tears. If you doubt that, just ask Colin Greenwood, a world-famous star in his own right, who often could be seen side-stage, immersed in the moving power we all witnessed, lost in the magic of the evening.
Couple of notes from bgray, Nick almost seemed restrained by his seat behind the piano. At the end of many of the songs, he would leap up to get closer to the crowd and entice the response that the consummate showman seemingly craves. The other entertaining aspect was the flick of the songsheet when readying for the next song, spinning it the ground. Hopefully, these found their way into fans’ hands.
I left grateful for the night, fortunate to have the option to witness Nick Cave present his gift to the world. But, in thinking upon the night, I was also left with a bit of sadness. I can’t really recall any current musicians who have pushed themselves to the degree Nick has, and for that, I think there will come a time when great art will be relegated to the streaming services in lieu of rolling out singles. And in that, very few will have the longevity of Cave; its a reminder of his artistry and our own humanity…and for that, I’ll sit with the closing track of the evening, “People Ain’t No Good.”
If you missed the Umbrellas after their stellar debut, you can rejoice today, as the band announce their brand new LP, Fairweather Friend. It’s slated for release next January, but for now, they’ve offered to tease us with this delightful bit of classic indiepop sounds, albeit with a slightly heavier weight to it. The rhythm section feels heavier, perhaps matching the vocal tones, but if you listen to the guitar jangling in there, it almost reminds you of the chorus of a number of Heavenly tracks…not a bad thing. They do take a bit of a momentary respite in the song’s middle to spin some classic pop songs so as to give you a rush from the sugar high, but then just as quickly spin it right back your way. Slumberland Records/Tough Love will drop Fairweather Friend in January
After putting the past with his old band behind him, it’s great to see that Jeff Moore’s songwriting hasn’t changed all that much. I’ve always been a fan of the way he’s balanced rocking guitar sounds with a need for a bit of calm to run through a track’s center. With his new project, Glimmer, he’s not straying too far from that formula, although they’re brandishing an even heavier sound, echoing with atmosphere in the background. You can hear it here, but again, you get a nice little dose of melody that keeps the track tethered to your ears. Turn it up and your ears will ring, but as the song comes into focus, you’ll find yourself locked into that Jeff Moore charm. Hoping we get more from the group real soon.
It’s not just the Melbourne scene that’s on fire over in Australia; Sydney’s got an equally diverse pocket of artists too, like Beryl. When Gabriela King’s voice enters, for a brief second, you feel like this is going to walk straight into modern pop. But, the song drops right into this bob-and-weave bassline, punctuated by some stick-work percussion, giving this sort of magical pulse to the tune. King’s voice continues to dominate with a standout performance, but the song continues to melt into your brain with layered samples and atmospherics that give the song this beautiful bulk. Bobbing and weaving, with a pop centric vocal, you’re going to love this tune, which should lead you to pick up the group’s new LP, Dry Peel Crack, which drops November 16th.
A few years ago, everyone was buzzing about Yard Act; they were the brand new baby for those that were in attendance at SXSW. To be honest, I thought they were the poor man’s Franz Ferdinand, as you could hear the style of dance music leaking in, but it didn’t quite feel as passionate. This go round, the band are aiming for something that feels a little bit like the crossing pattern between Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem; it’s built to get your feet moving, embracing the body’s natural movement and employing all the tricks to get it up and going. It’s a lot more fun this go round, so I’m eager to see where they go now that they’ve announced Where’s My Utopia, out in March via Republic.
This week is the week! Hoping that I’ll be able to catch Pachyman this week, as I’ve been super jamming to his latest LP, Switched-On. It’s a collection of Latin influenced dub, with hints of indie and psychedelic grooves…and to be honest, a sound that’s probably more obscure than it deserves to be. So, we reached out, caught up…and here we go!
Feel It Records have been on a roll this Fall, but their secret seems to be balancing great new music with unearthed classic, like this unreleased LP from Cosmo Jimmy. Initially, this song was intended as a piece for a movie, but never made it, though as a child of 1987 (when the record was originally recorded), you can certainly hear the familiarity to some of our favorite songs; I mean, it would have fit right alongside that Kenny Loggins banger from Caddyshack. Still, a further dive into Under That Dress reveals a bit more of an outsider roll in pop music, nodding to acts like XTC in a lot of the sonic construction. It’s a fun tune, and definitely something that should have been out years ago. Nevertheless, Under That Dress will finally see a release, thanks to the good people at Feel It Records.
One of my favorite Austin acts, Marry Cherry, have opted to transport you back into your time machine and take you all the way back to the club scene of the early 90s. They’ve got this psychedelic blend that often feels more inclined towards pop fanatics, but you can’t hide yourself from the fiery guitar licks that fill the empty space behind the sugary sweetness. And, as if the musical styling wasn’t enough, the video for “Shame” takes on a bit of an old school vibe too, and there was definitely part of the video and track where I swore J. Spaceman was the instigator. They can be quiet and they can be brash, and I love it all. If you’re digging what they’re laying down, might I suggest you find their Knockout EP to enjoy today!
As you’ve likely seen, I raved and raved all year about the new Lower Plenty album, No Poets. So, we were fortunate enough to catch up with Al Montfort, toss him a few questions, plus get a most excellent Dahl recipe that you can try out on your own time. Take a read, get to know the band, and if you’re super-inclined, be sure to grab No Poets LP from Bedroom Suck Records.
