Liftingfaces

Last night I also had the privilege of seeing Aderbat play at Piano’s. I had the pleasure of drinks with some of the band after the show as well, thanks to their friend and associate Quang (who runs the Philly Deli site).

Aderbat played a short set on behalf of Asha for Education, an annual fundraiser held each year (at this venue I think, though don’t quote me on that). Four bands played, I watched two and a half (had to get to Efterklang after all). I have to say, I was impressed with what Aderbat pulled off in this less-than-small venue.

First of all I get to say I played the roadie, kind of. Well, I helped the keyboardist/drummer Craig Hendrix plug in some of his gear, and handed him his New Castle which was on the bar where I was sitting (apparently the high point of his evening, yuk yuk). Okay, onto the actual show, which was a good mix of brand new jams from a rumored summer release, alongside some of their older material. I think the set was about eight or nine songs in total. Just enough to whet your appetite, and leave you wanting more.

I’ve remarked in the past that lead singer Matt Taylor reminds me a bit of Jeremy Enigk and Josh Rouse. A strange combo, but if you listen to their respective music, I bet you’ll agree. I failed to mention Davey von Bohlen (The Promise Ring, Maritime), another vocal and sonic comparison I would say is valid. All that aside, Taylor has his own thing going on, and you notice it mostly in the songwriting. He is more immediate than Enigk, less sunny than Maritime, and a little less pastoral than Rouse (even before those random European-themed and generally crappy albums).

I can’t say enough about the drumming either. Todd Shied (who visually reminds me a bit of Jason Molina) played so incessantly that I worried he may at some point press the eject button on his chair and launch headlong into the crowd. You could feel the pent up energy channeling through his playing. Band newcomer Craig Hendrix (of Bon Savants quasi-fame) had a mini-kit of his own, along with his guitar and keyboard, and I particularly loved it when both he and Todd attacked the drums together.

For such a small stage, with such a mixed crowd (most were there to see Eighty East, an Indian rock/folk band), I must reiterate my delight at how good the set sounded. I’m also excited (as I was with Efterklang) about Aderbat’s new material. The songs sound very good, and Matt Taylor knows how to write “hits”.

Whether he really wants to or not, well we’ll see, and I’ll be fine either way.

Mp3 – Blog – Myspace

Last night I saw a ghost.

His name was Casper and he had six friends with him. Gaunt, pale, wide eyed and otherworldly, Casper sang to me. He sang to all of us. Last night.

I’m talking, of course, about Casper Clausen, frontman of the band Efterklang. They played the Mercury Lounge in NYC and if I only had one word, the show was EPIC.

I remember the cavernous venue and the rim-lit players cast in red and green lights (odd, it did feel a bit like a Christmas present, but whether belated or early who can say?). I remember the TOP GUN t-shirt and the mustaches. I remember the girl, over there in the corner, the only one not moving around the stage like a doubled-over Greek waiter.

And I remember the music. The swelling, soaring, air tight music. Some old songs, and some new ones, but it didn’t really matter (although the new ones gave me that tingly, prophetic “album-of-the-year” feeling, seriously).

I remember the violin and the flute, and the harmonies of an angel. I remember Casper’s liberal use of drumsticks and kazoo, his persistently piercing vocal delivery and clever banter. On paper, this should have been a hodgepodge of instruments and sounds, all messy and experimental. And yet, in person it was harmonious and composed, and striving for perfection. It was more ambitious and yet more cohesive than, say, an Arcade Fire concert. How unexpected, and blissful for us all.

I remember the encore. Oh, the encore. The one where they asked us (very Danishly, ie. kindly) to sing a melody for them, which we all did. They flipped the script on us, and began layering their music over OUR collective singing (which sounded eerie and beautiful, actually). They brought the drums in, and played alongside our choral wonder.

And I mean that literally: they took the snare, the kick, the high hat, and walked right off stage and into the crowd, only to set up camp right next to yours truly. We formed a circle around them as their drumming got faster and faster. We tried to keep up our singing, and did a fair job of it. But Casper helped us out, wailing his heart out in a slick sheen of serendipitous sweat.

And then… it was over. We were all left breathless, in awe of the ghost who had possibly touched our very souls (I can prove it, my jeans were even vibrating. Wait. What?). I’m still a little breathless, if truth be told.

This was Efterklang as I never remember hearing them. These songs swelled and washed over us like waves crashing against a rocky shore. One song after the other utilized the same recipe of layering and building until we couldn’t hear ourselves thinking how amazing it all was. Only after it was all over could we make sense of that thought clearly enough to analyze it.

I have to go re-listen to Efterklang now, because the band I remember seemed much more carnival than funeral. More experimental than cinematic; but not tonight. After tonight, I feel like they deserve their very own orchestra.

And yet… maybe they don’t need one at all. Ghosts can be tricky that way.

Mp3 – Site – Myspace

These guys have been around for a while, but they just recently jumped on my radar (thank you, ANTENNAE). I just really dig the mix of casual and classy. They juxtapose premium details, like leather interiors and custom molded footbeds, alongside casual sportswear design cues. The result is a comfortable shoe you can hit the streets in, even if you’re headed to the opera house for a night with the philharmonic.

Visit Clae Shoes.

“Do good, be good, and don’t hang with the jags.” – Tim Dunn

(AT THE CLOSE OF THE FIRST QUARTER, THAT IS)

5. “You Are the Blood”
Sufjan Stevens

If this is the direction Sufjan is taking his new material, he may just be album of the year worthy. Of course he may pull that off no matter what he decides to put out. This song—one of the stand-outs from the very stand-outish compilation Dark Was the Night—is so glitchy nasty filthy, and irresistable, I want to go swimming in the La Brea Tar Pits. “You are the blood, flowing through my fingers.” Maybe this is his way of purging all those damn Christmas songs from his blood stream?

This Saturday, March 28, Matt Taylor and the guys from Aderbat will be playing a short set in support of Asha for Education at Piano’s in NYC on the LES (for some reason they aren’t listing the event on their site yet). The venue website doesn’t have it listed, but it’s $15/person with 100% of the proceeds going to Asha.

A band I can’t find anything about called Come Together will open the show at 8:00p, followed by Cold Spring’s own Dana Edelman at 9:30p. Aderbat play at 10:30p, and Eighty East (think CSN&Y meets Slumdog) close the show at 11:30p. It should be a fun night, a good mix of bands.

Their Myspace page has the concert listed, and you can check out some of their songs in Mp3 form on their Blog.

Let’s all go! I’ll be the guy in the corner avoiding people and listening to the lyrics the whole time.