I’m not much of a listener when it comes to minimal ambient music, but I went with a friend who adores Stars of the Lid, and it was easy to see what draws people to this genre, and especially to a band like this.
Download “Klara” | This was my first time seeing Olof Arnalds as a frontwoman–all previous performances being that of Mum, when she stood in one corner or the other, trading guitar for violin, violin for melodica, melodica for bells, and basically immersing herself in the beautiful clutter that used to be Mum (I still love them, but now they’re a different sort of clumsy). So I was pleasantly surprised that as a frontwoman Olof Arnalds is quite chatty, and those of us who found the expression “tuning this is a bitch” in her soft-spoken, thick Icelandic accent charmingly hilarious must just be forgiven (I’m sure it’ll be less funny the second time anyway, so don’t fret). She started with what sounded like would be the intro track of her new album, and I suppose it was gutsy of her to not only speak over it, explaining what instruments would be implemented in the recording, how this would come in and that, but also kicking the whole thing off with a request to sing along, adding, “Now this is where it gets louder, so you have to be louder too”.
All pictures, and story continued, after the jump.
A Hawk and a Hacksaw may have been without The Hun Hangár Ensemble last night, but the outfit of four induced a lot of dancing, feet stomping and clapping at (Le) Poisson Rouge, a venue which, now that I’ve been there twice in different settings, is really going to be a gem for affordable live music of superior quality. Jeremy Barnes looked all the more New-Mexico-meets-Hungary with his roguish mustache (Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood), and he freely took a full swing at label mates Beirut, members of which were present amongst the audience, apart from violinist Kristin and drummer Nicholas, for abandoning the Mexico and “selling out” by moving to New York. When two enthusiastic (and adorable) Mexican brothers in the front revealed their identity, Barnes called theirs the “Old Mexico” and then the “Original Mexico” of which the new was once a part, which prompted Beirut’s accordionist Perrin Cloutier to yell that they were still run the same way anyway. Barnes asked him if he was the governor.
All pictures after the jump, video coming later.
hooves on the turf is a mostly-music blog based out of brooklyn. i can be reached at hoovesontheturf [at] gmail [dot] com - please send me your lovely music as an attached mp3 or an mp3 link. if i like what you send, i'll be sure to ask for more.
